Old Fashioned Chocolate Meringue Pie

The best Old Fashioned, Diner Style Chocolate Meringue Pie. A Rich homemade chocolate pudding pie filling topped with a fluffy meringue. 
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and everyone loves a good homemade pie for the dessert. I love pumpkin and pecan pie, but my favorite holiday pie is an Old Fashioned Chocolate Meringue Pie

This Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie is rich, creamy, thick and chocolaty just like an old fashioned chocolate pie should be. The chocolaty pudding filling is so good and just like the way mom and grandma used to make it. Well not my mom, but my friends mother. That's where I got this recipe about about 15 years ago. 
 
I was looking for an good old fashioned, diner style chocolate pie and her mother had the perfect recipe. I made it for the first time and I've been making it ever since. Old Fashioned Desserts have to be my absolute favorite. Ya know the ones, old fashioned cream pies like chocolate, coconut or banana, lemon ice box pie or homemade banana pudding from scratch.

Red velvet cakes, coconut cake, marble cake, sock it to me cake, sunshine cake and homemade puddings. My list could go on forever. All those homemade desserts from scratch they hold a special place in my heart.

I think my most favorite spot after our Thanksgiving meal is hanging out at the dessert table. Um mm it's so fun to stand over all those goodies just trying to decide what I want first. I'm so bad I usually end up taking a bit of everything cause I just cant decide on one thing. I know I am a sucker for sweets.

I will probably more than likely be making this pie to take to Thanksgiving. My sister in law loves it as much as I do, so I cant disappoint. This year I made a slight change in my chocolate pie recipe. Carnation sent me some free coupons for their evaporated milk and challenged me to make a dish using their milk. 

This recipe was the first one that came to mind. I wanted to see if my original chocolate pie recipe would be better using carnation evaporated milk or regular whole milk. I was a bit nervous changing up a already great recipe, but I gave it a try. Well the verdict is.............. I like it way better using the Carnation Evaporated Milk. 

Why? because it made the homemade pudding so much richer than before. I will be substituting evaporated milk in this recipe from now on. Thank You Carnation!!!!
If you want a old fashioned favorite I highly recommend serving or taking this pie on Thanksgiving. Everyone will L♥VE you for it. What's your favorite holiday dessert from the Dessert Table?

Let's start by getting our pie crust prepared. Place one pie crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Prick the bottom and sides of your pie crust and bake until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the filling. Mix the sugar, cornstarch and cocoa together in a medium size pot.

Add the 2 cups evaporated milk or whole milk. If using evaporated milk I used a 12 oz can, measure one cup evaporated milk add to the pot and then measure one more cup evaporated milk. You will be a bit short it comes to more like 3/4 cup so fill the rest of the measuring cup with water to make a full cup.

Using a wire whisk blend together and stir constantly over medium high heat. When the mixture is heated through add the 3 egg yolks. You will need to temper the egg yolks so add a bit of the pudding mixture to the egg yolks and blend before adding to the pudding mix. (you don't want scrambled eggs). 

Stir constantly until thickened and bubbly and the mixture looks like a thick pudding. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and the butter. Let cool pudding mixture cool while you prepare the meringue topping.

The Meringue topping can be made two ways. One using the reserved egg whites from the pudding recipe. Or you can use Meringue Powder which is my choice. The reason I like to use Meringue powder is because it turns out perfect every time.

Sometimes when using eggs whites they wont set up or you get a bit of the yolk in them and it ruins the meringue and it separates all over your pie. No one wants that, so to prevent that I use Meringue Powder for perfect meringue every time.

I purchased the Meringue Powder at Walmart for $4.50 for the small can or the large can is $14.50. I never need quite that much. I found it in the cake decorating isle in the craft and floral department.


If using Meringue Powder save the reserved egg whites for another recipe. Follow the directions on the back of the can of the Meringue Powder for Meringue Pies. I doubled the meringue recipe. It was the perfect amount for my chocolate pie.

