This vegan chocolate cream pie is luxuriously chocolatey and silky, yet not overly sweet. A crisp shortcrust pastry holds a velvety chocolate pudding filling, finished with a cloud of whipped cream and chocolate shavings — a perfect dessert for chocolate lovers.
What makes this vegan chocolate cream pie so good
This pie is:
- Rich and chocolatey: It combines cocoa powder and dark chocolate for a deep, satisfying chocolate flavour.
- Extra creamy: The filling is thick, smooth and velvety, balanced by light whipped cream on top.
- Free from coconut, tofu and blended nuts: Unlike many vegan pies, this recipe avoids coconut, tofu and blended nuts. (Ground almonds are used in the pastry for flavour and texture but can be omitted to make it nut-free.) It can also be made soy-free by choosing an alternative non-dairy milk.
- Not too sweet: The pie is pleasantly sweet without being cloying. If you prefer it less sweet, omit the sugar in the pastry and reduce the filling sugar to 75 g.
- A crowd-pleaser: Ideal for holidays and celebrations — even non-vegans tend to love it.
Ingredient details
Non-dairy milk: Unsweetened soy milk is my recommendation for a neutral flavour and creamy texture. If avoiding soy, use a creamier alternative such as oat or cashew milk.
Cornflour (cornstarch): This thickens the chocolate custard in place of egg yolks. For the best texture, use cornflour and avoid swapping to other flours or starches.
Cocoa powder: Either natural or Dutch-processed works; I prefer Dutch-processed for a rounder flavour.
Dark chocolate: Use 60–75% vegan dark chocolate and chop it finely so it melts smoothly into the pudding.
Vanilla: Extract or vanilla bean paste both work well.
Espresso powder: A small amount of instant espresso or coffee deepens the chocolate notes; this is optional.
Vegan whipping cream: Use a whippable plant cream that forms stiff peaks (not a pouring cream). Elmlea Plant Double Cream or Oatly Whippable are good options where available.
Vegan block butter: For reliable pastry texture, use a block-style vegan butter or margarine (not a tub spread).
Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar is used in the filling and whipped topping; icing (powdered) sugar is used for the pastry. I don’t recommend replacing these with liquid sweeteners or artificial sweeteners for this recipe.
Plain flour: Plain (all-purpose) flour is best for the pastry.
Ground almonds: Optional, but they add flavour and improve pastry texture. You may replace them with additional plain flour if needed.
How to make vegan chocolate cream pie
(Full measurements and a printable recipe card are below)
- Step 1: Combine plain flour, ground almonds (optional), icing sugar and salt. Rub in cold block vegan butter with your fingertips until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Step 2: Add cold vodka or water and enough cold water to bring the dough together. Shape into a disc, wrap and chill for about an hour.
- Step 3: Roll the pastry to fit a 23–25 cm (9–10 in) pie dish or tart tin, press into the corners and trim the excess. Prick the base with a fork.
- Step 4: Freeze the lined pastry case for 20 minutes, then line with parchment and fill with baking beans or dried rice for blind baking.
- Step 5: Blind bake at 190°C/375°F (170°C fan) for 20 minutes, remove parchment and beans, then bake another 8–10 minutes until pale golden and dry. Cool completely.
- Step 6: For the filling, whisk cornflour with a few tablespoons of milk to make a smooth paste, then whisk in the remaining milk, cocoa, sugar, vanilla, espresso (optional) and salt. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until it simmers and thickens.
- Step 7: Remove from the heat and whisk in the vegan butter, then stir in the chopped dark chocolate until melted and smooth.
- Step 8: Press the pudding through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps, then pour into the cooled pastry shell. Smooth the surface and press plastic wrap directly onto the pudding to prevent a skin. Chill until set (at least 4 hours, preferably overnight).
- Step 9: When ready to serve, whip the chilled vegan cream with brown sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks, spoon or pipe it over the pie and finish with chocolate curls or shavings.
