If a gooey brownie and a silky chocolate custard had a baby, it would be this pie. This Chocolate Chess Pie is the kind of dessert that doesn’t ask for attention — it just shows up, steals the show, and leaves everyone speechless. With a rich, crackly top like a brownie crust and a center so fudgy it’s almost sinful, this pie is pure chocolate magic. I love baking it in a buttery homemade crust and serving thick slices with a big spoonful of freshly whipped cream. It’s indulgent, it’s cozy, and it’s absolutely worth every bite.

This Pie Is Basically a Brownie in a Pie Crust

Let’s be honest: this pie doesn’t play around. It’s half brownie, half Southern-style chess pie — which, if you’ve never had, is a custard pie that leans into sweet and creamy territory, often thickened with flour or cornmeal and usually built on a base of eggs, butter, and sugar. Here, we take that same chess pie foundation and stir in loads of rich chocolate and cocoa powder to make it even more decadent.

The texture? Like a soufflé that rose in the oven and then sank just enough to leave behind a crackly meringue-like top. The inside stays dense and luscious, almost like warm brownie batter.

What to Expect from This Chocolate Pie

Richness: Thin but packs a punch. You don’t need a big slice — though I’m not judging if you go back for seconds.

Texture: Think soft-baked brownie with a crisp, shiny top. It puffs in the oven and sinks into a fudge-like center once cool.

Skill level: Somewhere between beginner and intermediate. You’ll need to blind bake the pie crust, but the filling itself is a breeze.

Baking time: Start hot to blind bake the crust (375°F/190°C), then lower the heat to gently bake the filling (325°F/163°C) so the middle stays tender.

Time investment: Making your own pie crust does take some prep, but the payoff is big. If you’re short on time, a good store-bought crust can save the day. Just make sure to give the baked pie enough time to cool and set before slicing.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Chocolate: You only need 2 ounces of baking chocolate, so just half a bar. Use something high quality like Ghirardelli or Baker’s.
Butter: Melted together with the chocolate — this step gives the filling its fudgy texture.
Sugar, Salt & Vanilla: For flavor depth and balance.
Cocoa Powder: Instead of flour or cornmeal, unsweetened cocoa powder thickens and intensifies the chocolate flavor. Either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder works here.
Espresso Powder (optional but amazing): A small amount really enhances the chocolate. Totally optional, but worth it.
Heavy Cream: Makes the filling rich and silky. You can swap in evaporated milk if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
Eggs: These hold everything together. You’ll use 2 whole eggs and 1 yolk for the filling, and save the leftover egg white to brush over the crust before blind baking.

Let’s Talk Crust

You’ve got options here. If you’re up for it, go with homemade pie dough — buttery, flaky, and you can prep it in advance. My all-butter pie crust makes enough for two 9-inch pies, so stash the second one in the freezer for later.

No time? Store-bought crust is totally fine. Just make sure to partially bake it before pouring in the filling — that’s key.

How to Blind Bake the Crust:

Roll out cold dough and place in a 9-inch pie dish. Crimp the edges.
Chill the crust in the pie dish for at least 30 minutes — this keeps it from shrinking in the oven.
Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden.
Remove the weights and parchment, prick the bottom with a fork, and bake for 8 more minutes.
Brush with egg white (for that golden finish), then fill with chocolate filling and bake the whole pie.

FAQs

Can I use a store-bought crust?
Absolutely! Just don’t skip the blind baking step or you’ll end up with a soggy bottom.

Can I leave out the espresso powder?
Yes, but a little espresso really deepens the chocolate flavor. It won’t make the pie taste like coffee.

Do I have to use heavy cream?
Nope! You can sub in evaporated milk if that’s what you’ve got. I just like using cream since I usually whip some up for the topping anyway.

Why does the pie puff up and then sink?
Totally normal — that’s the soufflé effect! It gives the pie that signature cracked top and rich, gooey center.

How to Serve It

I love this pie slightly warm or at room temp, with a fat dollop of whipped cream on top. You could also go the extra mile with a scoop of vanilla ice cream — especially if you’re serving it warm. The contrast between hot pie and cold cream is heaven.