If using the Egg white method, mix the 3 egg whites with a dash of cream of tarter along with 2 Tablespoons sugar. Whip the egg whites till stiff and soft peaks form. Here is the meringue using the meringue powder. Nice pretty peaks and it smells so heavenly!!!!


Add pudding to cooled pie shell and top with meringue making sure the meringue touches the sides of the pie crust to prevent shrinkingBroil till lightly golden brown on top. After baking, cool on the counter one to two hours and then place in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 3-6 hours before serving. 

Yum!  There's nothing better than a old fashioned chocolate pie just like granny used to make.


Yield: 8
Author: Tina Butler | Mommy's Kitchen
Old Fashioned Chocolate Meringue Pie

Old Fashioned Chocolate Meringue Pie

The best Old Fashioned, Diner Style Chocolate Meringue Pie. A Rich homemade chocolate pudding pie filling topped with a fluffy meringue.
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Ingredients

  • 1 homemade or store bought pie crust (single crust)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • pinch of salt
  • 1  heaping tablespoon of unsweetened baking cocoa (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 cups evaporated or whole milk
  • 3 eggs, separated - reserve egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons butter
Meringue Topping
  • 3 reserved egg whites
  • dash cream of tarter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar or use Meringue Powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven to 350. Place one pie crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Prick the bottom and sides of your pie crust and bake until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the filling.
  2. Mix the sugar, cornstarch and cocoa together in a medium size pot. Add the 2 cups evaporated milk or whole milk.
  3. If using evaporated milk I use a 12 oz can, measure one cup evaporated milk add to the pot and then measure one more cup evaporated milk.
  4. You will be a bit short it comes to more like 3/4 cup so fill the rest of the measuring cup with water to make a cup.
  5. Using a wire whisk blend together and stir constantly over medium high heat. When the mixture is heated through add the 3 egg yolks.
  6. You will need to temper you egg yolks so add a bit of the pudding mixture to the egg yolks and blend before adding to the pudding mix. (you don't want scrambled eggs).
  7. Stir constantly until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and the butter.
  8. Let cool pudding mixture cool while you prepare the meringue topping. Mix the 3 egg whites with a dash of cream of tarter along with 2 Tablespoons sugar.
  9. Whip the egg whites till stiff and soft peaks form. Add pudding to cooled pie shell and top with meringue making sure the meringue touches the sides of the pie crust to prevent shrinking.
  10. Broil till lightly golden brown on top. After baking, cool on the counter one to two hours and then place in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 3-6 hours before serving.

Notes:

If using Meringue Powder omit the egg whites and sugar. Follow the directions on the back of the can of the Meringue Powder for pies. I doubled the meringue recipe.

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55 comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I've always loved a real old fashioned chocolate pie and have looked for years and years for the perfect recipe! This one sounds very close so Im going to give it a shot! Thanks again!
Patty said…
That looks delicious. Meringue powder, have never heard of it. Does it get that oily little bead look like egg whites will sometimes do? I'm 73, wait till I tell my Mother about the meringue powder, we'll have to check it out. Does the small can make enough for one pie?
Tina Butler said…
Anonymous I hope this recipe stands up to your expectations. It is so good and I love eating it. LMK ifyou try it.

Patty there is still a lot left in the can. LMK it is a 4 oz can and it only takes 1 tablespoon meringue powder, 1/4 cup cold water and 6 tablespoons + 2 tsp regular sugar. I doubled the recipe for one pie so I would have enough. One recipe makes 3 cups but it didnt quite look like 3 cups to me. So you see only 2 tablespoons meringue powder I still have a lot left for royal icing for cookies and more pies. To answer your ? no beaded really smooth shiney creamy meringue perfection is what my husband said.
TKTC said…
I LOVE chocolate cream pie. Love it. There's a pie shop near my house called "Hoosier Mama Pie Company" that usually benefits from my craving because I'm not sure I could do it the justice that they do. My question is this- if I wanted to opt for a whipped cream frosting rather than meringue, how would that affect the cooking time? Assuming I would bake the pudding in shell, cool, then top with fresh whipped cream.
OMG! I've never had chocolate cream pie. I've had regular chocolate pie, but this is great! I'm definitely going to have to try this one. It looks amazing!

