Attention choco-holics! This is an absolute MUST try!
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Table of Contents
❤️ Why you'll love it
- Easy, quick, customizable—all the good stuff
- Melt-in-your-mouth creamy deliciousness from only 6 ingredients
- Premade graham cracker crust makes this a no-bake recipe (or opt for homemade—your choice!)
This French silk pie recipe uses a special ingredient that not only makes it better than any other chocolate silk pie I've eaten, but it ensures the pie comes out absolutely heavenly—every single time. Shoutout to my chocolate lovers, this one is for you!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
🎥 Video
Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
🥫 Storage
This classic french silk pie is a family favorite that has everyone rushing back to the kitchen for seconds. However, if you have some leftovers, they'll last refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Just be sure to cover the leftover pie with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent any odors from leaching into the soft chocolate mousse. Serve it straight from the fridge, or let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to take off a bit of the chill.
You can freeze French silk chocolate pie but do so without any of the whipped topping. Wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic, then a layer of foil, and store for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge until softened.
📖 Variations
For best results, I recommend following this recipe closely. However, there are quite a few variations you can make that will still result in a delectable chocolate French silk pie!
- Instead of homemade crust, use your favorite premade flaky pie crust. Just be sure to blind bake it if it's not pre-cooked.
- For extra chocolate flavor, use a homemade Oreo crust, or purchase a premade Oreo cookie crust from the baking section.
- Or, use a chocolate pastry pie shell for flaky, chocolate goodness.
- Get extra creative with a peanut butter pie shell or a gingersnap crust.
- I prefer to bake with unsalted butter, but if all you have is salted, you can use it and the pie will taste just fine.
- Swap the vanilla extract for vanilla bean paste, bourbon, or rum.
- Garnish with fresh whipped cream or cool whip. If you're not a fan of either, you can skip it!
- Instead of chocolate shavings, sprinkle the top of the pie with mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, or caramel sauce. These toppings are great with this easy 10 minute Southern Chocolate Cobbler.
A lot of people ask about a recipe variation regarding the raw eggs. There are some solutions, however, the texture of the pie isn't quite the same:
- Take an extra step and heat the eggs in a double boiler until they reach 160F degrees. Cool before incorporating them into the recipe as written.
- You can also swap the raw eggs for pasteurized eggs from a carton. Just be sure they're whole eggs and not egg substitutes.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Pregnant women, very young children, and people with weak immune systems are cautioned by the FDA to not ingest raw eggs. Please research carefully and come to your own conclusions.
- Nervous to use a traditional pie crust recipe and the blind baking method? Never used pie weights before? Grab some parchment paper and check out these tips. Spoiler alert: it's easy to make homemade pie crust when you have the right recipe!
- Make sure your butter is cold when making pie dough, but at room temperature when beating the sugar for the pie filling into it.
- Good butter makes a difference! I use Kerrygold, Plugra, or Challenge for high-fat content, which means flavor! If you live in Texas, Braum's used to have a European-style butter that was nice as well.
- Check the texture of the butter/sugar mixture by rubbing a bit between your fingers—if it still feels grainy, your French silk pie filling will taste grainy. Beating it 'til smooth can take around ten minutes or more.
- Pulse your sugar in a food processor or blender to make it finer so that it dissolves more quickly into the butter.
- You can use a handheld electric mixer with the whisk attachment, but fair warning: your arm will get tired!
- Let your eggs come to room temperature. To do so quickly, submerge the eggs (in their shells) in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
- Beat the eggs well (about three minutes) in between each addition.
- If you've mixed your eggs together for pasteurization, simply add a quarter of the egg mixture in four increments, beating in between each.
- For the best homemade French silk pie, be sure to use the darkest Dutch cocoa powder you can find. Not melted chocolate, and definitely not a premade chocolate pie filling, either. Dutch cocoa powder is best.
- Use a vegetable peeler to make easy, quick chocolate curls. I like using dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate for garnish.
- It's tempting to cut into your pie, but be sure to let it set for at least three hours, if not longer.
👩🍳 FAQs
Chocolate squares and chips have other ingredients in various amounts. This changes the flavor and texture of the pie, depending on which you use. The cocoa powder creates a rich chocolate filling that is delicious every time you make it.
Nope! Natural cocoa powder (like regular Hershey's cocoa) is lighter in color and acidic, so it's usually paired with baking soda in things like quick bread and cakes.
On the other hand, Dutch process cocoa powder (the kind you want to use in this French silk pie recipe) is darker and best for puddings, sauces, and pies. It's less acidic than natural cocoa powder. Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder is a Dutch-processed variety.
Make sure your heavy whipping cream, bowl, and whisk/beaters are all ice cold. If you've been beating and it's not coming to stiff peaks, pop everything in the freezer for a few minutes and try again.
📚 Related recipes
- Ooey, gooey Chocolate Chess Pie tastes like decadent brownie batter in a flaky, buttery pie crust—it's the perfect treat for chocolate lovers.
- With caramel, chocolate, and a pretzel crunch, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie truly has it all! Oh, and it's a no-bake recipe—hooray!
