Chocolate Mousse Pie - the most decadent chocolate mousse inside a homemade pie crust, topped with a layer of chocolate ganache.
I don't mess around when it comes to chocolate mousse. For me, it has to be REAL chocolate mousse with a luxuriously silky texture and the most intense chocolate flavor. And that's exactly what this chocolate mousse pie recipe gives.
While this is easy to make, if you are looking for one of those instant pie recipes with ingredients from a package - this isn't it. This delicious pie is made from scratch with quality ingredients. If you are a true chocolate lover, it is absolutely worth it.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The most heavenly chocolate mousse pie with incredible flavor and texture.
- Made entirely from scratch, no packaged mixes or shortcuts.
- Easily make it a no-bake chocolate pie by switching out the pie crust.
Reader Review:
I had to laugh about your comment that this heavenly concoction lasts 5 days in the refrigerator. It was gone the next day (I did share with my sister who also raved about it). I made it with a homemade chocolate crumb crust that was delicious. It was a fabulous way to celebrate Pi Day. I was a bit alarmed how liquid the ganache was but it thickened up nicely as it cooled; I did put the bowl in the fridge after reserving the topping. I also placed my merengue bowl over an ice bath to cool it after whipping. The peaks were super firm. Thank you so very much for my new favorite pie of all time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Julianne
Ingredients
The filling is my tried-and-true chocolate mousse recipe that I have been making for years. It's an easy recipe with just a few, simple ingredients.
- Egg Whites - Use large eggs. Don't throw away the egg yolks, you can use them to make some delicious pastry cream! I recommend using fresh egg whites rather than carton egg whites, as the carton egg whites don't whip up as well as fresh eggs.
- Sugar - White sugar, preferably superfine (caster sugar), but granulated sugar will work too.
- Chocolate - It's important to use real, high-quality chocolate, not chocolate chips or candy bars. I recommend dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate for the best flavor. You can use milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate if you really want, but it won't be as chocolatey, and the mousse won't be as firm. Ideally, look for real chocolate with at least 54% cocoa solids.
- Heavy Cream - Use heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream. Anything with less than 36% fat content won't work, and the pie may not set up.
- Vanilla - To add some depth to the flavor, we'll infuse some vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste) into the cream.
- Pie Crust - You can use a homemade pie crust or pick one up at the grocery store. You could also use an Oreo crust or graham cracker crust for a no-bake chocolate mousse pie.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Please note: If the ingredients are not right, specifically the chocolate and the cream, the pie may not set up properly - please pay close attention to these ingredient notes.
How to Make Chocolate Mousse Pie
The chocolate mousse filling is a meringue-based mousse, which means we will basically just make a chocolate ganache and a meringue and mix them together. This makes a chocolate mousse that is thick and silky but still melts in your mouth.
Make Pie Crust
Prepare your pie crust using my homemade pie dough recipe or a store-bought crust. Bake until it is fully baked and golden brown all over. See my post for detailed instructions on how to make the perfect pie crust.
If you are using a no-bake pie crust with cookie crumbs, there is no need to bake it, just prepare it and set aside.
Chop Chocolate
Chop the chocolate into small pieces so it will melt easily and put it in a large bowl.
Heat Cream
Heat the cream and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it is scalding hot.
This means that there is steam rising from it and you can see tiny bubbles appearing on the surface. Do not let it boil.
Make Ganache
Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for one minute, then stir until you have a smooth, completely melted chocolate ganache with no lumps.
Put roughly a third of the ganache (about ¾ cup) into a separate bowl. We will use this as a topping later. Set both bowls aside while you make the meringue.
Heat Egg Whites
Put the egg whites, sugar, and salt into a heatproof bowl and whisk them together, then place over a pan of simmering water to make a double boiler. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.
Whisk constantly until it reaches a temperature of 160°F / 71°C or it doesn't feel grainy when you rub it in between your fingers.
Whip
Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip at high speed until glossy stiff peaks form and the bowl no longer feels warm to the touch (about 10 minutes).
If your meringue reaches stiff peaks and the bowl is still warm, let it sit until it cools to room temperature, then continue.
Fold Meringue
Gently fold the meringue into the larger bowl of chocolate ganache with a rubber spatula. Don't put it all in at once - add it in about a third at a time.
Fold until incorporated and there are no lumps of meringue.
Fill the Pie
Pour the chocolate mixture into the pie crust and smooth it out.