I hope I get it right or I'll be highly disappointed! Thanks for the recipe!
Joan said…
That pie looks beautiful! I have some meringue powder and it never dawned on me to use it for my pie. Duh! I bought it for something else and then forgot about it. I just dont snap all the way sometimes. I will be trying the carnation milk, sounds like it would be great!
Have a super week!
tracylynne said…
Tina your killing me chocolate pie is my favorite, I never knew they made meringue powder-shows how much I bake.
YUMMM!! My grandma made an amazing chocolate pie and I haven't had it in years! This sounds pretty close to her recipe!

I usually make a chocolate cream pie for Thanksgiving - with Jello pudding! ;-)

I'm not a huge fan of meringue, because of the raw egg whites - aha moment! I've got meringue powder in my cake decorating box! I should try the "boxed" version one of these days!!

Great recipe! Thanks!
Tina Butler said…
TKTC the pudding is prepared on the stove so you dont have to bake t his pie in the oven. The crust is precooked and cooled. Then the cooled pudding is added to the pie crust. If you dont want the meringue just go with a fresh heavy whipping cream. And use powdered sugar to sweeten the cream as you whip it. Then spread on you pie and chill. Just follow the directions exactly but do a whipped cream instead of a meringue crust.
Oh now I'm gonna HAVE to try to make this, because my Mamaw ( yep, a good ole Southern term for our grandmothers) used to make THE best chocolate pie, and it was always what I put in for my request for desserts!
I also noticed you mentioned Lemon Ice Box pie - another favorite of mine that my other Mamaw used to make really good!
Thanks so much for posting this :)
Leslie said…
this looks fabulous! I love anything chocolate..and chocolate pie....drool
Kathleen said…
My grandmother always made a chocolate cream pie at Thanksgiving. She topped her with whipped cream...yours looks so yummy and brought bake memories.
Crystalin Dunn said…
Wow Wow Wubbzy! I've never seen a chocolate cream pie with merengue topping, and now I'm sad I've never tasted one. It looks unbelievably beautiful! BTW, I tried your corny dog recipe a few weeks ago, and it turned out perfectly! The batter fried up so perfectly. I didn't get photos as nice as yours, but I'll let you know when I post about it. The funniest thing was the next day. I had put leftovers in a mason jar to use later(thanks for the suggestion!). My daughter came up to me with a horrified expression on her face and said, "Mom, I think the hummus in the fridge is spoiled." heehee, not hummus baby!
Amanda said…
Looks totally fabulous! I have a French Silk Pie recipe that is just like Baker's Square and that one is my favorite. Yours looks so rich and creamy!
Tina, what a lovely pie. We always have a chocolate pie along with a pecan pie for Thanksgiving. Bob and I had pecan and the kids always had chocolate pie. We used a different recipe, but I think I'll try yours for a change. Thanks.
Bunny said…
I love chocolate pie, it's so comforting. You did a fantastic job with it!
PKowis said…
I use this recipe all the time. It is fail proof. I use it mostly for coconut minus the chocolate. I would love to see your Sunshine cake recipe.
LAMommies.com said…
This looks so yummy!! Thanks for the recipe. :)
Karine said…
This chocolate pie sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing :)
Jessica B from Tennessee said…
Hey there Mommy's Kitchen This was MY favorite Pie from My Great Aunt who is no longer with us I remember sitting at the counter watching her make it ,but No ONE got the recipe I am certain this is it!! Thank You so much for posting it I do however want to print it and can not ?? I went about it the usual way I always do and something is up thanks again!! Happy Early Turkey Day
Tina Butler said…
Hi Jessica, thank you for letting me know the link wasn't working. Try it now and see if it prints. It looks like it is working now. Sorry about that. I hope my pie can compare to your great aunts. I will keep my fingers crossed.
Jessica B from Tennessee said…
It worked thanks Tina!! I am making it early ,so I can have Taste #1 Thank you again for fixing that for me. Also thanks so much for chatting back with us ladies alot of the other cooking blogs do not chat back I appreciate so much that you do Happy cooking week
Anonymous said…
WoW! This pie is amazing. I have been searching forever for a good chocolate pie recipe and wasn't able to find one that was exactly what I was looking for. I made this pie last night for my in-laws and needless to say it was a big hit. My husband loved in and is already wondering when I will make the next one.
Tina Butler said…
Yeah Rachel I am so glad it was such a big hit. This pie is my all time favorite pie. Now you have an excuse to make it again. Or you can just make it for Thanksgiving. Happy Holiday! You made my day.
Tina Butler said…
Your welcome Jessica, please come back and let me know the outcome. Have a awesome day.
ReneaK said…
I made this pie today and it is delicious. I had never made pudding from scratch or made meringue, so i got to do both for the first time. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Unknown said…
Nothing better than an Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie just like my Grandma made in Tennessee
Cheryl said…
i am not quite sure how I stumbled on to your site,but I am sure glad I did. That chocolate pie recipe you have posted is exactly what I have been looking for many years now.
Years ago, when our children were little we would have lunch at the local country club with my husbands grandparents and my all time fave dessert was chocolate pie. I haven't been able to find a recipe to duplicate it till now. Thank you so much for sharing an old fashioned fave that brings back such wonderful memories.
Elisa said…
I loved this recipe! Perfect! Thanks for sharing!
Anonymous said…
I have always made meringue for lemon pies with real egg whites. It seems to get to a point where it isn't possible to achieve height without egg separation. Last year the meringue had about 12egg whites and I had to drain the pie off before traveling with it! If I use the meringue powder there will be no separation no matter how big we want it?
Anonymous said…
I have a question about the meringue powder. I have heard on the Wilton forums that making meringue with meringue powder can be a little tricky--that it clumps and you have to throw it out and start over.

