Posted Oct 27, 2023, Updated Nov 03, 2023
I am passionate about taking things that many people make using boxed mixes, and creating an even more delicious version made from scratch. This chocolate pudding pie is no exception.
Adapted from my recipe for the best chocolate pudding (ever), you won’t find any boxed mixes in this pudding pie.
It’s rich, silky smooth and irresistibly creamy. Served in an Oreo pie crust and topped with homemade whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream– you will experience true dessert bliss with every bite!
Chocolate Pudding Pie: Ingredients & Substitutions
Oreo crust: I love this pudding pie made with an Oreo crust – use gluten-free Oreos to make it gluten-free. You can also make a graham cracker crust, or bake this flaky pie crust (the best), let it cool then fill it with the pudding filling. Heavy cream. This recipe uses heavy cream in two ways – one whipped and one as a liquid. I don’t suggest substituting the cream. Whole milk. half and half or additional heavy cream and good substitutes for whole milk. Granulated Sugar. Brown sugar or coconut sugar are good substitutes. I use organic cane sugar. Cornstarch. Tapioca flour/starch is a good substitute for cornstarch. Salted Butter. Unsalted butter works well. Chopped Chocolate. Choose your favorite variety – milk, dark or semisweet.
How to Make Chocolate Pudding Pie
Let’s walk through how to make this pudding pie recipe, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Make the crust
Begin by making the Oreo pie crust. Mix together the ingredients in a large bowl (note: I have an entire post dedicated to how to make an Oreo pie crust, check it out for further instructions)! Then, form the crust into a pie dish and bake for 8 minutes. You will need to let it cool completely before using it in this recipe. You can speed up the cooling process by putting the crust in the freezer, refrigerator, or outside on a cold day!
Make the chocolate pudding pie filling
While the crust is chilling, make the filling. Begin by sifting the cornstarch and cocoa powder together into a large bowl. Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat 1 cup of the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Then, set aside the whipped cream in the refrigerator. Next, bring the milk, remaining 1 cup heavy cream, sugar, salt, cornstarch and cocoa powder to a boil in a 5-quart saucepan, whisking constantly. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to simmer and whisk until slightly thickened 1-2 minutes. When the mixture has thickened, turn off heat and add chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla and whisk until everything is melted and the mixture is smooth. Then, transfer the pudding mixture to a glass bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes to release heat. You can speed up this process by putting the bowl over another bowl filled with ice and cold water, just make sure no water gets into the pudding. Or, you can put the bowl in the refrigerator and stir. Once the mixture has cooled, fold in the whipped cream. Then, pour the chocolate pudding pie filling into the baked and cooled Oreo pie crust. Chill the chocolate pudding pie for at least 12 hours, preferably overnight. Then, top it with homemade whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream, if desired. You can decorate it with chocolate curls, chocolate sprinkles, etc. You can chill it again after decorating, or serve it immediately.
Serve
Slice the pie and serve it chilled. After serving, return the pie to the refrigerator so it stays chilled.
Store
Store leftover chocolate pudding pie in the refrigerator in an airtight container or in the pie dish covered in plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
Freeze
This chocolate pudding pie freezes well in one of two ways:
- Freeze the entire pie. Simply make and chill the pie, then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw the pie in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. You can decorate the pie with whipped cream before freezing or after freezing and thawing.2. Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