Place it in the fridge for 10 minutes to set slightly before adding the topping.
Add Ganache
Pour the reserved chocolate ganache all over the top of the pie and smooth it out into an even layer.
If the ganache has cooled too much and isn't fluid enough to pour, warm it in the microwave in 5-second increments.
Chill
Chill the chocolate mousse pie in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Slice and top with a dollop of chantilly cream and chocolate shavings.
Is Chocolate Mousse Safe to Consume?
Yes, it is. Cooking the raw eggs to a temperature of 160°F / 170°C makes them safe to eat, even if they haven't been pasteurized.
My original recipe for chocolate mousse actually calls for a French meringue which doesn't heat the eggs, but I adapted it to use a Swiss meringue instead so it's safe for everyone to enjoy.
If you are using pasteurized eggs and would prefer not to make a double boiler, you can make a French meringue instead and make the rest of the chocolate mousse pie recipe as normal.
The uncooked version is actually how I tend to make this at home, but many people are not comfortable with the idea of using raw eggs, so I have included the instructions for heating them.
Make it a No-Bake Pie
The chocolate mousse filling doesn't need to be baked, but if you use my flaky pie crust, you'll need to bake that before you fill it.
If you would prefer to make a no-bake dessert, you can swap the pie crust out for a graham cracker or Oreo cookie crust.
You just need to crush graham crackers or Oreo cookies into fine crumbs in a food processor and mix them with melted butter, then press them firmly into your pie dish. This kind of crust doesn't require any baking so the whole pie would then be no-bake.
Variations
- Add Berries - Chocolate and fresh berries are always good together. Try adding some strawberries or raspberries inside or on top of the chocolate mousse pie.
- Mocha Mousse Pie - Mix a few teaspoons of espresso powder into the cream with the vanilla for a coffee-infused chocolate mousse.
- Different Crust - The delicious chocolate pie recipe works in any kind of pie crust. Try making it in a graham cracker or Oreo cookie crust.
Equipment
- Pie Plate - 9-inches, deep dish.
- Saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Stand Mixer (with whisk attachment) - you can use a hand mixer but your arms may get tired as it whips for a long time.
- Heatproof bowl (if your stand mixer has a metal bowl, you can use that for the double boiler so you don't have to transfer it to a separate bowl after).
- Rubber Spatula
Storage
Store your chocolate mousse pie in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap. It will be good like this for up to 5 days.
FAQ
If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered here, feel free to write it in the comment section and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
As the recipe uses Swiss meringue, the eggs are cooked to a temperature of 160°F / 71°C, which makes them safe to consume.
Yes, you can use any kind of pie crust you like for this chocolate mousse pie, it goes well with just about anything.
The chocolate filling doesn't need to be baked, but the pie crust does. If you want a no-bake pie you can make it in a different crust using graham crackers or Oreo crumbs instead.
Absolutely, yes. You may have seen recipes for an 'easy chocolate pie' made by combining something like chocolate pudding with sweetened whipped cream or cool whip. Don't get me wrong, shortcut recipes like this have a time and place, but if you really want the best results for a creamy chocolate mousse with amazing flavor, it's worth it to make it from scratch.
More Decadent Chocolate Desserts
If this chocolate mousse pie is what your chocolatey dreams are made of, take a slice out of one of these other chocolate recipes:
Recipe
Chocolate Mousse Pie
Equipment
- 9-inch Pie Pan deep dish
- Whisk Attachment
- Balloon Whisk
Ingredients
- Pie Crust (baked and cooled) Homemade pie crust or store-bought. Or use Oreo or graham cracker crust for a no-bake option).
- 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream 360ml
- 10 oz Dark Chocolate 285g (chopped)
- 4 Large Egg Whites
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar 200g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or vanilla bean paste
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Prepare the pie crust first. If you are using my flaky pie crust recipe or a store-bought pie crust, fully bake it according to the recipe or package instructions and set aside to cool. If you are using a no-bake pie crust with graham crackers or Oreo crumbs, there is no need to bake it, just prepare and set aside.Pie Crust (baked and cooled)
- Finely chop the chocolate and put it into a large bowl.10 oz Dark Chocolate
- Heat the heavy cream and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it is scalding hot. (This means that there is steam rising from it and you can see tiny bubbles appearing on the surface). Do not let it boil.1 ½ cups Heavy Cream, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for one minute, then stir until all the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth, glossy ganache. Put roughly a third of the ganache (about ¾ cup) into a separate bowl. We will use this as a topping later. Set both bowls aside while you make the meringue.
