Chocolate Chess Pie
Published Nov. 14, 2023
- Total Time
- 3 hours
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- About 2 hours, plus about 1 hour cooling
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:1 (9-inch) pie
- 1store-bought pie crust or 1 disk foolproof pie dough (½ batch)
- All-purpose flour, if needed for rolling out dough
- ½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter
- 4ounces/113 grams semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- ¼ cup/26 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
- Whipped cream (optional), for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
If using store-bought pie crust, skip ahead to Step 2. If using homemade dough, let sit at room temperature for a couple minutes before rolling . On a lightly floured work surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, beat the dough evenly across the surface, rotating it occasionally, to work it into a slightly flatter round. Add more flour to the surface, lightly flour the dough and roll it out, starting in the center and working outward, occasionally lifting it, giving it quarter-turns and adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking, until it forms an 11-inch circle. (If your dough cracks, just use your fingertips to adhere it together.)
- Step 2
Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate, letting the dough slump into the plate, taking care not to stretch it further. Trim the overhang, if needed, so that you’re left with about ½-inch on all sides. Fold the overhang under itself, creating a thick ridge on the sides with two layers of pie dough, and crimp the ridge. Use a fork to poke holes on the bottom of the crust, and freeze for about 15 minutes, until firm.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, arrange an oven rack in the center position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line the dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Step 4
Remove the foil and pie weights, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking the crust until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Step 5
Cool completely on the baking sheet, at least 30 minutes.
- Step 6
While the crust cools, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Off heat, add the chocolate and whisk until combined, letting the residual heat melt it completely.
- Step 7
In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt until pale yellow and considerably thicker, about 1 minute. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until no streaks remain. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until combined.
- Step 8
Pour the chocolate mixture into the cooled crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is slightly puffed and the center is set. Cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. (It may be tempting to cut into it warm, but the filling needs time to set up.) Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Jerry
If you're using a glass pie plate, taking it from the freezer into a preheated oven isn't a good idea. I've been making a similar chocolate cheese pie for fifty years and I've never pre-baked the crust. It's a go-to recipe for a quick dessert and nobody has ever cried "soggy crust."
Expat in Alsace
And even if it's better pre-baked, this recipe calls for crust to spend a total of an hour and 10 minutes total in the oven! I'm going to try pre-baking it for just 15 minutes, as French tart recipes often dictate.
Foote Notes
Add half a cup of buttermilk or sour cream and it the salty acidity will cut the sweetness nicely and lighten the thick custardy filling.
Tina
One only needs one shattered glass pie plate, complete with unbaked pie, in one's oven to remember that lesson forever.
Squirrel Butler
I have no idea what "parables a pie crust" means! I looked in the Bible, but none of the parables mentioned pie crust...
TraceyF
I wouldn't call it a chess pie without buttermilk.
CJ
Add 1 cup of pecans before you bake the pie. It takes it to a whole new level.
Elizabeth S
It’s unfathomable to me that this has only 4 stars. I cooked exactly as directed, including the homemade pie crust. I used the directed amount of ingredients (someone here had issues with not wanting to use all the water it called for and then saw the crust shrink…) i had no issues. In fact, this was arguably the best pie I’ve ever had.
suzi
The oven time is certainly worrisome! I’ve never parables a pie crust longer than 20 minutes!
Jess Bee
Chess pie needs something acidic to balance out the sweetness. Buttermilk works, but isn't essential - vinegar is often used. Here, chocolate and cocoa powder lend acidity.
Euphemia Thompson
Divine. Period. You'll wish you'd made two. One for the guests and one to eat hidden in a closet.
Diane
If you want a homemade look, thaw a frozen store bought pie crust and roll it out on a floured surface to make it a little larger. Put it in your own pie plate.
Jacqueline
I had the same concern, and my crust nearly burned during the par-baking period, even being careful. I was careful to put it in the freezer for 15 minutes beforehand, but I par-baked for 30 minutes, and 25 total would have been better. BTW, Ken Haedrich in Pie Academy recommends a coffee filter rather than foil to hold the weights, which breathes better (in the caption under one photo). It also blots up any excess fat that leaks out.
Jacqueline
I bake mini-pies for my husband one at a time, so your mileage may vary, but I had to cut way down on the time. I always do, of course, but this time, it was because of the crust, not the filling. After the first 30 minutes, the crust was past where I would have expected on the finished pie. I wrapped every bit of exposed crust on the filled pie with a double layer of foil, and it turned out ok in the end. PS: I think that autocorrect changed “par-baking” to “parables.”
