The ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie is so incredibly rich and delicious, none of your guests will ever know it’s vegan! Only 7 ingredients and super easy to make! NO tofu! I served it on my Homemade Gluten-free Vegan Pie Crust, but you can use store-bought easily, if preferred.
VEGAN CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE
One bite in and my daughter declared this Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie the best dessert I’ve ever created. She then asked for a 2nd piece promptly! It seriously is the best vegan chocolate pie ever. That is saying a lot, considering I’ve created hundreds of desserts that she loves! But the girl loves chocolate and whipped cream, so this one stole her heart! Your guests will NOT believe you if you tell them it’s vegan. In fact, they will probably accuse you of lying, haha.
Unlike most vegan chocolate cream pie recipes you will fine online, this is a vegan chocolate cream pie without tofu! So, yay for the soy-free peeps! No tofu my friends! The filling is only 6 ingredients, plus optional espresso.
She’s such a beauty too, right?!
THE PERFECT TEXTURE
The texture is a dream. Rich, decadent, creamy, lush, soft yet firm. Not blob-like at all. Y’all know how I feel about blob pies. I expressed my take on those on my Best Vegan Pumpkin Pie post, haha. Pies that are so soft they are like pudding on a fork. Nope, nope, nope. Or they melt within 5 minutes of removal from the fridge. No, we need a pie we can take out and serve guests on the holidays or special occasion without panicking it will melt. This vegan chocolate cream pie stays firm beautifully! It will soften a tiny bit over time, but it never melts into a blob. Many chocolate cream pies melt too fast for my taste.
I mean, look at this texture….
This vegan chocolate cream pie is not for those who are wanting low-fat. This is not the recipe for that, haha. It is decadent to the max. This is a recipe that I would only make for special occasions or holidays because it is very rich. But, it is so worth it! A tiny slice will satisfy.
INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE
- Dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips: You can use Enjoy Life or another brand like Trader Joe’s or the Heb brand. Just make sure it is vegan without milk in the ingredients.
- Raw cashew butter: I always make a batch for this using my tutorial here since it is probably my favorite nut butter to use in desserts. It gives impeccable flavor and richness while also firming up really well. Other nut butters do not firm up. It also only takes 10 minutes to make. If you don’t already have a batch made, you can make it the day before the pie to save time, so it has cooled off.
- Full-fat coconut milk: Sorry, but there is not much getting around this one. In order for it to be creamy and set, it needs this milk. But don’t fret, it does not leave a coconut taste whatsoever. The chocolate is all front and center. If you are allergic to coconut, you can try to sub with another high fat milk like macadamia or cashew or oat, maybe. Just keep in mind, it will not have the same creamy, light texture. It will be more hard/dense like a tart, so do not sub unless allergic. Also, it may not hold its shape quite as well in the fridge or at room temp, so you may need to keep it in the freezer and remove a bit before serving.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: A touch of bitter cocoa powder helps offset some of the sweetness from the chocolate chips.
- Vanilla extract
- Espresso powder or instant coffee: This is optional, but does enrich the overall chocolate flavor.
- Pie crust: Use store-bought or a crust of your choice. I used my new vegan gluten-free pie crust.
- Dairy-free whipped cream: I used the Reddi-Wip non-dairy almond whipped cream from a can because it’s easy to use and holds its shape well. You could also use So Delicious cocowhip or make your own if you like from full-fat coconut milk.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE
Step 1: Melt the chocolate chips and milk together in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the melted chocolate to a blender or food processor.
3. Add the remaining filling ingredients and blend until completely smooth.
4. Pour filling into prepared prebaked 9 inch pie crust.
5. Place in the freezer 1 hour to do a quick set and then transfer to the fridge to chill for several hours or overnight for the best set texture. If you don’t have room in your freezer, just place it in the fridge overnight.
6. Once ready to serve, garnish with non-dairy whipped cream. I like to use the Reddi-Wip non-dairy almond whipped cream and spray around the chilled chocolate pie in a swirling motion. Top with shaved dark chocolate, using a chocolate bar. Use a really sharp knife to carefully cut each slice and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in the fridge! I like to cover my pie with a flipped over large plate instead of foil, since foil will mess up the topping.
