If you grew up anywhere near a Baker’s Square, you already know exactly which pie this is. The one behind the glass, dark and impossibly smooth, under a mountain of whipped cream and a scatter of chocolate shavings. This is that pie, made in your own kitchen, and it has been the most requested recipe in my house for close to 30 years.
Why this recipe works
French silk pie is a no-bake chocolate mousse set in a baked crust, and the whole thing lives or dies on two numbers: how long you beat it and how long you chill it. There is no cream in the filling, no milk and no gelatin. Butter, sugar, unsweetened chocolate, vanilla and eggs, beaten long enough to turn pale and airy, then left overnight to set. That is the entire trick, and it is why this version tastes like the restaurant one instead of like chocolate pudding in a shell.
I was inspired by my absolute favorite pie growing up from Baker’s Square, back when it was still called Poppin’ Fresh, and I think this French Silk Pie recipe hits the nail on the head. Readers have told us it beats the French silk at Village Inn, Perkins and Marie Callender’s too, which makes sense, since all of those are built on the same butter and unsweetened chocolate base. There isn’t a holiday that goes by that I don’t make this pie. We love it so much we have turned it into mini French silk pies for parties and a French silk slab pie when we are feeding a crowd.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE – This is the ingredient the whole pie is built around, so do not substitute it. The sugar in this recipe is calculated against unsweetened chocolate, which means semi-sweet or milk chocolate will make the pie excessively sweet and wash out the chocolate flavor. Melt it and let it cool completely before it goes anywhere near the mixer, because warm chocolate will seize when it meets the vanilla. If you want a deeper, more bitter pie, use 4 ounces instead of 2.
EGGS – The eggs in this pie are not cooked. If that concerns you, or if you are serving guests, use pasteurized eggs, which work identically. You can also learn how to pasteurize the eggs at home in your fridge.
BUTTER – Do not use margarine and do not melt it. There is no cream, milk or gelatin in this filling, which means the butter is the entire structure of the pie. Softened means out of the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes, not warmed. This is the single most common reason a French silk pie fails to set.
GRANULATED SUGAR – Regular granulated sugar is correct here. It will feel grainy in the bowl and that is expected. It finishes dissolving overnight in the refrigerator, which is exactly why this pie gets made the day before.
CRUST – We used a store-bought deep dish crust, baked fully according to the package, but a homemade crust always adds something. Our how to make pie crust recipe will get you there. An Oreo cookie crust is a great alternative if you want the pie a little less sweet overall, and there is a cookie crust recipe in our Bailey’s cheesecake post. Whatever you use, it needs to be fully baked and completely cool.
TOPPING – I have used both Cool Whip and homemade whipped cream over the years and both work. If you are whipping your own, heavy whipping cream is required. Half and half will not whip into anything stable.
EQUIPMENT – A stand mixer earns its keep on this recipe, since there is 17 minutes of beating time in total. A hand mixer works if you set a timer for each stage. You will also want a pie plate and a pie server, and a mandolin or vegetable peeler for the chocolate shavings on top.
Tips Before You Begin
- Make the filling first and give it time. Put it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it before it goes into the shell. It thickens as it sits and it is easier to work with.
- Cool the chocolate. Melt the chocolate before you do anything else so it has the longest possible time to cool. Adding vanilla to warm chocolate will seize it.
- Set a timer for every beating stage. Not an estimate, an actual timer. Six to seven minutes for the butter and sugar, then a full five minutes after each addition of eggs. This is where nearly every grainy pie comes from.
- Make your pie crust. If making a crust from scratch, follow the instructions for a fully baked pie shell as this pie will not go in the oven. Let it cool completely.
- WAIT until tomorrow to eat. You can certainly cut it after several hours of chilling, but you will be glad you waited. The filling needs the time to set and any graininess you noticed in the bowl will be gone by morning.
How to Make French Silk Pie
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Bake a homemade pie crust or use a Pillsbury refrigerated crust and make according to package directions for a fully baked crust. Set aside to cool.
- Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool completely.
- Using a stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 6-7 minutes.
- Add cooled chocolate and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
- Add eggs, two at a time, beating a full 5 minutes after each addition.
- Pour filling into cooled pie crust.
