Hello friends! After years of developing recipes for my blog, cookbook, and bakery, I can confidently say this Chocolate Cream Pie is a keeper. It features a rich, silky chocolate pudding filling layered inside a crisp Oreo cookie crust, then topped with a cloud of softly whipped cream. It’s nostalgic, elegant, and surprisingly simple to make completely from scratch.

Whether you’re serving it for the holidays, a special dinner, or just a weeknight treat, this pie is pure chocolate comfort in every bite.

Best Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

What makes this the best Chocolate Cream Pie is the contrast of textures: a silky smooth, dark chocolate pudding filling nestled inside a crisp pie crust, topped with fluffy whipped cream.

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The filling is cooked carefully to avoid lumps, then poured into a chilled pie pan lined with a homemade Oreo cookie crust. Once set, the whole pie slices cleanly with a beautiful layered cross-section—rich chocolate base, creamy top, and a buttery, crunchy crust.

Oreo Crust

You can find my full Oreo Crust Recipe here. It’s an easy, from-scratch crust made by pulsing whole Oreo cookies in a food processor until they form fine crumbs, then mixing with melted butter to create a firm, chocolatey base. Press the mixture into your pie pan and bake or chill depending on your filling.

For this recipe, bake the crust according to the instructions and set it aside to cool completely before adding the chocolate filling.

Chocolate Cream Pie Filling

For the filling, gather your ingredients: whole milk, granulated and brown sugars, cornstarch, cocoa powder, salt, egg yolks, chopped dark chocolate, butter, and vanilla.

Start by heating the milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until it’s just about to boil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk (or use a mixer) until smooth—at first the mixture will be stiff, but keep going until it becomes fluid and lump-free.

Slowly temper the eggs by adding the hot milk a little at a time, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling. Once all the milk is incorporated, strain the liquid back into the saucepan through a fine-mesh sieve to catch any lumps.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula and scraping the sides and bottom to prevent scorching. After several minutes, the mixture will suddenly thicken and take on a glossy, pudding-like consistency. Remove from the heat, then stir in the chopped dark chocolate, butter, and vanilla until completely smooth and silky.

Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust, smoothing the top with a spatula. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill the whole pie in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until fully set.

Whipped Cream

In a medium bowl, whip cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe the whipped cream evenly over the chilled chocolate filling. This pie is reminiscent of old-fashioned cream pies, with that signature combination of cool whipped cream and rich custard filling. Add chocolate curls for an extra elegant touch if desired.

Storage

Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or a cake dome and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For best texture, add the whipped cream topping shortly before serving. The crust remains crisp thanks to the chilled, set filling.

Tips & Tricks for Chocolate Cream Pie

Temper the eggs slowly to avoid scrambling.
Use high-quality chocolate for the best flavor.
Stir constantly when cooking the custard to prevent scorching.
Chill overnight for clean slices and perfect texture.

Variations

Mocha Cream Pie: Add 1 tsp espresso powder to the filling for a coffee-chocolate twist.
White Chocolate Cream Pie: Swap the chocolate for white chocolate and reduce the sugar slightly.
Layered Pie: Add a thin layer of salted caramel sauce beneath the chocolate for extra decadence.

Chocolate Cream Pie FAQ

Can I use store-bought crust?
Yes, but homemade Oreo cookie crust has a far better flavor and texture.

Can I make the filling ahead of time?
Yes! The pie filling sets beautifully overnight, so this is a great make-ahead dessert.

Can I use milk chocolate instead of semisweet?
Absolutely—milk chocolate will make the filling a bit sweeter and creamier.

Why do I need to cover the filling with plastic wrap?
This prevents a skin from forming as the pudding cools.

Can I freeze Chocolate Cream Pie?
I don’t recommend freezing, as the texture of the custard and whipped cream can be affected.

Similar Recipes

If you love this Chocolate Cream Pie, try my Oreo Cheesecake for another rich, chocolatey dessert, or switch things up with a Banana Cream Pie in the same chocolate crust for contrast. I also have been really loving this Cookie and Cream Cake and Cookies and Cream Cakesicles!

Chocolate Cream Pie

Camila Hurst

This Chocolate Cream Pie features a silky, deeply chocolate filling layered inside a crisp Oreo crust and topped with soft whipped cream. It’s a classic, comforting pie that’s elegant enough for entertaining and easy enough for everyday baking.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Chill Time 6

Total Time 6 45

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

Oreo Crust

recipe here

Chocolate Cream Pie Filling

2 cups whole milk 480ml
⅓ cup granulated sugar 67g
⅓ cup brown sugar 73g
¼ cup cornstarch 28g
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
4 large egg yolks
4 oz semisweet (or milk) chocolate, chopped 113g
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

1½ cups heavy cream cold, 360ml
3 tbsp powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla

Instructions

Oreo Crust

Bake the crust according to the instructions on the recipe. Set it aside to cool down.
I used a 8” deep pie pan, you can use a 9”. (Depending on the size of the pan, there might be a bit of leftover crust.)

Chocolate Cream Pie Filling

Add the milk to a saucepan with a thick bottom. Bring to almost a boil. Once you see the first bubbles emerge, turn it off. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, two tablespoons of cocoa powder, and the salt together.
Add the egg yolks and whisk, or use a mixer to combine. The mixture will be very dry and tough in the beginning, so you can get started with a spatula. As you keep mixing, it will become thinner. You are just looking to form a smooth mixture that slowly flows off the whisk or the beaters. It should take about 2 to 3 minutes with the mixer and 4 minutes by hand.
Now we're going to temper the egg/flour mixture by slowly adding hot milk to avoid scrambling. Add about ¼ cup of the hot milk to the bowl, whisking constantly to incorporate. Add another ¼ cup of hot milk, continue whisking.
Gradually add the rest of the milk to the bowl and whisk until combined.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan through a fine mesh sieve to catch any bits of egg that might have cooked.
Place the pan back over medium-heat. Stir with a spatula non-stop while the mixture cooks. It’s very important to stir the whole time, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan. Keep the temperature medium or medium-low.
After a few minutes, the mixture will start thickening and curdling. Keep stirring, trust the process. Cook for about 8 minutes, or as long as it takes to form a thick pudding-like mixture.
Once the mixture is very thick, remove from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate and the butter. Stir until completely incorporated.
Add the vanilla and stir.
Pour on the bottom of the cooled crust, smooth with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.