Let’s make Vegan Chocolate Pie! This gorgeous dairy-free chocolate cream pie has a rich chocolatey filling and crispy chocolate cookie crust your whole family will flip for! (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Our Viral Vegan Chocolate Pie Can Fool Just About Anyone
We’ve been making this gluten-free vegan chocolate pie for the better part of a decade, and it always gets rave reviews. At Thanksgiving, dessert potlucks, parties, and birthdays, it’s one of the first desserts gone and one of the most highly requested recipes I make.
Why? This vegan chocolate cream pie is the real deal. With its crispy chocolate cookie crust, silky, rich chocolate filling, and a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top, it can fool even the most ardent dairy eaters. No one ever guesses this chocolate pie vegan.
🥣 EASE: This easy chocolate pie recipe is made from simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, and doesn’t involve fussing with pastry crust. It’s simple and straightforward in all the best ways.
🍫 FLAVORS: CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE. From the easy chocolate crust, to the luscious chocolate filling, to the tiny flecks of chocolate for garnish, this decadent vegan chocolate pie tastes delightfully chocolatey through and through.
🥧 TOP TIPS: Don’t rush the cooking or chilling steps! Make sure to thicken the filling before adding the chocolate chips & let the pie chill the full time to allow it to set up properly.
Happy baking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
Ready to make the best chocolate pie? Here’s what you’ll need to get started…
More Pie Crust Options To Try
If you prefer, you can absolutely make this pie with a graham cracker crust or traditional pie crust instead of an Oreo crust! Just make sure to use vegan graham crackers or our flaky vegan pie crust recipe.
How To Make Vegan Chocolate Pie, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
First Make The Crust
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set out a 9-inch pie pan. (I prefer a metal pie dish here, but glass or ceramic will also work.)
- Make The Crust. In a food processor, pulse gluten-free Oreos until fine crumbs. Add melted vegan butter and pulse to combine, until crumbs are evenly coated in vegan butter. If needed, you can crush the cookies in a large plastic bag with a rolling pin, then combine them with the melted butter in a mixing bowl.)
- Bake Crust. Transfer cookie crumb mixture to pie pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pat the crust down evenly around the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Even out the top edge out with your fingers. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to set the crust. Then, set aside on a wire rack to cool while you make the pie filling.
Then, Make The Filling & Finish The Pie
- Whisk Dry Ingredients. In a medium saucepan, combine coconut sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. whisk to combine until well blended.
- Add Milk & Cook. Next, pour in coconut milk and almond milk, then whisk and cook over medium heat 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture has come to a low simmer and the pudding has thickened. (You should be able to see the path of the whisk in the pudding and if you let pudding drip off the whisk back into the saucepan, it should rest on the surface of the pudding briefly before absorbing. You can also check by dipping a spoon or spatula into the pudding and running your finger down the middle. It should leave a clear line.)
- Add Chocolate & Vanilla. When the pudding has thickened, turn off the heat and mix in chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Whisk until the chocolate has full melted and the pudding is smooth. (You will likely see some bubbles, but there shouldn’t be any lumps. If, by chance you do have lumps, you can strain the pudding through a fine mesh sieve before refrigerating.)
- Cover & Chill. Pour the chocolate pudding into the prepared pie crust, and press plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent the pudding from developing a “skin” on top of the pudding. Transfer pie to the refrigerator and chill at least 3-4 hours to thicken completely. (If you check it after 1-2 hours, it’ll still be on the thin side.)
- Serve & Store. Garnish the whole pie or individual slices with whipped coconut cream and shaved chocolate. Store leftover pie in the fridge 3-4 days. (This pie can be made 1 day in advance!)
6 Pretty Ways To Decorate A Chocolate Pie
Now that you have a gorgeous, creamy dairy-free chocolate cream pie, its time to make it look pretty! Here are a few of our favorite ways to add a pretty touch to a chocolate pie:
- Chocolate Shavings – Just use a sharp knife to cut lengthwise along the end of a chocolate bar to get chocolate shavings. I love this look because the shapes are all a bit irregular, with some larger, some smaller, etc.
- Mini Chocolate Chips – Garnish your vegan chocolate pie with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips! This looks fun and whimsical (mini makes everything cuter, right?!).
- Chocolate Curls. If you want a more polished finish, try making chocolate curls, like these or these.
- Sprinkles. Or, add a pop of color with some sprinkles! I recommend jimmies or quins, since they’ll hold their color best. (Add RIGHT before serving, so they don’t bleed their color!)
- Toasted Nuts. Add a bit of crunch with some toasted sliced almonds or even chopped hazelnuts.