- Chill in the refrigerator for two hours then top with whipped cream. Then chill again in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. You can also wait until two hours or so before serving to add the whipped cream.
- To make the whipped topping, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks just begin to form. Add prepared whipped topping to top of pie.
- When ready to serve, optionally garnish with shaved bittersweet chocolate.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
French silk pie is a no-bake chocolate mousse pie set in a fully baked crust. The filling is built by creaming butter and sugar, then beating in melted unsweetened chocolate and eggs a little at a time until it turns pale, light and airy. There is no cooking, no tempering and no gelatin. The texture comes entirely from how long you beat it and how long you chill it.
Graininess is sugar that has not finished dissolving, and it is almost always a timing problem rather than a recipe problem. There are 17 minutes of total beating time built into this recipe and every minute of it matters. Beat the butter and sugar a full 6 to 7 minutes before anything else goes in, then a full 5 minutes after each addition of eggs. Even then the filling will feel slightly grainy in the bowl. That is normal. The sugar finishes dissolving overnight in the refrigerator, which is why this pie is made the day before and not the day of.
The most common cause is margarine or a spread used in place of butter. This filling has no cream, no milk and no gelatin, so butter is the entire structure of the pie. Margarine has a different fat and water balance and will not set. Melted butter causes the same problem, so the butter must be softened at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes rather than warmed. The second cause is a short chill. The pie needs two hours before the whipped cream goes on and then six more hours or overnight after.
Use unsweetened chocolate for the filling. The sugar in this recipe is calculated against unsweetened, so swapping in semi-sweet or milk chocolate makes the pie noticeably sweeter and flattens the chocolate flavor. If you want a deeper, less sweet pie, some readers use 4 ounces of unsweetened instead of 2. Bittersweet chocolate is for the shavings on top, not the filling.
The four eggs in this pie are not cooked. If you are serving guests, anyone pregnant, or anyone with a compromised immune system, use pasteurized eggs, which are sold in most large grocery stores and behave identically here. You can also pasteurize eggs at home in your own refrigerator. If you are serving to a crowd, it is worth saying out loud that you used pasteurized eggs, because it puts people at ease before they ask.
That is what it was built to do. I grew up on the Baker’s Square version, back when it was still Poppin’ Fresh, and developed this recipe to match it. Readers have also compared it favorably to the French silk pies from Village Inn, Perkins, Marie Callender’s and Tippins, which are all built on the same butter-and-unsweetened-chocolate mousse idea rather than a pudding or cream cheese base. If you have been chasing one of those restaurant pies, this is the closest home version we have found.
Yes, and it is a good pairing if you want the pie a little less sweet overall. A store-bought chocolate cookie crust works, or you can make your own. This recipe is written for a fully baked traditional crust because that is what the restaurant version uses, but the filling does not care what it sets in as long as the crust is fully baked and completely cool.
Yes, and you should. Make it at least one day ahead and up to two days ahead. The overnight rest is not optional convenience, it is what dissolves the sugar and firms the filling. A pie eaten the same day will be softer and grainier than the same pie eaten the next morning.
Storage and Freezing Information
Store leftover pie covered with an airtight lid or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
To freeze the whole pie, put it in the freezer uncovered for a few hours first, then wrap the frozen pie in plastic wrap and slide it into a freezer bag. If it will not fit, double wrap it in plastic instead. To freeze slices, cut the pie and lay the slices on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet without touching, freeze for a few hours, then wrap each slice individually and bag them.
To thaw, remove the plastic wrap immediately so condensation does not settle on the surface. Thaw at room temperature if you plan to serve it soon, or in the refrigerator if you have a full day.
For make ahead, this pie should be made at least one day in advance and can be made up to two days ahead. That is the recommendation, not just a convenience.
Serving Suggestions
Serve it cold, straight from the refrigerator, with bittersweet chocolate shaved over the top with a vegetable peeler or a mandolin right before it goes to the table. A pie this rich cuts best with a warm knife wiped between slices, and the portions can be smaller than you think.