- Step 10: Serve chilled. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for 3–4 days; add the whipped cream just before serving for best texture.
Top tips
Use digital scales for accuracy — metric measurements give consistent results compared with cups. Use proper measuring spoons for teaspoons and tablespoons (1 tsp = 5 ml, 1 Tbsp = 15 ml).
Chill the pastry before rolling to prevent it becoming too soft. Handle the dough as little as possible and keep it cool to maintain a crisp texture. Freezing the lined tart shell briefly before blind baking helps prevent shrinkage and improves flakiness.
When cooking the pudding, stir constantly and keep the heat moderate to avoid lumps or scorching. Avoid double-dipping a tasting spoon into the cooked filling, as saliva can break down the cornflour and cause the custard to run.
How to make chocolate curls/shavings
There are two easy methods:
1. Peeler method (small curls):
- Use room-temperature chocolate and draw a vegetable peeler firmly along the long flat side of the bar to create small curls. Chill them on parchment to set before decorating.
2. Melt-and-scrape method (bigger curls):
- Melt 80–100 g dark chocolate, spread a thin layer on the back of a baking sheet, chill until just firm, then scrape at a 45° angle with a metal spatula or bench scraper to form large curls. Store curls chilled until you’re ready to use them.
Alternatively, dust the top with cocoa powder or add fresh raspberries for a simple finish.
FAQs
Keep the pie covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Add whipped cream shortly before serving for the best texture.
Freezing this pie is not recommended. The cornflour-set filling can break down and become runny after freezing and thawing.
No. Options include using shop-bought shortcrust pastry (blind bake as instructed), a pre-baked tart case, or a biscuit base made from crushed vegan cookies and melted vegan butter.
More vegan chocolate desserts
-
Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake
-
Vegan Black Forest Trifle
-
Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart
-
Vegan Chocolate Orange Pots
-
Vegan Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding
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Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie
Equipment
- 23–25 cm / 9–10 in pie dish or tart tin
- Baking beans or dried rice for blind baking
Ingredients
Pastry
- 200 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 50 g ground almonds (optional)
- 30 g icing (powdered) sugar
- ¼ tsp table salt
- 130 g vegan block butter, cold
- 1 Tablespoon cold vodka or water, plus a little cold water if needed
Chocolate filling
- 40 g cornflour (cornstarch)
- 650 g soya or oat milk
- 35 g cocoa powder
- 100 g light brown soft sugar
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee (optional)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp table salt
- 45 g vegan block butter
- 185 g 60–75% vegan dark chocolate, finely chopped
For topping
- 250 ml vegan whipping cream, cold
- 1 Tablespoon light brown soft sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract or paste
- Chocolate curls or shavings to finish
Instructions
Pastry case
- Mix flour, ground almonds, icing sugar and salt. Rub in cold vegan block butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Add vodka (if using) and enough cold water to bring the dough together. Shape into a disc, wrap and chill for about 1 hour.
- Roll out to fit a 23–25 cm pie tin, line the tin, trim the edges and prick the base. Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F (170°C fan). Line with parchment and baking beans, blind bake for 20 minutes, remove beans and bake another 8–10 minutes until pale golden. Cool.
Chocolate filling
- Whisk cornflour with a few tablespoons of milk to a smooth paste, then whisk in the remaining milk.
- Add cocoa, sugar, espresso (if using), vanilla and salt. Heat gently, whisking constantly, until it simmers and thickens.
- Remove from the heat, whisk in the vegan butter, let cool slightly, then stir in chopped chocolate until smooth.
- Pass through a fine sieve to remove any lumps. Pour into the cooled pastry case, smooth the top and press clingfilm directly onto the surface. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
- Whip the chilled vegan cream with brown sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks. Spoon or pipe over the set pie and top with chocolate curls.
Notes
- See the tips above for step-by-step photos, storage advice and ingredient notes.
- Use digital scales for best results; metric weights are more accurate than cups.
- Store the pie covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add whipped cream just before serving.
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