Name: French Silk Pie
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes (plus cooling and chilling)
Yield: 8–10 servings
Ingredients: 24 Oreo or other creme-stuffed chocolate sandwich cookies; 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted; 3 large eggs; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, preferably 70% cacao, finely chopped (about 1 cup); 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 cup heavy cream; 1¼ cups heavy cream; ¼ cup (28 g) powdered sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt; Chocolate curls (for serving; optional)

A slice of French silk pie with chocolate mousse set in an Oreo cookie crust topped with whipped cream and chocolate...

Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton

Creamy, dreamy, and downright indulgent, this French silk pie is the kind of dessert that demands a double take. With an ethereally rich chocolate filling—made by folding melted bittersweet chocolate into whipped eggs and butter—and a no-bake Oreo cookie crust, every bite is lush with intensity. A crown of whipped cream is nonnegotiable.

Tips for the perfect French silk pie

Use good-quality chocolate: Rich, bittersweet chocolate gives this classic dessert the deep flavor that defines French silk pie. We like Guittard 70%. Semisweet chocolate will work in a pinch, but don’t be tempted to swap in something like milk chocolate, which would be too sweet, or chocolate chips, which contain stabilizers and would make the filling stodgy.
Use room-temperature ingredients: Beating the room-temperature butter separately before gradually adding the cooled chocolate helps prevent lumps, ensuring the French silk pie filling has a glossy, silky texture. Once the melted chocolate is thoroughly incorporated, you can whip the mixture on high speed to lighten it.
Whipping the eggs: Don’t step away when whisking the eggs and sugar over steam (or, if you must, remove the mixing bowl from the heat first). This step creates the egg foam (technically a sabayon) that gives this French silk pie its signature airy texture. If you have any concerns about serving raw eggs, you can check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer; it should read 160°F when done.
Fold, don’t stir: When incorporating the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, fold gently to keep the pie filling light and fluffy.
Chill thoroughly: Let the pie set in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is better). The long chill helps the filling firm up, resulting in tall, clean slices.
Garnish: To make picture-perfect chocolate shavings, run a vegetable peeler against the edge of a thick chocolate bar in one quick motion. Larger, thicker chocolate bars work best and result in the most dramatic curls. Or, if you’d rather skip the curls, dust the top with a layer of cocoa powder just before serving.
Use a hot knife to slice: Fill a tall glass with hot water and dip your knife between cutting each cut. Wipe the knife dry with a kitchen towel, then go in. This way, you won’t drag the dark chocolate mousse through the fresh whipped cream topping.

What you’ll need

Glass Pie Plate
$33 At Amazon
Bittersweet Chocolate
$13 At Amazon
Vanilla Extract
$19 At Amazon
2-Cup Measuring Cup
$14 At Amazon
Hand Mixer
$160 At Amazon

Recipe information

Total Time
40 minutes (plus cooling and chilling)
Yield
8–10 servings

Ingredients

Crust

24 Oreo or other creme-stuffed chocolate sandwich cookies

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Filling

3 large eggs

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, preferably 70% cacao, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup heavy cream

Topping and Assembly

1¼ cups heavy cream

¼ cup (28 g) powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt

Chocolate curls (for serving; optional)

Preparation

Crust
Step 1
Crumble 24 Oreo or other creme-stuffed chocolate sandwich cookies into a large resealable plastic bag and seal. Using a rolling pin, crush to very fine crumbs. (Alternatively, pulse cookies in food processor just until fine crumbs have formed; you should have about 2 cups.)
Step 2
Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl and add 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted. Mix until crumbs are evenly saturated in butter and transfer to a standard 9"-diameter glass pie dish. Press into an even layer across bottom and up sides with a flat-bottomed measuring cup. Chill crust at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
Filling
Step 3
Whisk together 3 large eggs and 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar in a medium heatproof bowl set over a large saucepan of barely simmering water (bowl should not touch water). Heat, vigorously whisking often, until sugar is almost completely dissolved and mixture is pale yellow and slightly aerated, about 5 minutes. Add 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, preferably 70% cacao, finely chopped (about 1 cup), 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted and mixture is thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and let cool (do not cover; about 30 minutes).
Step 4
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add cooled chocolate mixture, and beat just until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula, then mix on medium-high speed until slightly lightened in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Set butter mixture aside.
Step 5
Beat 1 cup heavy cream in another medium bowl on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Scrape whipped cream into reserved butter mixture and gently stir to combine. Scrape filling into crust and smooth into an even layer. Chill (uncovered) in the refrigerator at least 4 hours.
Topping and Assembly
Step 6
Just before serving pie, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1¼ cups heavy cream, ¼ cup (28 g) powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes (be careful not to over beat). Dollop whipped cream over pie filling and, using offset spatula or a spoon, spread out to crust in an even layer, creating dramatic swirls and swooshes. Top with chocolate curls if desired.
Do Ahead: Pie (without toppings) can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap or buttered wax paper and keep chilled.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
Editor’s note: This French silk pie recipe was first printed online in August 2023; the amount of salt in the chocolate filling has been reduced to address readers’ comments. Head this way for more of our favorite chocolate pie recipes →