Magically rich and creamy vegan chocolate pie! Easy to make, this no-bake dessert will have everyone happy. No tofu required!
This vegan chocolate pie is magic. Seriously! It’s thick, rich, creamy, and delicious while still being dairy free and egg free. No nuts or tofu in sight!
This recipe was updated January 2023 for an every better filling and easy vegan graham cracker pie crust.
Free from: Wheat (optional), gluten (optional), dairy, casein, eggs, soy, peanuts, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, celery, corn (optional), sesame, mustard, lupin, sulfites, and more
This dairy-free chocolate pie starts with a crunchy vegan graham cracker crust and then is filled with the most decadent chocolate pudding. Make it ahead of time and top it with vegan whipped cream for an unbelievable dessert on special occasions like holidays or anytime you feel like a chocolate fix.
For these photos I made it with a vegan graham cracker crust, however, you can use your favorite vegan pie crust or even a gluten free pie crust! I’ve made it with all of those crusts and they are honestly so good each and every kind.
This pie is hands down one of my favorite recipes on the site. It’s made for being food allergy friendly, but honestly, everyone who I’ve served a slice of this pie can’t believe how good it is.
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Why You’ll Love this Chocolate Pie
- Super easy to make ahead of time
- Rich, dreamy chocolate filling with 2 kinds of chocolate!
- Perfectly sweet
- Topped with whipped coconut cream and more chocolate shavings
- Dairy free, egg free, gluten free option
Ingredients
You only need a few things to make this pie!
- Pie Crust: Vegan graham crackers, vegan butter, and a touch of sugar
- Non-dairy Milk: Use your favorite plant-based milk. I find that thicker dairy free milks like coconut milk and soy milk work best. However, I’ve also made this with rice milk with good results. Make sure you don't use full-fat coconut milk from a can as that is too thick.
- Sweet Condensed Coconut Milk: The secret ingredient! My local grocery store has started to carry this ingredient and my family loves it! If you can’t find this in your local store, you can purchase it online at my shop.
- Cocoa powder + Chocolate bar: The combination of both cocoa powder and chocolate make this a double chocolate dessert to remember! Use dutch processed cocoa powder if you have it for a deep chocolate flavor. My favorite brand is Rodelle. I love to use Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips or Baker’s Chocolate bars.
- Cornstarch: This helps to thicken the filling and transforms it from milk to pudding. If you need to make this corn free, see the substitutions below.
- Vanilla: I love to add vanilla to chocolate desserts for an incredible depth of flavor.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance out the sweetness.
If you like your desserts a little sweeter, you can add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to the graham cracker crust or to the pie filling.
Allergy Substitutions
If you are avoiding corn, you can make this pie with an equal amount of tapioca flour or arrowroot powder to replace the cornstarch. Make sure that your vanilla extract is also corn free. See my shop page for my favorite corn free products.
If you are avoiding wheat/gluten you can make this recipe with a gluten free pie crust! This one is also vegan friendly.
Vegan Graham Cracker Crust
First, let’s make the crust!
Start with using a food processor or a large bowl with a rolling pin to crumble the graham crackers into crumbs. You want them pretty small so don’t be afraid to really go at it.
After you have your crumbs, add in the sugar and the melted vegan butter. Mix until they are combined. Don’t worry if they aren’t holding their shape. That will be fixed.
Press the crumbs into the pie pan. No need to grease it or line with parchment paper. This should come out no problem.
Use a spoon or back of a measuring cup to press it in firmly but not totally compressing the crumbs.
Now, heat the oven to 350 F and prebake the crust for about 10 minutes. This helps the butter to dry the crust out, making it a solid piece that the filling can rest in.
Finally, set it aside to cool while you make the filling.
Filling Instructions
For the complete instructions, with measurements, please see the recipe card below. You can also use the “jump to recipe” button on the top of the page.
First, sift together the cocoa powder and cornstarch into a small bowl. Sift helps to get rid of any lumps. Add a quarter cup of the dairy free milk that you are using. Warm this milk up for a few seconds in the microwave. Then, mix the quarter cup with the cocoa mix. This step is vital to making sure the filling will remain lump free.
Now add the sweet condensed coconut milk, the cocoa mixture, remaining non-dairy milk into a saucepot.
Heat the mixture over a medium-low heat. Add the roughly chopped chocolate bar and continue to stir this together. At this point, you can switch to a wooden spoon, but I tend to stick with the whisk.
Slowly, the filling will come together. For me, it takes about 10 minutes for the filling to thicken and come to a simmer. Make sure that you are stirring and whisking the sides and bottom of the pot so nothing gets stuck and burns.
Be careful! As this filling thickens, it will start to “bloop” and splatter. The filling is hot.