- Make a double boiler by putting 1-2 inches of water into a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the water is simmering.
- Put the egg whites, sugar, and salt into a heatproof bowl and whisk them together. Put the bowl over the simmering saucepan (make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water) and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches a temperature of 160°F / 71°C or it doesn't feel grainy when you rub it in between your fingers.4 Large Egg Whites, 1 cup Granulated Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Transfer the egg white/sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment fitted and whip at high speed until glossy stiff peaks form and the bowl no longer feels warm to the touch (about 10 minutes). If your meringue reaches stiff peaks and the bowl is still warm, let it sit until it cools to room temperature, then continue.
- Gently fold the meringue into the larger bowl of chocolate ganache (the ganache should be cool by now; if it isn't, don't proceed until it is room temperature - you can put it in the fridge to speed this up but don't let it get too cold).Don't put it all in at once - add it in about a third at a time. Fold until incorporated and there are no lumps of meringue.
- Pour the chocolate mousse into your prepared pie crust and smooth it out so it is even. Put the pie in the fridge for 10 minutes to set slightly before going to the next step.
- Pour the reserved chocolate ganache on top of the mousse and spread it out so it covers the whole surface. If the ganache has cooled too much and isn't fluid enough to pour, warm it in the microwave in 5-second increments.
- Chill the pie in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Enjoy chilled and top with a dollop of chantilly cream.
Notes
Ingredients Notes:
- Heavy Cream - You must use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream that has a fat percentage of at least 36%
- Chocolate - Make sure you use real chocolate, not chocolate chips or chocolate candy bars. Look for a cocoa content of at least 54%
- Egg Whites - I recommend using real, fresh egg whites rather than carton egg whites, as the carton egg whites often don't whip up very well.
Options for pie crust:
- My homemade flaky pie crust recipe (fully baked)
- A store-bought pie crust (fully baked)
- An Oreo crust (for a no-bake pie)
- A graham cracker crust (for a no-bake pie)
Raw Eggs
As this recipe heats the egg whites to 160°F, the eggs will be safe to consume. See the post above for more detail on this.It really helps and I love hearing all your feedback!
Angel
I Love Dark Chocolate Moose, I Had My First Taste Back In '88. I Was A Diet-Aide Back Then, I Had It For My Lunch And I Never Had It Ever Since. So Now That I Came Across This Recipe, Guess What?? I'm Going To Try It, Look's Delicious and I Love Chocolate Moose. Ever Since That Day, That's Been Many- Many Moons Ago, Thank You For Sharing This Great Memory, I Really Enjoy Your Recipes and Wonderful Photos. Good Work. Have A Good Evening Into The Nite. It's 6:22 PM In The States . 3-15-25.
Heather
Maybe it's me...
I spent a lot of money on ingredients for this recipe. But it was a total flop. I made the meringue twice. The first batch never made peaks. I followed the directions to a T. Whipped it for about 40 minutes to no avail. So I started over and added cream of tartar. It made medium peaks but never did firm up. I have never made cooked meringue, only uncooked. I did the double boiler until 160°. I was very careful to not get any egg yolk in the egg whites. It was a dry day. So I have no idea why the meringue didn't set up. The ganache proportions were all wrong as well. Completely liquid. Never got thick. A cup and a half of heavy cream is way too much for 10 oz. of chocolate. Also, the recipe calls for vanilla but doesn't specify when to add it. What I ended up with was closer to chocolate milk than chocolate mousse.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Heather,
I am sooo sorry to hear your pie didn't turn out, there is nothing more disappointing than putting time and effort into something and having it flop!
I'm happy to help you troubleshoot?
For the meringue, did you use fresh eggs or a carton of egg whites? Sometimes carton egg whites just don't whip up well because of the processing they have been through.
If you used fresh eggs then there may have been some residual fat in your bowl? Egg whites are so finicky and the tiniest bit of fat can ruin them. I like to wipe my bowl with some lemon juice on paper towel before making meringue to make sure it's totally clean.
You can absolutely make this with uncooked meringue, that's actually how I do it at home, but a lot of people don't feel safe consuming that so I include instructions for cooking it so that nobody is put off trying the recipe. But next time you can absolutely just use your usual meringue method for this recipe.