Your meringue looks so good that I find the stories hard to believe. Do you have any little tricks that you can share with me that helps you achieve such a nice meringue?

I am going to make your Chocolate Meringue Pie recipe tomorrow for my book club's 4th anniversary. The book I selected for this occasion is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. If you haven't read the book, Chocolate Pie is a huge part of the story.

Thanks for any help you can give me.
Tina Butler said…
Hi hopefully I am not to late on replying to your ? I dont do anything different on the meringue with the meringue powder. I just followed the directions that came with the powder. The only thing I did different was I double the recipe so i have enough meringue. Good luck and it really is so much better than with the egg whites it doesnt get the runny part around the edges.
Anonymous said…
Have always used egg whites...and I put in 5Tbs sugar..always comes out perfect. My mother in law used the powder..seems it didn't stand up as high but that may have just been her
Caroline said…
Thanks for an awesome recipe. And a very big thanks for the tip about the meringue powder. I found some in a small shop that specialize in importing stuff from overseas. The meringue powder is now my best friend in baking. Heh.
DeDe said…
I just discoered your great blog!

I'm making this for my husband's birthday tomorrow.

Thanks so mcuh! This is what my mom always made - the exact way !
Jax said…
I have tried so many of your recipes and none have failed me yet...until now =(
The recipe calls for 1 TBSP cocoa but when it was cooked it just had a slight chocolate taste.
Tina Butler said…
It is one heaping tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. This is an old fashioned recipe from my friends grandmother.

