A mini chocolate pie is a classic no-bake dessert made with a cookie crust and topped with a decadent chocolate filling. It's silky and rich and perfect for one or two people to enjoy.
If you're a chocolate lover, you will absolutely love this mini chocolate pie. The homemade filling is extra creamy and rich and cooks quickly right on the stove. For the crust, we use a layer of cookies which makes this a simple pie to whip together anytime you're craving chocolate.
Why This Recipe Works
- A perfect make-ahead dessert: Although the pie comes together quickly, the filling needs to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours to set up. As the chocolate pudding pie chills in the fridge, the filling thickens beautifully.
- Made almost entirely from scratch: The chocolate filling is made without any box mixes or pre-made ingredients. It comes together quickly with easy-to-find ingredients. We use store-bought cookies for convenience but you can use our small batch shortbread cookie recipe, our butter cookies recipe, or our peanut butter cookie recipe to line the bottom of the baking dish which will then make this pie 100% homemade.
- Extra rich and with an intense chocolate flavor: We stir in a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips or morsels along with vanilla extract for extra depth. A tablespoon of butter stirred in at the end helps the filling set up with a silky consistency once it's poured over the cookie crust.
- A pie for one or two: We use a 5x5 inch baking dish to hold the pie and we find this size to be ideal for serving one or two people. You can also divide the pie between two 10-ounce ramekins. You can find out more information about the dishes we use below.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Cookies: Use store-bought cookies for the pie crust. I love using regular shortbread cookies but use the kind you love. You can bake up a small batch of one of our cookie recipes, use a few to line the dessert dish, and still have a few to enjoy, or use our mini graham cracker cookie crust recipe instead.
- Sugar: Sugar helps sweeten the pudding, enhances the flavors of the vanilla and chocolate, and helps to thicken the pudding.
- Cornstarch: This ingredient helps to thicken the pudding beautifully.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe.
- Egg yolk: One egg yolk adds structure, stability, and a richness to the filling. Don't toss the egg white, though. Save it and use it in any of our egg white recipes below.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk in the filling. I do not recommend using skim milk or reduced-fat milk because it won't give you a filling that is as rich and thick. You can use half and half (half whole milk - half heavy cream) instead.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract adds a wonderful flavor.
- Butter: Adding a little bit of butter at the end gives the pudding a smooth texture, a glossy finish, and a richer flavor.
- Chocolate: A handful of chocolate chips or chocolate chunks helps to make the pudding even richer! I've used semi-sweet (my favorite!), dark chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate in this decadent chocolate pie recipe.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
How To Make A Mini Chocolate Pie
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Mix the sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch in a 1-quart saucepan.
- Add ½ cup of milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Slowly whisk in the remaining milk and the egg yolk.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. This process takes me about 5 minutes.
- Once the mixture starts to simmer, stir constantly until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
- Once the mixture starts to thicken, lower the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips.
- Line the bottom of your baking dish with cookies.
Pro Tip: For best results use either a 5x5-inch baking dish or two 10-ounce ramekins.
- Pour the chocolate filling over the cookies in the baking dish.
- Refrigerate, covered or uncovered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy with whipped cream, if desired.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post, take a look at the process photos above, and gather your ingredients before starting.
- Be patient when making the chocolate pudding. You will be able to feel and see the pudding getting thicker.
- For a more decorative topping, add some shaved chocolate on top of the whipped cream. To make chocolate curls or shavings, I use a vegetable peeler.
- Make a chocolate cream pie with homemade whipped cream. Use our small batch whipped cream recipe to add a layer of whipped cream over the top of the pie.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your chocolate pie is runny, it is likely that the filling was not cooked long enough. Make sure that once the pudding starts to thicken, you reduce the heat to low and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
Another reason may be that the pie has not been in the refrigerator long enough. The filling will continue to thicken as the pie chills. When testing this recipe, we found that 4 hours was the perfect amount of time needed. Depending on the temperature of your fridge, the pie may need a bit longer.
Yes! To make a gluten-free chocolate pie, use gluten-free cookies for the crust - the rest of the ingredients are gluten-free.
The success of this recipe depends heavily on the size of the pan or dish you use. We recommend using one 5x5-inch baking dish or two 10-ounce ramekins. These dishes can be found on our Store page.
Storage Tips
- If you have leftover chocolate pie, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- I do not recommend freezing this pie because the filling tends to weep or separate.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy chocolate pie recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Cocoa powder: Mini Texas Sheet Cake, Hot Chocolate, Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, Deep Dish Brownie, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Mini Devil's Food Cake
- Chocolate: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chip Muffin, Mini S'mores Dip, Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Scones, French Silk Pie
- Cornstarch: Chess Pie, Blueberry Pie, Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken, Lemon Meringue Pie, Mini Boston Cream Pie, Coconut Cream Pie
- Egg white: Mini Texas Sheet Cake, Coconut Macaroons, Flourless Chocolate Cookies, Two Vanilla Cupcakes, Two Chocolate Cupcakes, Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Vanilla: Buckeyes, Buttermilk Pancakes, Coffee Cake, Peanut Butter Fudge, Morning Glory Muffins, Banana Nut Bread
- Milk: Strawberry Milkshake, Pralines, Mashed Potatoes, Flan, Biscuits, Baked Oatmeal
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this mini chocolate pie recipe 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!
Recipe
Mini Chocolate Pie
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups whole milk , divided
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 shortbread cookies * See notes
- Optional: whipped cream for topping
Instructions
- Mix the sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch in a 1-quart saucepan.
- Add ½ cup of milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Slowly whisk in the remaining milk and the egg yolk.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Pro Tip: This process takes me about 5 minutes.
- Once the mixture starts to simmer, stir constantly until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
- Once the mixture starts to thicken, lower the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips.
- Line the bottom of a small baking dish with cookies.Pro Tip: For best results use either a 5x5-inch baking dish or two 10-ounce ramekins.
- Pour the chocolate filling over the cookies in the baking dish.
- Refrigerate, covered or uncovered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy with whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post, take a look at the process photos in the post above, and gather your ingredients before starting.
- Be patient when making the chocolate pudding. You will be able to feel and see the pudding getting thicker.
- For a more decorative topping, add some shaved chocolate on top of the whipped cream. To make chocolate curls or shavings, I use a vegetable peeler.
- If you have leftover chocolate pie, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- I do not recommend freezing this pie because the filling tends to weep or separate.
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.
Jenreads says
Thanks you for this great recipe! Easy to make and tastes decadent. You always come through with wonderful tips to make it work every time!
Joanie Zisk says
Thank you so much!
Lois Jones says
Wow, just made the chocolate pie and it’s amazing, perfect.
Joanie Zisk says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the pie.
J. Hegyi says
Terrific recipe.