- One you'll have to taste before you believe how good it is, Red Velvet Silk Pie combines two Southern classics into a unique, decadent dessert!
🍽️ Serve with...
🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends
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You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- stand mixer
- There are a lot of expensive Dutched cocoa powders out there but I find that the Hershey's Special Dark works just fine.
📞 The last word
Prefer something a little less rich? Try this ultra creamy, old fashioned chocolate pie recipe!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
French Silk Pie
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 5 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, room temp
- 1 pie crust, 9 inch baked or a crumb crust
Instructions
- Beat butter and sugar until no graininess remains.
- Add cocoa powder and beat well.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating several minutes after each.
- Beat in vanilla.
- Spoon into crust and smooth top. Chill for 3 hours, at least - overnight is recommended.
- Serve with whipped cream, chocolate shavings or other garnish.
Notes
- Nervous to use a traditional pie crust recipe and the blind baking method? Never used pie weights before? Grab some parchment paper and check out these tips. Spoiler alert: it's easy to make homemade pie crust when you have the right recipe!
- Make sure your butter is cold when making pie dough, but at room temperature when beating the sugar for the pie filling into it.
- Good butter makes a difference! I use Kerrygold, Plugra, or Challenge for high-fat content, which means flavor! If you live in Texas, Braum's used to have a European-style butter that was nice as well.
- Check the texture of the butter/sugar mixture by rubbing a bit between your fingers—if it still feels grainy, your French silk pie filling will taste grainy. Beating it 'til smooth can take around ten minutes or more.
- Pulse your sugar in a food processor or blender to make it finer so that it dissolves more quickly into the butter.
- You can use a handheld electric mixer with the whisk attachment, but fair warning: your arm will get tired!
- If you've mixed your eggs together for pasteurization, simply add a quarter of the egg mixture in four increments, beating in between each.
- For the best homemade French silk pie, be sure to use the darkest Dutch cocoa powder you can find. Not melted chocolate, and definitely not a premade chocolate pie filling, either. Dutch cocoa powder is best.
- Use a vegetable peeler to make easy, quick chocolate curls. I like using dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate for garnish.
- It's tempting to cut into your pie, but be sure to let it set for at least three hours, if not longer.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
This post was originally published in December 2009. Last updated January 5, 2023 for editorial content and images.
WONDA says
Thank you for sharing this recipe, been looking for a recipe like this for yrs. thank you for sharing this can't wait to make it.
Lynne says
Just made this! So dang good!!!
Jennifer Warren says
Spectacular! SO freaking delicious! I’ve been making this pie for a few years, and it’s an absolute home run every time. I make it at least 4x a year: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the hubs b-day (French Silk is his favorite, and he’s crazy picky about it). This recipe is perfection! I must have tried at least 8 versions of this dessert before I settled on this one. If you’ve never made it before, I have this advice - follow the directions to the letter. It’s a lot of mixing, but SO WORTH IT! Marye, you’re awesome. I can’t thank you enough for sharing this recipe. You rock 😍😍😍!
Ps - if you’ve never tried this with a chocolate nut crust, you really should consider it!
Paige says
I just want to clarify that I do not bake this pie ?
Marye says
No, this pie should not be baked.
Melissa says
I could totally see making this with cayenne pepper like a Mexican hot cocoa - that would be divine!
Natalie says
I want to try this recipe by blending my granulated sugar to make it superfine. Should I measure before blending or after blending?
Marye says
yes, measure before since that was how I measured. 🙂
Natalie says
Made my first French Silk Pie last night, following a different recipe. Other than the somewhat grainy texture which I now know how to solve, it's delicious! The other recipe calls for refrigerated eggs. Why do you recommend room temperature eggs? How does the temp of the eggs affect the filling?
Marye says
The eggs whip up better if they are at room temperature plus the sugar won't dissolve well if everything is cold.
Pat says
Am I missing a step? Do I really serve this pie with uncooked eggs?
Marye Audet says
Yep.
Carol says
Hi,
Two questions... In the tips above, it says add the yolks one at a time, but in the recipe it says 4 eggs. Whole eggs? Or just the yolks? Also, in step 2 of the instructions, it says add cocoa powder and pepper and beat well. Pepper? If so, how much?
Thank you for the clarifications =)
David says
Since nobody else has answered you... definitely whole eggs, and add them one at a time and beat at least 2 minutes each. As to the pepper, never heard of putting pepper with a chocolate pie and I've been making French Silk for nearly 40 years. So it's either a typo or her own little recipe quirk. The most important part of any French Silk recipe is the butter. If you melt in the micro, your pie will be runny. And if you let it get too soft from room temp - runny pie. It needs to be soft enough to be able to fluff, but not too soft and not warm.
Anyway, good recipe. I couldn't find any unsweetened chocolate so I had to use cocoa. I've made better but this was still mouth-watering good.
Marye Audet says
The pepper is leftover from before I updated the recipe - I do like pepper with chocolate but so many people balked at it I removed it - and then forgot to remove it from the instructions. Whole eggs in the filling.