This Chocolate Pie, with its meringue topping, is a showstopper.
While it is true that chocolate pie is a time-honored dessert that can easily be purchased, this chocolate pie recipe is something I’m pretty sure is going to inspire you to head into your kitchen instead of out to a bakery. Why? Because the results are so impressive that you’ll be beaming with pride. And, after all, nothing beats something that is homemade!
What makes this chocolate pie unique, and uniquely scrumptious, is that instead of being topped with the traditional whipped cream, the rich chocolatey filling sits under an ethereal cloud of airy and sweet meringue. The combination of textures—a creamy chocolate filling and the light, feathery meringue—makes each bite a moment of bliss.
And although it takes some time, this chocolate pie is simple to make, starting with an unbaked pie crust that just needs to be baked until golden. In Step 2, you’ll be making the yummy chocolate filling, which gets its depth of flavor from sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and vanilla; its consistency is almost like a pudding, made rich with egg yolks and whole milk. And then you’ll whip the egg whites into stiff peaks for the meringue. When this pie comes out of the oven, topped with sky-high, glossy swirls of lightly golden perfection, you’re on your way (once it’s cooled!) to impressing family and friends with this divinely delicious dessert.
Tips for a perfect meringue
There are certain culinary techniques that, once you’ve mastered them, make you feel like a professional chef. For me, one of those techniques is making the perfect meringue. Achieving its airiness and signature, dramatic height is a feat to aspire to! To make sure your meringue for this chocolate pie is perfect, start by separating the eggs when they are cold but letting the whites come to room temperature before whipping them. Next, and this may be the most important tip, your bowl and beaters must be completely, pristinely clean; even the slightest bit or smudge of anything will prevent the egg whites from whipping up properly. Start the mixer at low and then raise the speed to medium when the egg whites become foamy. Add the sugar slowly and as soon as the peaks are glossy and stiff (they stay upright when you lift the beaters out of them), they are ready.
How do I store leftovers?
In order to keep the meringue from falling, insert a toothpick in the center and 3-4 others strategically around the edges and then cover the pie with plastic wrap; it will keep in the refrigerator like this for up to 2 days. We don’t recommend freezing this chocolate pie; the meringue can turn “weepy”—meaning it will leak water—during thawing and become tough, as well.
Serving suggestions
This chocolate pie welcomes a drizzle of The Best Chocolate Sauce Ever, but it is also wonderful with something tart and fruity like Strawberry Sauce or a few spoonfuls of Roasted Summer Berries. We also like to serve it with ice cream, favorites being flavors that go particularly well with chocolate, such as Coffee Toffee Ice Cream or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. And if you miss a chocolate pie’s traditional whipped cream, whip up some of your own: vanilla-forward Chantilly Cream is wonderful but to turn chocolate pie into a holiday dessert, try topping it with Pumpkin Whipped Cream at Thanksgiving or Peppermint Marshmallow Whipped Cream at Christmas.
Chocolate Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar divided
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 egg whites
- 1 pinch kosher salt for meringue
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Poke holes in the unbaked pie crust with a fork and bake until lightly golden.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder, 3/4 cup sugar, the flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt with 2 lightly beaten egg yolks and 1 1/2 cups milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens (about 5 to 10 minutes). It will not thicken further in the oven. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter.
- In a clean bowl, beat 2 egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Pour the warm chocolate custard into the baked pie crust and top with the meringue, spreading it evenly and creating peaks. Bake at 350°F for about 8-12 minutes until the meringue peaks are lightly browned. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before serving.
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