Small Batch Chocolate Pudding Pie Recipe

If you’re a fan of chocolate desserts, there’s nothing quite like a rich and creamy chocolate pudding pie to satisfy your sweet tooth. Making a pudding pie from scratch may seem daunting at first, but with the right recipe and patience, you can create a delicious dessert far superior to anything you’ll find in a store-bought package.

Why this recipe works

This recipe is a perfect combination of premade and homemade.  Homemade pudding is so easy to make and tastes better than box mixes.

Puddings, custards, and curds are simple, and you can adjust the sweetness to your taste.  In my humble opinion, it’s also worth the extra few minutes it takes to bake a homemade crust for a delicious chocolate pudding pie.

Ingredient notes

The full ingredient lists and quantities are included in the recipe card below.

• Premade crust like Pillsbury, or you can make your own with this mini pie crust recipe, or try an extra easy graham cracker pie crust which goes well with chocolate pudding.
• Chocolate is the star of this pie, so use a good quality semi-sweet baking chocolate bar. You can also add mini chocolate chips for an extra chocolate flavor.
• Heavy whipping cream: make your own homemade whipped cream with this amazing recipe for whipped cream,or use Redi Whip, Cool Whip, or a similar product.
• If you are in a hurry, you can use instant chocolate pudding mix; however, you should consider making it from scratch!

How To Make Chocolate Cream Pie

Start by taking your premade pie crust and fitting it into a 6-inch pie plate. Follow the package directions for baking the crust so it’s fully baked and lightly golden. If you’d like the crust to keep its shape better, you can gently press a piece of parchment paper into the crust and add pie weights or a handful of dried beans before baking. Once it’s done, set the crust aside on the counter to cool completely while you make the chocolate filling.

For the pudding, grab a small bowl and whisk together 2 egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. You just want them smooth and well combined so there are no dry spots of cornstarch. Set that bowl near the stove—you’ll come back to it in a minute.

Now, in a small saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 cup of milk. Place the pan over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Keep stirring every few seconds so nothing sticks to the bottom. After a few minutes, the milk will start to steam and you’ll see small bubbles forming around the edges—that’s your gentle simmer. Once you see that, take the pan off the heat for a moment.

You’re going to temper the eggs so they don’t scramble. Take about a tablespoon of the hot milk mixture and slowly whisk it into the egg yolk and cornstarch mixture. Whisk constantly while you pour so the eggs warm up gradually. Do this once or twice more, a spoonful at a time, until the egg mixture feels warm and loose.

Now slowly pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the hot milk, whisking the whole time. Return the pan to medium heat and keep stirring, switch to a whisk if you’d like a smoother texture. In a few minutes, the mixture will start to thicken. You’ll notice it coat the back of your spoon and small bubbles will come up to the surface. Let it come to a slow, gentle boil while you stir; once it’s thick like a loose pudding, you’re there. If it seems to be bubbling too vigorously, just turn the heat down a bit.

Take the pan off the heat and immediately add 3 tablespoons of butter, your 4-ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate bar (chopped into small pieces so it melts quickly), and ½ teaspoon of vanilla paste. Let the heat from the pudding soften the chocolate for a few seconds, then whisk until everything is melted and silky smooth. If you see a few streaks of unmelted chocolate, just keep whisking, they’ll disappear.

Let the chocolate filling sit for a couple of minutes to cool slightly. You want it still warm and pourable, but not piping hot. Give it a gentle stir, then pour the pudding into your completely cooled pie crust. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the top so it’s even. If it looks a little jiggly, that’s fine, it will firm up in the fridge.

Loosely cover the pie so the top doesn’t get disturbed. Instead of pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface (it tends to stick to the pudding), you can lightly tent a piece of foil over the pie or invert a plate over the top. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 3–4 hours, until the filling is fully set and slices hold their shape when cut.

When you’re almost ready to serve, make the whipped topping if you’re using it. In a medium bowl, pour in ⅔ cup of heavy whipping cream. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream on high speed for about 1–2 minutes, until it starts to thicken and soft peaks begin to form. Soft peaks will gently curl over when you lift the beaters.

