Tulo

Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

A rich chocolate pudding filling topped with whipped cream in a baked pie crust, made from scratch on the stovetop.
Photo by Nadin Sh on Pexels

Cooking the custard slowly over medium heat while whisking constantly lets the cornstarch thicken it evenly, rushing the heat scrambles the eggs before the starch has time to set the filling.

Prep
25 min
Cook
15 min
Total
280 min
Servings
8

Ingredients

Servings8
  • 1 crust single pie crust, baked and cooled
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped, for topping

Nutrition per serving

Calories
494
Protein
7g
Carbs
48g
Fat
32g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt in a saucepan.
  2. 2Whisk in the milk and egg yolks until smooth.
  3. 3Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 8-10 minutes, until thickened to a pudding consistency.
  4. 4Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
  5. 5Pour the filling into the baked pie crust and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
  6. 6Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until fully set.
  7. 7Top with whipped cream just before serving.

Tips & variations

  • Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the filling's surface before chilling is what keeps a thick skin from forming on top.
  • Whisk constantly while the custard cooks, walking away even briefly is how it scrambles or scorches on the bottom.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days. This pie is served cold and isn't reheated.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Use a whisk, not a spoon, while the custard cooks, it reaches into the corners of the pan where scorching tends to start first.
  • The full 4-hour chill really is necessary, cutting it early gives cleaner-looking slices but a filling that's noticeably softer than intended.

FAQ

Why is my chocolate cream pie filling runny?

Either it wasn't cooked long enough on the stovetop to fully activate the cornstarch (it should visibly thicken to a pudding texture before coming off the heat), or it hasn't chilled the full 4 hours needed to set completely.

Can I use a store-bought crust?

Yes, a pre-baked store-bought crust works fine here, since the filling itself is entirely stovetop-made and the crust just needs to already be baked and cooled before filling.

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