Try something new this holiday and make Grandma’s Chocolate Pie Recipe. Top with homemade whipped cream or meringue. Both tasty and Winners!
Y’all…we are friends. So, I can be honest with you…right? I make pies literally twice a year. And when I first started making them, they were no good. Flavor great, but cuttable and presentable, definite no. I remember my first chocolate pie just about ran down clear to the neighbor’s house! Looking back, my skills have come a long ways!
I would love to take credit for this recipe, but I can’t. From what I have written down on my handy dandy recipe card, it’s from the ultimate Southern Grandma herself, Mrs. Paula Deen. Now this recipe that is on her site is not exactly the same as the chocolate cream pie that we are about to make. Ingredients differ. I cannot find her older version of the recipe aka the one I have, on the interwebs. But I am certain it came from her. Please shower Mrs. Paula with all of the glory. Then take a moment to revel in her unmatched southern cuisine expertise and that accent! Now that I have composed myself, let’s get started.
See full recipe card for Grandma’s Chocolate Pie Recipe at the bottom of the page with detailed ingredients list and full step-by-step instructions. This Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe originally authored by Paula Deen and adapted by Brittany Brockette at Farmhouse 181. Print to save in your cookbook binder or bookmark this page! This will be a holiday or special occasion dessert that you will return to each year!
Why I Love Grandma’s Chocolate Pie Recipe
If I had to pick a favorite dessert, this really would be in the running for number one, right along-side a good cheesecake. I prefer a whipped cream topped pie over meringue, but I mean, I’m definitely not going to turn one of these meringue pies either. That’s what makes this recipe I love making this one because:
- It has simple ingredients. Nothing crazy or ultra processed.
- It’s easy. It’s basically making a homemade chocolate pudding, then dumping it in the crust.
- You can choose whether you want to make a homemade pie crust or not
- You could even pair it with a Graham Cracker crust or Oreo crust and love the outcome
- You can do a homemade whip cream topping or just throw some Cool Whip on it
- Or you can decide on a classic homemade meringue, or a marshmallow fluffy meringue
- For family gatherings, you can make it ahead of time and not the day of to save you some time and stress
- It’s rich, chocolatey, satisfying, and I’m just a chocolate lover…or chocoholic. And this recipe has earned a special place in my cookbook binder!
- This will last in the fridge for several days
Ingredients Needed for Grandma’s Chocolate Pie Recipe
- Pre-baked pie shell
- Whipped Cream
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Flour
- White Sugar
- Whole Milk
- Egg Yolks Lightly Beaten (reserve your egg whites for meringue if desired)
- Vanilla Extract
- Butter
- Pinch of Salt
This recipe is enough for one chocolate pie. If I want to make 2 cream pies, I usually don’t double the ingredients. I make another batch again. It just seems easier to work with the lesser amount of ingredients in your pan for a perfect and rich chocolate filling every time.
Pie Crust
You can use a store-bought pie crust and bake per its instructions until it looks golden brown and delicious. This is great if you are running short on time. As mentioned before, this recipe would also taste great with a store bought graham cracker crust.
If you want to try and cut out some of the questionable ingredients and make your own, you can find our simple stand mixer pie crust recipe here. This pie crust also has super simple ingredients and can be prepared ahead of time and the dough left in the fridge for a few days in plastic wrap. You can also make it WAY ahead of time and freeze the dough to use later. It makes a buttery crust that you will really enjoy with your chocolate pie filling.
Pie Topping Options
Homemade whipped cream is my choice of topping for this pie. It is simple and quick to whip up a homemade version with your stand or hand mixer. You literally combine the 3 ingredients in your mixing bowl and beat on high speed for a minute and a half and its perfect. But pay attention…you don’t want to make butter by overwhipping! For full, detailed instructions you can check out my homemade whipped cream recipe here. Cool whip is also a just fine option, but the homemade of course will have lesser and better ingredients. The sweetness is also less intense which pairs very well with this rich chocolate filling.
An old-fashioned chocolate meringue pie is truly the classic grandma recipe. But meringue can be a little finicky for someone who isn’t a super experienced baker, sometimes even for someone who only makes pies twice a year like myself. If the humidity level isn’t right or if you hold your tongue wrong…sometimes it just doesn’t stay big and fluffy. That’s why if I do a meringue, its always this no-fail marshmallow meringue recipe creates the perfect chocolate meringue pie. Not exactly grandma’s finest, but the marshmallow meringue doesn’t collapse and stays fluffy for transportation and DAYS after in the fridge.
A scoop of vanilla ice cream when serving could also be a topping option. I would probably save this for a warm apple pie or something similar, but just throwing it out there. I mean, Ice cream is always enjoyable!
Instructions to Prepare
Grandma’s Chocolate Pie Recipe Filling
Either prepare and pre-bake your homemade pie crust, or use a pre-baked pie crust you have purchased from the grocery store prepared per its instruction. Let your cooked pie shell cool to room temperature.