As for the ganache, I have been using these proportions for this chocolate mousse for years and find it gives such a beautiful texture of mousse. If yours was too runny the first things that come to mind are the kind of cream and the kind of chocolate. You must use heavy cream with at least 36% fat content (I have updated the recipe now to stress this for future bakers!).
Also it is important that the chocolate is real chocolate, not chocolate chips or chocolate candy bars. For best results, a real, high-quality dark chocolate with between 54% and 70% cocoa solids.
I do include this information in the ingredients section of post above, but I have now copied it into the recipe card notes too just to make sure nobody misses it.
Do you think any of this could be the culprit of what went wrong with your pie?
As for the vanilla, it gets added to the cream as you are heating it.
I really hope this is helpful and that you will give it another try, because this pie is honestly divine! Thank you for trying my recipe and I'm sorry it didn't turn out for you this time!
Jules
Lynda
I haven't tried it yet, but I will. I learned that a person can still whip egg white after it was heated up. Thank you so much. I will be using an almond flour crust bc I can't tolerate the wheat flour. Thank You
Jules Grasekamp
I'm so glad I could be helpful! Almond flour crust sounds lovely - I hope you enjoy the pie when you make it 🙂
Jules
Mimi Levinson
Really great pie! I had a little bit of difficulty folding the ganache and meringue together (so had some white streaks in finished product) but that didn't really matter. I placed the ganache on the pie crust instead of putting it on top of the filling. Will definitely make again.
Jules Grasekamp
I'm so glad you loved the chocolate mousse pie Mimi - this is honestly my favorite dessert right now so it makes me happy hearing other people are loving it too!
Next time try whipping the meringue slightly less - that should help it to incorporate into your ganache a little easier!
Thank you for trying. my recipe and for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it
Jules
Alice
Can I make chocolate Moose vegan or any of your other pies or cake? Just asking
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Alice,
I am not a 'free-from' baker so I haven't tested my recipes as vegan unfortunately. While there are definitely ways to make this recipe vegan, I am no expert on that so I wouldn't want to advise you on it and have you have less than perfect results! Your best bet might be to stick with recipes that have been developed to be vegan.
Thank you,
Jules
Megan
This was horrible! It was soup and I used really good chocolate smh. I should have just stuck with the the recipe I already have! This was SOUP. I don’t even know why I put in the fridge??? hoping it firms knowing it won’t.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Megan,
I'm sorry to hear this, this shouldn't be the case at all. When made according to the recipe the chocolate mousse will be pretty thick, even before chilling, and then once it is chilled it sets firm so it holds its shape really well, as seen in the pictures. I'm happy to help you troubleshoot?
The first things I can think of that could cause a runny mousse would be the ingredients, what kind of cream did you use? And what kind of chocolate? Secondly, what method did you use to measure your ingredients?
If its not the ingredients, it could be the method, if too much air was knocked out of the meringue that could cause a runny mousse. Is there any chance the meringue was overmixed when folding it into the ganache? Also did you make the ganache first as per the recipe and then the meringue? If you do the meringue first then the ganache might still be warm when mixing it in which would also deflate the meringue.
Let me know if any of this sounds like it could have been the case and if not I'll keep thinking!
Jules
Mary DeHerrera
It didn't turn out. It was runny. I did everything I was supposed to do. Tried making this for my son in laws Christmas gift. So sad about it. I followed the recipe to a T. And it turned out runny. Please let me know why.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Mary,
I'm so sorry to hear your chocolate mousse turned out runny, that definitely shouldn't be the case! The chocolate mousse should be pretty thick, even before chilling, and then once it is chilled it sets firm so it holds its shape really well, as seen in the pictures. I'm happy to help you troubleshoot!
The first things I can think of that could cause a runny mousse would be the ingredients, what kind of cream did you use? And what kind of chocolate? Secondly, what method did you use to measure your ingredients?
If its not the ingredients, it could be the method, if too much air was knocked out of the meringue that could cause a runny mousse. Is there any chance the meringue was overmixed when folding it into the ganache? Also did you make the ganache first as per the recipe and then the meringue? If you do the meringue first then the ganache might still be warm when mixing it in which would also deflate the meringue.
Let me know if any of this sounds like it could have been the case and if not I'll keep thinking!
Jules
Cindy Dahl
Great recipe! Husband and daughter loved it. How far in advance can this be made?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Cindy,
I'm so glad you love the chocolate mousse pie! You can make it up to 5 days in advance.
