This unapologetically rich chocolate pie is a chess pie and fudge brownie hybrid. It rises like chocolate soufflé in the oven, then falls as it cools which creates a crackly meringue-like top. You’ll love this pie in homemade buttery pie crust and served with fresh whipped cream on top.
Diets beware.
This is A Brownie Pie & Chocolate Chess Pie Hybrid
You’re looking at part brownie/part chocolate chess pie. Chess pie is a custard pie and typically combines eggs, sugar, butter, flour, sometimes a little cornmeal, buttermilk, vinegar, and/or flavorings such as vanilla, lemon, or chocolate. I am, by no means, an expert on this Southern specialty but one of the best recipes I’ve tried (and a wonderful description of its origins) is over on The Kitchn. Using some of chess pie’s staple ingredients, I made a chocolate variation.
Though it’s totally cooked, the center tastes like brownie batter.
*It’s magical.*
One reader, Donna, commented: “Incredibly, decadently delish. I’d been looking for a chocolate brownie pie recipe and hadn’t found one that hit all the right notes until this one! ★★★★★”
One reader, Taryn, commented: “This was so easy and so ridiculously delicious. My entire family loved it! All the best parts of a brownie, a chocolate pie, and also a macaron? I don’t know how it’s all in there, but it is. Make it today! ★★★★★”
Tell Me About this Chocolate Pie:
- Thickness: Thin, but very rich. Any thicker and it would almost be too rich to eat.
- Texture: Fudge brownie filling that rises like a chocolate soufflé, then falls as the pie cools. The fallen top tastes like crinkly chocolate meringue. It’s utterly irresistible. It’s a bit different than the soft and chewy filling of this brownie pie and caramel turtle brownie pie.
- Ease: I’d say intermediate. You need to partially blind bake the pie crust, but mixing the ingredients together is pretty simple.
- Baking: Blind bake the crust at 375°F (190°C), then lower to 325°F (163°C) for the filling. A slightly lower oven temperature ensures the thin filling cooks evenly.
- Time: Homemade pie crust always requires extra effort and time, but you can use store-bought if you’re in a time crunch. The filling comes together quickly, but the pie needs to cool for a couple hours before slicing.
9 Ingredients You Need
- Chocolate: For deep chocolate flavor, I use both real chocolate and cocoa powder in this filling. Note that you only need 2 ounces of chocolate. Most baking chocolate is sold in 4 ounce bars, so you’ll only use half. I prefer Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands.
- Butter: Melt butter with the chocolate before adding to the other filling ingredients. This is how I start my chewy fudgy frosted brownies recipe, too.
- Sugar, Salt, & Vanilla: All add flavor.
- Cocoa Powder: Chess pie is often thickened with flour and/or cornmeal. Here we’ll use cocoa powder because it adds flavor too. Remember this post on dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder? Since there’s no chemical leavening occurring, you can use either in this recipe. I really like this brand of dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Espresso Powder: Add espresso powder if you want to kick up the chocolate flavor like we do in marble loaf cake and chocolate zucchini bread. The pie tastes good without it, but better with it. You can find it in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online.
- Heavy Cream: A lot of chess pie recipes call for evaporated milk, but I use heavy cream here. Heavy cream is convenient because you can top this pie with whipped cream. That being said, if you have a can of evaporated milk, use it instead.
- Eggs: The workhorse in this recipe, eggs add structure, stability, and texture. You need 3 eggs total. 2 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk for the filling, then save that last egg white for an egg wash. Brush the egg wash on the pie crust before blind baking. A quick egg wash promises a golden brown and shiny pie crust.
Pie Crust
You also need a pie crust shell. If you’re in a pinch, use store-bought. If you have a little more time on your hands, go for homemade. Nothing ever compares to flaky buttery pie crust and you can make it ahead of time. My pie crust recipe yields enough for 2 pies, which is convenient if you also want to make pumpkin pie this holiday season.