Storage Tips

This pie keeps well at room temperature for up to a day, just cover it loosely with foil. After that, move it to the fridge and it’ll stay good for about 4–5 days. You can warm individual slices in the microwave for 10–15 seconds if you want that fresh-baked feel again.

Yield: 1

Chocolate Chess Pie

This indulgent chocolate chess pie has the rich flavor of fudgy brownies, topped with a delicate, meringue-like crust. To prevent a soggy bottom, follow the instructions for partial blind baking the crust.

Prep Time 3 hours

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Additional Time 3 hours

Total Time 7 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

Crust

1 unbaked Buttery Flaky Pie Crust or All Butter Pie Crust*

Egg Wash

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Filling

1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter
2 oz (56g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
3 Tbsp (16g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed)
1 tsp espresso powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
Optional topping: whipped cream

Instructions

Make the pie dough the day before, as it needs to chill for at least 2 hours before rolling and blind baking.
On a floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disk to a 12-inch circle. Carefully place it in a 9-inch pie pan, pressing in gently. For a thick crust edge, fold any overhang back over the edge and shape it with your fingers. Crimp or flute the edges. Brush the crust edges with the egg wash. Line the inside with two sheets of parchment paper and add pie weights evenly. Chill the prepared crust for at least 30 minutes in the fridge or freezer to minimize shrinking. Weights can be added before or after chilling.
Preheat the Oven:Set the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake the chilled crust with pie weights for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and take out the weights and parchment. Prick the bottom with a fork. Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes. Let cool while preparing the filling. This can be done up to 3 days in advance—cover and refrigerate until needed.
Lower Oven Temp:Reduce heat to 325°F (163°C).
Cut butter into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl or double boiler with the chopped chocolate. Melt using 20-second microwave intervals, stirring each time, until smooth. Let cool for a couple of minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Stir in the cream, vanilla, eggs, and yolk. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until well combined.
Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust (it can still be warm). Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the center is set and doesn’t jiggle when gently tapped. The center may still be slightly sticky on top, and that’s fine. If the crust edges brown too fast, cover them with a pie crust shield or foil ring.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool fully, at least 2 hours. As it cools, the filling will firm up and slightly sink.
Top with whipped cream if desired (shown using a Wilton 8B piping tip). Slice and serve.
Keep leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for 4–5 days.

Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing:Pie dough can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. You can also blind bake the crust up to 3 days in advance. The filling can be made a day early and stored in the fridge—bring it to room temperature before baking. Baked pies can be prepared 1–2 days ahead and stored covered at room temperature (1 day) or in the refrigerator (2 days). Freeze cooled pie for up to 3 months; thaw and bring to room temperature before serving. To reheat, place the pie in a 300°F (149°C) oven, covered, for 15–20 minutes.
Pie Crust:Both linked recipes yield two crusts—freeze the second one. Store-bought dough also needs to be blind baked (steps 2–4). You can use a graham cracker or Oreo crust as well; pre-bake those at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes without weights.
Chocolate:Use quality baking chocolate bars (not chips), available in 4 oz bars. You’ll need only half a bar. Bakers and Ghirardelli are great options. Semi-sweet is recommended, but bittersweet or unsweetened can work for a darker taste.
Espresso Powder:Boosts chocolate depth. Substitute with 2 tsp instant coffee powder if necessary, or omit it.
Cream:Stick with heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Evaporated milk can be substituted in equal measure, but other alternatives aren’t recommended.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 2239Total Fat 136gSaturated Fat 51gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 73gCholesterol 983mgSodium 2441mgCarbohydrates 198gFiber 14gSugar 27gProtein 52g

TastyFitnessRecipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although tastyfitnessrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Final Thoughts

This magical chocolate chess pie is everything I want in a dessert — rich, simple, nostalgic, and impossible to stop eating. If you’re a fan of brownies, custards, or classic Southern pies, this one’s going to win your heart. I’ve made it for holidays, casual dinners, and even just random Tuesday nights when the chocolate craving hits hard.

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