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Molten Chocolate Crackle Pie…my new favorite Thanksgiving pie that rivals all others. A super simple chocolate pie made with eggs, cocoa powder, a touch of coffee, and sweet chocolate chunks. All baked together until puffed on top, but warm and gooey in the center. The crust is buttery, flaky, and sprinkled with sweet vanilla sugar. While the filling inside is warm, fudgy, and almost molten-like. Delicious when served with a dollop of vanilla hazelnut whipped cream. It’s the perfect Thanksgiving pie. Or maybe just your Friday night dessert!
Happiest Friday everyone! Today feels especially exciting. It’s been a long week for us all, but I love that we can end it on such a sweet note with some Thanksgiving pie!
I think the silver lining of this past year is that it’s really making me appreciate, and look forward to even the smallest things. Simple things like extra time at home with my little sister. Not having much travel booked through the end of the year. And feeling especially excited for the holiday season. Does anyone else feel the same way?
Everything this year just feels even more special and I want to make our holiday menu as close to perfect as can be! I spent a lot of time thinking about desserts for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. The funny thing is that this pie is actually a pie I had on my “to make list” last Thanksgiving. I didn’t have enough time to make and test this recipe last year, so I saved it for this year.
And you know, I am so glad I did. In the words of little Miss Asher (my younger sister), “this pie rivals mom’s chocolate chip cookie pie“.
If you know anything about how special and delicious my mom’s pie is, then you know that if Asher is saying this pie rivals hers…
It. Is. GOOD!
The background.
My mom used to have a Hershey’s baking book way back in the day. It was filled to the brim with well over a hundred chocolate recipes. Yet, somehow, the only recipe we ever made out of that cookbook was a recipe for chocolate peanut butter cups.
Of course, would you expect anything else from us?
The cookbook had so many recipes from cakes, to brownies, to pies, and more. I remember it had a chocolate fudge pie that looked so rich and delicious with a brownie-like top, and chocolate fudgy center. That very first photo I have pictured in my head was the inspiration behind this pie…but I wanted my pie to be a little more molten-like and served warm.
Which brings me to today’s recipe. It’s really just a fudge pie with some special touches. It’s served warm with a big dollop of homemade hazelnut whipped cream.
The details.
While the pie is truly delicious and beautiful with that crackled top, it’s actually the simplest to make.
Start with the crust. I did make my own crust, and while I will tell you it’s better than store-bought, I will also tell you that if you don’t want to make the crust, you shouldn’t make the crust! Pies can be stressful, I get it. If the crust is stressing you out pick up your favorite from the store. I hear Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have great options!
Once you have your crust sorted out, sprinkle it with vanilla sugar (simply just sugar mixed with vanilla beans), then pre-bake it. You want to get the crust cooked before adding the filling to ensure your crust stays crisp and flaky instead of just soggy.
While the crust is baking, work on the filling.
This is easy and you don’t even need a mixer. What you do need are eggs, a little cocoa powder, sugar, instant coffee, and butter. Plenty of butter for this one!
Just whisk it all together and done.
A few special touches.
One, hazelnut liquor, which is not needed, but it does add something special to the pie. The sweet liquor really helps to highlight all the rich chocolate within the recipe. it’s a pricey ingredient, but if you make a lot of holiday cocktails, it’s definitely a liquor I would recommend keeping on your bar cart.
The smell alone reminds me of the holidays.
Two, chocolate chunks (or chips) folded into the batter just before baking. The chunks are KEY. They help to create that gooey, almost molten-like center that everyone will find delicious.
And lastly, vanilla sugar sprinkled over top of the crust for an extra sweet finishing touch.
As soon as the pie comes out of the oven, it will be very poofed on top and wiggly in the center. As the pie cools, it will fall and set up.
Wait twenty or so minutes, then cut and serve while still warm and gooey, with an extra-large dollop of whipped cream. It’s like a mug of warm hot chocolate, a fudge brownie, and molten pie all in one.
Roll your eggs back, go for that second slice, and finish the pie in one sitting, GOOD.
Dramatic, but true.
You can easily serve the pie at room temperature or chilled. It’s always delicious, no matter what, but I like it warm best. Do what works for you though!
So with that, it’s Friday, and after Tuesday’s election I know we’re all feeling the need to de-stress. Game plan? Call it a week and end on a super sweet note with this pie. I always say it’s best to test any new holiday recipes before the holiday. So now you have a real reason to bake this up!
Enjoy! See ya tomorrow for our first Thanksgiving cocktail!
Looking for other Thanksgiving desserts? Here are my favorites:
Brown Sugar Maple Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie Cookies with Butter Pecan Frosting
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Lastly, if you make this Molten Chocolate Crackle Pie, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
watch our how-to video:
Molten Chocolate Crackle Pie
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 606 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust round (homemade recipe below)
- 1 egg, beaten, for brushing
- vanilla sugar or coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon hazelnut liquor (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
Hazelnut Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon hazelnut liquor (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375° F.2. Fit the pie crust into a deep 9-inch pie plate. Brush the edge of the crust with beaten egg, then sprinkle with vanilla sugar (or coarse sugar). Lightly prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, beans, or rice. Freeze 10-15 minutes.3. Bake until the crust is set, 20 minutes. Remove pie weights and continue baking until the crust is golden, 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce the oven temp 350°.4. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined. Add the cocoa powder, instant coffee, and salt. Whisk in the melted butter, hazelnut liquor, and vanilla, whisk until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the mixture into the baked crust.5. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the pie is puffed on top, but still wiggly in the center. The longer you bake, the more set your pie will be. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Let cool 20-30 minutes, then serve the pie warm, dolloped with whip cream. Or chill and serve chilled with whipped cream. 6. To make the whipped cream, whip the cream using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the maple syrup, hazelnut liquor (if using), and vanilla. Whip until combined and fluffy.