- Partially Blind Bake: Whether you use store-bought or homemade, you need to pre-bake the pie crust. The crust takes longer to bake than the filling, so it needs extra time in the oven. If you skip pre-baking, also known as blind baking, the crust tastes soggy. Roll out your cold pie dough, then fit into a 9-inch pie dish. Crimp or flute the pie crust around the edges. To prevent the pie dough from shrinking, chill for at least 30 minutes in the pie dish. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights (note: 2 packs of these pie weights is needed). Bake until the edges are lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment/pie weights, then prick the crust with a fork. Bake crust for 8 more minutes. Fill with chocolate filling, then return to the oven to bake the whole pie.
We do this exact same process when we make quiche. If it’s helpful, I have an in-depth guide and video for How to Blind Bake Pie Crust and How to Crimp and Flute Pie Crust.
Step by Step Photos Below The Recipe!
Looking for something gluten free, but just as rich and fudgy? Try my flourless chocolate cake instead.
This recipe is part of Sally’s Pie Week, an annual tradition where I share a handful of new recipes that fit into the pie/crisp/tart category. Join the community below!
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Magical Chocolate Pie (Chess Pie)
- Prep Time: 3 hours (includes pie crust)
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (includes blind bake)
- Total Time: 7 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: one 9-inch pie
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This rich chocolate pie tastes like fudge brownies with a crackly meringue-like topping. To avoid a soggy crust, partially blind bake the dough as directed in the recipe below.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 unbaked Buttery Flaky Pie Crust (what I used) or All Butter Pie Crust*
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Filling
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter
- 2 ounces (56g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (16g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
- optional for serving: whipped cream
Instructions
- Pie crust: I like to make sure my pie dough is prepared before I begin making this chocolate pie. Make pie dough the night before because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking (next step).
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the disks of chilled dough (use the 2nd pie crust for another recipe!). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is completely smooth. To make a lovely thick edge, I do not trim excess dough around the edges. Instead, fold the excess dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a nice thick rim around the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. Review my how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial if you need extra help with this step.) Brush edges with egg wash/egg white. Carefully line the inside of the pie with two pieces of parchment paper, as shown in the photo below, then pour in the pie weights. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed around the pie dish. If it’s helpful, you can watch me do this exact step in my pecan praline pumpkin pie video tutorial. Chill the dough in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes—this helps prevent the crust from shrinking. You can actually fill with pie weights before or after chilling, it doesn’t make a difference.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Partially blind bake the crust: Bake the cold pie crust (with weights) for 15 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper (with the weights) out of the pie. Prick holes all around the bottom crust with a fork. Return the pie crust to the oven and bake for 8 minutes to help set the bottom. Remove from the oven and set aside until step 7. You can pre-bake the crust up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover and store in the refrigerator (without weights) until ready to use.
- Reduce oven to 325°F (163°C).
- For the filling: Cut the butter into pieces so it melts evenly. Place in a large heat-proof bowl or double boiler. Add chopped chocolate. Melt in 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Set aside and let cool for 2-3 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt together until combined. Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla, 2 eggs, and 1 egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the cooled butter/chocolate.
- Bake: Pour filling into pre-baked pie crust (crust can still be warm). Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly. It can still be a little sticky in the very center on top, just as long as it no longer jiggles when you lightly tap the pan. During bake time, if you find the edges of the pie crust are browning too quickly, apply a pie crust shield or a ring of aluminum foil to protect it.
- Remove finished pie from the oven. Place on a wire rack to cool completely or for at least 2 hours. The pie filling will sink and set as it cools.
- Garnish with whipped cream, if desired. (I used Wilton 8B piping tip in these photos.) Slice and serve.
