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Chocolate pudding pie is one of my favorite go-to, easy-to-make, no bake desserts that you need to have in your back pocket! With just 8 ingredients and 20 minutes of prep, you can wow all your friends and family. Keep reading for my tried and true pro tips!
I made this pudding pie for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was a big hit, everyone loved it. It was also quite easy to make. I will definitely make this dessert again.
-Marie
Why you’ll love this Chocolate Pudding Pie Recipe
- 8 ingredients
- 20 minutes to prep
- no bake dessert
- thick and fluffy
- can be made with a graham cracker pie crust, store-bought crust or oreo pie crust
Pudding pie is an old fashion recipe that has been around for a while! There’s many different ways to make it, including from scratch, but I think the best way to make it is to use a box of instant pudding mix.
This easy chocolate pudding pie is a family favorite and gets rave reviews. This is an easy dessert to make for special occasions, you won’t be able to get enough of this chocolate cream pie recipe!
Many recipes use cold milk, however, I found that using heavy whipping cream created a pie that was thicker, stable, and more mousse like! It’s the perfect creamy chocolate pie for true chocolate addicts!
If you have a stand mixer, this is a great time to use it because when you beat the pudding mix and heavy cream together, the mixture will be very thick. Once you add in the cool whip, the mixture will become more creamy and fluffy.
You can use a hand mixer and large bowl as well to make the chocolate pudding filling.
Chocolate Pudding Pie ingredients
Scroll down for the full ingredient list and instructions.
- instant chocolate pudding mix
- heavy cream
- cool whip
- graham cracker crumbs
- brown sugar
- butter
Pudding Pie Variations
Gluten Free Chocolate Pie
It is really easy to make this chocolate pie with pudding gluten free by using gluten free oreos for the crust. All of the other ingredients in the recipe are naturally gluten free!
Swap the Graham Cracker Crust for Oreo Crust
If you prefer an oreo pie crust, here’s our recipe!
- 1 package oreos (14.3 oz)
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted melted butter
Blend the oreos until they are crumbs, combine with the butter and press into the pie pan.
Can I substitute the cool whip?
If you don’t want to use cool whip, you can substitute 8 oz of fresh whipped cream, which is also equal to 3 cups.
How to make Chocolate Pudding Pie
Graham cracker crust
- In a blender or food processor, pulse the graham crackers into crumbs.
- Combine with brown sugar and melted butter.
- Press the mixture into the pie pan using the bottom of a measuring cup.
Chocolate pudding filling
- Combine. Beat the pudding mix and heavy cream together. The mixture will be extremely thick. If you have a stand mixer, this is a great time to use it! Image 1 on the collage above.
- Cool whip. Gently beat in the cool whip. Once you add in the cool whip, the mixture will become more creamy and fluffy. Image 2 on the collage above.
- Top. Spread the filling over the buttery graham cracker crust or oreo cookie crust, if using.
Whipped cream topping
- Prep. Before serving the pie – place a metal or glass mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Beat. Remove the bowl from the freezer. Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form / it’s scoop-able with a spoon and holds its shape.
- Assemble. Spoon onto the pie and top with chocolate shavings. I used a Hershey’s Chocolate Bar and a potato peeler to make chocolate shavings.
How to store Chocolate Cream Pie with Pudding
This pie needs to be refrigerated. It can also be frozen for a frozen dessert pie! Be sure to cover the pie with plastic wrap to keep it fresh.
Peanut butter pie, oreo pudding pie, and peanut butter cup chocolate pie are all no bake recipes that you can serve with chocolate pudding pie!
Time Required
- 4 minutes to make the crust
- 5 minutes to make the chocolate filling
- 5 minutes to make whipped cream topping
- 4-8 hours to chill in the fridge
Pro Tips
- The chocolate filling is VERY thick when mixing it. If you have a stand mixer, this is a great time to use it!
- Use a sharp, skinny knife to cut the pie into pieces.
- Be sure to use two 3.4 oz (or 3.9) boxes, not the large 5.1 or 5.9 boxes.
Chocolate Pudding Pie Recipe FAQs
My recipe calls for mixing the pudding mix with heavy whipping cream instead of milk to give the filling an extra thick consistency.
