You can use a homemade pastry crust, purchased crust, or an easy crumb crust for a no bake pie that's just like grandma's!
Just like Grandma used to make! This easy chocolate pie recipe will be a family favorite!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Once you learn how to make a homemade chocolate pie, especially this homemade chocolate pie, you might as well prepare yourself to make it for every event you're invited to.
It's just that good.
This recipe is one of my favorites. Creamy and rich, chocolate pie just is the best make ahead dessert for summer, ever.
🧾 Ingredients
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🥫 Storage
You can make this easy no bake pie up to 3 days ahead of time, cover it tightly and keep refrigerated. Leftovers will be fine for a day or two after that.
This recipe does not do well in the freezer.
💭 Things to know
You'll love this homemade chocolate pie recipe! It's luxuriously rich and creamy with a dark, fudgy flavor.
The filling can be made with heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk if you don't want to use evaporated milk.
It can even be made with a combination of them but do not make it with skim milk. You will lose the texture completely.
I think that the evaporated milk works the best and results in the creamiest, chocolatiest texture so please try that at least once.
- Be sure to bring the eggs up to the same temperature as the milk mixture by mixing in the hot mixture a little at a time. This will keep them from curdling and turning into scrambled eggs.
- If you do curdle the eggs slightly you can push the pudding through a strainer to get the lumps out.
- If you are making this on the stovetop take your time and be patient. Cook over medium heat or you run the risk of scorching the bottom.
- This is delicious with either a traditional crust, a graham cracker crust, or a chocolate cookie crust.
- Use a homemade pie crust or make it quick and easy with one from the store.
👩🏻🍳 Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
Nope. I don't recommend freezing a homemade cream pie of any kind. The filling is likely to separate and get watery.
Yes. Let the pie cool on the counter for about 30 minutes then refrigerate promptly.
🎥 Video
📚 Related recipes
In the South pastry is just about it's own food group. There's nothing like a good one! Here are some of my favorites...
- Millionaire - so rich and creamy! You'll love this easy, no bake summer pie!
- Chocolate Chess - this is a southern classic. Kind of like a custard pie, kind of like brownie batter, kind of like nothing you've ever tasted!
- Chocolate French Silk - melts in your mouth! This is a classic, y'all!
- Dutch Apple - ok, I know it's not a cream pie but y'all. It's SO good. That crumble, though!
- Coconut - I found this in an old, and I mean OLD cookbook. I've never had anything like it before. It's kind of like pecan pie but with coconut!
- Peanut Butter Pie with Pretzel Crust - this is for all you fans of salty-sweet combinations.
- Texas Flood - ok this chocolate masterpiece is my take on a Mississippi Mud Pie - and you know how competitive we Texans can get!
- Lemon Ice Box - the real deal! This is the old fashioned recipe that you remember made with Eagle Brand just like Grandmas!
Homemade chocolate cream pie is a favorite for most people.
📞 The last word
This easy, no bake chocolate pie whips up quick and easy so it's perfect for potlucks and summer picnics.
The dark cocoa makes it the best, most chocolatey chocolate cream pie you've ever had, I promise!
Top it with whipped cream or serve it next to some ice cream - it's bound to be a hit!
It's for sure one of my favorite desserts!
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! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Old Fashioned Chocolate Cream Pie
Equipment Needed
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 3 cups evaporated milk, , about 1-½ 14.5-ounce cans
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 egg yolks, beaten
- ⅓ cup dark cocoa powder, the darker the better
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 9-inch pie crust , baked - or use or favorite crumb crust
Instructions
Stove top instructions
- Combine sugar and milk in a large bowl; whisk until smooth.
- Mix the flour, salt, and cocoa in a small mixing bowl and then carefully whisk into the milk mixture.
- Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.
- Add some of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and then quickly stir the egg yolks into the pudding mixture.
- Heat for approximately one more minute. Mixture will be quite thick.
- Remove from heat and add the butter.
- Stir until melted and add the vanilla.
Microwave instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together except the egg yolks, butter, and vanilla.
- Microwave on 100% for 3 minutes.
- Stir.
- Microwave on 50% until the mixture thickens.
- Whisk some of the hot mixture into the egg yolks then whisk the egg yolks back into the pudding.
- Microwave on 50% for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla and butter.
Assembling the pie
- Pour the hot filling into baked pie shell.
- Spray plastic wrap with no stick cooking spray and put it carefully, spray side down, over the surface of the filling while it's warm.
- Chill several hours or overnight.
Notes
- Be sure to bring the eggs up to the same temperature as the milk mixture by mixing in the hot mixture a little at a time. This will keep them from curdling and turning into scrambled eggs.
- If you do curdle the eggs slightly you can push the pudding through a strainer to get the lumps out.
- If you are making this on the stovetop take your time and be patient. Cook over medium heat or you run the risk of scorching the bottom.
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.Who doesn't love chocolate?
I think I inherited a passion for chocolate from my dad. He was a chocolate freak. His favorite besides chocolate cake was Hershey's with Almonds. Oddly, he disliked chocolate ice cream and chocolate pudding. Go figure!
He was such a chocolate fan that when we lived in Pennsylvania he used to buy cocoa hulls (that came from Hershey, I think) to use as mulch in his garden. The entire yard smelled like Willy Wonka's place.
I don't know if you can still do that but if you can...you should! It is amazing.
Enjoy this pie - and take it from a fellow chocolaholic - it's a chocolate lover's dream!
First published June 2008. Last updated November 17, 2021 for more tips and FAQs, clickable grocery list, and better instructions.
Alison
Sorry to say, but this did not set for me either. It’s like soup, sadly. I don’t know why either as I followed recipe to a T. 🙁
Patty
I made this pie exactly as the receipt states on stovetop . My pie never thickened, so disappointed, had company coming for dinner. Made another pie, thought I must have done something incorrectly, same thing terrible!! Ended up using chocolate pudding as I had no more time left. Unbelievable
Marye
I can't imagine a pudding with 4 egg yolks and 1/4 cup flour not thickening properly. It's a standard ratio - I'm sorry it didn't work for you.
Janet Holste
I have been looking for an old fashion Chocolate Cream Pie. This is it.....a wonderful recipe, my go too....thank you!
Julie Biller
Best chocolate pie ever! This is a keeper. Everybody at my Christmas dinner loved it. Thanks!
Kjasko
High hopes for this pie
Will let you know how it goes