Easy Chocolate Pie (restaurant-quality made at home)
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This chocolate pie is rich, silky, and deeply indulgent, with a filling that lands somewhere between chocolate pudding and mousse, all tucked into a flaky pie crust. It’s the kind of dessert that feels special without being fussy.
This chocolate pie is one of those desserts that feels impossibly luxurious for how simple it is to make. The filling bakes up silky-smooth and deeply chocolatey—somewhere between a mousse and a pudding—set inside a golden pie crust and finished with clouds of whipped cream. If I’m feeling extra, I’ll add a shower of crispy cacao-nib praline with bacon, which adds a salty crunch that plays beautifully with the rich filling.
The magic is in the ingredients. A mix of granulated and brown sugar gives the filling depth, while cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate layer in serious chocolate flavor. Whole milk, egg yolks, cornstarch, and butter work together to create that lush, velvety texture, and a splash of vanilla rounds everything out. It’s all made from scratch, no shortcuts, and you can really taste the difference.
I love serving this pie for special occasions because it actually benefits from being made ahead. It needs time to chill and set in the fridge, which makes it ideal for entertaining—and honestly, it never fails to impress once it hits the table.
What is praline? Praline is a crisp candy typically made with sugar, butter, and nuts. Instead of forming nut clusters, this version is cooked into a thin, crunchy topping that adds a sweet, brittle-like contrast to the rich chocolate pie.
Make ahead
Can I make the praline ahead of time? Yes, the praline can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store it at room temperature in a covered container in single layers between sheets of parchment paper.
Do I need to refrigerate the chocolate pie? Yes, the chocolate pie needs to be refrigerated both before and after serving. It will keep for about a week if stored tightly covered.
Easy Chocolate Pie (restaurant-quality made at home)
Ingredients
Chocolate Filling
- 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ cup EACH: granulated sugar and brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup EACH: cornstarch and unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cocoa Nib Praline
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon cocoa nibs (can sub minced nuts)
- 1 tablespoon crispy cooked bacon (optional)
Instructions
Chocolate Pie
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork then line the bottom with parchment paper. Place pie weights or dry beans into the bottom of the pie and bake it for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights then bake the pie for another 10-15 minutes, until it is golden brown.1 pie crust
- While the pie crust bakes, make the filling. Add both the sugars, cornstarch, and cocoa powder to a medium-sized pot.½ cup EACH: granulated sugar and brown sugar, ¼ cup EACH: cornstarch and unsweetened cocoa powder
- Whisk the milk and egg yolks in a bowl and then slowly pour them into the pot, whisking as you pour, until the mixture is smooth.2 ½ cups whole milk, 4 large egg yolks
- Turn the heat to medium and cook the filling, whisking frequently, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and add the chocolate, butter, and vanilla and stir until the chocolate melts.4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 2 tablespoons salted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour the filling into the pie crust and let it cool for 30 minutes on your counter. Move the pie to your fridge and let it cool completely.
- Serve the chocolate pie with whipped cream, and if using, the praline.
Cocoa Nib Praline
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until mixture spreads and is deep golden brown, about 10 minutes Note: the mixture will flow together into 1 piece on the baking sheet.1 tablespoon light corn syrup, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salted butter, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon cocoa nibs, 1 tablespoon crispy cooked bacon
- Remove the praline from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet. Break the praline into irregular pieces or shards. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight in a single layer, or between layers of parchment paper, at room temperature.)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Hi Rachel,
I’m such a sucker for the bacon/chocolate combination! It’s kind of a bit ridiculous 🙂
Thank you for the pin!
I keep bacon fat that I get from a butcher in my freezer just for pie crusts. You might be from Canada but you could pass as a southern born chef!
Hey Jad,
That is such a great compliment!
I think of bacon fat as liquid gold. I’ll add a little of it into a lot of my cooking. Lately I’ve been adding just a tiny bit into salad dressings and getting rave reviews. You can’t taste it much but it just adds a layer of depth. So good 🙂