- Cover and store leftover pie at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The pie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can pre-bake the pie crust 3 days ahead of time (see step 4). You can prepare the filling 1 day ahead of time. Cover and store in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before pouring into pie crust and baking. You can also bake the pie 1-2 days before serving, though it’s best served the day of. If making ahead, store covered at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for 2 days. You can also freeze the baked and cooled pie for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. To reheat the whole pie, warm it in a 300°F (149°C) oven, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Parchment Paper | Pie Weights | Pastry Brush | Double Boiler (optional) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Pie Crust Shield | Cooling Rack | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 8B Piping Tip
- Pie Crust: Both linked pie crust recipes make 2 crusts. You only need 1 crust for this pie, so freeze the 2nd half for another use. If using store-bought pie dough, you still need to partially blind-bake it (steps 2, 3, and 4). If needed, you can use a graham cracker crust or Oreo cookie crust instead of traditional pie crust. Pre-bake the cookie crust at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes. No need for pie weights if using a cookie crust.
- Chocolate: Use pure chocolate baking bars. You can find them right next to the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. They are sold in 4 ounce bars, so you’ll only need half. I like Bakers or Ghirardelli brands. I use and recommend semi-sweet chocolate, but you can use bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate for a darker flavor.
- Espresso Powder: Espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavor. You can find it in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online. You can skip it or use 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder instead.
- Heavy Cream: Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. If desired, you can use 1/4 cup of evaporated milk instead. I don’t recommend any other substitutes.
To make the filling, the first step is to melt butter and chocolate together. I use the microwave, but you can use a double boiler instead.
As instructed in step 6, whisk the other filling ingredients together, then whisk in the melted chocolate/butter mixture.
This recipe requires a partially blind baked pie crust shell. Follow my detailed instructions above. My How to Blind Bake Pie Crust video and guide is helpful too. I use and recommend (affiliate link) these pie weights. You need 2 packs to fill a pie shell.
After partially blind baking, pour in the chocolate filling and bake.
Reader Comments and Reviews
hi, sally! I have some milk chocolate on hand could I use it instead? is it possible to reduce the sugar and if so, by what amount?
thanks
Hi Mehrona, We haven’t tested it but the same amount of milk chocolate should work – the pie will be sweeter than if you had used semisweet chocolate. You can try reducing the sugar just a bit but keep in mind that the sugar is also responsible for the texture so changing the amount will yield different results.
Hi, I would like to make this pie with a store-bought Oreo crust because I am short on time and do not like store-bought pie crust. Would you recommend pre-baking the store-bought Oreo crust or using it as is without prebaking?
Hi Rachel, we haven’t tested it, but you shouldn’t have to pre bake the Oreo crust.
Thanks! Sounds good!
I made this last year and loved it! Any new recommendations like this one?
Hi Harper, if you’re looking to stick with chocolate, try the Fudge Brownie Pie or French Silk Pie. Let us know what you choose and how it is!
I made this pie and it turned out absolutely wonderful. My entire family loved it and have requested it for Thanksgiving. Thank you for all the great recipes you share.
This is a lovely pie
Hi Sally and friends!
I made this pie last week and everyone loved it.
However, the crust (I used the homemade all butter one because I didn’t have shortening) wasn’t very crunchy or soft.
It wasn’t soggy, but it was hard.
I think it was underdone.
I have one more pie crust which I want to use for your pumpkin pie, which I believe has pretty similar instructions for baking the crust. So I just wanted to ask for any advice baking the crust to make it less hard and more pie crusty lol.
Hi Emma, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. If your pie crust was overly tough, it’s likely the dough was overworked. Overworked pie dough will taste tough when baked. See if you can cut your butter into smaller pieces before working into the dough. That way you won’t have to work it so hard. Hope this helps for next time!
This pie was so delicious! The only thing I would change is reduce the espresso powder down to 1/4 tsp because the pie tasted like a mocha pie instead of a chocolate pie. My coworker thought it was a coffee pie because the coffee flavor was so strong. I love chocolate and want the chocolate flavor to shine so 1 tsp of espresso powder was actually a lot for this recipe.