Enjoy!
Jules
Betsy
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was way way to sweet. It was to much. I will pass on this pie.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Betsy,
Aw I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the pie! Do you mind me asking what kind of chocolate you used?
Thanks,
Jules
Betsy
Dove dark chocolate
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Betsy,
That makes sense, Dove dark chocolate is a candy bar, not real chocolate. Chocolate candy bars do contain real chocolate but they have lots of added sugar and other flavoring ingredients in them, which is why your mousse turned out so sweet. Next time I recommend using just a straight chocolate - check the ingredients on the back, specifically the cocoa content. If the cocoa content isn't listed it's a good sign it isn't a high quality chocolate.
Hope this helps!
Jules
Betsy
Could I use bakers chocolate or semi sweet
Jules Grasekamp
Baker's chocolate is just a brand of chocolate but it would definitely work in this recipe as it real chocolate, not a candy bar. You could use semi-sweet but you may find the end result a little too sweet depending on what percentage of cacao ithas. I recommend dark or bittersweet chocolate for this chocolate mousse. If you do use semi-sweet, try to use one with at least 50% cocoa solids.
Hope this helps,
Jules
Patsy
This recipe turned out like chocolate soup. It was terrible. I am an excellent baker and followed directions precisely and it was awful!
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Patsy,
I'm sorry to hear your chocolate mousse didn't turn out, it should set up really nice and firm so something has definitely gone wrong! I'm happy to help you troubleshoot. The most common problem that can cause it to not set is if the ratios were off in the ganache, the meringue was underwhipped, or the mixture wasn't folded carefully enough, knocking all the air out of it.
Did you measure your ingredients with a kitchen scale or with cups? This is often the issue. And was the meringue folded in by hand or did you do it in a mixer.
Hopefully we can get to the bottom of it so you can have a lovely set mousse next time 🙂
Jules
Debby
This pie is amazing, but any tips if I'm running into issues with the mousse setting enough to add the top layer of ganache? I even tried to freeze the mousse for 10 minutes instead of chill, and that didn't seem to make a difference.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Debby,
Glad you love the pie! If the mousse isn't set enough you can keep the chocolate ganache and add it later, just warm it in the microwave for a few seconds so it is spreadable again.
Jules
DLP
I've made this now twice, and the pie is amazing! The only tweak I've found I need to make is the amount of time to chill before adding the top layer of ganache. Ten minutes doesn't seem to be enough time, but chilling overnight helps.
Jules Grasekamp
I'm so glad you love the chocolate mousse pie! It's one of my favorites!
That is a good tip about the chocolate ganache, I will test it again next time I make this and maybe adjust the instructions.
Thank you,
Jules
Linda Cuellar
Can you freeze the chocolate mousse?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Linda,
Yes you can freeze the chocolate mousse but I wouldn't recommend doing it in the pie crust as it could go soggy.
Once you have let it set in the fridge or the freezer it will set into whatever shape it is in - so I would only recommend freezing if you froze it in molds to be turned out later, if that makes sense?
Thanks
Jules
Mylene
Thanks for your recipe love marking desserts looks great have a great day thanks again
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Mylene,
Thank you, I'm so glad you like it!
Jules
Kevin Bollar
Looks incredible! Will be trying it with the Oreo crust Thank you ❤️
Chris Radwanski
One word, Luxurious. This silky smooth creation is a chocolate lovers dream...and I love chocolate. Needless to say it didn't last very long in the fridge!
Nicole
What brand of dark chocolate should be used? Bakers? I use that in my chocolate cream pie, but don't know if it will work in this.
Thanks so much for the recipe. Looking forward to using the left over egg whites after I make noodles for the holidays
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Nicole,
The brand of chocolate doesn't matter so much as making sure it is a high quality, real chocolate.
Where people often go wrong is using chocolate chips or candy bars instead of real chocolate.
Baker's chocolate is 100% cacao and will give a very intense chocolate flavor. It doesn't contain any sugar so it won't add any sweetness to your pie. This is great if you prefer slightly less sweet desserts (there is still some sweetness coming from the meringue in this recipe though).
I usually go with dark chocolate (about 70% cacao) or bittersweet chocolate (about 54% cacao) for this chocolate pie recipe, but it will work with any kind so it's just down to your preference.
I hope this helps. Maybe I should write a post about the different kinds of chocolate in baking!
Jules