MORE VEGAN CHOCOLATE DESSERTS
- Best Vegan Fudgy Brownies
- Vegan Gluten-free Double Chocolate Muffins
- Grain-free Chocolate Coconut Cookies
- Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Vegan Zucchini Fudgy Brownies
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie (No Tofu!)
Ingredients
- one 9 inch pre-baked pie crust I used my gluten-free homemade one, but you can use store-bought as well, just make sure to use one that isn't too shallow or the filling may be too much
- 400 grams dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)
- 1 1/2 cups (360g) full-fat coconut milk (I use & recommend Thai Kitchen brand) This does not leave a coconut taste, it is just rich chocolate!
- 1/2 cup (128g) raw cashew butter (I always use my homemade b/c no added oil)
- 2 tablespoons (12g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground espresso or instant coffee (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- dairy-free whipped cream, I used Reddi-wip Almond from the can (can be purchased at Walmart, Target) SEE NOTES
NOTE
- You really want to weigh these ingredients, so your filling sets up right, if possible.
- I use this scale
Instructions
- Have your prebaked pie crust ready before making the filling, so it has a bit of time to cool first. If using a store-bought one, bake according to the package directions.
- IMPORTANT: With the coconut milk, sometimes, the cream separates from the water in a can or is really chunky. To make sure you get the correct amount and texture, I like to blend up the can of milk to a smooth consistency first and then measure.
- Add the chocolate chips and coconut milk to a large bowl. Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir and heat in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each, until it is about 90% melted.
- Whisk until completely smooth and melted and pour into a blender or food processor.
- Add the cashew butter, cocoa powder, vanilla, espresso (if using) and salt to the blender of chocolate.
- Blend until fully smooth and pour over the prebaked pie crust.
- Place in the freezer 1 hour (no longer!) to do a quick set and then transfer to the fridge to chill completely and firm up for several hours or overnight for the best set texture. If you don’t have room in your freezer, just place it in the fridge overnight.
- Once ready to serve, garnish with non-dairy whipped cream. I like to use the Reddi-Wip non-dairy almond whipped cream and spray around the chilled chocolate pie in a swirling motion. Top with shaved dark chocolate, using a chocolate bar. Use a really sharp knife to carefully cut each slice and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in the fridge. I like to cover my pie with a flipped over large plate instead of foil, since foil will mess up the topping.
Notes
- I used the non-dairy Reddi-Wip Almond Whipped Cream from a can to decorate the top of the chocolate pie. I used this because I love the flavor and so does my family. It also holds its shape fairly well stored in the fridge, as leftovers. Alternatively, you can also use the tub of SoDelicious cocowhip. Just make sure to let it soften a bit from the freezer first and then gently spread on top of the pie right before serving. I find that this stuff melts really fast though, so that is why I prefer the can. You could also use homemade coconut whipped cream if you like. I did not want any coconut flavor to this pie though for my guests, so that is additionally why I opted for the canned variety.
- Prep time does not include preparing or baking the pie crust.
- Nutrition stats do not include whipped topping or crust, since that can greatly vary depending on what crust you use or brand of whipped topping.
Hi Brandi. This looks delicious! My daughter loves chocolate cream pie but has an allergy to cashews. Is there a substitute for the cashew butter. Thank you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Michele
Hi Michele, cashew butter helps this pie firm and setup really well in the fridge. You can try subbing with sunbutter (without any added oil) instead, but it will definitely change the flavor to where you may taste sunbutter since cashew butter is naturally sweet and tastes much different. If you like sunbutter you may not mind this. Also, it will not setup the same way, so you may need to store it in the freezer and then try removing it 1 hour before serving, I’m guessing!
Hey Brandi, My mom and I are making this pie for Thanksgiving! Yay! I couldn’t find raw cashew butter at our store, so I got the regular. It’s the Justin’s brand and doesn’t look runny at all, so I hope it firms up nicely… We are making it in the morning and then chilling it in the fridge for about 6 1/2 hours. Do you think that’s enough time for it to set?
