First published June 2008. Last updated April 24, 2025 for editorial improvements.
Table of Contents
🎥 How to make old fashioned chocolate pie
This homemade chocolate pie is smooth, rich, and scandalously easy—made in the microwave, no scorching, no mixer, no drama. Whip it up in 15 minutes, pour it into a crumb crust, and crown it with a mountain of whipped cream (homemade or Cool Whip—we’re not judging). Once you show up with this piece of old-fashioned perfection, just go ahead and buy a pie carrier, because you’ll be making it for every event from here ‘til kingdom come.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 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 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 over medium low heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens.
- Whisk 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 and will coat the back of the spoon.
- 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, or until the mixture is thick and creamy.
- 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 hot.
- Chill several hours or overnight.
Notes
- Do not make this pie with lowfat or skim milk. You'll lose the silky texture.
- 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 (tempering). 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 low heat in a heavy saucepan or you run the risk of scorching the bottom. Stir slowly and constantly.
- Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with no-stick cooking spray and lay over the top of the hot pie filling to keep it from forming a skin. The cooking spray keeps the plastic wrap from sticking.
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.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
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 cover and refrigerate promptly.
📚 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...
- Chocolate Chess Pie - 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!
- 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!
Jackie Whitlock says
For those that said their pie didn’t thicken, same thing happened to me first time. I just didn’t cook long enough. For beginners it takes quite a bit of time stirring and cooking to get the pudding thickened. You want it thick not just starting to thicken. This is a great recipe, you just have to be patient and cook until thick.
STEPHANI L MARTINEZ says
Butter never melted in properly even though I followed directions. I chilled it and not only did it have a layer of butter on top when it was cold but I can taste bits of butter in it filling. Not sure why or if I can fix it.
Marye says
If your pudding was hot the butter would melt so not sure what happened there.
Brenda says
Made this pie twice in 2 days… that’s how much everyone liked it ! Today I made 1/2 inch brownie base chilled it, then crushed a 4 pck of Kit-Kat choc bars finally crushed with 4 TBSP Of commercial Carmel into it and spread it on top of the brownie base . I then added the cooked pie filling over it . I let it set & covered it with whipped cream … Awesome ! ❤️❤️❤️
Alison says
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 says
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 says
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 says
I have been looking for an old fashion Chocolate Cream Pie. This is it.....a wonderful recipe, my go too....thank you!
Julie Biller says
Best chocolate pie ever! This is a keeper. Everybody at my Christmas dinner loved it. Thanks!
Kjasko says
High hopes for this pie
Will let you know how it goes