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Rich and creamy Mini French Silk Pie made with an indulgent cookie crust, smooth and silky chocolate filling, and fresh whipped cream topping. This mini pie recipe is the perfect size for one or two people.
Looking for more delightful, individual-sized pie recipes perfect for serving just you or perhaps you and a friend? Explore our collection, including a creamy Chess Pie, a tangy Cherry Pie, a classic Dutch Apple Pie, and a rich Pecan Pie, to name a few. These recipes are meticulously crafted to cater to smaller servings, ensuring no flavor is lost in their petite sizes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with an easy-to-make crust: We make a simple cookie crust made with crushed chocolate cream cookies and butter. Although I love the chocolate crust, you can use our graham cracker cookie crust or our shortbread cookie crust instead.
- Extra rich!: The filling is rich and incredibly smooth. It’s lighter than mousse!
- There are no raw eggs, unlike many French silk pie recipes.
- Homemade whipped cream topping: This small pie is topped with an easy-to-make fresh whipped cream.
What Is French Silk Pie?
French silk pie is a chocolate pie with a smooth and silky filling and a fresh whipped cream topping. Many recipes call for using raw eggs but we don’t use raw eggs in our mini French silk pie recipe.
The original recipe comes from Betty Cooper who submitted the recipe in the 1951 Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this mini French Silk Pie recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: For the pie crust, crushed chocolate sandwich cookies with a cream filling, similar to Oreos, are ideal. The cream in the cookies helps bind the crust. Alternatively, graham crackers or digestive biscuits can be used with our simple graham cracker crust recipe. Another option is our shortbread crust recipe. Got extra Oreos? Why not try making Chocolate Covered Oreos, Oreo Balls, or an Oreo Brownie?
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is used both in the pie filling and to sweeten the whipped cream topping.
- Egg: Just one egg is required for this small pie. Unlike many French silk pies that use raw eggs, we cook the egg gently first. This extra step eliminates the concern of using raw eggs and maintains the silky texture. Perfect for those seeking a French silk pie without raw eggs.
- Chocolate: This recipe calls for 2 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate. Avoid using chocolate chips as they do not melt as well. Bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate are also good alternatives.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract for great flavor.
- Heavy cream: Integral for both the filling and homemade whipped cream. Heavy cream, also known as double cream, or heavy whipping cream can be used interchangeably.
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter. In developing recipes, I focus on using ingredients commonly found in most kitchens. For this reason, this pie recipe uses salted butter, as it’s a staple in many households. Unsalted butter will work just as well. Butter is essential for the cookie crust’s structure and adds richness to the filling.
How To Make A French Silk Pie
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a mini French Silk Pie. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
Make the Crust
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Crush the Cookies: For the Oreo cookie crust, put 8 regular stuffed chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor and blend until they’re finely ground. If you don’t have a food processor, a rolling pin works too. Just make sure the cookies are crushed into very fine pieces for the crust.
- Mix with Butter: Add melted butter to the crushed cookies and pulse until the mixture is well moistened. This forms your crust base.
- Press into Dish: Take a 5×5 inch baking dish and lightly butter it. Press your crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides about halfway. Aim for a tight, compact crust. To smooth and pack the crust evenly, use the bottom of a drinking glass or a flat-bottomed small measuring cup.
- Bake: Place the crust in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. After baking, take it out and set it aside to cool.
Make the Filling
- Whisk Egg and Sugar: In a heatproof bowl, mix the egg and sugar together thoroughly.
- Cook the Egg Mixture: Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Continuously whisk the mixture until it reaches 160°F (71°C) as checked by a digital instant-read thermometer. Keep whisking to prevent the egg from solidifying. Once done, carefully remove the bowl from heat. The mixture will thicken as it cools.
- Add Butter, Chocolate, and Vanilla: Stir in the butter, chopped chocolate, and vanilla extract. Continue to whisk gently until both butter and chocolate melt fully, and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool for about 30 minutes, stirring now and then to prevent the chocolate from hardening.
- Whip the Cream and Combine: In another medium-sized bowl, beat the cream using a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold this whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, making sure no white streaks are left.
What Are Soft Peaks? Soft peaks form when you lift the beaters or a balloon whisk out of the cream. You’ll see the peaks gently bend over at the tips, softly folding back into the cream almost instantly.
- Fill the Pie Crust and Chill: Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight, until it’s well chilled and thickened. The pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving.
Make the Whipped Cream Topping
- Whip the Ingredients: Take heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract and beat them together with a hand mixer at medium-high speed. Continue until you achieve medium peaks.
What Are Medium Peaks? Medium peaks are an intermediate stage between soft peaks and stiff peaks. Unlike stiff peaks that stand upright firmly, medium peaks hold their shape fairly well but still have a slight bend at the tips.
- Add to Pie and Garnish: Spread this whipped cream evenly over the top of your pie. If you like, garnish with shaved chocolate. You can serve the pie right away or let it chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator for a few hours.
- Storing Leftovers: If there are any leftovers, cover them and store in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to 5 days.
Expert Tips
- Preparation is Key: Before beginning, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the ingredient notes and FAQs. French silk pie is easy to make but involves several distinct steps. By taking your time at each stage, you’ll create a delightful chocolate pie.
- Chill for Best Results: While you can enjoy this pie after a few hours of chilling, leaving it in the refrigerator overnight elevates it to chocolate pie perfection!
- Oreo Crust Recommendation: An Oreo crust is not only easier than traditional pie dough but also adds an extra chocolatey kick! Use regular Oreos with their cream filling. If you prefer a different crust, our buttery shortbread crust is a fantastic alternative.
