Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Deep chocolate flavor without the artificial sweetness of store-bought frozen pies.
Texture: Ultra smooth, mousse-like filling with a slightly crunchy Oreo crust and cloudy whipped cream.
Ease: A few bowls and steps, but totally manageable. The 6-hour chill time makes it ideal for entertaining.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: It’ll become your most-requested holiday and special occassion dessert (don’t say I didn’t warn you!).
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Growing up, French silk pie meant the frozen grocery store version with chocolate curls on top. It was tradition!
I didn’t realize how much better a homemade version would be until I first made it myself.
I set out to create my own recipe that kept everything I loved, the silky filling, the mile-high whipped cream, but with better chocolate flavor and a cooking method so it’s safe for everyone to eat (no raw eggs!).
After many tests in the kitchen, this recipe is now perfection. I have to make at least two each Thanksgiving and Christmas or my family will revolt.
This pie is actually my all-time most popular Thanksgiving recipe. It’s been made by THOUSANDS of you! I hope it becomes a tradition in your home as well!
Reader Love
This pie is the absolute best! So creamy! My husband tells me we have to find a holiday to celebrate in every single month so we can make this. Yum! We love it!
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Reader Love
Everyone should run to the store, buy all the ingredients and make this! Unbelievable! My family asks for it every year it is that good.
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Sprinkle of Science
Ingredient Notes
Oreo Cookies: Use standard regular-stuffed Oreos with the filling intact. The filling helps bind the crust and adds structure.
Bittersweet Chocolate: For best results, use high-quality baking bars, not chocolate chips. Chips contain stabilizers that prevent smooth melting. Bittersweet provides depth and prevents the filling from tasting overly sweet. You can use the same amount of semisweet chocolate if you prefer a milder chocolate flavor.
Eggs: The eggs are gently cooked with sugar to 160°F to eliminate any food safety concerns. An instant-read thermometer ensures accuracy.
Unsalted Butter: Butter is whipped to create the signature light yet rich texture. It must be properly softened — around 67°F. Too cold and it won’t aerate; too warm and the filling becomes greasy. Feel free to use salted butter if you prefer.
Heavy Cream: Whipped cream is folded into the filling for lightness and structure. The cream must be very cold to whip properly. I recommend a cream with at least 36% milk fat for stability.
For more on selecting chocolate, see my full Chocolate in Baking guide.
How to Make French Silk Pie (Step-by-Step)
I recommend watching the video at the bottom of the recipe card to see me make this recipe first!
1. Make the Oreo Crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.
Pulse 20 Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until evenly moistened — it should resemble wet sand. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to compact it tightly.
Bake 10 minutes until fragrant. The crust will look set and matte, not shiny. Cool completely.
2. Cook the Eggs and Sugar
In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar and eggs. I like a flat whisk here.
Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This takes about 5–7 minutes.
Do not rush this step! Too high heat will scramble the eggs. Remove from heat and immediately stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth.
Cool to about 75°F before proceeding. This can take a while so you can speed it up by removing the mixture to a stainless steel bowl so it cools faster. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
3. Whip the Butter
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat room-temperature butter for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy. It should look lighter in color and creamy.
Gradually add the cooled chocolate mixture (if it’s too warm, it’ll melt the butter, so be careful here).
Beat on high speed for a full 5 minutes. The mixture will transform from dense to visibly lighter in color and texture. This aeration is what gives French silk pie its signature texture.
4. Fold in Whipped Cream
In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. I like to use an immersion blender with the whisk attachment + its paired measuring cup for ultra fast and easy whipping.
Gently fold into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions. The filling should look fluffy and mousse-like, not runny.
5. Chill
Spread into cooled crust. The pie will look tall — that’s correct. It’s best to use your deepest pie pan. If you have too much filling, you can always layer it with Oreo crumbs in mason jars for a chef’s sample later on 😉
Refrigerate at least 6 hours, until fully set. The center should feel firm but still creamy when sliced.
6. Top and Garnish
Whip cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks.
Spread or pipe over chilled pie. Add chocolate curls or a light dusting of cocoa powder (make sure you’re not near a draft or fan). Top no more than a few hours before serving for best appearance.
How to Make Chocolate Curls
I’ll admit, this is a tedious step, but it really makes this pie look gorgeous. Here’s a super helpful step-by-step video on how to make chocolate curls.
Storage & Make Ahead
This French silk pie must chill at least 6 hours before serving.
You can make it up to 2 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.
Add whipped cream shortly before serving for best texture.
FAQs
Can I freeze French Silk Pie?
I haven’t tested freezing this French Silk pie, but some of my wonderful readers have done so with success. Just note that freezing may slightly alter the texture after thawing. Place inside an airtight container and freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and serving.
Does French Silk Pie contain raw eggs?
Traditional versions do, but my recipe doesn’t. The eggs are cooked to 160°F, making it safe to serve.
What’s the difference between French silk pie and chocolate cream pie?
French silk pie is richer even though it has a lighter mousse-like texture. Chocolate cream pie is custard-based (like pudding) .
Can I use a regular pastry pie crust instead of Oreos?
Yes! Use my pie crust recipe and follow the instructions for blind baking.
Why is my filling runny?
The most common causes are:
-Eggs not cooked to 160°F
-Chocolate mixture added while too warm
-Butter not whipped long enough
-Insufficient chill time
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, but cooking and cooling will take MUCH longer. To speed up cooling the chocolate & egg mixture, spread it into two shallow pans before proceeding to the next step.