Hi Marie! Yes, it’s basically impossible to find it anywhere in stores, which is why I noted I always just make my own. I really wish stores would consider carrying the raw! The issue is that brand has added oil, unless you found one that is just cashews? Check the ingredients because added oil will affect how it sets up. 100% just cashews butter is what helps it set. Also, roasted cashew butter is much stronger and oilier in flavor, so it will change the overall flavor some (more nutty). 6 1/2 hours should definitely be enough time for it to set, just follow the steps about freezing it for 1 hour first. My only concern is how firm it will get or stay with that cashew butter, so fingers crossed that it is not too soft!
I found my raw cashew butter at Whole Foods. Hope that helps!
Thank you Samantha! yes, that is literally the only store I have ever seen raw cashew butter at without additives. I’ve ordered it online from Dastony, but it is so sad that literally no stores or brands other that carry a plain raw cashew butter.
Vitacost.com sells raw cashew butter.
What does 400 grams of semi-sweet chocolate chips equal to in cups? Thanks for your answer.
Hi Eleanor, it can vary a bit if you are using mini chips or the regular size since they can fill up the cup a bit different, which is why I strongly recommend weighing them, but it is about 2 1/4 cups, so I would go with that. There is not automatic grams to cups conversion because it will vary depending on what you are weighing and the recipe itself.
Silky smooth heaven!
Oh yay! Glad you made it!
Girrrrrl… looks so good!!! Great job!! I want to shovel the entire thing in!!
Haha thanks my friend! We ate half of it rather quickly. Saving the rest for Thanksgiving!
This was an amazing and super easy pie to make! Love that it is dairy and soy free!!!
Thank you so much Amber, I’m so very happy to hear how much you enjoyed it and I loved your pic and review on IG! So glad to hear it was one of the best pies you’ve ever made, it looked perfect!
Wow! This was so incredible that we didn’t even wait until Thanksgiving and cut into it! Amazing – but it will take enormous willpower not to sneak slices as I pass by the refrigerator. Bravo, Brandi!
Yay Lora!! So very happy to hear that!! Haha, I know what you mean, I’ve been sneaking to the fridge multiple times into our chocolate pie!! Thank you so much for making it!
Brandi this recipe is genius! The chocolate filling is rock-star quality. My family’s traditional Thanksgiving pies were not pumpkin but chocolate cream. But after giving up dairy I didn’t know how to pull this off so I haven’t had chocolate cream pie since forever. So glad I had the ingredients on hand to make this because it will totally be the star of the show 🙂 And thanks for another brilliant recipe. When you post a way to make something I trust it. I mean, I’m making this pie with almost no room to spare for the big day so that’s a sign of real faith! Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
Yay! Kate, this review made me jump for joy, haha! I’m so very thrilled you loved this pie so much and it lived up to the one you loved from your dairy version, woohoo! And thank you for the lovely words and your faith in my recipes, that is such a blessing to hear!
Wow! The recipe sounds soooo yummy! Can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
Thank you so much Joshua!
Vegan chocolate pie is one of my favorite desserts! It’s so delicious but easy to make and just perfect for any occasions! Would love to try yours! Happy Thanksgiving to you! Lots of love, Bianca ❤️
Thank you sweet Bianca for stopping by!
My oh my. This was so decadent. So creamy and dreamy. What a treat. Truly. Thank you!!!!
I’m so happy this was such a hit for you Trish! Thank you so much for making it!
First up is Chocolate Cream Pie and it is super decadent but so easy to make. It totally wowed my family. I would have to agree this is the best chocolate pie I’ve ever had. Lots of moaning. I was almost embarrassed. Haha
They were all floored when I told them it was vegan. No leftovers!
Made this for Thanksgiving. Easy, rich, and good!
Made this for Thanksgiving and my non-vegan family loved it! Woo! It’s super delicious and super rich and chocolatey. I was actually wondering if I can make it with less chocolate chips to make it a bit more mild? Either way, thank you for this recipe!!