Love this recipe, one of my favorites.
Should the pie plate be on a baking sheet in the oven?
Hi Steve, you don’t need to for this recipe, but you can certainly do so if you’d like the extra assurance of catching any stray drips. So glad you enjoy this one!
Unpopular opinion. I hate coffee. I thought the espresso was to enhance the chocolate flavor, but I taste the espresso in the pie. It’s a mild flavor, but disappointing. I’ll leave it out next time.
Hi sally ,
I am a huge fan of your work and love your recipes.You are my inspiration.
I made the chess pie with an Oreo crust and followed the recipe . However midway my crust seemed to burn.
Also I took it out in 40 mins since it looked done. My temperature was around 170 degree centigrade.
The filling was lovely and my family loved it.
1) what do I do avoid the burning of Oreo crust.
2) can I make this gorgeous pie without a crust .If so pls advice how .
3) Do u advice a water bath
Hi Shilpi, we’re happy to help troubleshoot here. Did you lower your temperature after par-baking the crust? We recommend baking the complete pie at 325°F (163°C). You can also try moving the pie down a rack, away from the heating element, to prevent burning. We haven’t tried a crustless version of the pie, and we don’t use a water bath either. Hope this is helpful for next time!
Hi Lexi ,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
I prevailed the crust for 7 minutes then let it cool.
Then added the pie filling .
I read 190 in the recipe .
Will try what your saying .
I don’t know what to do but I loved the filling and I am so keen to make it sans a crust as well . It tasted epic . I wish you can help me achieve that .
Can I use extra melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder?
Hi Claire, we use both cocoa powder and baking chocolate to create an extra deep flavor. Cocoa powder can be a finicky ingredient, so removing it and replacing with more baking chocolate would take some additional recipe testing in order to guarantee results. Best to stick with the recipe as written, but let us know if you decide to experiment at all.
Hands down THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE I’VE EVER HAD!!
Sally love your site and also appreciate how you give us the chemistry or background of recipes. So I have a question for you. I’ve got a recipe from my grandma that’s also for chocolate chess pie. It calls for vinegar. What does the vinegar do? No espresso in grandma’s. I know it enhances the chocolate flavor does it do anything else? Thank you.
Hi Lemmonee, We are so happy you have been enjoying the site! The espresso here enhances the chocolate flavor. You can leave it out but it really takes it to the flavor next level! Vinegar is a common ingredient in many desserts. Depending on your grandmother’s recipe it may have been needed as an acidic ingredient to react with baking soda, or it can be used to cut sweetness in desserts and add a hint of tang.
Heavy cream / heavy whipping cream and evaporated milk are a bit hard to come by here, could I use condensed milk or fresh cream instead? If yes, then at what quantities?
Hi Rebecca! The only substitute we’d recommend here would be 1/4 cup of evaporated milk in place of the 1/4 cup of heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. We haven’t successfully tested anything else, so best to stick with just these options. Hope you’ll be able to give this pie a try!
I made this pie today for Pi Day. It is a great pie and hit so many notes. A slight crunch with the meringue(ish) top, a creamy, soufflé(ish) center, and the deep chocolate flavor with a hint of espresso. I whipped my own cream and used Sally’s pie crust recipe. I did make a mistake with the crust and it was dry. However, the harder crust offset the creamy center. Yummy!
I made this pie tonight and it was so delicious! I didn’t have espresso powder so I had to omit this but reading the recipe through, it looks like this was optional. In place of pie weights I used sugar. Worked just fine. The pie came out of the oven a little uneven/high on one side but within minutes it settled and I had a beautiful meringue-like crust. I could not wait the full two hours for the pie to cool! I topped it with a little whipped cream and demolished a slice. This recipe is a keeper!
Love chocolate chees pie! This recipe sounds fantastic. If using a store bought crust do I still need to use pie weights? Thanks
– T
Hi Thomas! Yes, whether you use store-bought or homemade, you need to pre-bake the pie crust using pie weights. Enjoy!