Separate your egg yolks from the egg whites. Reserve your egg whites if you plan on making a meringue topping for your homemade chocolate pie. Beat your egg yolks just until combined. Combine sugar, flour, salt, and cocoa powder in a cold medium to large saucepan.
Tip…sift your cocoa powder so there are not little powder bubbles in your filling. If you don’t, its fine, but I spent more time popping and stirring in the cocoa powder bubbles in my filling than I would have just sifting the cocoa. Do yourself a favor and learn from my mistakes…goodness knows I have made them all in the kitchen.
Stir in milk first, then the egg mixture (just yolks). Turn your stovetop burner on to medium heat and simmer the pie filling mixture while stirring continuously. The chocolate mixture can burn if it is not stirred enough. Bring the chocolate filling to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Yes a boil and yes at least 3 minutes.
I remember the first time I made a pie this way, I was scared to death that I was going to ruin the filling with the aggressive boil it made. That was the same pie that ran clear down to the neighbors house! It was pudding consistency, not pie consistency. Now, I tend to boil towards the 4 minute mark because of that experience. Just keep boiling and stirring. It will work…I promise!
You will know when your filling is ready when you scrape down the bottom of the pan, the filling separates, and does not quickly come back together.
Once filling is thickened, stir in butter and vanilla until combined throughout the filling.
Once the filling is done, pour it into your baked pie shell that has been waiting patiently!
Whipped Cream Topping Instructions
If you plan to use a whipped cream topping with Grandma’s Chocolate Pie Recipe, let your pie come down close to room temperature or sit unbothered for at least 30 minutes, then store in the fridge for about 3 hours until time to serve. Prepare your whipped cream in advance and store in the fridge, or prepare it right before serving. Don’t overwhip…pay attention! We want stiff peaks! If using Cool Whip, just make sure it is thawed and not frozen.
Top your pie with whatever topping you choose. Make a big blob in the middle, spread it over the whole pie, or pipe it on with a piping bag and tip or a freezer bag with the corner cut off. Remember, we aren’t very fancy around Farmhouse 181. I usually opt for covering the whole pie so you get fluffy whipped cream in every bite! Then I dust the top with a tiny bit of cocoa powder for some added spark!
Either serve right away if it’s time or put uncovered in the fridge until it is time for serving. If you aren’t going to serve it until the next day, you probably want to cover it with plastic wrap. Be sure to use toothpicks or a fancy plastic wrap hack to keep it from sticking to the topping!
Meringue Topping Instructions
Use your reserved egg whites to prepare your meringue per the recipe. Once you have it mixed how you’d like it, the meringue will go onto the still warm pie, then baked in the oven, again per the meringue’s instructions. Usually, you will only bake it long enough to put some brown on your meringue. Once you have taken your beautifully topped chocolate pie with meringue from the oven, let it set for about an hour, or until it reaches room temperature. Then put it in the fridge for 3-4 hours prior to serving.
Remove your pie from the fridge and enjoy no matter the topping! The rich chocolate flavor will be the star, regardless of the pie crust or topping you choose!
Click the links below to take you to the full versions of crust and topping recipes mentioned in this post.
- Homemade Whipped Cream
- Marshmallow Meringue
- Stand Mixer Pie Crust
If you loved Grandma’s Chocolate Pie Recipe, you will also love the following recipes as well! Add them to the list for your holiday preparation!
- Southern Coconut Pie Recipe
- The Easiest Chunky Gold Mashed Potatoes Ever
- The Best Green Bean Casserole You Will Ever Have (Coming Soon)
Grandma’s Chocolate Pie Recipe, Great with Cream or Meringue
Ingredients
- ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- ⅓ cup All Purpose Flour
- 1¼ cup Sugar
- 2½ cups Whole Milk
- 4 Egg Yolks, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 Pre-Baked Pie Crust
- 2 cups Topping of Choice (whipped cream, meringue, cool whip, etc.)
Instructions
Pie Crust – https://farmhouse181.com/stand-mixer-pie-crust-recipe/
- Bake your pie crust according to those recipe or package instructions.
- Let your pre-baked pie shell come to room temperature.
Pie Filling
- Combine sugar, flour, salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder in a medium to large cold saucepan. Sift your cocoa powder into pan to prevent lumps.
- Stir in milk, then eggs into sauce pan. Turn your stove top burner to medium heat.
- Stir the mixture continuously until it begins to boil. Let the mixture boil for 3-4 minutes.
- Add your butter and vanilla and stir it into the hot filling mixture.
- Remove the pie filling from stove and pour into the pre-baked pie crust.
Meringue Topping
- If you have prepared meringue, top with meringue now and bake per that recipe's instructions.
- Once baked, let cool on the counter for about an hour then transfer to the fridge where it will rest for another 3 hours or so.
Whipped Cream Topping
- If you want to prepare a whipped topping, let the warm filled pie sit on counter for about 30 minutes until it is room temperature or only slightly warm.
- Put into the fridge for it to cool for about 3 hours.
- Prepare your whipped cream topping per recipes instructions, then serve!
How much butter????
Hey Toni! 2 Tbsp butter
Thanks for bringing this to my attention…recipe card is updated!