- Fresh Raspberries. Or add a fruity touch with a few fresh raspberries. Chocolate and raspberries are so good together!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Vegan Chocolate Pie
I DON’T LIKE COCONUT. CAN I USE SOMETHING BESIDES COCONUT MILK? I don’t recommend it for this pie. If you substitute the coconut milk for another dairy-free milk (like almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, etc.) just know that your pie filling will set much looser and thinner, and it likely won’t slice as prettily. (It will taste great, but it doesn’t have the same setting power or thickness as coconut milk.)
DO I HAVE TO ADD THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS TO THE PIE FILLING? Yes. You really do! They’re crucial for texture and for completing the chocolate flavor of the vegan chocolate cream pie filling. You can get by with a chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips, but you cannot omit the chocolate all together.
OUR FAVORITE VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIPS. If you’re looking for vegan chocolate chips, we love Enjoy Life chocolate chips and Guittard chocolate chips. Many stores now carry allergy-friendly store brands, though, so keep an eye out for those as well!
PRO TIP: CONSIDER A STORE-BOUGHT DAIRY-FREE WHIPPED CREAM. I love making things from scratch, but for the most consistent results here, I actually love using store-bought dairy-free whipped cream topping. They tend to be more stable and last better when pies are set out for a while. I like SoDelicious CocoWhip or TruWhip Vegan Topping.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Pie recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie (No Tofu!)
Ingredients
FOR THE CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST:
- 24 gluten-free Oreo cookies or your favorite gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies*
- 4 Tablespoons vegan butter, melted (can sub coconut oil in a pinch)
FOR THE VEGAN CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE FILLING:
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar or white sugar
- 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (use natural cocoa powder not Dutch processed)
- 1 (13-oz) can full-fat coconut milk* (NO substitutions for best results)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (can use cashew milk, oat milk, etc.)
- 2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (dark chocolate or semisweet)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
PIE TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL):
- Dairy-Free Whipped Topping Like CocoWhip, TruWhip Vegan, or Reddi-Wip almond or coconut
- Dairy-Free Shaved chocolate chocolate chunks, or mini chocolate chips.
Instructions
FIRST, MAKE THE CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set out a 9-inch pie pan. (I prefer a metal pie dish here, but glass or ceramic will also work.)
- Make The Crust. In a food processor, pulse gluten-free Oreos until fine crumbs. Add melted vegan butter and pulse to combine, until crumbs are evenly coated in vegan butter. If needed, you can crush the cookies in a large plastic bag with a rolling pin, then combine them with the melted butter in a mixing bowl.)
- Bake Crust. Transfer cookie crumb mixture to pie pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pat the crust down evenly around the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Even out the top edge out with your fingers. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to set the crust. Then, set aside on a wire rack to cool while you make the pie filling.
NEXT, MAKE THE PIE FILLING & FINISH THE PIE
- Whisk Dry Ingredients. In a medium saucepan, combine coconut sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. whisk to combine until well blended.
- Add Milk & Cook. Next, pour in coconut milk and almond milk, then whisk and cook over medium heat 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture has come to a low simmer and the pudding has thickened. (You should be able to see the path of the whisk in the pudding and if you let pudding drip off the whisk back into the saucepan, it should rest on the surface of the pudding briefly before absorbing. You can also check by dipping a spoon or spatula into the pudding and running your finger down the middle. It should leave a clear line.)
- Add Chocolate & Vanilla. When the pudding has thickened, turn off the heat and mix in chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Whisk until the chocolate has full melted and the pudding is smooth. (You will likely see some bubbles, but there shouldn’t be any lumps. If, by chance you do have lumps, you can strain the pudding through a fine mesh sieve before refrigerating.)
- Cover & Chill. Pour the chocolate pudding into the prepared pie crust, and press plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent the pudding from developing a “skin” on top of the pudding. Transfer pie to the refrigerator and chill at least 3-4 hours to thicken completely. (If you check it after 1-2 hours, it’ll still be on the thin side.)
- Serve & Store. Garnish the whole pie or individual slices with whipped coconut cream and shaved chocolate. Store leftover pie in the fridge 3-4 days. (This pie can be made 1 day in advance!)
Notes
- GLUTEN FREE SANDWICH COOKIES. Our favorite gluten-free cookies for chocolate cookie crust are Gluten-Free Oreos, Goodie Girl Chocolate Creme Cookies, Glutino Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies, or Kinnikinnik K-Toos.
- CAN I USE SOMETHING BESIDES COCONUT MILK? I don’t recommend it for this pie. If you substitute the coconut milk for another dairy-free milk (like almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, etc.) just know that your pie filling will set much looser and thinner, and it likely won’t slice as prettily. (It will taste great, but it doesn’t have the same setting power or thickness as coconut milk.)
- DON’T RUSH. For the best results, don’t rush the cooking or chilling steps! Make sure to thicken the filling sufficiently before adding the chocolate chips & let the pie chill the full time to allow it to set up properly.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/vegan-chocolate-pie/Originally shared Nov 2020. Updated with improved recipe notes, new photos & video October 2025. Check out some of our original photos below!
