Chocolate Meringue Pie

This Chocolate Meringue Pie is a classic pie recipe my mom has made for years. It's unbelievably decadent with each bite and takes less than an hour to assemble. A homemade chocolate pudding topped with meringue is a popular sweet treat at all of our family gatherings.

This old fashioned Chocolate pie with Meringue is truly one of our family's favorite recipes. My mom has been making this pie for as long as I can remember, it's a tried and true recipe that she loves to teach everyone!

It looks like a fancy bakery pie, but trust us when we say it's actually so easy! If you can make instant pudding, you can master this pie. It has just 10 simple ingredients and comes together in little time. Make it in advance too for a fantastic party dessert to impress guests!

Meringue can seem daunting or intimidating, but with all of my mom’s baking tips, you’re sure to succeed. She is the best at guiding you along with this meringue chocolate pie recipe.

This pie is very similar to our butterscotch pie as well! If you love a caramel-like flavor, you should give that recipe a try too. We have a passion for retro pies, our No Bake Lemon Pie and Coconut Meringue Pie are two other hits with family and friends.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Old Fashioned Pie Recipe. This is a classic that my family has been making for generations. A homemade rich chocolate pudding is the base. The custard layer is topped with airy meringue that's lightly toasted in the oven. It's the most delicious treat.
• 10 Ingredient Dessert. With just a handful of ingredients that are easy to find, you can assemble this chocolate meringue pie in under an hour!
• Bakery Pie Made Right At Home. It looks fancy to make, but we give you all the tools and tips to make sure you can master this recipe in your own kitchen.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Chocolate Filling:

• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the pie just right.
• All-purpose flour: The thickener for the pudding pie filling.
• Cocoa powder: The key ingredient to make this filling chocolatey.
• Evaporated milk: Makes the creamy, luscious flavor base for the pudding filling. Evaporated milk has 60% of the water removed for a more concentrated flavor.
• Egg yolks: Adds a richness to the filling and also helps give it that custardy texture.
• Whole milk: Additional liquid for the pudding base to make the smooth texture.
• Salted butter: Rounds out all of the flavors. We love to use salted here since it compliments the sweetness of the pudding so well.
• Frozen 9-inch pie shell: For ease, use a store-bought frozen pie shell. Homemade pie crust also works great if you prefer to make it from scratch.

Meringue:

• Egg whites: The key ingredient to any meringue, it's the base of the mixture. It's best if your egg whites are room temperature for easy whipping.
• Granulated sugar: Dissolves into the egg whites while whipping to help the meringue hold it's shape and also sweetens the meringue.
• Marshmallow cream: Adds volume, sweetens the meringue topping, and adds a touch of marshmallow flavor.

How to Make Chocolate Meringue Pie

For the Chocolate Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. If your frozen pie shell requires pre-baking, follow the package instructions. Otherwise, set it aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine granulated sugar, flour, and cocoa powder.

3. Whisk in evaporated milk, egg yolks, and milk until smooth. Turn the pan to medium heat.

4. As the mixture becomes warm, whisk in butter slices.
5. Stirring continuously, cook until mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. The mixture will appear to bubble or burp. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

6. Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie shell.

7. Quickly spread the meringue over the hot pie filling. Spread the meringue to the edge of the pie pastry to seal it and prevent it from shrinking as it bakes (see below). Use a spoon to swirl and twist the meringue as you spread it. 

8. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown on top.

For the Meringue Topping:

1. In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed with an electric mixer until they become frothy. This usually takes about 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the granulated sugar a tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat the egg whites. This process should take about 2-3 minutes until all of the sugar is incorporated.

3. Continue beating the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form.
4. Whip marshmallow cream into the mixture for 15 seconds at medium speed.

Pro Tips from a Southern Baker

• Use homemade pie crust. You can definitely make pie crust from scratch in this case. We love the shortcut of using a store-bought crust too.
• Spread the meringue over the hot pie filling. This is one of my mom's pro baking tips. The meringue seals the pie filling. It also prevents the meringue from shrinking when it bakes.
• Omit the marshmallow creme if desired. You can make a meringue with just sugar and egg whites. We recommend you increase the sugar to ½ cup if so to help the meringue hold it's shape.
• Make sure your egg whites are room temperature for an easy meringue. This allows the air to whip into them more easily and also helps the sugar dissolve faster.
• Replace the meringue for whipped cream. If you're not a fan of meringue, you can also top the chocolate custard filling with fresh whipped cream. Make sure the pie cools completely before topping with whipped cream. You can just garnish individual slices of pie with whipped cream.
  • How to Make Fresh Whipped Cream: In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat on high speed with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.

Why did my Meringue Collapse?

This is also called weeping with a meringue. This occurs when liquid releases from the meringue after baking. The liquid collects on the surface of the pie, resulting in a watery layer beneath the fluffy meringue topping. Several factors can contribute to meringue weeping:

1. Incomplete Dissolution of Sugar: If the sugar is not fully dissolved into the egg whites during the meringue preparation, it can create a grainy texture that leads to weeping.
2. Overbeating the Meringue: Beating the egg whites for too long or at too high a speed can cause them to become over-aerated, resulting in an unstable meringue that is prone to weeping.
3. Underbaking or Overbaking: Incorrect baking times or temperatures can lead to meringue weeping. Underbaking can result in an unstable meringue that hasn't fully set, while overbaking can cause the proteins in the meringue to shrink and expel moisture.
4. Moisture from the Filling: If the filling is too hot when the meringue is applied, steam can be trapped beneath the meringue, leading to excess moisture and weeping as it cools.
5. Rapid Changes in Temperature: Sudden temperature changes, such as transferring a hot pie to a cold environment or vice versa, can cause condensation to form on the surface of the meringue, contributing to weeping.
6. Undercooking the Cornstarch or Flour in the Filling: If the thickening agent (cornstarch or flour) in the filling is not cooked adequately, it can release excess moisture as it cools, contributing to meringue weeping.

To prevent meringue weeping, it's essential to ensure that the sugar is fully dissolved, the meringue is properly stabilized, and the pie is baked at the correct temperature for the appropriate duration. Lastly, be sure to let the pie cool gradually rather than popping it immediately into the fridge.

Storage

Once the chocolate pie with meringue has completely cooled, store in a tall, loosely fit, airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This will keep the pudding filling and meringue topping set. 

We do not recommend freezing the pie as it will compromise the texture.

FAQs

More Delicious Pie Recipes

• No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
• Butterscotch Pie
• No-Bake Lemon Pie
• Banana Split Pie