French Silk Pie
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Ingredients
For the crust
- 20 Oreo (230 grams) cookies (regular-stuffed, keep filling intact)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
- 1 1/3 cups (266 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet baking chocolate, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups heavy cream, cold
- 4 teaspoons powdered sugar
For the topping
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings or cocoa powder, for garnish if desired
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch deep pie dish with cooking spray.
- Place the Oreo cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add in the melted butter and pulse until moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and set. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the filling:
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs. Set over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, then stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature (around 75°F), stirring occasionally. To speed up cooling, transfer the mixture to a stainless-steel pan with a larger surface area.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add in the cooled chocolate mixture then beat on high speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- In a separate clean bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the pan, smoothing evenly. The pie will be tall with filling. Chill for 6 hours. At this point, the pie can be stored for up to 2 days ahead of time.
Make the topping:
- Use an electric mixer to beat the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and garnish with chocolate shavings or dust with cocoa powder.
Recipe Notes
This post was published in 2019 and has been updated with additional recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
This is the best chocolate pie we have ever had!!
I did use my own pie crust recipe with just a regular pie crust because that is what my dad wanted for fathers day!
I also add mexican vanillla to my whipped cream to put on top.
I made this for my mom’s birthday and she loved it! Smooth, creamy, chocolatey, and delicious, just how a French Silk Pie should be! I used a store-bought frozen deep dish pie crust, filled it a little over the top, and still had maybe half a cup of leftover filling (but no complaints, it’s tasty just as it is!). I used a meat thermometer to monitor the egg/sugar mixture while I whisked it, and it turned out fine. I didn’t want to buy more than a pint of heavy cream, so I did 1 cup cream with 1 Tbsp powdered sugar that I folded into the chocolate mixture, and I used the other cup of cream for the topping as the recipe says. It did require a bit of clean-up from all the bowls used, but I didn’t really mind since it was for my mom!
So delicious! My husband has already requested a make this again for his birthday!
SO GOOD! My family makes me make this pie all the time because they can’t go without it. Definitely a crowd pleaser.
I have made this twice! Loved by everyone. The second time wasn’t as good because I overcooked using a thermometer. I like the suggestion with sticking to the spoon better.
In the comments before the recipe it says this pie doesn’t use raw egg but the recipe calls for 4 eggs? Also the chocolate statement is also confusing by the recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate. Thx
Well, Anna, all eggs are raw until you cook them. Read the recipe, the eggs are tempered in butter that is slowly and gently warmed until it reaches 160 degrees. At that point the eggs are cooked enough to eat, but they are still but they are still liquid. As far as the chocolate, I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Perhaps you shold read the whole article prior to the recipe, she pretty well explains everything. You may not hae noticed but under chocolate entry in the list of ingredients, it says melted.
Jim
Actually, the eggs are warmed on the stove with the granulated sugar not the butter. So maybe you should take your own advice and read the instructions.
Anna
Using bittersweet chocolate… You can swap out semi sweet if that’s all you have.. Bittersweet chocolate (or dark) had 70 percent Coca and semi sweet has 60. Make sure to use good chocolate.. Not chocolate chips. Best way to melt. Is get a pan of water boiling.. Then place a bowl over top making sure it doesn’t touch the water…(double boiler style) take off heat and the chocolate will melt from steam. Make sure.. Do not let steam or water touch the chocolate or it will seize!!
I use both dark and unsweetened since I don’t like it too sweet.
Can you please tell me what you mean by “At this point the pie can be stored for up to 2 days ahead of time”. does that mean stored before eating?
No, you eat it first and then you store it. Geez-o-pete.
It was delicious!!! And very easy to make!!
Thank you!!
I made this today for my husband’s birthday. I personally am not a dessert person…. until now Holy Schnikes!!! This may have been the best thing I’ve ever made. My chocolate swirls were hilarious, but the rest was perfection! I topped it off with some raspberries too! Lots of dishes is true but so worth it! Thank you!!!
How could I make this keto friendly, as much as possible?
You could try making it exactly as directed, but add 10 tbsps melted butter in a cup on the side. You drink the melted butter, I will eat the delicious pie. I mean, COME ON it is a classic, indulgent chocolate French silk pie recipe, it is not meant to be keto!
I really wanted to make this last week but just didn’t find the time to. I finally made it and just put it in the fridge to cool for the 6 hours. Everything tastes great so far! The only thing is, is that my chocolate mixture never got fluffy…I think my butter was maybe a little too warm, that never got fluffy either. When I put the butter in the mixer it was really soft already, I beat it for a while and never got fluffy. Also maybe the mixture wasn’t cooled enough when I added to batter? Idk BUT it taste really good…so I’m not too sad that it wasn’t fluffy. There was a good amount extra so I just put them in ramekins to cool too, why not you know. I’ll wait till later to make the topping.
This jusst happened to mine 1st attempt too. The butter didn’t fluff up- and I added all the chocolate at once for misreading the recipe-and the end result was a thick, almost ganache texture.
So the beginning states there are no eggs in the recipe. Then I scroll down and there are eggs listed as an ingredient?
NO THANKS.
you really need to read the comments on any recipe. I believe Tessa answered this earlier. It doesn’t say there are no eggs, it says there are no RAW eggs. They are slow-cooked (under Make The Filling) along with the sugar. It will take you several minutes, around 12-15, you keep checking with an instant-read thermometer, until it hits 160 degrees. At that point the eggs are cooked. Do not rush it or you will end up with scrambled eggs.
No “raw” eggs.
Maybe read the instructions thoroughly before posting a rude and ignorant comment? It states no raw eggs and has clear instructions that explain when they’ll be cooked.