Category: Home Cooking

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I wanted to tell you about my new pie recipe that I tried out for the holiday. This chocolate pie was fun to make and delicious to eat! Definitely a hit with my picky child who won’t dare to taste a fruit or pumpkin pie. That speaks volumes about the taste of this decadent dessert pie.

This indulgent chocolate pie combines a silky, rich filling with a homemade chocolate crust, offering a double dose of chocolate delight. Perfect for special occasions or as a make-ahead dessert, this pie is sure to impress.

And my favorite part? It can be frozen! We did a camping Thanksgiving event this year. I froze this pie and kept it in one of the camper’s freezers until the evening before. Thawing it in the fridge made for the perfect temperature when it was time to serve it up!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Double Chocolate Delight: The combination of a chocolate crust and rich filling offers a luxurious dessert experience.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Ideal for busy schedules, this pie can be prepared in advance and frozen until needed. Just thaw in the fridge.
• Versatile Presentation: Perfect for holidays, special occasions, or as a decadent treat to satisfy those chocolate cravings.

Let’s get baking!

Decadent Chocolate Pie with Homemade Chocolate Crust

Serving Size:

Serves 6 – 8 people

Time:

3 hours

Difficulty:

Intermediate to Advanced

For the Chocolate Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/4-inch slices
6–8 tablespoons ice water

For the Chocolate Filling:
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
6 ounces (one cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Prepare the Chocolate Crust
   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, salt, and brown sugar until well combined.
   Add the cold butter slices to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
   Gradually add the ice water, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing gently until the dough begins to come together. Avoid overmixing.
   Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a round disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
   Once chilled, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, trimming any excess. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.
2. Make the Chocolate Filling
   In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.
   Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and begins to bubble; about 10 to 15 minutes.
   In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks. Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture to the yolks, whisking constantly to temper them.
   Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens further, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Continue to stir until bubbling stops to prevent the bottom burning.
   Add the chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla extract to the hot mixture, stirring until the chocolate and butter are fully melted and the filling is smooth.
3. Assemble and Bake the Pie
   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
   Pour the warm chocolate filling into the prepared chocolate crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.
   Bake the pie in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 350°F (176.67°C). Continue baking for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is set and the filling is slightly puffed.
   Turn the oven off, crack the door about an inch, and leave the pie in the oven. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to fully set.
4. Serve and Enjoy
   Before serving, top the pie with freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired. It’s also very tasty without toppings. Slice and serve chilled.

Tips for Freezing and Thawing a Decadent Chocolate Pie with Homemade Chocolate Crust

Freezing: Once the pie has fully set in the refrigerator, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 weeks.
Thawing: Transfer the pie to the refrigerator 24 hours before serving to thaw gradually. Avoid thawing at room temperature to maintain the best texture.

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Extra Gooey and Perfect for Cozy Mornings

These soft, gooey cinnamon rolls have a delicious twist: a sweet maple cream filling and a simple maple glaze that bring out the cozy flavors of real maple syrup. Perfect for making with kids or sharing with the family!

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Cinnamon Roll Bread Base Recipe

You will start this project by making a fluffy bread base. Mix together flour, yeast, sugar, milk, melted butter, and an egg.

Knead Dough

Turn the cinnamon roll dough mixture out onto a smooth surface. I used a cutting board, but a smooth and clean countertop works just as well.

With clean hands, knead the dough until it is fully combined and smooth.

Cover Dough and Let it Rise

Place the dough back in the mixing bowl. Cover with clear plastic wrap. Let the cinnamon roll dough rise for about 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.

Make the Maple Cinnamon Roll Filling

While the dough rises, you can make the maple cinnamon filling. Combine room-temperature butter with brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Then gently blend together until the mixture is smooth.

Roll out the Dough And Spread the Filling

Using a rolling pen, flatten the dough into a large, 12-inch by 19-inch rectangle.

Spread the filling onto the rectangle of dough.

Roll and Slice Your Maple Cream Cinnamon Rolls

Next comes the tricky part; turn the dough into swirled log by rolling the long edge of the dough up and into itself. Imagine you are rolling up an area rug that is going into storage.

Slice and Bake

Slice into 12 even rolls and place them in a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Then, if any leftover filling has squeezed out onto the cutting board, spread it across the top of the rolls. Cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another 30 minutes or until they’ve doubled in size.

Drizzle With Heavy Whipping Cream

Warm heavy whipping cream for 15 seconds in the microwave. It may bubble over, so use a coffee cup or larger measuring cup to warm the cream. Then drizzle it over the cinnamon rolls just before baking.

Bake Until Golden and Bubbly

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown and the gooey filling is hot and bubbling.

Let Cool while Making the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

The Maple Cream Cinnamon Rolls will need to cool for about 10 minutes before you can frost them, so right after they come out of the oven is a great time to mix up your frosting. Combine powdered sugar, maple syrup, melted cream cheese, milk and just a pinch of course kosher or sea salt to cut the sweetness.

Mix the frosting together then, (if it has been 10 minutes) drizzle it over the cinnamon rolls.

Serve and Enjoy

When your Chicken and Rice Soup recipe has finished cooking, you are ready to eat! Let it cool a little, then serve cozy meals to your whole family. Or, save the batch in individual soup containers and freeze for later.

Maple Cream Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Serving Size:

Makes 12 Rolls

Time:

45 Minutes

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Oven Temperature
350°F (175°C)

Ingredients
For the Dough:

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant yeast
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup warm milk (110°F)
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 egg
  For the Filling:
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup real maple syrup
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (for extra gooeyness)
  For the Maple Glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp real maple syrup
• 2 tbsp melted cream cheese
• 2 tbsp milk
• Pinch of coarse Kosher or Sea Salt (to balance the sweetness)

Directions

1. Make the Dough:
   In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
   In a separate bowl, whisk together warm milk, melted butter, and egg.
   Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
   Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
   Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
2. Prepare the Filling:
   In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup until well combined.
3. Roll and Fill the Dough:
   Roll out the dough into a large rectangle (about 12×18 inches).
   Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
   Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log and cut into 12 even rolls.
4. The Extra Gooey Secret:
   Place the rolls in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
   Spread any excess filling onto the top of the cinnamon rolls.
   Warm the heavy cream slightly and pour it evenly over the rolls before baking.
5. Bake:
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
   Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for another 20-30 minutes.
   Warm the heavy cream slightly and pour it evenly over the rolls before baking.
   Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling at the edges.
6. Make the Maple Glaze:
   While the rolls are baking, whisk together the powdered sugar, real maple syrup, milk, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
7. Glaze and Serve:
   Let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes before drizzling the maple glaze over the top.
   Serve warm and enjoy the gooey, maple-flavored goodness!

Tips for Success:

Make Ahead: You can prep the rolls the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Make sure you have let the rolls rise until they are double in size before refrigerating to keep them fluffy. In the morning, let them come to room temperature and rise a bit longer before baking (2-3 hours on the counter or 45 minutes in a bread-proofing oven.)

Use Real Maple Syrup: The deep flavor of real maple syrup makes all the difference.

Don’t Skip the Heavy Cream: This is what makes the rolls ultra-soft and gooey, creating a caramel-like layer.

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Need Baking Supplies?

Find Liz’s Baking Favorites at her Amazon Influencer affliate page.

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