How to Make the Better Homes and Gardens Chocolate Pie

(1)

This Better Homes and Gardens chocolate pie is like brownie batter in a piecrust.

chocolate chess pie
Photo:

Kelsey Hansen

Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
4 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
8

The Southern classic chess pie has a custard filling made from humble ingredients—sugar, butter, eggs, flour, cornmeal, and vinegar. Our chocolate version doesn’t use cornmeal or vinegar—just a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder. Try this Better Homes and Gardens chocolate pie if you have a sweet tooth because it is like brownie batter in a piecrust.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Pastry for Single-Crust Pie

  • 1½ cups all purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup lard

  • 1/4 cup butter, cut up (or shortening or lard)

  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup water

Chess Pie Filling

  • 2¼ cups granulated sugar

  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 cup evaporated milk

  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

  • 1/3 cup butter, melted

  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla

  • 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped

Chocolate Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar

  • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Pastry for Single-Crust Pie

  1. Form the Pastry

    In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening and butter until pea-size. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of the ice water over part of the flour mixture; toss gently with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, gradually adding ice water (¼ to ⅓ cup total) until mixture begins to come together. Gather pastry into a ball, kneading gently just until it holds together.

Chess Pie Filling

  1. Roll Pastry

    Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten the ball of pastry for single-crust pie. Roll pastry into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and flute edge.

  2. Pour Mixture

    In a large bowl combine sugar and cocoa powder. Add evaporated milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and ¼ tsp. salt. Stir just until combined. Pour mixture into pastry shell.

    Test Kitchen Tip: Evaporated milk has been concentrated to remove about 60% of its natural water content. If you don’t have a can in your pantry, substitute an equal amount of half-and-half.

  3. Bake and Cool

    Bake until top is puffed and a knife comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. (Pie won't appear set but will firm up during cooling.) Cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Before serving, top with chocolate whipped cream and chopped chocolate.   

Chocolate Whipped Cream

  1. Beat Ingredients

    In a chilled bowl combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium until soft peaks form (tips curl).

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why would chocolate pie not set?

    The pie might not set properly if you don't give it enough time to chill. Make sure you leave it in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before removing and eating.

  • How do you prevent chocolate pie crust from getting soggy?

    Before filling the pie crust, you can brush the interior with beaten egg white or melted butter. This will create a barrier that is moisture-resistant and should prevent the crust from growing too soggy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

709 Calories
37g Fat
88g Carbs
9g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 708.5
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 37g 47%
Saturated Fat 20.9g 104%
Cholesterol 154mg 51%
Sodium 308.2mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 87.6g 32%
Dietary Fiber 1.9g 7%
Total Sugars 66.3g
Protein 9g 18%
Vitamin D 1.6mcg 8%
Vitamin C 0.8mg 1%
Calcium 122.6mg 9%
Iron 3.3mg 19%
Potassium 201.3mg 4%
Fatty acids, total trans 0.9g
Vitamin D 65.5IU
Alanine 0.3g
Arginine 0.4g
Ash 2g
Aspartic acid 0.6g
Caffeine 3.4mg
Carotene, alpha 0mcg
Choline, total 80mg
Copper, Cu 0.1mg
Cystine 0.1g
Energy 2963.9kJ
Fluoride, F 11.2mcg
Folate, total 56.6mcg
Glutamic acid 1.8g
Glycine 0.2g
Histidine 0.2g
Isoleucine 0.4g
Leucine 0.7g
Lysine 0.5g
Methionine 0.2g
Magnesium, Mg 23.9mg
Manganese, Mn 0.2mg
Niacin 1.5mg
Phosphorus, P 154.8mg
Pantothenic acid 0.8mg
Phenylalanine 0.4g
Phytosterols 0mg
Proline 0.7g
Retinol 281.1mcg
Selenium, Se 16.1mcg
Serine 0.5g
Starch 0g
Theobromine 26.5mg
Threonine 0.3g
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 1mg
Tryptophan 0.1g
Tyrosine 0.3g
Valine 0.5g
Vitamin A, IU 1023.2IU
Vitamin A, RAE 285.3mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.3mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.1mg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 2.7mcg
Water 70.7g
Zinc, Zn 0.8mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Related Articles