Hi Anna! So glad it was such a hit! More mild? The only thing is the chocolate chips help it set up its shape. If you reduce them, it will become much more soft. You can always experiment but it will likely make it more like a really soft pie or pudding.
Tested this recipe last week in advance of a holiday party for this week and E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E loved it. Even my co-worker that isn’t big on chocolate at all said “I know! But, this?” and she shook her head up and down in a yes motion and gave a smile. For my bake this week, I’m going to make the chocolate shavings with a dairy-free dark chocolate and raspberry bar for a little tart kick.
Quick question – I was thinking of using some of the leftover chocolate (for some reason I had too much for my 9 inch pie and I measured to the gram) inside a puff pastry to make little puff pastry trees. Do you think the chocolate blend will bake okay? This is the chocolate that hasn’t been chilled, of course.
Thank you,
Mere
That is so wonderful to hear Meredith, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! If you had too much, that is due to the size of the 9 inch pan. Some 9 inch pans, especially store-bought ones are very shallow, so they won’t fill up much. Since I used an actual pie dish with tall sides, it had plenty of room leftover even after adding all the chocolate. As far as the puff pastry, I’m not sure, as I don’t know if it would melt or run too much baking in the oven. Croissant filled with chocolate are typically made using chocolate bars, so I’m not sure. I would just use the extra chocolate for maybe some extra mini pies inside some baking liners maybe?
Hi Brandi!
Thank you SO MUCH for this recipe I plan on making it for a Christmas Party I am going to next week. My question: I have to travel about 2 1/2 hrs to 3 with it, will this be alright in the car for that log? Should I store it in ice?
Thanks in advance 🙂
You are so welcome Megan! Yes, if you fully chill it overnight as listed, you should be totally fine! It sits out at room temperature beautifully! As long as it isn’t near a blowing heater in the car, haha.
Hahaha thanks! I am in florida so no heating in the car 🙂 making it tonight!!
Made this pie last night, OMG IT WAS DELICIOUS. It was like fudge in a pie crust, everyone LOVED it. I thought I had cashew butter but didn’t and don’t have a food processor to make my own so I found a way to make it work. I knew my vitamix couldn’t make cashew butter but could blend it up cashews whole in sauces like vegan fettuccine. So I put the chocolate and coconut milk mixture in the vitamix and then added the raw cashews whole and blended it up ( I used a little less cashews then it called for). It worked perfect, it got super smooth and I had no problems with it. It firmed right up!!! Just wanted to share for anyuone else who ends up in my position. Thanks Brandi for another awesome recipe!
Yay, so glad you loved it! Oh yes, I actually did the same on the pie I made over Christmas as well, haha! I didn’t have quite enough cashew butter, so used raw cashews to make up the remainder of the weight. As long as you use the same weight amount in grams as the cashew butter, it will yield the same results. And of course, have a Vitamix to get it 100% smooth!
This pie was a huge hit at a family Christmas get together. Before going vegan, I loved dark chocolate truffles. This totally reminds me of one giant truffle…it’s so good and rich!!! I made your homemade pie crust too and the combination works really well together. Although it’s easier, I will never buy the premade pie crusts again! I added a little bit of maple syrup to the pie filling to make it more kid friendly. If you’re like me and forget to buy a chocolate bar for shavings on the top, vegan dark chocolate chunks (like chocolate chips) in a food processor work out fine. I will definitely be making this again! Great recipe!!! Thank you!!!
Hello Brandi,
Reading through the recipe made me a little suspicious about the quantities and ratios of some of the ingredients listed for your Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie. 400 grams of chocolate chips, 14.2 ounces is a lot of chocolate for just 360 grams of full-fat coconut milk. I had only 198 grams of chocolate which I mixed with the ‘Thai Kitchen brand coconut milk which I softened using your method expecting to compensate by adding extra cocoa powder. When I put the mixture into my Vitamix blender the mixture was too thick for the blender to mix. I used the pusher hoping it would eventually mix adequately but with the cashew portion plus other ingredients there’s no way it would go into a satisfactory combining form. So I was challenged with how to salvage the process. I chose to add almond milk little by little until I achieved a mixture that would combine without using the pusher. I finally ended up adding 1 1/2 cups almond milk. I didn’t have ‘Enjoy Life’ chocolate chips and don’t know their sweetness but my mixture was not sweet enough. I had to add 3 tablespoon fulls of evaporated cane sugar crystals to bring the sweetness up to adequate. Your recipe does not ask for added sweetener. After pouring the mixture into the pie shell there was absolutely no necessity to put it into the freezer at all. Simply refrigeration over night made it plenty firm.