a heaping tablespoon is, if you put your spoon in the jar and just take a big scoop out,without knocking it on the side and leveling it! A heaping tablespoon is problably 2 tablespoons. I will add a note to the recipe.
Jax said…
Ok thanks. I made it with a heaping Tbsp but didn't think it was very "chocolatey" Maybe I will try a little more next time.
Sandy said…
Tina,
We LOVE chocolate pie! but my bunch loves it with a graham cracker crust. I have a problem with the crust getting soggy though. Is there anything I can do to avoid this? Chocolate is my VERY FAVORITE PIE!! YUM!
Sandy
Tina Butler said…
Hi Sandy,
Here is a link for pie questions and answers. Soggy crust is one of them. http://www.landolakes.com/TestKitchen/TipsAndTechniques/FAQ/pies.aspx#c1f6d057-9bd1-4983-80b2-ba40a64b3496
Anonymous said…
This pie is amazing...just like G-ma made....to get the little beads on meringue just sprinkle with a little sugar prior to browning
Anonymous said…
I've looked for 20 years for Grandma Hirt's chocolate pie recipe and now I've found it!
I cooked the filling in the microwave in less than ten minutes! I mixed the dry ingredients in a large glass pot/bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl then poured the wet into the dry and mixed them together. Cooked about 7 - 8 minutes on high in microwave. Used a whip when I took the filling from the microwave and the filling turned out smooth and creamy. Hubby loves it!

Thank you so much!
Unknown said…
I made this recipe today :) its in the oven Broilinga bit.. the pudding & meringue both seem a bit loose and unset, Im hopinit'll thicken up in oven..and then once its cooled.
Thank you so much :)
Tina Butler said…
If the pudding is loose than you didn't cook it long enough. It won't thicken up anymore in the oven. By adding it to the broiler in the oven just browns the meringue. It won't cook the pudding any longer.
Unknown said…
I just made this pie and it turned out pretty good but I have two questions!

1) do you have to use the regular evaporated milk or what if you substituted the low fat or fat free evaporated milk?

2) my meringue (using the powder) was really really sweet...I followed the Wilton recipe. I've never made meringue before...is it supposed to be *very* sweet?
Anonymous said…
I added more cornstarch to mine before I put meringue on because it didn't seem thick enough
Susie said…
I have my mom's WWII cookbook, that's where I got my recipe from, its made with 2 squares semi sweet chocolate. Going to try yours today because I always have cocoa on hand. Looking forward it. Thanks, Susie
irishfancy said…
My mom got this recipe years ago from a restaurant she worked at, except that instead of using whole milk, it called for reconstituted powdered milk; and instead of meringue, the recipe called for sweetened whipped cream. It was an icebox pie and I think it probably dated from WWII. The best chocolate pie ever.
Anonymous said…
I made this pie yesterday and it was so delicious. As I was making the pudding I remembered a few comments about their pie turning out runny. For many years everything I cooked with cornstarch turned out runny no matter how much cornstarch I added. I decided to look up Argo cornstarch. Saliva in some people causes the runny texture like double dipping your tasting spoon. I haven't had a problem since
Anonymous said…
YES it is fantastic, used it for years. Can't tell the difference.
Anonymous said…
I've never made a chocolate pie and would like to try it! My question is can you make it the day before? If so, do you put it in the fridge or just leave on the counter? Or, do you make the pie, fill with chocolate and chill in fridge, then the day of do the meringue and broil??
Anonymous said…
I obviously did something wrong because it turned out terrible. I haven't made a pie before so I could use some help please. I put all the dry ingredients in the pan and then I poured in two cups of evaporated milk and when I brought it to a boil it got real thick real quick. So when I tempered the eggs with some of the pudding and put it back in, it was way thick to start with and I had to keep cooking it to get the eggs cooked. So where did I mess up? Was I cooking it on too high of heat, cooking it too long, or I just don't have the "pie thumb" and will kill every pie I try? lol

Also, on the meringue powder topping....do you mix the ingredients minus half the sugar for 5 minutes and then add the remaining sugar and mix for 5 more minutes....because it got so thick and sticky it was all contained inside in my stand mixer's beater whip. Again, HELP!! lol
Courtney :) said…
What size pie shell did you use for this?
(Sorry if this was already mentioned.)
Unknown said…
Came out perfect. Best pie ever!!!!!!