Fudge Pie Recipe With Cocoa Powder

My family asks for this fudge pie more than any other dessert. The top bakes into a thin, crackly crust, and the filling underneath stays dense and fudgy, somewhere between a brownie and a chess pie. It’s made with Hershey’s cocoa powder instead of baking chocolate, and the filling mixes up in one bowl in about 10 minutes, with ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Find out why millions of readers over the last 16 years have made and loved this fudge pie.

Wish I could give this 10 stars, it’s so deserving!
Best fudge pie hands down! I used a no roll pie crust and it was beyond amazing❣️ A family favorite in my recipe book! Wish I could add a pic, I topped with whipped cream and shaved a dark chocolate bar on top. Was beautiful and SO easy! Thanks for sharing this wonderful. easy dessert!

PAT

If you ask my family what they want for dessert, every single one of us will say something chocolate. Chocolate chess pie, Hershey’s chocolate cake, chocolate something. That doesn’t mean we don’t like other desserts. Give me a white chocolate creme brulee with raspberries any day!

But overall, we crave chocolate. That probably explains the number of chocolate recipes on this site and why we love this fudge pie so much.

I love that this chocolate pie uses cocoa, so you don’t have to melt chocolate or even remember to buy it. I may not always have baking chocolate in my pantry, but I always have cocoa. It all comes together in one bowl, and you don’t have to pull out the mixer, although you certainly can.

This pie keeps for days and tastes just as good on day three as it does on day one. If I have to take a dessert somewhere, it’s near the top of my list, since it travels so well.

Testing results for fudge pie

1. We tested this pie with baker’s chocolate and Hershey’s cocoa powder, and our tasters preferred the taste and texture of the cocoa powder version.
2. We also baked this recipe in four different crusts: a frozen deep-dish crust, a regular frozen crust, a refrigerated pie crust, and a homemade pie crust. Each one bakes up slightly differently, and I’ve laid out the results below with my recommendations.

I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!

Cocoa, butter, and the right crust

➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.

Cocoa powder: We use regular unsweetened Hershey’s cocoa powder almost exclusively in our kitchen, and it works best in this recipe.

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Butter: Unsalted, melted in a large bowl in the microwave, and cooled for a few minutes before adding the sugar. The sugar won’t dissolve completely yet, and the mixture will feel a little grainy. Don’t worry, though—it melts into the filling as the pie bakes.

Pie crust: I have more information in the testing notes below, but TL;DR: we prefer homemade pie crust or refrigerated pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate.

Use a standard 9-inch pie plate

We tested this pie in a standard 9-inch glass pie plate, and the filling fits it exactly. I use a hand mixer to beat the batter smooth, but a whisk works too, and a good pie server gets the first slice out in one piece.

9-inch pie platehand mixerpie server

Which crust works for fudge pie

We tested this recipe in a frozen deep-dish crust, a regular 9-inch frozen crust, a refrigerated crust, and a homemade crust. The filling stayed the same in every test, and each crust baked up differently.

Frozen deep-dish crust: not recommended

The fudge pie made in the frozen deep-dish crust took longer to bake and didn’t turn out well.

• The filling fits the deep-dish crust, but the pie puffs up dramatically and then deflates.
• That leaves deep cracks in the top, and the top crust can fall off when you slice it.
• The pie takes longer to bake, so the edges get overbaked before the center sets.

Regular frozen 9-inch crust: use less filling

The pie made in a regular 9-inch frozen crust turned out okay, but only after we adjusted for size.

• A frozen 9-inch pie crust is actually smaller than a 9-inch pie plate. This recipe was designed for a standard 9-inch pie plate, so there’s too much filling for the frozen crust. Leave out about 1 1/4 cups of the filling.
• This pie puffed up quite a bit, then deflated, though not as badly as the deep-dish pie.

Refrigerated or homemade crust: our pick

The refrigerated and homemade crusts gave the same results, and I recommend either one.

• This fudge pie works best with a 9-inch pie crust placed in a 9-inch pie plate. We like a standard glass pie plate like this one.
• The filling amount is exactly right for a standard 9-inch pie crust.
• Refrigerated and homemade crusts don’t release as much moisture as frozen crusts, so the pie doesn’t puff up as much.

Related 📖 ➡️ Southern pies and cobblers

How to tell fudge pie is done

This pie is easy enough for kids to make almost entirely on their own. My daughter was around 11 the first time she made it, and she still bakes it almost every year. Now my grandkids make it too. If you have a young baker at your house, it’s a good first pie to hand over, and a recipe worth handing down.

The center should be almost set. A toothpick should come out with wet, gooey crumbs, but no wet batter. The top bakes into a thin crust, and a few cracks here and there are normal. The pie puffs up in the oven and settles as it cools.

If yours is still soupy in the middle after the full bake time, your oven may be running cool, and an oven thermometer will tell you. If the crust edges brown before the center sets, cover them with a pie shield or a strip of foil.

Someone in my family, possibly me, usually cuts into this pie the second it comes out of the oven. That’s a little too soon, although good luck convincing us chocolate lovers to wait. But if you can, let it rest at least 15 to 20 minutes if you want to serve it warm. For cleaner slices, let it sit a little longer. We don’t usually have the willpower to wait a whole day, but our testing showed that 24 hours makes a big difference in how well the pie sets up.

Serving it to a crowd

We like a slice with a spoonful of homemade whipped cream with vanilla. It’s rich, so a small slice goes a long way. Vanilla ice cream is also a perfect option.

This pie has a permanent spot on our Southern Thanksgiving menu, and on any menu for pretty much any family gathering. If you’re feeding a crowd, the recipe doubles easily, and we usually bake two at a time.

This pie also makes life easier for the host. Bake it the day before, cover it, and leave it on the counter. I don’t refrigerate it, and it’s still good on day three. When it’s time for dessert, slice it and pass the whipped cream.

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4.70 from 207 votes

Fudge Pie Recipe

Old-fashioned fudge pie made with Hershey’s cocoa powder and mixed in one bowl. Bake until the center is gooey and the top is crackly.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Video

Equipment

9-inch pie plate

hand mixer

pie server

pie storage

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
• ▢ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ⅓ cup cocoa
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust refrigerated or homemade

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 3/4 cup unsalted butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar to the melted butter and use a hand mixer or whisk to combine until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
  
The mixture will feel a little grainy because the sugar won’t dissolve completely until baking.
• Add 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 3 large eggs, and beat or whisk until well blended.
  
• Pour the filling into 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust and bake for about 40 minutes, until the center is almost set and a toothpick comes out with wet, gooey crumbs but no wet batter. Don’t overbake.
  
The pie puffs in the oven and settles as it cools, and a few cracks on top are normal.
While we do not have the willpower to wait a whole day before digging into this pie, our testing has shown that 24 hours can make a big difference in how well the pie sets up for cleaner slices.

Notes

Tips for Making the Best Fudge Pie:

• Use a hand mixer for best results. 
• Use a refrigerated pie crust or a homemade one. 
• 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. Note: We only recommend a homemade or refrigerated pie crust in a standard 9-inch pie plate, not a frozen one. See our testing notes for details. 

Adapted from Southern Living’s Fudge Pie in Quick and Easy Recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 447kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 150mg, Potassium: 110mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 621IU, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 2mg

Course: Pies

Cuisine: American

Calories: 447

Keyword: fudge pie, Southern Living fudge pie

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