My family makes this Easy Chocolate Cream Pie over and over again. It's effortless to put together and we always fight for seconds!
Easy Chocolate Cream Pie
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I think that everyone needs to have a good easy chocolate pie recipe up their sleeve. Now chocolate pie means different things to different people. For some it can be a super labor-intensive homemade chocolate pie made with all the love in the world. For others, a chocolate mousse pie that you find already prepared in the freezer section, thawed with love (no judgement, those are so good! I've been known to pick one up in a pinch!).
But in our family, in the most basic of terms it's a chocolate pudding pie. You know I'm all about working smarter and not harder. For us this means a pre-made pie crust. Pudding that starts in a box. Whipped cream. And if you're feeling extra fancy, you can even shave some chocolate shavings on top.
And I'll tell you right now, it's not the most gorgeous, artisan pie you'll ever make. But it's easy-peasy, consistently delicious and I guarantee everyone will be fighting for that last slice every time!
Tips for making this chocolate cream pie recipe
- Don't use instant pudding. I know it's tempting to grab the instant variety. But trust me, the cook and serve variety always comes out superior.
- When you cool the pudding use plastic wrap and push it down so that it touches the entire top of the pudding- this should help avoid that gross "skin" that pudding can sometimes develop.
- I cut down the amount of milk from what it says on the pudding mix box to try and make it a little thicker. I mean, this is a pudding pie, so it's not going to get a perfect, gorgeous cut no matter how you slice it (see what I did there?). But it's so darn delicious that no one ever cares.
- I generally wait until the day-of serving to put the pudding into the pie crust to make sure it doesn't get soggy.
- You can totally use whipped topping if you want, but I prefer to quickly whip up my own whipped cream. You can't beat the flavor and texture and I find it to be more stable than a can of whipped cream any day.
- The chocolate shavings are totally optional and are contingent upon whether I have any chocolate in the house that is large enough to shave. For this particular pie, I used "fun size" chocolate bars from my kids Halloween candy. No regrets.
Frequently asked questions about making Easy Chocolate Pie
- Can I make this ahead? You can definitely make every component of this recipe ahead, but I'd encourage you to wait until the day-of to put it all together. And you may need to give the whipped cream and extra whip before topping.
- Can I make this with an Oreo crust? Yes and I bet it will be delicious! That said I always encourage buying a pre-made one due to my terrible luck making my own crumb crusts.
- Can I freeze this? I don't recommend freezing it for a long period of time.
- Does chocolate cream pie need to be refrigerated? I recommend refrigerating until serving.
- How long will this last? It can sit a few days covered in the fridge. That said, this is always the most popular dessert at the party so I doubt you'll have leftovers.
Helpful tools:
- Pie plate
- Spatula
- Offset spatula
- Stand mixer or Hand mixer
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Easy Chocolate Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 2 3.4 ounce boxes cook and serve chocolate pudding mixes (not instant!)
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 pie crust, baked
- ½ pint heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon real vanilla extract
- ¼ cup confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Combine pudding mixes and milk in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat until thickened.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a different container and chill in the refrigerator (cover the bowl with plastic wrap and push the plastic wrap down so that it's touching the entire top of the pudding- this will prevent it from getting "skin").
- On the day you're planning to serve this, place the pudding into the pie crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream, vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar until it makes stiff peaks.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the pie and if you're feeling extra fancy, shave some chocolate on top. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.
If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions! And if you make this please tag me on Instagram with @thelifejolie so I can share it <3
Other delicious pies include:
- Rosie's Award Winning Cherry Cheese Pie
- Raspberry Lemon Icebox Pie
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- Black Forest Ice Cream Pie
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