With the mixer still running on medium-high, slowly add 1 tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla paste. Continue beating for another minute or so, just until the whipped cream is fluffy and holds soft peaks. If it starts to look grainy or very stiff, you’ve gone a bit too far, ust stop as soon as it looks smooth and billowy.

Once your pie is nicely chilled and set, pull it from the fridge and spoon the whipped cream over the top. You can spread it all the way to the crust or leave a little border so you can see the chocolate layer underneath. If you’d like, finish with a few chocolate shavings or tiny curls on top. Slice the pie gently with a sharp knife, wipe the knife between cuts for cleaner slices, and enjoy your small-batch chocolate pudding pie.

Optional Homemade Whipped Topping

1. In a medium bowl, add the cream  and beat with an electric hand mixer  on high speed for 1-2 minutes
2. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla paste while continuing to beat until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. 
3.  Spoon the whipped cream over the pie and top with chocolate shavings.

Here is the full post on how to make homemade whipped cream.

Recipe Tips

• When baking the crust, line it with parchment paper and pie weight to keep the crust from shrinking. I did not do this for this recipe; you can see how the crust pulled away from the pie plate.
• The star is the chocolate filling, so you want that to be perfect. Regarding chocolate, my favorite is the Ghirardelli semi-sweet baking bar.

Tools Used

• Whisk: A small whisk will get into a small saucepan and bowl much better than a full-size one.
• Mixing bowls: I like to use large cereal bowls, they are the perfect size for small-batch batters.
• Small saucepan: My 3/4 quart small butter warmer from Made-In works beautifully
• Wooden spoon: You can never have too many of these, I have them in various sizes.
• 6-inch Pyrex pie plate: This size is perfect for two people who love pie.

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Chocolate Pudding Pie

4.34 from 3 votes

A smaller version of classic chocolate cream pie. Using a premade crust makes this recipe even simpler.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Additional Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 495

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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Crust

• Premade crust like Pillsbury or use a homemade recipe for cream cheese pie crust.

Chocolate Filling

• 4- ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate bar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 egg yolks lightly beaten
• ½ teaspoon vanilla paste

Optional Homemade Whipped Topping

• ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla paste

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Recipe Directions

 

Crust

1. Prepare pie crust per package instructions.

Chocolate Pudding

1. In a small bowl lightly beat together the egg yolks and cornstarch.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, and milk together with a wooden spoon until well combined.  Stir frequently bring the milk and sugar mixture to a simmer. 
3. Temper eggs by adding a tablespoon of the hot milk and sugar mixture to the egg and whisk together.
4. Slowly add the egg mixture back into the sugar and milk mixture. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken and comes to a slow boil.
5. Remove pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, chopped chocolate, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined and smooth.
6. Let the filling cool for a couple of minutes then pour the chocolate filling into the cooled crust.
7. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
8. Top chilled pie with RediWhip, or use the recipe below to make your own whipped topping.

Whipped Topping

1. In a medium bowl add the cream  and beat with an electric hand mixer  on high speed for 1-2 minutes
2. Slowly add in the sugar and vanilla paste while continuing to beat until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. 
3. Spoon the whipped cream over pie and top with chocolate shavings.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 9gFat: 41gSodium: 122mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10g

Notes

Choose High Quality Chocolate: The star of your pie is chocolate, so go for the best quality you can afford. Choose dark or semi-sweet chocolate for a deep, rich flavor.

Bake the Crust First: This is a no-bake recipe so you need to bake the pie crust before adding the filling. Line the unbaked pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans to keep it from shrinking.

Stir Constantly When Making the Filling: When you’re cooking the chocolate filling on the stove, be sure to stir constantly. This will help to prevent the chocolate from burning and will ensure that the mixture thickens evenly.

Strain the Filling: Although optional, after cooking the chocolate pudding filling, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. This ensures that any lumps are removed and you have a silky smooth filling.

Chill Properly: After filling the pie, chill it in the refrigerator for at least four hours (or even better, overnight) before serving. This will help the filling to set and make the pie easier to slice.

BONUS TIP 1: Top your pie with homemade whipped cream. It’s simple to make and will taste much better than the store-bought versions. For extra flavor, you can add a touch of vanilla extract to the cream as you’re whipping it.

BONUS TIP 2: Instead of a 6-inch pie, make in individual size pie tins.

 

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