Be sure to use heavy whipping cream when mixing the filling. Substituting milk will make the filling runny.
Usually this isn’t a problem with no bake pies. However, for best results, I recommend eating the pie within 24 hours of assembling to ensure the crust stays fresh.
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Chocolate Pudding Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, about 9 graham crackers
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted melted butter, 3/4 stick
Filling
- 2 boxes instant chocolate pudding mix, 3.4 oz (or 3.9) boxes, not the large 5.1 or 5.9 boxes
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 container cool whip, 8 oz thawed
Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
CRUST
- In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Press this mixture evenly into a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack the crust down. Place the crust in the fridge to chill until ready to fill.
FILLING
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine the pudding mix and heavy cream with an electric mixer until well blended. You will NOT prepare the pudding mix as directed on the box. If you have a stand mixer, this is a great time to use it because when you beat the pudding mix and heavy cream together, the mixture will be very thick.
- Add the cool whip and mix on low until combined. Spread this mixture over the crust. Once you add in the cool whip, the mixture will become more creamy and fluffy. Cover the pie pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
Topping
- Before serving the pie – place a metal or glass mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the freezer. Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form / it’s scoop-able with a spoon and holds its shape.
- Spoon onto the pie and top with chocolate shavings.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top , DELISH
I don’t have any kind of mixer so I used my drill with a beater. Worked like a charm!
LOL that is awesome!!!
This looks so delicious! What size boxes of pudding mix did you use?
Use two 3.4 oz (or 3.9) boxes, not the large 5.1 or 5.9 boxes. It seems like every brand is a little different on the oz!
I made this pudding pie for thanksgiving yesterday and it was a big hit, everyone loved it. It was also quite easy to make. I will definitely make this dessert again.
This is amazing! Made for thanksgiving dessert & everyone loved it! My daughter is allergic to dairy so I improvised a bit. Used cocowhip instead of whipped cream & then canned coconut cream instead of heavy whipping cream. Consistency was still mousse like & seriously delicious. I already have requests for it to be made for birthdays that are months away! Thank you!
Very interested in this. We have Someone in the family that cannot have dairy
I’m planning on making ahead and freezing.From other questions and comments I’m wondering if I can make whole pie and freeze . Purpose would be to save time on Christmas. It sounds like my brother in laws would be fighting over this!
Hi Kathleen! I haven’t personally frozen this pie so I can’t accurately say how it would taste after defrosting. If you try it out, let me know!
This is delicious! Reminds me of Wendy’s Frostys in pie form! I doubled the recipe to make 2 pies, and i easily have enough filling for 3-4 pies!
We’re eating the extra filling with graham crackers…..and maybe just with a spoon…… it’s seriously sooooo good!
Could I do in a 9 x 13 patcake pan?
Hi Pat! I don’t recommend using a 9×13 inch pan. The recipe is made for a 9-10 inch pie pan.
My husband has been asking for a Andes mint chocolate pie. Pretty much a chocolate pie with Andes mints put in it. I have been following Beth on Instagram for a bit and wanted to try her recipe. She was NOT KIDDING when she says this pie filling gets THICK. I got my hand mixer to push through and I am glad I did. The base filling was delicious! Then I added some hopped Andes mints to the filling, but it in the pie crust and then skipped the whipped cream topping and added more chopped Andes mints. It was good, not overly minty but Beth’s chocolate pie base really made this pie shine. I just added a little “extra” to it to make my husband’s idea come to life. We will definitely use this recipe again, for plain chocolate pie! Sooo good!
LOVE your recipe using heavy cream! The consistency of the filling is velvety! I’ve also used banana pudding and cheesecake flavor pudding with your recipe and the consistency is just as devine.
I double the recipe, making 24 to 30 individual “mini pies” in cupcake liners and CoolWhip in a piping bag to top them – the whipped topping doesn’t melt like dairy whipped cream. Yes, I put the metal muffin tins in the freezer to set the pies, otherwise the paper liners “bloom” into droopy “plates”.
Chocolate cream with graham cracker crust is the most requested by my grandkids.