Sweets

Classic French Silk Pie

Author: Mary DiSomma

Contrary to the name, this beloved icebox pie doesn’t come from France at all. French silk pie was created in 1951 by Betty Cooper of Silver Spring, Maryland, for the Pillsbury Bake-Off. Legend has it that she got the recipe from a friend’s mother—Hilda Larson. Personally, I think both women deserve the credit.


The rich, creamy texture is what makes this pie unforgettable. The filling is deeply chocolatey, almost like a mousse. Somehow it always turns out silky and indulgent without being too dense or heavy. I love it with my favorite homemade pie dough, but it’s also wonderful with an Oreo crust if you’re really, really craving chocolate. This is a make-ahead recipe, and it’s super easy to serve when you’re ready. Just top it off with some whipped cream, and don’t be surprised when guests immediately ask for seconds!

Just one little disclaimer before we get started—if you choose to use a classic pie crust instead of an Oreo cookie pie crust, you will have to bake the crust.

Mary’s Favorite Pie Crust for Sweet or Savory Pies➝

Classic French Silk Pie

This classic French silk pie features a silky chocolate mousse filling. Choose your own adventure: classic pie crust or an easy, no-bake Oreo crust. This make-ahead icebox pie is perfect for holidays and special occasions.

Yield
9-Inch Pie
Prep Time
40 minutes 40 min
Cook Time
20 minutes 20 min
Total Time
1 hour 1 hr

Ingredients

For the Crust

For the Chocolate Silk Filling

For the Topping

Optional Garnishes

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. You can also pop the bowl of your stand mixer in the fridge to chill at this point. You can use a metal mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer.
  2. If you’re using my Mary’s Favorite Pie Crust recipe, get your crust in the pie tin, then line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper. Fill this with pie weights or dried beans. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed around the pie dish.
  3. Bake until the edge of the crust is just starting to brown (about 15 minutes). Remove the pie tin from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper (with the weights) out of the crust. Using a fork, make about 6 pricks in the bottom of the crust. Return the pie crust to the oven and bake for 8 more minutes, then remove from the oven to cool.
  4. If you’re using an Oreo Crust, bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pie weights and bake for another 3 minutes. Either crust you choose needs to cool completely before you add the filling.
  5. Pour the cream into your chilled mixing bowl. Using the whip attachment, whip the cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to another bowl and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the filling. You will be using the mixer bowl again so wash and dry it.
  6. Place the chocolate in a microwavable bowl. Microwave in 20 second bursts until the chocolate is melted.
  7. Fill a pot with water. Place a heatproof bowl over the water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Remove the bowl and heat the water. Add the eggs and ½ cup sugar into the bowl and whisk for 2 minutes to combine.
  8. When the water is simmering, place the bowl with the eggs on top of the pot. Make sure the water is simmering, not boiling. Whisk constantly until this mixture reaches a temperature of 160 °F. Use an instant-read thermometer designed for food to measure this. This method ensures that your eggs reach a temperature that makes them safe to consume.
  9. Using a stand mixer, beat the butter with the remaining ½ cup of sugar on medium speed until creamy (about 3 minutes). Scrape the side of the bowl often to make sure all the butter is evenly whipped.
  10. Reduce the mixer speed to low then add the chocolate and the egg mixture. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the refrigerated whipped cream using a rubber spatula.
  11. Spread the filling evenly into the cooled pie crust and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. The pie can be prepared to this point and then stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days if you don’t plan to serve it right away.
  12. When you are ready to serve, prepare the whipped cream topping. In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer, use the whip attachment to whip the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
  13. Next, reduce the speed to medium and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, followed by the cornstarch and vanilla extract. Whip until the mixture becomes fairly stiff. Mound the whipped cream on top of the chilled pie. Garnish with chocolate curls and, if you want even more chocolate, Mary’s Hot Fudge Sauce. Enjoy!
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Classic French Silk Pie

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Ingredient Tips

A classic French silk pie recipe includes a baked pie crust, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and whipped cream. Whipped cream is the classic topping choice, and for good reason! If you want to make it even fancier, you can garnish it withchocolate curls (click the link to see how to make them)or a drizzle ofmy homemade hot fudge recipefor extra flair.

How to Make Chocolate Curls➝

Classic Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce➝

High-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate will make the best French silk pie. Look for chocolate with a cocoa percentage between 60 and 70% for a rich, balanced flavor that won’t get bitter. Chocolate is the star of this chocolate silk pie recipe, so it’s worth choosing one you truly enjoy!

Preparation + Preservation Tips

Both are chocolate-forward desserts. The texture is the key difference here. A chocolate cream pie uses a cooked custard or pudding-style filling, while French silk pie uses a whipped, mousse-like chocolate filling. French silk pies are usually made with butter, sugar, eggs, and melted chocolate. The result is light, airy, and luxurious.

I’d say the two secret ingredients are temperature and patience. You will be melting chocolate, creaming butter, and using eggs too. The temperature for handling each of these ingredients properly is important. When you fold in the whipped cream, be careful not to overmix, or the texture of the finished pie will change. And finally, this pie needs time in the refrigerator to fully set, so just be patient. The wait is worth it!

Extra Tips

The name “French silk” is meant to convey how luxurious and smooth the texture of the filling is—like I said earlier, it’s not a reference to the recipe’s origin. The chocolate mousse-like filling really is silky! While it’s not a traditional French dessert, the technique and richness do feel reminiscent of Old World chocolate desserts. If you’re looking to learn more about chocolate French pies or make ahead silk pie recipes, be sure to keep reading!

An icebox pie is a dessert that cools in the refrigerator, rather than baking in the oven. This chocolate silk pie recipe is a perfect example—the crust is baked, but the filling needs to chill until it sets properly. Icebox pies are wonderful for entertaining because they can be made in advance and finished just before serving.

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