This is a Thanksgiving and Christmas pie in our house, and it holds its own on a dessert table next to lighter things. If you are building a spread, our Pies and Tarts collection has fruit and cream options that balance it out, and the rest of our Thanksgiving recipes will fill in around it. For a party where you want the same flavor in a format people can pick up, make mini French silk pies instead, and for a crowd, the French silk slab pie feeds far more from the same filling. Coffee is the right drink alongside it, and it is one of the few desserts I would not put ice cream next to.
More Chocolate Pies and No Bake Desserts
- Reese’s Pie
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Chocolate Mousse
- No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
- French Silk Slab Pie
- Mini French Silk Pies
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French Silk Pie
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 6 ounce deep dish frozen pie crust baked according to package
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled COMPLETELY
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces heavy whipping cream or 8 ounce tub Cool Whip
- 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- We highly recommend making this pie a day ahead.
- The eggs in this recipe are not cooked. If that concerns you, you can use pasteurized eggs or learn how to pasteurize the eggs in your fridge.
- Do NOT use margarine, I have not tested this pie using margarine. Do NOT melt the butter. The butter should be softened, which means removing it from the fridge and letting it sit at room temp about 20-30 minutes.
- Make your pie crust first. If making a crust from scratch, follow the instructions for a fully baked pie shell as this pie will not go in the oven. Let it cool completely.
- We like to chill the pie for two hours before topping with whipped cream, but it isn’t imperative. You can also wait to add the whipped topping until an hour or two before serving, either way will work.
- I have used both Cool Whip and homemade whipped cream in the past when making this pie. It’s up to you on what you prefer.
Instructions
- Bake a homemade pie crust or use a Pillsbury refrigerated crust and make according to package directions for a fully baked crust. Set aside to cool.
- Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool completely.
- Beat sugar and butter on medium high until light and fluffy, about 6-7 minutes.
- Add cooled chocolate and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
- Add eggs, two at a time, beating a full 5 minutes after each addition.
- Pour filling into cooled pie crust.
- Chill in the refrigerator for two hours then top with whipped cream. Then chill again in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. You can also wait until two hours or so before serving to add the whipped cream.
- To make the whipped cream, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks just begin to form. Add prepared whipped topping to top of pie.
- When ready to serve, optionally garnish with shaved bittersweet chocolate.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- WAIT until tomorrow to eat. You can certainly eat it after it has chilled for several hours, BUT believe me when I tell you that you will be very thankful that you waited overnight. The filling needs time to set up. Any graininess you may have detected when you tasted the filling will be gone after a good night’s rest.
- Store leftover pie covered with an air-tight lid or wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- If you want to freeze the whole pie and thaw the entire thing later, place it in the freezer for a few hours. Then remove it and wrap the frozen pie in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped pie in a freezer bag. If it won’t fit, just double-wrap it with plastic wrap instead.
- If you want to freeze slices, cut the pie into slices and place them on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Place the entire thing in the freezer, making sure the slices are not touching each other. After a few hours, and the slices are frozen, remove from the freezer and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped slices into a freezer bag.
- To thaw them out, simply remove from the freezer and immediately remove the plastic wrap. Allow to thaw at room temperature if you plan to eat it fairly soon. You can also thaw in the refrigerator but it will take quite a bit longer – probably a day.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This post originally appeared on this blog on December 6, 2008 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips. Pictured above is one of our old photos which you may recognize.
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Kristen Czupryn says
Can not wait to try this! I found your crust recipe from the blueberry pie. How do I bake it to use it for the base of this pie?
Amanda Formaro says
You would need to completely bake the pie crust since this is a no-bake pie. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes and check it. Keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t get too brown. Adjust up or down as needed!
Bethany Olson says
Perfect the first time, thanks to my trusty KitchenAid and your great recipe! French Silk from Bakers Square has always been my guilty pleasure, but now i can whip this up whenever I have a special occasion! I would never have guessed at the ingredients but it came together just as you said, no grainy texture after an overnight chill of the filling. Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome! I just made mine yesterday, they are chilling in the fridge :)
Constance Ransbottom says
Did Bakers square use whipped cream or a Cool Whip like topping??
Amanda Formaro says
I don’t know, but I’m guessing whipped cream. You can use either.
Amanda says
Is it safe to use bittersweet chocolate?
Melissa says
Something went wrong. This recipe looks so good. But mine did not stiffen up instead it was like a runny pudding the next day. Not sure what happened ,might try it again.