Notes
Vanilla Sugar: Mix 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or 1/2 a vanilla bean, seeds scraped.
All Butter Pie Crust
Servings: 2 crusts
Calories Per Serving: 1433 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup) cold salted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons hazelnut liquor (optional)
Instructions
- 1. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and butter. Pulse until the mix clumps together to form pea-size balls. Add the hazelnut liquor (if using), then add 1/2 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together and forms a ball. If the dough feels dry, add 1-2 tablespoons additional water.3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll out into 2 rounds. Use as directed.
This post was originally published on November 6, 2020
Can you use ground coffee beans rather than instant coffee granules?
Hey Baylie,
Sorry that isn’t quite the same:) You will want to use instant coffee. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This looks amazing! I would love to make this for my family, but without the coffee. What can I sub or can coffee be omitted?
Hey Nora,
You can omit the espresso:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delicious! I made this with minor alterations (for my laziness and love of chocolate). I used a pre-made oreo cookie crust, omitted the instant coffee and hazlenut liquor, and used both chocolate chunks and chips. It came out wonderfully. For those wondering about making this ahead of time – it is possible! I ate this pie while still warm and not set (~20 mins out of the oven), once set but still warm (60+ mins out of the oven) and refrigerated. I actually enjoyed the refrigerated best, the chunks had an extra little bite to them and it was less rich so I could consume more! 😀
I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you, Kaitlyn!! Thank you! xTieghan
My daughter made this pie and it was delicious!!:)
We will make it again for Christmas!!
Thank you so much Tammy! xTieghan
WOW so good. I found that the filling was able to fill two regular frozen pie crusts so we had two pies! Yum!
Thank you so much Emily!! I am so happy you loved this recipe! xTieghan
Made this pie twice! LOVED IT the first time! The center was molten and the texture was perfect! I loved it enough I made a second pie last night.
However I ran into a problem. The texture is all wrong. It’s almost spongy, but in an off putting/clumpy way. I baked this one closer to 50 minutes and the center was not molten at all. My thoughts are I either overmixed the filling or I baked the pie for too long. I’m going to attempt the pie for the third time because when it turns out correct, it’s AMAZING! In your opinion, should I be concerned about overmixing the filling? Or could the weird texture more likely be a result of overbaking?
Hey Kristen,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try. Yes, over mixing will cause the texture of the pie to change. I hope this helps for next time. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Would it be possible to sub the granulated sugar for coconut sugar or unrefined sugar or does it need the finer texture?
Hey Diana,
I have not tested either of these so I am not sure how well it would work, I would stick with the granulated sugar. I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions and Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This pie is so good! I didn’t have any of the hazelnut liqueur or instant coffee, but if I ever get either for another recipe, I’ll have to try this one again and include it this time. I used dark chocolate chips because that’s who I am. Very rich and a big hit.
Is there a non-pie recipe that uses this same chocolate filling?
Hey there,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad you enjoyed! Sorry I do not have a non-pie recipe for this filling. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this for Thanksgiving this year, including the pie crust. It was SO DANG GOOD YALL. I didn’t have hazelnut liquor but I DID have some bourbon liqueur so used that and it worked amazingly.
Thank you so much for trying this Lacey! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This is currently baking in my oven, hope mine turns out as good as yours looks.This is the first thing I’ve attempted to cook solo after badly breaking my humerus in August, thanks for the recipe xx
Thank you Hollie! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This pie was a huge hit for our Thanksgiving meal! We only had Creme de Cacao liquor, so I used that instead of the hazelnut. Delish!
Thank you Katie! xTieghan
This is in the permanent rotation. Loved it!
Thank you so much Heather! xTieghan
First time making a homemade pie, and it was the biggest success at thanksgiving! Honestly, we had pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake, but this recipe was calling my name when I saw it on Facebook weeks ago! So alas, I followed the recipe to a T, including the pie crust and whipped cream, and boyyyy was it tasty! Even the younger ones who didn’t like coffee said that even though they tasted it, it was super chocolate it and gooey! A very rich dessert with the Frangellico really adding a subtle nuttiness to it really balances out the bitter coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Will definitely make again!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you, Reese! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
This pie was the hit of Thanksgiving dinner! It got raving reviews above and beyond our local beloved bakery. The flavor and texture of the pie was amazing and it was definitely worth the extra time to make the homemade crust!!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you, Kim! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Thanks for the recipe! I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit. Better than expected. I used Trader Joe’s gluten free pie crust and Miyoko’s vegan butter. I removed some of the filling before baking and baked separately in a ramekin because it seemed too full for the smaller pie size.
Also we served this 2 hrs after baking and it was still gooey with a crunchy top.
Love that! Thank you so much Tammy! xTieghan