Fudge pie made with cocoa takes about 10 minutes to put together and 30 minutes to bake into the most delicious pie you’ve ever had!

A slice of fudge pie topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

If you ask my family what they want for dessert, hands down every single one of us will say something chocolate. Chocolate Chess pie, chocolate cake, chocolate something—which doesn’t mean we don’t like other desserts too. Give me a good Creme Brulee any day!

But overall, we crave chocolate. Which probably helps explain the preponderance of chocolate recipes on this site and why we love this fudge pie so much!

I admit I’m a chocoholic. If it’s chocolate, I’ll probably eat it. And side note, if you love chocolate to, be sure and try this Chocolate Silk Pie from my friend Stacey.

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White Chocolate Cheesecake Barsthese luscious cheesecake bars are super easy to make!

I like a mixing bowl that’s deep so my batter doesn’t splash out the sides, and this set is perfect! And of course you need a pie plate for serving this pie–you can’t go wrong with this classic Pyrex and it’s so inexpensive!

Ingredients

The ingredients for this delicious chocolate fudge pie are basic and stuff that you probably have in your pantry and fridge right now. As a matter of fact, after you make this fudge pie once, you’ll probably make sure that you always have these ingredients handy so you can make it again on the spur of the moment!

  • Pie crust – refrigerated or homemade works best
  • Sugar
  • Cocoa
  • Butter – unsalted
  • Flour
  • Vanilla

With that combination, how can you go wrong?

**Cook’s Tip: If you want to make homemade pie crust, this recipe is super easy. Otherwise, I suggest using the refrigerated pie crusts. I don’t suggest using a frozen pie shell and you can see why in my tips below.

I love that this is a chocolate pie with cocoa, so you don’t have to bother with melting chocolate, or even remembering to buy chocolate. I may not always have baking chocolate in my pantry, but I ALWAYS have cocoa!

This fudge pie recipe comes together in about ten minutes, bakes for about thirty—and then all that luscious, gooey, chocolatey goodness is ready to eat.

My friend Frank said on Saturday, “That’s about the best chocolate pie I’ve ever eaten!” And I would have to agree.

How to Make Fudge Pie

Step 1. Start by melting 3/4 cup of unsalted butter in a large bowl in the microwave. Let that cool for just a few minutes, then stir in 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar.

Step 2. Use a hand mixer or whisk to dissolve the sugar, and keep in mind the sugar won’t dissolve completely until baking. The mixture will feel slightly grainy, which is perfectly fine.

Step 3. Add 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 3 eggs to the sugar. Beat or whisk all together until batter is smooth.

**Cook’s Tip: I prefer to use a hand mixer but I have just used a whisk at times as well. This old-fashioned fudge pie recipe is a KISS pie—you know what that means!

Step 4. Pour the batter into a 9-inch pie crust and bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set.

**Cook’s Tip: A frozen 9-inch pie shell is actually smaller than a regular 9-inch pie plate so you will have extra filling if using frozen. 

Step 5. Remove pie from oven and place on a cooling rack. The top should have a slight crust and there may be a few cracks here and there.

Serving Suggestions

So I make either this Fudge Pie or my Cream Cheese Pound Cake when I’m taking something to a party, or when I’m taking comfort food to someone. I usually pair it with a simple meal of Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken, Green Beans, and Weeknight Mashed Potatoes.

If we’re having it at home though, we might have it with these Baked Pork Chops with Cream of Mushroom Soup or Salmon Patties. I like to keep the whole meal pretty simple and easy!

Expert Tips

  • I use either homemade pie dough or a refrigerated pie crust that I place in my actual 9-inch pie plate. As a result of some of the comments, I tried this pie in a frozen pie shell and as it turns out, the frozen pie shell that is labeled a 9-inch is actually smaller than a real 9-inch pie dish. The frozen pie shell fits down inside my 9-inch Pyrex pie plate.
  • Therefore, there is definitely too much batter and if you pour all of it into the frozen pie shell it will overflow. 
  • So, if using a frozen pie shell, either don’t pour all of the batter into the pie shell or use a deep-dish frozen pie shell. If using homemade or refrigerated pie crust in a true 9-inch pie plate then you should be fine. 
  • If using a frozen pie shell, you do not need to pre-bake.

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4.69 from 202 votes

Old-fashioned Fudge Pie

This fudge pie is an old-fashioned pie that takes about ten minutes to put together and thirty minutes to bake into the most delicious, gooey, chocolatey pie you’ve ever had!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • teaspoon salt
  • cup cocoa
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 9- inch unbaked pie shell

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Melt butter in large, microwave safe bowl. Add sugar to melted butter and use a hand mixer or whisk to combine until sugar is mostly dissolved. Add additional ingredients and beat or whisk until well blended.
  • Pour into pie crust and bake 35-40 minutes, or until center is set and toothpick has gooey wet crumbs. Make sure you don’t overbake.