Tip! Make sure that you don’t let the filling boil. A boil is too high of a heat for making this filling and will burn the bottom of the pot. Bring it to a simmer and then remove from the heat.
Remove the filling from the heat and add in the vanilla extract and salt. Mix one more time.
Carefully, pour this into your prepared crust of choice. Let it cool for about 15 minutes on the countertop before placing in the fridge to chill for 6 to 8 hours.
Tip! If you want to avoid having a pudding skin on top, you can take a piece of plastic wrap and press it into the top of the filling before placing it in the fridge.
After it is cool, you can top with whipped coconut cream if you desire. Serve and enjoy!
Variations
Chocolate and Peanut Butter pie: Add 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter when adding the vanilla extract to the filling. You can use any other kind of nut or nut substitute like sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or cashew butter.
Mocha: Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder when adding the vanilla for an amazing coffee flavor.
Mint Cookies and Cream: Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract to the filling when you add the vanilla. In place of graham crackers, use oreos for an oreo cookie crust.
Top Tips
- Measure out all the ingredients ahead of making this filling. It comes together quickly and so much easier when you have everything ready to go.
- Stir almost constantly! This filling can burn quickly.
- Low and slow heat is the best way to make this filling. It’s basically a pudding mixture and you don’t want to burn the bottom of the pot and have the top be undercooked.
FAQs
My personal favorite chocolate to use is Rodelle cocoa powder and Baker’s Chocolate bars. I also really like Enjoy Life chocolate chips which is a top 9 free company!
Yes! The filling will not set up outside of the fridge.
Yes! Use this gluten-free pie crust recipe here for a delicious dessert that is gluten free and vegan.
How to Store
This recipe needs to chill for several hours, and overnight is best. That makes it perfect to pret in advance for holidays and parties!
Make Ahead: Make the pie and chill. Whip the coconut cream and store separately. Add the whipped coconut cream on top and sprinkle with shaved chocolate right before serving.
Freeze: To freeze, wrap the pie in the pie pan in plastic wrap to keep it airtight. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve.
Leftovers: Store any leftover pie slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
More vegan desserts to love
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Recipe
Equipment
- whisk
- Sauce pot
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Spatula
- pie pan
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust (optional)
- 2 cups graham crackers made into crumbs, about 15
- ½ cup vegan butter melted
- ½ cup white sugar
Vegan Chocolate Pie
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups dairy free milk coconut milk recommended (not from a can)
- 11 oz sweet condensed coconut milk
- 4 oz chocolate bar chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
Instructions
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Make the crust. In a medium sized bowl, combine the crushed graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Mix them until well combined. Press the crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan and gently press into place with a spatula, spoon, or back of a measuring cup.
- Bake. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely before filling.
Make the Pie Filling
- Sift. In a small bowl, sift or whisk together cornstarch, cocoa powder, and a quarter cup of warmed milk. Whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved .
- Whisk. In a medium sauce pot, stir together sweetened condensed coconut milk with the remaining milk. Add the cocoa powder mix and stir. Add the chopped chocolate bar.
- Cook. Place the pot over a low-medium heat. Stir constantly while the pudding thickens and cooks. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes of constant stirring. You’ll know the filling is ready when it is thick and small bubbles have begun to pop in the filling. Be careful not to burn the filling (or yourself!)
- Add remaining ingredients. Remove the filling from the heat. Finally, add the vanilla extract and salt. Give it one more good stir.
- Transfer and cool. Carefully transfer the pie filling to the cooled prepared pie crust. Let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes on the countertop. Place it in the fridge and chill for 6 to 8 hours before serving. Top with whipped coconut cream and more chocolate shavings if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Allergy Substitutions
- If you are avoiding corn, you can make this pie with an equal amount of tapioca flour or arrowroot powder to replace the cornstarch. Make sure that your vanilla extract is also corn free. See my shop page for my favorite corn free products.
- If you are avoiding wheat/gluten you can make this recipe with a gluten free pie crust! This one is also vegan friendly.
- Variations
- Chocolate and Peanut Butter pie: Add 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter when adding the vanilla extract to the filling. You can use any other kind of nut or nut substitute like sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or cashew butter.
- Mocha: Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder when adding the vanilla for an amazing coffee flavor.
- Mint Cookies and Cream: Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract to the filling when you add the vanilla. In place of graham crackers, use oreos for an oreo cookie crust.
- How to Store
- This recipe needs to chill for several hours, and overnight is best. That makes it perfect to pret in advance for holidays and parties!
- Make Ahead: Make the pie and chill. Whip the coconut cream and store separately. Add the whipped coconut cream on top and sprinkle with shaved chocolate right before serving.
- Freeze: To freeze, wrap the pie in the pie pan in plastic wrap to keep it airtight. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve.
- Leftovers: Store any leftover pie slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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