Everyone loves pie and this pie is about as classic as they come.
Making a pie from scratch is fun and so much better than store-bought, but anyone who has attempted it may have run into a few problems that yielded a less-than-perfect pie. We’ll tackle all of those issues right here and show you how to make a perfect homemade pie every single time! Of course, it all starts with an amazing crust, but that’s just the beginning!
How To Make Chocolate Meringue Pie
This pie truly is not difficult to make at home. You just need to make sure to follow some very important steps that we’ll review in detail.
Even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly, we promise you the taste will still be nothing short of amazing.
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The Ingredients You Will Need
Most of the ingredients in this classic pie you most likely already have on hand, with the exception of the unsweetened chocolate. And that can easily be found in the baking section of your local supermarket.
Here’s What You’ll Need to Make the Pie
For the Crust:
Flour – All purpose
Salt – Kosher
Unsalted butter – Cubed and very cold
Shortening – Cubed and very cold
Water – Iced
For the Chocolate Filling:
Sugar – Granulated
Cornstarch – For thickening the filling
Salt – Kosher, or fine table salt
Milk – Whole
Chocolate – Unsweetened, roughly chopped
Egg yolks – Save the egg whites!
For the Meringue:
Egg whites – Room temperature
Cream of tartar – Found in the spice section of your supermarket
Sugar – Granulated
EXPERT TIP: When simmering the chocolate filling, it should sputter somewhat and the consistency will be like thick pudding. Quickly transfer the filling to the pre-baked pie shell and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.
Frequently Asked Questions for Chocolate Meringue Pie
Why Does My Crust Shrink When Baking? – Blind baking is necessary when making a cream pie such as chocolate cream pie. After fitting the dough into the pie dish, you need to chill it. We recommend 1 hour in the refrigerator, but 15 minutes in the freezer will also, work. Docking the dough (poking the dough with a fork) all over is important. Cover the dough with parchment paper and then fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the weights, and bake for another 10 minutes. This will par-bake the crust and it will not shrink in the process.
How Come My Filling Won’t Set? – You need to make sure the flour/cornstarch mixture is fully dissolved into the whole milk. Slowly bring to a simmer, which will cause the mixture to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Then the egg yolks. Simmer for 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Scrape down the edges, and simmer again. The consistency will be like thick pudding. This will set perfectly. Be sure to allow the pie to cool and then chill for 2 to 3 hours before slicing.
How Do I Prevent My Meringue from Shrinking and Weeping? Weeping is liquid that accumulates on the surface of the chocolate filling, underneath the meringue, and it sometimes seeps underneath the crust. To reduce this, prepare your meringue BEFORE making the chocolate filling. It’s important that the prepared meringue goes onto the filling in the pie shell while the filling is still piping hot. Use a spatula to spread the meringue over the sides of the top of the crust. You’ll need to anchor the meringue to the crust. If you still get shrinkage in the meringue, you can make a little more and fill in the gaps.
How to Serve
As tempting as it is to serve the pie warm, we don’t recommend this. After you’ve added the meringue to the top of the hot filling, you need to let it rest for 1 hour and then chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
For best results, we recommend submerging a large sharp knife in a tall glass of hot tap water. This will make slicing through the meringue much easier.
EXPERT TIP: As you may know from experience, the first slice can be a challenge to remove from the pie. It’s by all means possible to get a pristine piece on the first try, but we like to reserve the first piece as our “sacrifice” slice. After the first slice is removed, the other pieces can be removed with ease. Plate the pieces for your guests, and they’ll never even need to know about your secret “sacrifice” slice!
Other Classic Pie Recipes To Try
We seldom ever met a pie we didn’t like. Here are a collection of our favorites that you should definitely try!
Lemon Meringue Pie
Cherry Pie
Classic Apple Pie
Apple and Caramel Pie
Southern Chess Pie
Key Lime Pie
Blueberry Buttermilk Pie
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping
But in the meantime, you’ve got to make this pie. It’s seriously one of the best you will ever make or serve!
