Chocolate Chess Pie

5 from 44 votes

Chocolate Chess Pie combines the richness of chocolate with a creamy, custard-like filling encased in a buttery, flaky pie crust, making this classic Southern dessert something the whole family will love.

Prep Time15

Cook Time55

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 461kcal

Ingredients

Pie Crust

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces- keep butter very cold
1 large egg

Pie Filling

1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 oz evaporated milk
4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (½ stick)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs -room temperature
2 large egg yolks -room temperature

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pie Crust

I love making pie crusts, but if you don't have time or the inclination, feel free to buy a premade pie shell at your local grocery store.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse the dry ingredients 4 times to fully mix the ingredients.
Add the pieces of very cold butter to the dry ingredients and pulse at one-second intervals until the butter is mixed in, forming buttery pebble size pieces.
Add the egg to the mixture and pulse until the dough forms a ball on the blade of the food processor.
Turn the dough out of the food processor onto a floured surface (be careful with the blade).
Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap it with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate the pie dough for 15-20 minutes before using.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.
Roll out pie dough and place it into your pie baking pan. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges to make a decorative pattern.
Place the pie pan in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake
When the oven is preheated and you're ready to bake the pie crust, line the dough with parchment paper or aluminum foil, covering the bottom and the sides.
Fill the bottom of the pan with pie weights or beans.
Place the pie crust on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges start to brown.
Remove the pie crust from the oven. Carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights from the pan.
Return the pie pan to the oven and bake for another 4-6 minutes.
If the edges of the crust are too brown, cover them with foil or pie guards to prevent them from over browning.
Remove the pie crust from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Pie Filling

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F
Add the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, espresso powder, and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the evaporated milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Lightly beat the eggs and egg yolks together in a small bowl.
Add the eggs to the batter and mix just enough to combine the eggs with the batter. Don't over-mix!
Pour the pie filling into the cooled pie crust.
Place the pie on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pie is set. It can have a slight jiggle in the center.
Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to completely cool to room temperature (1½-2 hours)
Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours before slicing so it can completely set up.
If possible let the pie set up overnight.

Notes

Storage Instructions: Pie may be covered tightly or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions: Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze in a large freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition