Easy Chocolate Pie from Scratch

If you’re looking for a creamy, dreamy chocolate pie–one filled with the warmth of yesteryear, you’ve come to the right place. This “from scratch” pie comes straight from my mama’s recipe book and it’s the one that’s made my children swoon for years.

Is Chocolate Pie Hard to Make?

For years, I would have said yes. I tried repeatedly to make a good chocolate pie but always flubbed it up.

Once I messed up the crust.

Then I messed up the meringue.

Another time I got the filling too runny.

I’m here to testify: I’ve never been a good pie baker until recently. I covered this story, at least in part, in my Blackberry Pie post. I’m pretty sure I mentioned it in my Easy Apple Pie post, too.

But, with time and effort, I’ve taught myself to bake pies. And though my Mama never lived to see it, her recipes were what got me there.

Family Love. . .in a Pie Dish

This one, however? The chocolate pie recipe? Y’all, this Christmas was complete the moment I walked in with that chocolate pie in my hand.

It was creamy and decadent, rich with flavor and beautifully reminiscent of all of those Christmas dinners at my mama’s house over the years.

Homemade Chocolate Pie Ingredients

Enough with this trip down memory lane! I’m going to share Shirley Ann’s family chocolate pie recipe. I’ve kept it the same with only one addition, which you will see when you look at her recipe card. The red ink belongs to yours truly.

Pie Crust Ingredients

• chilled shortening
• all-purpose flour
• cold water
• sugar
• salt

Chocolate Filling Ingredients

• granulated sugar
• corn starch
• unprocessed cocoa powder
• egg yolks
• salt
• whole milk
• butter
• pure vanilla extract

Meringue Ingredients

• egg whites
• cream of tartar
• granulated sugar

How to Make this Delicious Chocolate Pie

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grab a 9-inch pie plate. No need to grease it. In fact, you’ll want to avoid that.

Make the Homemade Pie Crust

I’ve got a full tutorial on pie crust, one you’re sure to find helpful. But here’s a quick look at how I make mama’s crust. This is one of those recipes where you’re going to need to pre-bake the crust.

Prepare a workspace. I used waxed paper. Have extra flour handy for rolling out the dough.

Place flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together. Grate or chop the chilled shortening into the flour mixture.

Combine thoroughly. I usually mix mine together with a large blending fork. Be careful not to over handle the dough. If you do, it will be tough.

Add ice water and mix until fully incorporated.

Flour your workspace and turn out your dough.

Flour your rolling pin and roll the dough into a circle. The thickness is really your preference. With this recipe you’ll have plenty of dough left over to make other sweet treats.

Place your dough into a pie pan. Press down and crimp the edges. Place a piece of parchment paper on top and add pie weights or dry beans.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 – 16 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment paper. Use the tines of a fork to poke holes in the crust then place back in the oven for an additional 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Make the Filling

While the crust is baking, make your filling. Combine all dry ingredients in large microwavable bowl. (This includes sugar, corn starch, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar.)

Add eggs yolks and milk and whisk until fully incorporated. Microwave for a total of 8 minutes, stopping every 2 minutes to stir with the whisk. You want to keep cooking until it comes to a loose pudding consistency.

Add butter and vanilla and stir well.

Work out any lumps and bumps. You’re looking for a silky smooth texture here.

Pour pudding mixture into baked crust. Allow to cool completely before adding meringue.

Make the Fluffy Meringue

Set your oven temperature on 350 degrees.

While the filling is cooling, make your meringue. Remember those four egg whites? Whip them at high speed until they form stiff peaks. Add sugar and cream of tartar.

Once your pie is 100% cooled you can add the meringue. Make it lovely. (This part is up to you. I love a pretty presentation.)

Bake at 350 until meringue is lightly golden. Check every few minutes. Mine took around 10 minutes.

It’s important to allow your pie to cool to room temperature completely before refrigerating. If you don’t, the meringue will break away from the crust and get watery.

It’s best to let your pie chill in the fridge for several hours to set up. Once the pie reaches that point, slice and serve.

Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.

What to Expect from this Luscious Chocolate Pie

Reminiscent feelings came over me when I took my first bite of this pie. Suddenly I was back in my mama’s kitchen on Christmas Day, celebrating with family.

It’s creamy, it’s dreamy. . .this delectable pie tastes like a little bit of heaven. I don’t think I’m exaggerating whatsoever.

The flaky crust is tender and perfect, the meringue is light and airy, and the chocolate pie filling? It’s silky smooth. Best of all it has the perfect chocolate flavor–not too dark, not too light. As Goldilocks would say, “It’s just right.”

I’m so happy to be able to (finally!) carry down Mama’s tradition with this delicious recipe. From this point on there will be a chocolate pie at every Christmas dinner. My kiddos just love their grandma’s chocolate pie!

Questions People are Asking about this Classic Chocolate Pie

Can I do a no-bake version of this pie?

Absolutely. Instead of a cooked pie filling, use instant chocolate pudding filling or even stovetop pudding.

Does it have to be a homemade crust?

Nope. You can use a frozen pie crust from the store if you like. You might even opt for a graham cracker crust or even an Oreo crust.

Is there a different crust recipe I can use?

Yep. You can make this same crust using cold cubed butter in place of shortening.

Can I make the filling on the stovetop?

Absolutely. Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continually, until it begins to thicken.

What other toppings could I choose?

If you don’t like meringue (who doesn’t like meringue?) you can always choose to top your pie with whipped cream. You can use Cool Whip or make your own using heavy cream. Chocolate shavings would be lovely on top of the whipped cream.

Do I have to store this pie in the refrigerator?

After it has cooled completely, yes. You don’t want to let items with dairy products (like milk or eggs) sit out more than two hours.

Can I use evaporated milk?

Yes! I’ve actually done this. I was out of whole milk when I made this pie recently. It turned out perfectly.

Other Pies from Out of the Box Baking

We’ve got a host of great pie recipes to choose from. Some of my favorites include:

Easy Key Lime Pie: If you love the light, tart flavor of lime and the luscious creamy texture of cheesecake, you’re going to love this simple key lime pie. It’s an easy-bake pie you’re sure to adore!

Easy Coconut Cream Pie: In this post you will learn how to make my very favorite pie of all time: Coconut Cream Pie. It’s lush, rich, sweet, and loaded with coconutty goodness! Perfect for special occasions or any day of the week!

Fudgy Pecan Pie: Whether you serve it after your Thanksgiving dinner or as a late night snack, a great pecan pie is perfect!

No Bake Lemon Swirl Cheesecake: If you love a soft, light cheesecake, one loaded with lemony flavor, this is the recipe for you! 

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie: If you love a creamy buttermilk pie, simple and delicious, this is the recipe for you!

This is one of my favorite desserts and I’m happy to share the recipe with you. If you bake up my mama’s pie, let me know your thoughts!

See this recipe at

• Full Plate Thursday 
• Weekend Potluck
• Busy Monday

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.