Amanda Formaro says
Definitely something wasn’t measured or mixed right. Sorry you had trouble! Make sure you follow each step and mix for the full amount of time stated. :)
Nicole says
Read somewhere that the eggs need to be at room temp otherwise risk having a runny filling
Kelly Pompa says
Does this French Silk pie taste anything like Tippin’s French Silk Pie ?
Amanda Formaro says
Hmm I’ve never heard of Tippin’s. It tastes just like Baker’s Square though!
Susan B says
If I am making your whipped topping, when do I put it on the pie? I know Cool Whip can sit on it overnight, but will homemade get watery and flatten out if you put it on the night before? Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
It will be fine overnight refrigerated :)
Debbie says
This was a HUGE hit! Delicious and true to the original. Thanks for the recipe, it’s going to be one I do again and again, I can just tell.
I did pasteurize the eggs, thanks for the directions on that, just to be on the safe side. Though, a lifetime of raw cookie dough and cake batter has never gotten the best of me.
Tiffany H says
I’m very interested in making this pie! My husband’s favorite was the peanut butter chocolate pie at Baker’s Square. Do you have a copy cat recipe for that one?
Amanda Formaro says
I don’t, but I will be on the lookout! I wonder if different layers of this one and my peanut butter pie would work https://amandascookin.com/no-bake-peanut-butter-pie/ Actually I just looked it up and I bet it would! Looks like a small layer of chocolate and then a lot of peanut butter with PB cups mixed in.
Leticia Thorell says
Do you have a recipe for the crust? Store-bought gives me chills…
Amanda Formaro says
We do have a homemade crust recipe in this post https://amandascookin.com/blueberry-pie/
Ari says
Hello!
I just made this last night and put it in the fridge to chill overnight and it looks absolutely delicious!
But I realized this morning I had used unpasteurized eggs and didn’t pasteurize the eggs at home before putting them in since I thought they were already.
Would the pie still be safe to eat?
Amanda Formaro says
I have never pasteurized my eggs and have been making this pie for 15 years. I’ve made it with store bought eggs as well as farm fresh eggs. I make it every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and sometimes at Easter. I am not a health expert or a doctor so anything you choose to do is at your own risk. :) You have to do what you feel comfortable doing.
Danni says
Amanda please HELP! The first time I made you pie it was great, flavor is spot on, consistency and texture were perfect. Now the last couple times I’ve made it the filling seems to be thick it’s not a smooth velvety texture. I re-read your instructions and completely skipped the step of chilling the filling before adding it to the crust is this why my consistency is off? Any tips? Love this recipe and will not even look at another.
Amanda Formaro says
Hmm chilling the filling first is just so it’s a little thicker when you add it to the crust, so that wouldn’t be the issue. Did you change any ingredients at all? Use margarine instead of butter, use a chocolate that contains sugar. etc?
Jane says
Do you think I could use pasteurized egg whites instead of eggs? Or do you need the yolks? Quarantine supply problems :)
Amanda Formaro says
To be honest, this is one of those recipes that I wouldn’t substitute. I’ve personally never tried it without the yolks :/
Amy says
Is it possible to sub unsweetened cocoa powder for unsweetened chocolate?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Amy. I have to preface this by saying that I have NOT tried this substitution, and I cannot guarantee that it will work. I found this tip on a reputable website.
“3 level tablespoons unsweetened cocoa and 1 tablespoon butter, margarine or shortening for every 1-ounce unsweetened baking chocolate.”
Hope that helps!
laura says
The hit of Christmas! Will never buy a French Silk Pie again – Since we primarily love the filling, I skipped the crust and just served it like a mousse. You’re right … it’s great after sitting for several hours, but even better the next day. Thank you for sharing!
Amanda Formaro says
Hooray! Glad you loved it as much as we do!!
jennifer says
Last night I made a recipe similar to this (Ree Drummond’s). I am a big fan of Baker’s Square French Silk Pie so I’ve made several different ones. Most times, I get a stiff filling. It always tastes good and is smooth and creamy when it goes into the crust, but the next day, it’s hard and semi-crumbly. Do you know what I”m doing wrong? It’s so disappointing to waste ingredients and have a sub-par pie.