- Use a Thermometer for the Egg: To ensure the egg in the filling is properly cooked to 160°F, use an instant-read thermometer.
- Refrigeration is Essential: Always refrigerate the pie after making it to help it set.
- No Ingredient Substitutions: For the filling to set correctly and retain its silky texture, stick to the recipe without substituting ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this mini pie recipe, a 5×5-inch dish works best, offering a 25 square inch base. Alternatives include a 4×6-inch dish, a 6×6-inch dish (resulting in thinner crust and filling), or a 6-inch round dish.
The filling is already gluten-free; the crust typically contains gluten. For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free Oreo crust. You can find gluten-free Oreos or other gluten-free cookies at most supermarkets.
Regarding chocolate, pure chocolate is gluten-free, but some brands add gluten-containing ingredients or process in facilities with gluten. Brands like Baker’s, Guittard, and Ghirardelli offer gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate.
Shavings: Use a Microplane or cheese grater for fine chocolate shavings.
Curls: Use a vegetable peeler against a smooth side of a chocolate bar for curls.
Yes, this pie freezes well. Don’t add whipped cream if you plan to freeze. Wrap the pie in plastic wrap twice and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving and add whipped cream on top. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Baking isn’t mandatory. While baking for 10 minutes helps the crust hold together better, a no-bake version is still delicious and perfectly acceptable.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
Examples of the dishes I use at One Dish Kitchen can be found on our Store page.
If you’ve tried this mini French silk pie or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mini French Silk Pie
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish –Other alternative baking dishes: 4×6-inch dish, 6×6-inch dish (this will yield a thinner crust and filling), 6-inch round dish
- 2 quart saucepan or similar for double boiler
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 8 Oreo cookies –or other chocolate cream filled sandwich cookies)
- 1 tablespoon butter , melted
For the Filling
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter , room temperature
- 2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate , finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy cream
For the Whipped Cream Topping
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Set your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- For the Oreo cookie crust, put 8 regular stuffed chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor and blend until they're finely ground. If you don't have a food processor, a rolling pin works too. Just make sure the cookies are crushed into very fine pieces for the crust.
- Add melted butter to the crushed cookies and pulse until the mixture is well moistened. This forms your crust base.
- Take a 5×5 inch baking dish and lightly butter it. Press your crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides about halfway. Aim for a tight, compact crust. To smooth and pack the crust evenly, use the bottom of a drinking glass or a flat-bottomed small measuring cup.
- Place the crust in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. After baking, take it out and set it aside to cool.
Make the Filling
- In a heatproof bowl, mix the egg and sugar together thoroughly.
- Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water. Continuously whisk the mixture until it reaches 160°F (71°C) as checked by a digital instant-read thermometer. Keep whisking to prevent the egg from solidifying. Once done, carefully remove the bowl from heat. The mixture will thicken as it cools.
- Stir in the butter, chopped chocolate, and vanilla extract. Continue to whisk gently until both butter and chocolate melt fully, and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool for about 30 minutes, stirring now and then to prevent the chocolate from hardening.
- In another medium-sized bowl, beat the cream using a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold this whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, making sure no white streaks are left.Note: Soft peaks form when you lift the beaters or a balloon whisk out of the cream. You'll see the peaks gently bend over at the tips, softly folding back into the cream almost instantly.
- Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight, until it's well chilled and thickened. The pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving.
Make the Whipped Cream Topping
- Take heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract and beat them together with a hand mixer at medium-high speed. Continue until you achieve medium peaks.Note: Medium peaks are an intermediate stage between soft peaks and stiff peaks. Unlike stiff peaks that stand upright firmly, medium peaks hold their shape fairly well but still have a slight bend at the tips.
- Spread this whipped cream evenly over the top of your pie. If you like, garnish with shaved chocolate. You can serve the pie right away or let it chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator for a few hours.
- If there are any leftovers, cover them and store in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to 5 days.
Notes
-
- Preparation is Key: Before beginning, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the ingredient notes and FAQs. French silk pie is easy to make but involves several distinct steps. By taking your time at each stage, you’ll create a delightful chocolate pie.
-
- Chill for Best Results: While you can enjoy this pie after a few hours of chilling, leaving it in the refrigerator overnight elevates it to chocolate pie perfection!
-
- Oreo Crust Recommendation: An Oreo crust is not only easier than traditional pie dough but also adds an extra chocolatey kick! Use regular Oreos with their cream filling. If you prefer a different crust, our buttery shortbread crust is a fantastic alternative.
-
- Use a Thermometer for the Egg: To ensure the egg in the filling is properly cooked to 160°F, use an instant-read thermometer.
-
- Refrigeration is Essential: Always refrigerate the pie after making it to help it set.
-
- No Ingredient Substitutions: For the filling to set correctly and retain its silky texture, stick to the recipe without substituting ingredients.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Although it took a while to make and wait on, this french silk pie is delicious! I will gladly stand up against the scent of warm egg in a double-boiler to make this again down the road. I did make a few changes, including using semisweet chocolate chunks and cutting down on the whipped topping. Still amazing!
I’m excited to try this pie. I made the carrot cake
cupcakes and they were amazing.
Can I sub chocolate chips for bakers chocolate?
Yes.
Thank you for this. I didn’t have baker’s chocolate so I used cocoa powder with butter and sugar as a substitute. The fillings wasn’t as high as the picture but it was delicious all the same!
Great recipe.