Chocolate Chess Pie
This rich chocolate chess pie has a crackly top and a deliciously fudgy, custard-like filling made from every day, simple ingredients.
It can be made several days ahead of time, making it a perfect make-ahead pie for Thanksgiving!
Why I Think You’ll Love This Pie
Chess pie is a classic Southern pie, and this chocolate version has the signature crackly top with a silky, fudgy-creamy filling.
Here’s why you’ll love it:
- This pie is incredibly delicious. The simple chocolate filling + classic pie crust + sweetened whippe cream is so good!
- It is so easy to make. No blind baking pie shells or fancy baking techniques. The filling is quickly whisked together, poured into an unbaked pie shell, and baked until set. Easy peasy!
- Chocolate chess pie can be made ahead of time! Bake the pie, let it cool, and then cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days before serving. The flavor gets better with time!
- My version of this classic pie uses a touch more cocoa powder and butter for a richer filling, while dialing the sugar back just a bit so the flavors are better balanced.
While rich and decadent, this pie somehow also still manages to be light and tasty. It’s not an overwhelmingly heavy pie, which makes it a perfect end note to an elaborate holiday meal.
Basic Chocolate Chess Pie Ingredients
- Butter: I use salted butter, which helps balance the sweetness.
- Cocoa powder: Regular natural, unsweetened cocoa powder is best here, but you can experiment with Dutch-process cocoa. The chocolate and butter and heated together so the cocoa powder can bloom in the sizzling butter, which helps deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Granulated sugar: The sugar is mixed with the flour and salt and then the butter/cocoa mixture is whisked in until the mixture is super smooth.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is used in this recipe – just two tablespoons. It’s necessary so the filling thickens well. I haven’t experimented with gluten-free flour, but I have a feeling this pie will adapt well to being made gluten-free.
- Eggs: Use large eggs in this recipe.
- Evaporated milk: This recipe calls for 1/2 cup evaporated milk. You can experiment with other types of milk – like half-and-half or whole milk.
Serve the pie with dollop(s) of sweetened whipped cream. You can also add optional garnishes sprinkled on top, like crispy chocolate pearls (my fave!), chocolate sprinkles, or chocolate shavings.
The Perfect Chocolate Pie
I adore this chocolate chess pie for so many reasons. While unassuming in looks, it ends up being a knock-your-socks-off kind of pie.
The pie crust is just…there. I mean, we need some sort of crust as a vehicle for that delectable filling, but I don’t know anyone that’s going to rave about the pie crust per se. 😉 Rather, it’s the rich, fudgy chocolate filling that deserves all the praise.
The flavor of this pie gets better with time, so don’t hesitate to make it a day or two in advance. And just like many of my other favorite chocolate desserts, it is crazy delicious served chilled! The chocolate center sets up a bit more in the refrigerator creating a truffle-like texture that is just incredible.
I can’t wait for you to try this easy chocolate pie…I hope you love it as much as I do!
Chocolate Chess Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust:
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust (see note)
Chocolate Filling:
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
- ¼ cup (21 g) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cups (265 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- ½ cup (121 g) evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped Cream:
- 1 ½ cups (365 g) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (29 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Crisp chocolate pearls, chocolate sprinkles or chocolate shavings, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the pie crust, on a lightly floured counter, roll out pie dough to a 12-inch circle. Loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it onto a 9-inch pie plate. Gently lift the edges and ease the pie crust into the bottom and sides of the pie plate (stretching or pulling can cause the pie crust to shrink). Trim the crust to the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the crust with your fingers to create a scalloped pie edge. Refrigerate the pie shell while making the filling.
- For the filling, in a microwave-safe bowl or in a small saucepan, combine the butter and cocoa powder. Heat in the microwave for 1-minute intervals (or on medium-low in the saucepan), stirring often, until the butter is sizzling and melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside and let cool to warm room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk until fully combined and no lumps remain.
- Add the eggs, evaporated milk and vanilla. Whisk until very well combined.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust. (If the filling has been sitting for a while, whisk to recombine before pouring into the crust.)
- Bake the pie for 35 to 40 minutes until the top looks crackly and the filling is set.
- Let the pie cool completely.
- For the whipped cream, combine the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and whip with a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) until thick.
- Serve the pie chilled or at room temperature. Dollop whipped cream on top of each slice and top with optional garnish, if desired (crisp chocolate pearls, chocolate sprinkles, or chocolate shavings). This pie can be made, cooled, covered with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days before serving.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Very good! I used a store bought crust and the pie really is the star. It’s a perfect chocolate flavor and very easy to make. I am excited to make this again because it really is simple and would be a great offering to company.
We never had tried chess pie before so I made this to try out before the big Thanksgiving pie bake and we ate this so fast. Delicious and a really good/interesting texture.
Awesome, Gina! Glad the trial run went well. It really is a uniquely delicious chocolate pie.
Love this pie…..easy to make and delicious to eat!
Yay, thanks, Sarah!
Yum!! This tasted like a delicious brownie in a pie. My whole family loved it the day I made it, and it tasted even better the second day after it sat and chilled over night. Since not everyone in my family says they like pie (the nerve of them, haha) this will be a repeat for Thanksgiving since it was a win for everyone!
Nicole, yay! Thanks for the review on this pie. Really happy you guys loved it!
I love your pie-freezing tutorial. Do you think this pie would freeze well? Thanks for all you do!
Hi Lisa, thank you! Yes, I think this pie would freeze quite well.
I’ll add my pie crust question: I love the thought of preparing this pie in advance. Will the crust get soggy though? I plan to make this for Thanksgiving – my whole crew loves chocolate pie – this seems like a nice twist for a change!
Thanks Mel! Love your recipes and your sweet self!
I’m unsubscribing from your site because you require me to turn off my ad blocker in order to read the recipes. Ads should be optional.
Hi there, Vicky, I’m sorry you are having issues – I just want to reassure you that I don’t require ad blockers to be turned off. The issue could be related to the ad blocker you are using, so maybe check there. In regards to your statement that ads should be optional, I’d like to just explain quickly that while ads can be annoying (I get it!), the ads on my website are the only way I’m able to provide 100% free content for millions of readers each month (while it’s easy to think that a little cooking blog is just a hobby, this is actually a full-time job for me, and the ads are the way I get paid…so that I don’t have to put the recipes or content behind a paywall for you to pay to access). I totally understand your need to unsubscribe – it sounds like another recipe blog may be a better fit for you, and I wish you the best as you find recipes to love and make. 💗
Thanks. I will definitely try the regular crust. Can’t wait.
Let me know what you think if you try it!
Call me crazy but I do not like pie crust. Do you think this would be good with a graham cracker crust? It looks delicious!
Same!
I’m thinking maybe a ginger snap crust?
I make a pie like this all the time. The filling is so good and so decadent that you really don’t notice the thin crust underneath. I think adding something like Graham cracker or gingersnap would actually detract from the simple creamy beauty of the chocolate. But I guess it’s worth a try if you dislike a traditional crust. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!!
Hi Kathy (and others who are asking!) – I also usually prefer graham cracker crusts over pie crusts, however, in the case of this pie, I think a simple pie crust actually compliments the filling whereas a graham cracker or other cookie crust might not pair as well with the chocolate filling. I’m not saying you shouldn’t try it…just offering my feedback.
I wonder if you could either bake it without a crust or maybe bake it in single portion ramekins without a crust underneath?
Intriguing idea, Holly! As long as the dish is well-greased, it’s worth a try, I think!
I bet it would be good with a cookie crumb crust!