Love this pie! Have you tried to use 1.5x the filling recipe or do you think the crust would be too full?
Hi Sarah, we don’t suggest adding more filling to this pie. The fudge brownie filling rises like a soufflé, then falls as the pie cools.
So excited to make this pie today! I made the crust dough last night, and was able to have the pie weights you linked to delivered this morning 🙂 My concern is that I only ordered one set. I see now you say two are needed; am I really playing with fire if I just use one set? Should I use another method (like the granulated sugar one you linked to in your blind-bake post?) or will the one set suffice?
Hi Jenna, two sets is recommended to weigh down the pie dough properly. You could try adding some dry beans to the weights or use the sugar method instead. Happy baking!
Hi Sally, do you think this recipe would work for muffin-tin size pies? And do you think the crust would still need to be pre-baked?
Hi Sara, I’m sure that it could work as mini pies but we haven’t tested it so I’m unsure of the bake time needed. The crusts will be small enough that they shouldn’t need to be pre-baked but you can definitely pre-bake them if you’d like them a bit crispier. I’d say about 5-10 minutes at 375°F (191°C) and then continue with the filling. Let us know if you try it!
I tried it out and I recommend pre-baking the crust to get the crisp texture. I baked the pies for about 20min. They could have been filled a little more for a better filling:crust ratio but they’re great otherwise!
I’ve made so many great pies now just from following your recipes since the pandemic started, so thank you!
Would 2oz semi-sweet morsels work as well as chopping up chocolate squares for this?
Hi Brian, thank you so much for making our recipes. Pure baking chocolate will be best for this recipe.
Wow, it looks really delicious! My kids will love this, the problem is I don’t have espresso powder, lucky that you said I can just use 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder instead, great!. Will also try to add some chocolate chips at the top for my kids. Thank you for sharing this, awesome post!
Will this pie set without flour or cornstarch?
Thanks
Trish
Sally this pie was a hit with my family they love the rich chocolate flavor. I made the whip cream to put in top it was delicious! I
love your recipes and all the details you include in order to have a successful bake. Thank you!
Outstanding! Very rich, and so tasty! I followed the recipe exactly and would not change a thing. My guests said it was out of this world delicious!
Best pie ever. I made a gluten free crust and it only took 45 minutes in my oven but otherwise followed recipe exactly. Absolute perfection.
Hi Sally! Can I make this in a sheet pan and serve “pie bars”?
Hi Olivia! I haven’t tested it, so I can’t be sure. I’m guessing a 9×13 inch baking pan but I fear that would even be too big. Let me know if you try anything.
Thoughts on adding pomegranate arils to this pie? I have a double chocolate pomegranate cookie recipe that we make for Christmas, but I’d like to mimic the cookies with this pie recipe!
Hi Clarke! That sounds delicious. I really can’t say how the pie would turn out there. I think they’d be great as a garnish.
I don’t have pie weights and really don’t have time to find them before Thanksgiving…will the crust still be ok without this step? I have made crusts before and they do get bubbly. Thank you!
Hi Tiffany, sugar or uncooked beans also work for blind baking (give it a quick internet search for detailed instructions!). The crust will lost its shape without pie weights, but you can certainly try it. Or try a cookie crust detailed in the recipe notes.
Tried this recipe out with Tollhouse chocolate chips and added pecans. The taste was amazing, and I achieved the crackle on top, but my first attempt’s consistency ended up similar to a lava cake. The center was quite runny, so it flowed when we cut into it on the day. I probably could’ve left it in the oven longer?
In any case, after an overnight rest in the fridge, the filling firmed up completely, and it still tasted great. 🙂
Hi Cam! That’s great it firmed up in the refrigerator. It sounds like the pie could have benefitted from a few extra minutes in the oven. An easy fix if you ever try the pie again. Thank you!