This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy.
Chocolate Cream Pie is an easy no bake pie with three layers of creamy chocolate pudding & freshly whipped cream inside a chocolate cookie crust. Only 4 ingredients needed! Don’t forget to garnish with chocolate curls and chocolate bar pieces!
CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE RECIPE
No bake pie recipes are like my favorite thing ever! This chocolate cream pie is no bake, so simple to make, and it’s the perfect make ahead dessert for dinner or a Holiday dinner like Thanksgiving.
A chocolate crust filled with three layers of chocolate pudding and freshly whipped cream. Top it off with chocolate curls or mini Hershey chocolate bars and you have a delicious no bake pie that is sure to be a hit.
If you want more no bake pie recipes than be sure and make my black forest cheesecake pie or this triple layer lemon pudding pie recipe.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE
Chocolate Crumb Crust – I buy the store bought crust in either Oreo cookie or the chocolate graham cracker crust. You can make your own but I actually prefer the store-bought over homemade because the crusts hold their shape and don’t crumble all over when you slice into the pie.
Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix – DO NOT follow the directions on the box. Just follow the recipe below.
Half & Half – This is half milk and half cream. You want a higher fat milk when making pie with instant pudding mix to help it thicken and set in the pie crust. And it tastes better too!
Heavy Whipping Cream + Powdered Sugar OR Cool Whip – You have two options here. Use a tub of cool whip and that’s it! Or beat heavy whipping cream plus powdered sugar and use that in the recipe. Doing this would replace the tub of Cool Whip in the recipe.
Mini Hershey Chocolate Bars & Shaved Chocolate Curls
TIPS & HELPFUL HINTS
-
Can I freeze chocolate cream pie?
- I would recommend not freezing this pie. It has pudding and dairy in it which could result in the curdling and separation once it’s thawed. It can easily be made a day ahead of time. Let it refrigerate overnight into the next day until it’s time to serve it.
-
How long will leftovers last?
- I keep leftover in the fridge for up to 3 days afterwards. The pudding starts to create liquid which will make the crust soggy.
-
Can I replace the Cool Whip?
- Absolutely! I actually prefer this pie with the freshly whipped cream. Because of that, I have included directions for making this pie with Cool Whip or with heavy whipping cream. But for ease and simplicity, use the tub of Cool Whip because the pie tastes really good still. Either way you will love it I think.
-
Can I make my own crust?
- Yes! Again, if you want ease and simplicity use the store bought. I actually prefer using store-bought over homemade! If you make your own then make sure it’s the 9-inch pie crust size.
YOU WILL LOVE THESE OTHER PIE RECIPE
Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie – A premade graham cracker crust filled with creamy cheesecake and a cheesecake pumpkin pie layer.
No Bake Banana Cream Pie – My favorite version of banana cream pie because it’s easy to make and it has no browned mushy bananas in it!
Pecan Cream Pie – Everything you love about a pecan pie but in a creamy, fluffy, no bake pie version. This is always a must-have at my Holiday dinner spreads.
No Bake Nutella Pie – If you love Nutella than this is a must-make! A creamy Nutella cheesecake that’s no bake and inside a chocolate crumb crust.
Chocolate Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 1 (6 oz) store-bought chocolate crumb crust (like Oreo crust or chocolate graham cracker crust)
- 2 boxes (3.4 oz each) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 cups half & half
- 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip thawed
Fresh Whipped Cream (optional to use instead of Cool Whip)
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Combine dry pudding mixes and half & half in a mixing bowl. Stir with a wire whisk until combined well. Let it sit for about 3-5 minutes so it can thicken up.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate pudding into the bottom of the chocolate cookie crust.
- To the remaining chocolate pudding add half of the tub of Cool Whip. Stir until combined and lighter in color. Spread on top of the chocolate pudding layer in the crust.
- Spread the remaining Cool Whip on top of the pie and cover with the enclosed lid.
- Let refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or for best results refrigerate overnight, to allow the flavor to come together and the pie to thicken up.
- When ready to serve, garnish the top of the pie with chocolate curls (Hershey bar + a vegetable peeler) or garnish with Hershey chocolate bar squares.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To make pie with fresh whipped cream
- Add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Beat together on low speed, and gradually increase speed as needed, until stiff peaks form. This takes about 5 minutes. Use the fresh whipped cream in place of the Cool Whip in the recipe. Add half of it to the remaining pudding. And then spread the other half on top of the pie for the 3rd layer. * I like to save the whipped cream (the 3rd layer) in the fridge and then use a piping bag to pipe it on top so it looks pretty. This is totally optional. For an easy way, just spread it on top of the pie and let it refrigerate as called for in the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
I'd love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!
Chocolate layer pie, my family LOVED!!! Was so easy to make. Thank you
Yes! We love this pie too. So happy to hear it was a hit.
Simple and very delicious! My son who hates pies said it was so yummy. My other son got mad because I wouldn’t let him have seconds. The next day I let him have the last piece and I added Reeses minis crumbled on top. He loved it. My whole family loved this pie. Thank you!
So good to hear! You’re very welcome and thank you so much for leaving your feedback on the recipe. I love to hear from people.
This pie was super easy to make! My family loved it!!!
This pie was super easy to make! My family loved it!!!
Can this be made ahead and then frozen? Trying to plan for the holidays.
Sorry for the late reply, but dairy does not freeze well so I would suggest not freezing this.
It looks delicious, but i dont understand the half and half mix. Do i need to do two mixes together and combine with cool whip?
It explains that in the instructions. You just mix the instant pudding in separate batches (chocolate and white chocolate) for the layered look. If you would rather just feel free to mix it all together and dump it into the pie crust. Either way will work fine. Hope that helps.
Made this pie for Christmas dinner. It was easy and delicious. My husband loves a good chocolate cream pie. This recipe did not disappoint!! Everyone loved it. I made it with the cool whip. Next time I may make my own crust but the store bought Oreo crust worked. I need a piping bag to get mine to look as good as the photo. Thank you for sharing.
I followed the directions as shown and after I mixed the half and half with the pudding mix, it never thickened. It was pure liquid. Not sure what I could have done wrong since the directions were so easy.
It sounds like you may have used the cook n’ serve pudding possibly? That’s the only reason I could think of as to why it would stay liquid instead of thickening almost immediately. You want to make sure the box says instant pudding and not the cook n’ serve kind. Hopefully that helps. Let me know.
How far in advance could I make this pie? Would 48 hours be ok?
Yes that would be perfect! No bake pies can generally be made up to 2 days ahead of time with great results. Especially the pudding based pies.