Chocolate Pudding Pie | Cookies and Cups

This homemade chocolate pudding pie is a cool and creamy dessert recipe made from rich chocolate filling in a buttery, flaky pie crust. It’s extra decadent garnished with dollops of whipped cream and fresh berries!

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Pudding Pie Recipe

Cold and creamy desserts don’t get better than this classic chocolate pudding pie made from the silkiest homemade chocolate pudding set in a buttery, crispy pie crust. Here’s why this pie belongs on your table ASAP:

• Easy recipe. If you’re intimidated by the thought of making pudding from scratch, don’t be! It’s super easy to do on the stovetop, and you can customize the flavors any way that you’d like.
• Rich, chocolatey flavor. The term “melt-in-your-mouth” doesn’t do this pie justice. The filling is rich and silky, not too sweet, and choc-full (pun intended) of chilled chocolate goodness. 
• All occasions. This decadent and fudgy chocolate dessert is perfect for all occasions, any time of the year. 
• Almost no-bake. You can make your pie crust from scratch, or use a pre-baked pie crust from the store to make this a no-bake dessert. The chocolate pudding comes together quickly on the stovetop.

Looking for more easy pie recipes? If you love pies with a bit of decadence, be sure to try my fudgy s’mores pie, this Oreo slab pie, or this mousse-filled cookie butter pie.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Have a look at the short list of ingredients along with some notes below. Scroll to the recipe card for the full amounts and recipe instructions.

• Pie Crust – I make this chocolate pie in my homemade flaky pie crust. You’ll need to prepare, bake, and cool your pie crust before you start.
• Cream and Egg Yolks – Half-and-half and four egg yolks form the custard base for the pudding. Make sure that your yolks are at room temperature before you start.
• Sugar
• Cornstarch – Helps to thicken the pudding.
• Salt and Vanilla 
• Butter – For an extra-rich chocolate pudding, you’ll stir in cubed butter at the end.
• Chocolate – You’ll want to use good-quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped into smaller pieces so that it melts smoothly.
• Whipped Cream – Make your own homemade whipped cream with heavy cream and powdered sugar for topping the pie.
• Toppings – Garnish the finished pie with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or a dusting of cocoa powder.

How to Make Chocolate Pudding Pie

To make the chocolate pudding for the pie filling, you’ll first make a quick custard by tempering eggs with cream and sugar. If you’ve never done it before, don’t let the word “tempering” scare you, it’s easier than you think! Let’s get started:

• Make the pudding. First, whisk the egg yolks into the half-and-half. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, then pour in the half-and-half mixture. Keep whisking as the mixture heats and thickens. Take the pan off the stove when it just reaches a boil.
• Add chocolate. Next, stir in vanilla, butter, and chopped chocolate.

• Assemble and chill. Pour the pudding into a baked and cooled pie crust, then place the pie into the fridge to chill for a few hours.
• Make the topping. Before serving, beat cold heavy cream together and powdered sugar into stiff peaks. Spread a thick layer of whipped cream over the top of the pudding pie, garnish, and enjoy!

What Does Tempering Mean In Cooking? 

In cooking and baking, tempering is the process of heating up ingredients and then cooling them in order to stabilize them. It’s common to do this with dipping chocolate. In this recipe, combining room-temperature egg yolks with cream and sugar, and then slowly heating the mixture on the stovetop helps to create a stable base for the chocolate pudding.

Why Won’t My Chocolate Pie Thicken?

This chocolate pudding pie should chill for at least 3 hours once it’s assembled, to give the filling enough time to cool and firm up. If you notice that your pie is still runny even after it’s chilled, it could be because you didn’t add enough thickener (cornstarch), or the custard wasn’t cooked for long enough. Make sure to measure your ingredients correctly and heat the pudding mixture until it reaches a boil.

Tips and Variations for the Best Chocolate Pudding Pie

Take a bit of care when tempering your eggs, and the rest is smooth sailing! 

• Bring the pudding to a boil. You don’t want to boil it for long, but make sure that you start to see some bubbling before you take the pan off the heat.
• Make this pie in advance. This (almost) no-bake chocolate pudding pie is a great dessert to make ahead. Assemble and chill your pie the day before you plan on serving it for the best results. This way it has plenty of time to cool before slicing.
• Graham cracker crust. For an easy variation, make this recipe in a crunchy Graham cracker crust or a chocolatey Oreo crust. For extra convenience, you can also make this recipe with a store-bought pie crust of your choice.
• Different pudding. Once you have your pudding base prepared, you can experiment with other flavors in place of chocolate. Make white chocolate pudding pie, or stir in a bit of strawberry syrup to make strawberry pudding. You can even try a banana pudding pie!
• Add-ins. Stir in crushed Oreo cookies, diced strawberries, or chopped nuts.
• Spices. Try a spicy Mexican hot chocolate-inspired pudding pie, and add ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can even make a fall variation by adding in pumpkin pie spice.
• No-bake. Don’t feel like turning on the oven? Try this creamy marshmallow chocolate pie instead.

What to Serve With Chocolate Pudding Pie

I usually spread the whipped cream topping all over the finished pie before serving, but you can absolutely use the whipped cream to dollop over individual slices instead. A slice of cool and creamy chocolate pudding pie goes perfectly with an after-dinner coffee. Garnish your slices with fresh berries, shaved chocolate, chocolate chips, toasted coconut, or a drizzle of caramel sauce. For a special occasion, go ahead and add some sprinkles and serve this pie with 2-ingredient homemade ice cream.

How to Store

This chocolate pudding pie needs to be refrigerated. Store the pie covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend letting it sit out for long at room temperature.

Can You Freeze Chocolate Pudding Pie?

Yes! Once the chocolate pudding pie is completely chilled, double-wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw the pie in the fridge before serving.

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