My conclusion after this experiment is that there is far too much chocolate for the amount of liquid suggested in this recipe and that there needs to be additional sweetener as an added ingredient and with these changes there may be other adjustments made to give a satisfactory product.
My experience makes me question whether this recipe was tested as written by a number of individuals.
Hi Carl, I’m not sure why you had trouble without being there but the recipe absolutely does work, which is why it was posted. I’m extremely particular with my testing before I ever post a recipe. It is a lot of chocolate, yes, but that is why you melt the chocolate with the milk, which then turns it into a complete liquid and blending that liquid with cashew butter, cocoa, etc., it is a pourable liquid that you pour into the pie crust. You can even see the liquid in the photos poured into the crust. Did you perhaps only use the coconut cream and not mix up the milk FIRST before measuring? The cream and water separate inside the can, so it has to be mixed up first, as noted, before measuring. Also, not sure what you mean by being tested by many individuals because there are numerous reviews right above yours all from actual readers who’ve made this, which you can see, who’ve all made it with 100% success and given it 5 stars. I, myself have made this at least 5 times and it works perfectly every time, so I’m sorry to hear you had trouble. It sounds to me like your ingredients were not melted enough and you used a very different type of chocolate, a bitter one perhaps because this is definitely very sweet! But the fact that you added 1 1/2 cups of extra milk would also explain also why yours ended up not tasting sweet enough, because you completely altered the liquid ratio. Not sure why yours was so thick, something wasn’t melted or was too cold or something, hard to say!
Jumping in again to say that I made this last night for my birthday and ate it for breakfast! Birthdays in lockdown have no rules. It is still my favorite favorite favorite plant based dessert ever. I added a sprinkling of choc chips to the top and could only find rice whipped cream in the store. The only pie shell (no flour available here for homemade) was a spelt shell which is great. Yum!!
Woohoo, thanks Lora!
Omg… I brought this to a family gathering and it was devoured and raved about. I used a store-bought gram cracker crust and threw this together in about 10 minutes, let it set, and wallah! Chocolate dreamy goodness that pleased even the most skeptical non-vegan taster.
xoxo One of Brandi/Vegan8’s Biggest Admirers
Wow, that is amazing feedback to hear, thank you so kindly for sharing Rachel!!
Hi Brandi,
Thank you for this recipe! My daughter, who should not eat dairy or soy, asked me to make her a chocolate silk pie for her birthday. This recipe met all her dietary requirements and it is delicious! I do have a question about storage. One pie is alot for just the two of us. If I want to store it for a longer period of time can I place some of it back in the freezer until I am ready to return it to the fridge? Or, how long can it safely be kept in the refrigerator?
Thank you!
So happy to hear that Bonnie!! It lasts several days in the fridge fine, but if you won’t finish it in around 4 days, I’d put it in the freezer and just thaw individual slices as you want some to soften to your desire at room temperature.
Hi Brandi. Anxious to try this for my very own birthday treat! For those of us that don’t use microwaves, can we melt the chocolate and milk with a double broiler? Or is the microwave the only way to go? Thanks for amazing recipes.
Yes, a double boiler is totally fine!
Hi!! I’m wondering what are all the possible substitutions for the cashew butter. Thanks so much!
Hi Meghann, hmmm maybe macadamia butter?? The cashew butter really helps to firm up the pie, so without it, it will be really soft. Almond butter is too runny and won’t work the same. If you want a chocolate pie type of recipe without cashew butter, try this one instead! https://thevegan8.com/vegan-chocolate-sweet-potato-tart/ OR even this one: https://thevegan8.com/no-bake-chocolate-mint-tart-two/
Very good, but filling. You have to take small pieces.
