A rich, creamy gluten-free chocolate cream pie nestled in a chocolate cookie crust. This dessert is perfect for holidays, family gatherings, or anytime you want a show-stopping gluten-free treat.
I’ll admit I wasn’t a big chocolate cream pie fan until I made this — and then I ate four slices in a single day. It’s that good. Luckily I tested several crust versions while perfecting the recipe, so there were extras to share. My kids tried a slice after school and immediately asked for seconds, and the whole family gave it a thumbs up.
I developed this pie in partnership with Enjoy Life Foods, using some of their certified gluten-free chocolate products. The filling is a cooked chocolate pudding made with whole milk and real chocolate, and the crust is a crunchy chocolate cookie crust that complements the silky filling perfectly.
When I asked friends about their favorite pies (excluding pumpkin and summer fruit pies), chocolate cream pie came up more than a dozen times. That inspired me to explore classic chocolate cream pie recipes. Many good versions fell into two camps: those that use raw eggs and whipped cream folded in, and those that make a cooked pudding with whole milk. I adapted a well-regarded cooked pudding base and made a few changes to suit my tastes and to keep the recipe reliably gluten-free.
I wanted a chocolate crust rather than a traditional flour crust or an Oreo-style crust. Earlier I’d created a gluten-free raspberry mousse pie with a cookie crust and decided to adapt that concept for this pie. After testing a few Enjoy Life cookie options, I found the Double Chocolate Crunchy Cookies gave the ideal texture and flavor for a sturdy, chocolatey crust.
Notes on ingredients and substitutions for this gluten-free chocolate cream pie:
- I used one box (6.3 oz.) of Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunchy Cookies for the crust. If you’re feeding a crowd or want to make multiple pies, get extra boxes.
- The pudding filling reaches a balanced chocolate flavor by combining dark chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. I used Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels and Enjoy Life semi-sweet chunks, both certified gluten-free. Using both types gives depth without being overly sweet.
- Butter in the crust adds richness; if you prefer a dairy-free crust you can substitute coconut oil in an equal amount.
Tip: Measure and have all pudding ingredients ready before you start cooking. The pudding thickens quickly and you don’t want to pause to measure while it’s on the stove.
Below is the complete recipe so you can make this pie at home and impress friends and family.
Gluten-free Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe:
Gluten-free Chocolate Cream Pie
A rich and creamy chocolate pie in a gluten-free chocolate cookie crust. So dreamy!
15 minutes
8 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes
1 hour 53 minutes
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 box (6.3 oz.) Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunchy Cookies
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
Chocolate Pie Pudding Filling:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 oz. (about 1/3 cup) Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels
- 1 1/2 oz. (about 1/4 cup) Enjoy Life semi-sweet chunks or chips
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Whipped topping:
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust:
- Pulse cookies in a food processor until coarse crumbs form with some larger chocolate chunks. Yield is about 2 cups of crumbs.
- Transfer crumbs to a bowl and stir in brown sugar.
- Pour melted butter over the crumbs and mix until fully combined.
- Press the mixture into a 9″ pie pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly.
- Bake at 375°F for 8 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
Chocolate Pie Pudding Filling:
- Have all pudding ingredients measured and ready before you heat the pan; the mixture thickens quickly.
- Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add milk and egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture barely comes to a boil and thickens (about 4–6 minutes). When it starts to boil, remove from heat and whisk for an additional minute until pudding-like.
- Stir in dark and semi-sweet chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Switch to a spatula if needed to scrape the pan and fold until everything is fully incorporated.
- Spoon the warm pudding into the cooled crust. Refrigerate (see note about covering) until set.
Whipped topping:
- Using a straight-sided bowl and a hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat heavy cream for one minute.
- Add sugar and vanilla, then continue beating until soft peaks form.
- Spread whipped cream over the chilled pie and return to the refrigerator, uncovered, until ready to serve.
- If desired, garnish with chocolate shavings made from semi-sweet chocolate chunks.
Notes
*I tested refrigerating this pie both covered (cling wrap pressed to the surface) and uncovered. Covering can leave a slightly uneven surface when removed, but that’s hidden by the whipped cream. Refrigerating uncovered can produce small beads of moisture on the surface; again, they’re covered by the whipped topping. Store leftover slices uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
Pin this to your gluten-free pies board on Pinterest:
I hope you, your family, and friends enjoy this gluten-free chocolate pie as much as we do.
This post was created in partnership with Enjoy Life Foods. All opinions are my own. Working with brands I trust helps me bring you more tested and delicious gluten-free recipes.