I have made this recipe many times and it’s always a hit ! The last few times I’ve made it there seems to be chunks in it, my thought is it’s the coconut milk maybe. Do you have any suggestions to stop this from happening ?
Alyssa – I’m so glad you love it! In my experience, if I get lumps, it’s a whisking issue. You want to whisk the entire time and possibly reduce your heat slightly so the mixture isn’t thickening before you can work any lumps out. If you do end up with lumps, you can also blend it with an immersion blender to smooth them out before adding it to the pie! 🙂
This recipe was really good, and I would make it again! My nephew can’t have dairy and I wanted to bring a Thanksgiving treat that everyone would love. This was delicious and everyone said they’d never know that it was dairy-free. I used the barista oat milk I had in the fridge for the “other” milk. I mixed graham crackers and Oreos for the crust. I blind-baked it for 15 minutes, which I know was way too long (I didn’t set a timer as I wasn’t sure how long it needed, and was just peeking at it every few minutes, and forgot about it). I did use over 1 cup of chocolate chips in total, and it was not too dense, but it was rich (not so overly so, like fudge).
The only thing I need to tweak in the future is the crust; In the corners where it was harder to spread thinly, the crust became WAY too crunchy… cutting it with a knife was challenging, and with a fork was almost impossible. I think this may have had to do with how long I baked the crust.
Karina – WOWWW! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you SO much for taking the time to leave a review!
I think you’re right about the crust. I’d highly recommend our Oreo crust for next time–it’s delicious and gets crisp without going hard or making it tricky to lift out of the pan. 🙂
This is absolutely the most delicious chocolate pie I have EVER had in my life! And it was easy to make! So grateful for this recipe.
Lea – WOWWW!!! So glad you loved it! It’s our favorite too. We gobbled it up this year!
This is THE BEST chocolate pie I have ever had!! So creamy and delish!! I did add a small amount of maple syrup to it since my daughter and mom don’t like bitter chocolate at all. But we all agreed that this pie was the perfect end to our Thanksgiving
vegan feast! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hooray! I’m so glad it was a winner for you Andi! Thank you, thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind review! 🙂
Could I use coconut whipping cream instead of coconut milk? It’s what I have on hand. Thanks 😊
Do you mean already prepared whipped cream or canned coconut cream? Canned coconut cream can work, it’ll just make for a thicker, firmer-set pie. Already whipped coconut cream won’t give you the consistency you’ll need so it won’t be a great substitute here.
Can I make the crust and pudding in advance for Christmas? This looks so good
Yes! I actually like this pie best when it’s been chilling for a day. You can make and freeze the crust at least a week in advance, or refrigerate the crust for 1-2 days before making the pie. The pudding works best if it’s made within 2-3 days of eating it.
A few notes – It works best to make and assemble the whole pie in advance when possible (make a day in advance and chill in the freezer).
The pudding can’t be frozen, so don’t try that!
Also, if you make the crust and filling and store separately, the pudding will set up and firm up in the bowl/container you use, so you’ll need to blend or mix it up before adding it to your pie crust. Whisking vigorously, or using a hand mixer on low speed will do the job!
I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try! Happy Holidays!
Not going to lie I ate the pudding filling as I was filling the shell! I also cheated and bought a pre-made oreo shell. This is amazing though! I think I will be definitely be making batches of pudding!
Yaaaay!!! I’m so glad you loved it!!!
Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk?
Tabby – it can work, just know it will make for a thicker, creamier filling and will set more firmly. 😊
I started making this pie about 2 years ago. Our family loves it so much! My oldest son and I are both gluten and dairy free. Even family members who don’t have dietary restrictions love this pie. Thank you so much for this recipe 🙂
Amanda – You TOTALLY made my day!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful, kind review!
If you have dutch processed cocoa would you change sweetener amounts ? My family doesn’t like bitter chocolate. I tried a different persons recipe and it was bitter. But ingredients were different.
Pam – It will very much depend on your taste. Dutch-processed cocoa isn’t more bitter than regular unsweetened cocoa. It does have a darker appearance and is less acidic, but both are unsweetened, so one won’t be more bitter than the other. If you’re nervous, I’d definitely stick with semi-sweet chocolate chips rather than dark!
Thank you for your fast response . Another question . The person I am making this for was recently diagnosed as wheat alergic. So I was thinking of using an almond flour crust. Do you know if the filling mixture would need to be cooled some before adding to almond flour crust ? I do not know if she can use gluten free flour or not.
Pam – I don’t think you’ll need to cool it before adding to the almond flour crust. 🙂 I hope it’s great for your friend!
Sounds wonderful!
Could you use macadamia milk instead of almond milk?
I haven’t tried it that way, but I’d think you could substitute macadamia milk for the almond milk. I would not substitute the coconut milk 🙂