As with so many of us, there are certain foods that conjure wonderful childhood memories.
For us, this pie is just that.
With every bite, you are reminded of the simpler, more joyful aspects of life. It’s really that good. Especially when made with love from scratch.
Ready to make the absolute best pie in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Homemade Chocolate Meringue Pie
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie dish
- Pie weights, dried beans, or rice
- Hand mixer, or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 pie dough for 1 9-inch pie
For the Meringue
- 5 egg whites room temperature, save the yolks
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ½ cup sugar
For the Chocolate Filling
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate roughly chopped
- 5 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter cubed
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Blind Bake the Dough
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to about a 12-inch circle. Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and carefully transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish. Gently press the dough into the dish and trim any excess from the edges. Fold over the top part of the dough (about a 1/2 inch). Use your fingers to crimp the dough, if desired (see video for reference).1 pie dough
- Place the dish in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or in the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Place parchment paper over the pie dough and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Press into the bottom edges of the pie. Place in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the weights and parchment paper. Bake for another 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside while you make the rest of the pie.
Make the Meringue
- In a large bowl, or in the bowl of your stand mixer, add the room-temperature egg whites and cream of tartar. Use a hand mixer (or your stand mixer) on medium to mix the whites with the cream of tartar until combined and frothy. Add the sugar and turn the speed up to HIGH. Continue mixing on HIGH until stiff peaks form, anywhere from 2 to 8 minutes (depending on the strength of your mixer). Set aside. Leave the oven on.5 egg whites, ¼ tsp cream of tartar, ½ cup sugar
Prepare the Chocolate Filling
- In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ tsp salt
- Whisk in the whole milk until fully incorporated and the dry ingredients have fully dissolved.2½ cups whole milk
- Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer, about 4 to 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate and continue stirring until fully melted. Stir in the egg yolks and continue stirring until all yolk streaks are gone and the mixture is smooth.2 oz unsweetened chocolate, 5 egg yolks
- Turn the heat back on to medium and bring to a puttering simmer. Turn off the heat and use your spatula to scrape down any of the chocolate on the side of the pan. Turn the heat back on and simmer for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Stir until butter has melted and is incorporated.3 tbsp unsalted butter, 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Finish the Pie
- Pour the hot chocolate filling into the prepared pie crust.
- Immediately spoon the meringue onto the hot filling. Spread the meringue to the edges of the crust, using your spatula to help anchor it to the sides.
- Place the pie in the 375°F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the tips of the meringue are browned. Remove the pie and place it on a baking rack on the counter for 1 hour. Chill the pie for 2 to 3 hours.
- To slice the chilled pie, place a sharp knife in a tall glass of hot tap water. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Egg whites should be at room temperature
- Make the meringue before you make the filling
- Be sure to add the meringue over the filling while the filling is hot. This will help to reduce weeping (liquid forming on top of the filling).
- Use a spatula to help anchor the meringue to the sides of the crust, this will help reduce meringue shrinkage.
- Allow the pie to cool for 1 hour on a baking rack, and then chill for at least 2 to 3 hours.
So, chocolate pie has always been my favorite! My Mom made a great one when I was growing up. She passed away a few years ago (on her 97th birthday ❤️). Years before I asked her for the recipe and she could not remember making it much less where the recipe was. I have been searching for one that was close ever since. I can look no further!! This was as close as I will ever get. Thanks so much for the recipe. It did my heart good!
Hi Patricia! You have no idea how much joy this gives us! Nothing better than sharing in the memories of our loved ones with the dishes they made with such skill and love. We are thrilled our pie recipe helped bring back those memories! And we agree…it really is a yummy pie! Thank you so so much for sharing, and please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
can you make the pie, chill, then add merigune, say the next day?
Hi Karen! Sorry for the delayed response! Yes! Make the pie and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Then, add the meringue when you’re ready! Let us know if you make the pie and how it turns out! It’s one of our favorites! Best, Kris & Wesley