Thank you Brandi for your good recipes, greetings from Sweden!
Ha, yes, tiny slices fulfills the craving perfectly!
I have made this pie TWICE. SO SO SO SO GOOOOOOD!!! My friends and I devoured it all so fast. I crave it all the time. First time, I also made my own cashew butter. I thought my Ninja food processor was strong or powerful enough to do the job in 10 minutes like the recipe, but I was wrong. It took me about an hour to reach you same consistency, fortunately I had a lot of time to spend. For the second time, I used store bought cashew butter from Sprouts and it turned out the same! I also did not have any cocoa power on hand during the second time and it still turned out delicious.
Thanks for this amazing recipe! Love it so much.
Wow, that is so amazing to hear!! Thank you so much for the feedback!
This pie is INSANE!! I made it in honor of my dad – he would have been 78 yesterday, and he loved chocolate pie. I made it and then delivered a few pieces to my mom and my brother and his family, and it was a huge hit. It is decadent and just freakin’ amazing. I’m glad I took the time to make my own cashew butter – it took some patience because I don’t have a super high-power food processor, but it got to where it needed to be. I just had to stick with it for several minutes and take breaks to scrape it down. I’m wondering if that binding power of the cashew butter would also work in pumpkin pie. I haven’t found a good vegan alternative to the eggs in a pumpkin pie – i think you have a recipe for that, and I will check it out too. Thank you for sharing this! Truly amazing. I will make it again soon!
Aww Jennifer, this meant so much to read! I’m so happy you made this in honor of your Dad who loved chocolate pie and very touched that you loved it so much. Thank you for leaving awesome feedback. And yes, definitely make my pumpkin pie! It is perfection, if I do say so myself, lol….no mushy blob texture, nice and firm, but creamy! It uses walnuts instead of cashews for a rich, buttery flavor. Definitely make that one!
Wow. This looks really good! But it seems like a lot of chocolate chips! Most other recipes use around one cup.
Thanks! Well, I can’t speak for other people’s recipes since I don’t base mine on others, but rather create them uniquely on my own through lots of testing until I reach a recipe I’m happy with. My pie does not rely on tofu or starches to thicken like maybe what else you are seeing out there. Also, this is a VERY thick, tall chocolate pie, not a short one, so there is a heavy amount of filling to accommodate that. It works wonderfully. As you can see, readers above love the recipe, so definitely give it a try!
Hi Brandi! I will be traveling for Thanksgiving. Can the pie crust and filling be separately prepared ahead and assembled ~48 hours later? If so, can the crust travel as a ball, not formed on a pie plate?
Hi Isabel, you could make the crust the day before, but the filling, you can’t really make separately, because it starts to firm up as it’s chilled and it has to setup and firm up IN the baked crust.
Can anyone confirm how much 400 grams of chocolate chips equals in cups?
Hi Leah! It can vary a bit if you are using mini chips or the regular size since they can fill up the cup a bit different, which is why I strongly recommend weighing them, but it is about 2 1/4 cups, so I would go with that. There is not automatic grams to cups conversion because it will vary depending on what you are weighing and the recipe itself.
Hi, can you use peanut butter instead? If so, what happens to the consistency? Thanks.
Hi Paul! Hmmm, not sure about that. Raw cashew butter has exceptional firming qualities. You can try peanut butter if you like, but just be prepared it will of course change the flavor (it’s less sweet than cashew butter) and be softer. I *think* it will be firm enough in the fridge, it just may get softer at room temperature than with the cashew butter. Let me know if you try it!
Hi there. I can’t consume caffeine so I am wondering if anyone has tried making this with carob powder and carob chips. I know the flavor will be different, but I think the consistency should be the same. Just curious if you’ve tried it or received any feedback about this. Thank you!
Hi Dawn! Hmm, I’ve never worked with carob before, so I really do not know. I’ve heard they can be tricky to melt properly. Also, they are much, much sweeter than chocolate chips, so I imagine the pie would be quite sweet. But let me know if you try it!