No bake chocolate cream pie is a silky, deeply chocolatey dessert made completely from scratch and it is everything.

I have been making chocolate cream pie for a while now but the version that genuinely changed my brain was the one at Bevette's in Chicago. I sat down, ordered a slice, and had one of those moments where you put your fork down and just stare at it. It was dark, rich, and impossibly smooth. I went home and immediately started working on my own version. Now that the weather is warming up I wanted to add this to my no bake rotation because the last thing anyone wants to do in July is turn their oven on. This no bake chocolate cream pie is my answer to that.

If you are new here, you might also want to check out my best brownie recipe ever, my no bake Oreo cheesecake, and my double chocolate cookie sandwich. We do not do boring desserts around here.

Why You'll Love This No Bake Chocolate Cream Pie

It is completely no bake so your oven stays off the entire time.
The filling is a proper chocolate pastry cream made from scratch, not a box of pudding.
The Oreo crust is buttery, thick, and holds up beautifully when you slice it.
The 72% dark chocolate gives it a deep, complex flavor that is not too sweet.
It can be made the night before which makes it genuinely one of the best make ahead desserts you can have in your back pocket.

Ingredients Needed

Here is what you are working with. Nothing fussy, but quality matters here especially with the chocolate.

Oreos: the whole cookie, filling and all. It goes into the crust and the filling from the cream adds just enough fat to hold everything together.
Unsalted butter: melted and mixed into the crust. The salt is not a typo, it makes the crust taste better.
Egg yolks: six of them. This is what makes the filling a proper pastry cream instead of a glorified pudding.
Granulated sugar: just enough to sweeten without covering up the chocolate.
Cocoa powder: I add dark cocoa powder, but you can use whatever you have on hand!
Cornstarch: this is your thickener. Do not skip it and do not reduce it
Whole milk and heavy cream: the base of the custard. Full fat everything, this is not the place for substitutions
72% dark chocolate: this is the most important ingredient. Use a good quality bar, not chips. Chips have stabilizers that mess with the texture. Guittard and Ghirardelli are great options
Vanilla extract: added at the end off the heat so it actually tastes like vanilla
Unsalted butter: whisked in at the end for a silky, glossy finish
Heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla: for the whipped cream topping, made fresh right before serving

How to Keep Chocolate Pie From Being Runny

This is the number one question I get about no bake chocolate cream pie and the answer is almost always one of three things. First, the custard did not cook long enough. You have to bring it to a full bubble and then cook it for one more minute after that. If you pull it off the heat the second it starts to thicken you will end up with a soft, scoopable filling instead of a sliceable one. Second, it did not chill long enough. Four hours is the minimum. Overnight is better. Three hours is not enough, I know from personal experience. Third, the cornstarch ratio was off. This recipe uses ¼ cup which gives you a filling that sets up firm and clean.

How to Make No Bake Chocolate Cream Pie

Pulse the Oreos in a food processor until you have fine, even crumbs. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when pressed. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 pie pan using the bottom of a measuring cup. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. It will look like a thick brownie batter. Set aside.
Heat the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming and just barely simmering. Do not boil. Remove from heat.
Whisking constantly, slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture in a thin, steady stream. Do not rush this. Go slow to temper the eggs without scrambling them.
Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. It will take about 3 to 4 minutes to start thickening. Once bubbling, cook for 1 more minute, still whisking. The custard needs to fully bubble to activate the cornstarch and cook out any starchy taste.
Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Stir until completely melted and smooth. If you notice any lumps, pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer before adding to the crust.
Pour the custard into your chilled Oreo pie shell and smooth the top. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the filling. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
Before serving, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread or dollop to the top of the pie and serve immediately.
Optional, but I finely chopped chocolate to make chocolate shavings for the top of my pie!

Common Mistakes

Pulling the chocolate pudding off the heat too early. It needs to fully bubble, not just thicken
Using chocolate chips instead of a bar. The stabilizers in chips affect how smoothly the filling sets
Skipping the plastic wrap directly on the surface. You will get a skin and it is not cute
Adding the whipped cream too early. It will weep and slide if it sits on the pie for hours
Rushing the chill time. This pie needs time and it will tell on you if you do not give it that

Frequently Asked Questions - no bake chocolate cream pie

Here are the questions I get most often about this no bake chocolate cream pie.

Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark? You can but the filling will be significantly sweeter and less complex. If you go that route reduce the sugar slightly.
Can I use a store bought crust? Yes but a homemade Oreo crust takes ten minutes and tastes about a thousand times better so I would encourage you to just make it.
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes and you should. The filling sets up better after a full overnight chill. Just add the whipped cream right before serving.
My filling is lumpy, what happened? Either the eggs got too hot too fast during tempering or the custard did not get stirred enough on the stove. Pour it through a fine mesh strainer and it will be fine.
Can I use a different cookie for the crust? Graham crackers work but they do not complement the chocolate filling the way Oreos do. Chocolate wafer cookies are also a great option.

Storing and Freezing

Storing: This pie keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it loosely covered and add the whipped cream fresh each day if possible rather than storing it already topped. The crust will soften slightly over time which is honestly not a bad thing.

Freezing: You can freeze this no bake chocolate cream pie but with a caveat. Pastry cream does not love the freezer. The cornstarch based custard can turn slightly grainy or weepy when it thaws. If you need to freeze it, do so without the whipped cream topping, wrap it tightly, and freeze for no longer than one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add fresh whipped cream before serving.

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