Halina
This is great with 3 Tbsp makers mark and 2 tap vanilla plus agree with buttermilk addition. Delicious.
Mellie
I've made this pie twice this past week, once exactly as the recipe stated and once incorporating suggestions from the comments to cut down on the blind baking time and add 1/2 cup of buttermilk to the filling. I give the recipe 5-stars exactly as written. 4-stars with the modifications. Still a very good pie, but less deliciously like gooey brownie in a beautiful crust than the unmodified recipe. If I make it again, I will make it exactly as the good folks at NYTimes cooking recommend.
Kathryn
I used 70% Lindt chocolate bars. It was perfect. And I loved the recommendation to add a 1/2 cup of. buttermilk. It’s delicious! Definitely a repeat.
Katrina
Terrifically good! Followed the recipe exactly and added a tablespoon of bourbon as Vaughn suggested. My store-bought ready-made crust was a tad small (only 7 inches) so I put the extra filling in a ramekin and baked it alongside the pie. Both versions lick-the-spoon DELICIOUS.
Evan
Every Southern cook knows how to make a chocolate chess pie that is much easier than this. Just Google it and you’ll find the classic recipe - 1.5c sugar, 3 Tbsp cocoa powder, 2 eggs, 4 Tbsp butter, 5 oz can evaporated milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Christian
I used a roll-out premade crust in a tin pie pan set directly on the oven rack. The baking sheet was on the rack below to catch possible drips. I did not prebake the crust and all was well. (I prebake crusts in glass or ceramic pie pans, but tin doesn't need prebaling in in my experience.) I used bittersweet chips, (personal preference) and black cocoa as well as a quarter cup of buttermilk as suggested in other comments. Good densely chocolate pie, unlike pudding pies.
Allison
This pie is just WOW! Rich, chocolaty, crispy crust, creamy filling. So, so good!
Jeff
Delicious pie, a hit at holiday dinner. Used a metal pie plate, placing in the freezer did help keep the shape. Pre-baked the crust at 425 for 15 min, which was more than sufficient. Another great tip found here was using coffee filters to hold the pie weights, this worked better than prior attempts with foil or parchment. Definitely recommend adding 1/2 cup of buttermilk to the filling. Final bake at 350 about 30-35 min until puffy. Yummy!
Asha
Very easy recipe. I didn’t have cocoa powder, so I used a pack of hot cocoa mix and reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup. Tasted delicious.
Travel_bug
We used a Graham Cracker crust the second time around. Great recipe. Delicious!
Stacy
I followed this recipe with a frozen pre-made pie crust and it definitely overcooked. I debated starting again and baking another crust for a shorter time, but I decided to just use this one since it was brown but not actually burnt but it definitely adversely affected the flavor. But this is a great recipe and I used a tablespoon of bourbon and two teaspoons of espresso powder and use Ghirardelli cocoa powder and good semi-sweet chocolate and it was fantastic
Fred
If you're using a store-bought frozen pie crust and heat it at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, you will end up with a piece of charcoal. Follow the directions on the packaging.
Trish S.
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. I made the filling as directed but didn't follow the crust instructions. I used a pre-made crust (from ALDI! of all places). And I didn't have the time for all those steps. No freezing, not 30 minute bake and no pie weights. I did a 15 minute blind bake at the temp recommended on the package. Then I let it cool as I made the filling. It was delicious and I've been asked to make it again for Christmas.
Pat
I made this pie a few days ago with a store-bought crust. Put the crust in the pie plate straight from the package, added filling (used dark chocolate chocolate), baked. Easy peasy and tastes wonderful. May try graham cracker crust next time. There definitely will be a next time.
Colorado Girl
Cooked with salted butter and still added the salt. It cut the sweetness just the right amount. Used a frozen gluten free crust. Defrosted the pie crust, added the filling, and cooked it all at the same time for 45 minutes which set the pie and browned the crust. I live in Colorado, and added the time due to altitude. I jiggled the oven to test for it being set when the pie no longer jiggled.
Judy P.
I took this for thanksgiving for a dessert for one of the attendees who is lactose intolerant. So I used cashew butter, dairy free chocolate, and Oatmeal whipped cream. It was delicious. Next time i will make it the regular way but just wanted people to know it will work for those who cannot tolerate milk products.
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