Video

Notes

Tips for Making the Best Fudge Pie:
  • Use a hand mixer for best results. 
  • Use a refrigerated pie crust or homemade. 
  • If using a frozen pie shell, only pour the filling to the inside top edge or the pie will overflow. Or use a deep-dish pie shell and adjust baking time accordingly.
Adapted from Southern Living’s Fudge Pie in Quick and Easy Recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 8servings, Calories: 464kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 5g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 315mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 37g
Course: Pies
Cuisine: American
Calories: 464
Keyword: chocolate fudge pie, fudge pie, how to make fudge pie, Southern Living fudge pie
Love this recipe?Mention @southernfoodandfun or tag #southernfoodandfun!

Don’t miss these chocolate recipes:

Cocoa Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie in a Skillet

Update Notes: This post was originally published September 13, 2011, and on October 13, 2018, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.

Lucy standing behind a counter with a cheese board and glass of wine.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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Recipe Rating




116 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Love stories from the kitchen and your sister in law sounds like a hoot!! Sorry for your loss but so glad you have a funny reminder of her in your kitchen !
    To me food has the best memories
    It seems that nearly everything I cook brings memories of old friends and strangely enough, cooking helps me draw on fond memories of friends turned “no longer friends”. The kitchen is my happy place because it brings warmth and smiles to my loved ones faces.
    I cannot wait to mAke this ( I have to use coconut oil instead of butter , I’ll let u know how it turns out?

  2. I need to make this for my daughter’s teacher. However I will need to do it the night before.. Would I need to refrigerate (and how does it taste cold) or leave it out for room temperature? Or is this delicious looking pie great only when hot out of oven? 🙂

    1. I don’t typically use a frozen pie crust but I would follow the instructions on the pie crust package as to whether to thaw or not. Note – if you do use frozen, I discovered they are actually smaller than my 9-inch glass pie plate so don’t pour all of the batter into the frozen pie crust or it will overflow and make a chocolate mess!

  3. 5 stars
    I am obsessed with this pie lol. Making it again tomorrow for my Mom’s birthday!! She used to make a fudge pie years ago but lost the receipe. Thanks for sharing we are in Chocolate Heaven!!

  4. 5 stars
    I am obsessed with this pie lol. Making it again tomorrow for my Mom’s birthday!! She used to make a fudge pie years ago but lost the receipe. Thanks for sharing we are in Chocolate Heaven!!

  5. 5 stars
    I made this pie for my brother and only got a small piece. Then I tried some others, this one is by FAR the best one!! Thanks!!!

  6. 5 stars
    I made this pie for my brother and only got a small piece. Then I tried some others, this one is by FAR the best one!! Thanks!!!

  7. 5 stars
    My pies are in the oven i learned to bake pies by my great uncle he was famous for his fudge pie and i was the only one who carried his recipe in the family so when he passed i continued the tradition well it has been a few years since i last made one and two kids,later my mind got a little fuzzy i could remember a few things so when i got asked to bake the famous pies i was too embarrassed to say i forgot considering im the only one who knew but after seeing this recipe it brought it all back to me thank you for helping me keep my great uncles famous pies alive today!

  8. 5 stars
    My pies are in the oven i learned to bake pies by my great uncle he was famous for his fudge pie and i was the only one who carried his recipe in the family so when he passed i continued the tradition well it has been a few years since i last made one and two kids,later my mind got a little fuzzy i could remember a few things so when i got asked to bake the famous pies i was too embarrassed to say i forgot considering im the only one who knew but after seeing this recipe it brought it all back to me thank you for helping me keep my great uncles famous pies alive today!

  9. I did exactly what the recipe said but mine just turned into a brownie on the inside 🙁 do you know why that happened?

    1. Lindsey, I’m sorry that happened! I don’t know why unless maybe it cooked too long. Ovens can have different calibration so yours could be hotter. Hope it still tastes good!

      1. It just taste like brownie so I guess it’s fine. Just not what I was looking forward to xD I’m going to have to try again and just watch it closely or turn the heat down. I thought that was probably the problem.

  10. 5 stars
    I worked for a catering company and we did a lot of funcitons in a victorian home in the nw area of arkansas, and my boss made these. He always made sure he made me one of my own, and i asked for the recipe for years and he wouldn’t give it up. So now with the computer age i was able to find it and WOW it’s funny how something like this can bring back such awesome memories. My friend is now deceased and i think of him often. Just wanted to share that!!!

  11. 5 stars
    I worked for a catering company and we did a lot of funcitons in a victorian home in the nw area of arkansas, and my boss made these. He always made sure he made me one of my own, and i asked for the recipe for years and he wouldn’t give it up. So now with the computer age i was able to find it and WOW it’s funny how something like this can bring back such awesome memories. My friend is now deceased and i think of him often. Just wanted to share that!!!

  12. LUCY,I Love your story! My mother-in-law always made this for me and it was my favorite! She always made one for my wife and kids and one just for me that no one else was allowed to touch! The old stories about hating your mother-in-law is definitely not true in my case. She lived with us for 10 years and I loved her and her chocolate pie!

    1. Eric,

      Love that you were close to your mother-in-law. Food is such a huge part of family lore and family life. Thanks so much for visiting In a Southern Kitchen!

    1. Hi Karen,

      This is not chess pie, although there is a chocolate chess pie. The texture of this pie is different from chess pie. It’s delicious so give it a try and let me know what you think.