Amanda Formaro says
Hmm without looking at Ree’s I’m not sure. I’ve never had that problem with my recipe and have been making it for a long time. I have two pies in the fridge right now. The consistency is the same as Baker’s Square. I’m so sorry you’ve had trouble with other recipes, I hope you get a chance to try mine some day!
jennifer says
It’ll be my next attempt! Hers is the exact same — except 4 oz melted chocolate. She says to add cold eggs ONE at a time with 5 minutes between so it beats for 20 minutes total. Do you use room temperature eggs or straight from the fridge?
Michelle says
Looks delicious!
Amanda Formaro says
It’s my favorite!
Kashipan says
I had a problem with this pie darkening and setting, too. I waited from about 7pm the night I made it, until noon the next day. It tastes great, but a mousse type thing wasn’t what I was going for.
Probably a word to the wise about waiting for the chocolate to cool, too – Don’t wait TOO long. I’m pretty familiar with melting and tempering chocolate, so it wasn’t a problem to get it melted, but I cooled it just to the point where it might’ve started to harden, and by the time I mixed it into the filling, it started to harden into pieces. Kind of neat if you want little crispy bits of chocolate in your filling, but I wasn’t expecting that. For anyone who might obsess over that, I’d definitely say don’t worry about it cooling within an inch of its melted life.
Marissa says
I made this pie exactly as written and it still hasn’t darkened. I keep checking to make sure it really only called for 2oz of chocolate. It tastes good, from the little I’ve sampled (serving it for a party tonight) but it doesn’t taste chocolatey. Any ideas where I went wrong? Filling is the color of peanut butter.
Marissa says
PS. I made it yesterday afternoon
Amanda Formaro says
I’m curious to hear how it was? And you used unsweetened chocolate?
Tina says
Im guessing you used regular chocolate, it calls for unsweetened chocolate which is bakers chocolate found in the baking isle, its very bitter and very dark in color.
Amanda Formaro says
Not regular chocolate – 2 ounces UNSWEETENED chocolate. The sugar in the recipe takes care of sweetening the pie. If you use a chocolate other than unsweetened, it will be too rich.
Janet says
I made this recipe exactly as instructions said to except my husband was so sad I was taking it to work that I made 1 1/2 times the recipe and left a smaller pie for him. It turned out perfectly and just like Baker’s Square. I live in Ohio and so could still just go and buy one of their pies but this one was even better! Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
thanks so much Janet! So glad you guys loved it as much as we do, and thank you for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment :)
Jodi says
I made this last night and I can’t for the LIFE of me figured out what happened :(( I made sure everything was cooled. Added eggs 2 beat for 5 minutes. Added an egg beat for 5 minutes added the 4th egg and beat for 5 minutes. (Someone else said they did this.) The only thing I can think of is that the batter did not chill and rest for long enough. It was about 30 to 45 minutes before I put it in the crust. Chilled it covered overnight. Complete soup… a runny pudding :( the flavor was PHENOMENAL!!!! It was so rich and even had a fluffy texture. It would have been easily been just as good as Bakers Square if I could get it to set… I really want to try it again. Can you give me any help?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Jodi. First I apologize for not seeing this comment sooner :( I’m not sure what might have gone wrong without knowing everything. Are you sure you had the right amount of sugar and butter? The eggs should be added two at a time, I don’t know if beating them too long could have been the undoing. I’m so sorry you had trouble.
Tanya Little says
Read All of Amanda’s tips, this is The best recipe! I use 3 ounces of chocolate and a Tablespoon of vanilla 😋 Your butter should be Cold, soft enough for the beaters to get through it but still as cold as possible, if your beating the mixture and it’s starting to get warm put it in the fridge for about 20-40 mins and then finish adding eggs (2 at a time by the way!) and beating for the 5 min intervals. Total beating time should be at least 10 mins but no more than about 12 mins. You can pour it right into your cooled crust right away, then stick about 6 toothpicks in the pie (to keep saran wrap away from filling) and cover with saran wrap and put in the fridge overnight, then top with whipped cream. The filling HAS to stay pretty cold or it gets soupy. Also try using an Oreo Cookie crust!! Its THE BEST!!