French Silk Pie is a dreamy chocolate mousse topped with fluffy whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Our recipe tastes just like Baker’s Square’s famous pie; rich, decadent, and delicious.
Why this recipe works
This French silk pie is a dream. The silky chocolate filling is rich with decadence and beats the store-bought frozen pies by a mile. I was inspired by my absolute favorite pie growing up from Baker’s Square, and I think this recipe hits the nail on the head.
French silk pie is really easy to prepare with a few important tips. We love it so much we’ve even transformed them into mini French silk pies that are great for parties. There isn’t a holiday that goes by that I don’t make this pie, it’s famous in my household! Each bite is full of silky chocolate indulgence topped with mounds of whipped cream.
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
CHOCOLATE – You will need unsweetened chocolate for this recipe. Melt it and be sure to cool it completely before incorporating.
EGGS – 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.
BUTTER – 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 temperature for about 20-30 minutes.
CRUST – We used a store-bought pie crust, but homemade pie crust always adds an extra special touch. Check out our how to make pie crust recipe if you don’t already have one on hand. You’ve probably also seen this pie made with an Oreo cookie crust, which is another great option. Visit our Bailey’s cheesecake recipe for an Oreo cookie crust recipe or use a premade one from the store.
TOPPING – 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.
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.
Tips Before You Begin
- Make the filling first. The filling will be pale in color but will sometimes darken as it chills. Put it into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. This allows it to set up and thicken a bit before adding it to the pie shell.
- Cool the chocolate. Melt the chocolate as instructed and let it cool completely. I usually melt the chocolate first so it’s cool by the time I need to add it to the filling in the mixer. If you add vanilla to hot or warm melted chocolate it may seize up.
- 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.
- Add the chilled filling to the pie crust. Put it back in the fridge while you make the whipped topping. 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. If you are using Cool Whip, go ahead and top the pie right away and refrigerate.
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Your pie filling may look grainy when mixing in the bowl, but don’t fret, simply beat it for several minutes until light and fluffy, about 6-7 minutes. The cause of graininess in your French silk pie is due to the sugar granules, which will melt while chilling overnight in the refrigerator. This isn’t necessarily a make-and-serve kind of pie. Be sure to chill it overnight for best results!
Yes, I highly suggest making this pie at least a day in advance. Though you can also make it up to 2 days in advance to save you even more time. Because we don’t bake this pie, you want to allow it ample time to set up in the refrigerator otherwise the pie may be grainy.
Store the pie covered with an air-tight lid or wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Yes, you can freeze French silk pie! 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.
Serving Suggestions
You can dress up the French silk pie by shaving some bittersweet chocolate through a mandolin or a vegetable peeler. Sprinkle the shavings on the top of the pie. You can also grate the chocolate for garnish. Serve chilled.
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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
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.
Amanda Davis
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Sharon says
This pie turned out perfectly!
I followed the recipe very carefully and only made one change.
Due to the reviews about the possible grittiness, I decided to grind the sugar with my coffee grinder.
This will be a must make pie going forward. It really is an awesome Baker’s Square copycat!
Thank you so much for sharing it.
Felicia says
Thank you for that idea! I ground my sugar and the filling was very smooth even before chilling.
Tracey says
Bakers Square French Silk pie is my favorite dessert in all the world, so I was crushed when my local restaurant closed! I’ve been eating their French Silk every year for pretty much my whole life…it’s become a holiday tradition to have it in my family! Desperate for a solution, I came across this recipe and made it for the first time this past Christmas, (as in 2 days ago, 2021). Let me say…this recipe was PERFECTION!!! I followed it exactly, and after letting it sit overnight, the next day it tasted EXACTLY like my beloved Bakers Square pie!! Everyone raves about it, and I’m relieved that I’ve found this recipe to have and make every year!! The tradition continues!! Thank-you a million times for this awesome, perfect, 100% accurate recipe!!!
Jody says
Thank you for posting the notes for this recipe! I have been making this pie for a few months and could not figure out why it was coming out so inconsistently. Now I know- room temp butter and eggs! This really saved me. Thank you 😊 The recipe I was using was from a scribbled down note from my friends great-great grandmother without the instructions.I live in sub tropical climate so I was intentionally using cold butter/eggs.
This is fluffy/moussey/amazing!
Karen says
i have tried several reipes for French Silk pie and this one is spot on and easy to make. It was a huge success. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was the first pie plate that was empty! My family has asked that i made it again for the next family get together, Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is wonderful.
Hint: when shavig the chocolate for the chocolate curls on top you can SLIGHTLY warm the chocolate and use a veggie peeler. It was like a charm!
N/a says
This pie NEVER sets. I wish I had read more recipes before making this one. I had to throw it out. There is almost no chocolate flavor and pie remains gritty and tastes like butter. I had to throw it out and feed my family something else.
Save yourselves the trouble and use the taste of home recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
Sounds like you definitely measured something wrong or left something out completely. I’ve been making this pie for YEARS and it’s always perfect.
Dana says
I use bakers sugar…ultra fine..works great if left overnight as instructed…love this copycat receipe
Patty Hopkins says
I wonder if those that said the pie was gritty were using Bakers Sugar. This fine sugar works beautifully and makes a tasty dessert :)
Rachael says
I have made this pie a couple times and making it again this year for the holidays. We all love it! Thank you!!
Andrew says
Just finished making the recipe for a work potluck. To be honest I was a bit skeptical of the filling, but it tastes great! Still a bit gritty after a few hours in the fridge, but it has definitely lessened since I first made it. Fingers crossed.
Breanne Meyers says
If i am not going to eat untill the next day do i still make the topping for it right away and add it
Trish says
You nailed it. Just as good as (if not better than) Baker’s Square. My family loves it. Thank you for sharing!
BTesch says
I’m not entirely sure what went wrong, I followed this recipe down to the letter with a food scale for the chocolate. It never darkened, I whipped the butter/sugar until lighter and fluffier (Almost 8-9 minutes) and used exactly 2.2 oz of chocolate…
It was super sweet but not chocolaty enough. By any chance are you sure you only use 2 oz of chocolate?
i want to fix whatever I can to make it work since the closest bakers square to us closed and it’s my dad’s favorite Pie.
Becca says
A day later and it is still grainy and barely tastes like chocolate. It mostly tastes like butter. It seemed odd that only 2 ounces of chocolate goes in and 2 cubes of butter, and it shows in the taste.
Amanda Formaro says
It sounds like you definitely measured something incorrectly. I’ve been making this exact recipe for over 20 years. I make two pies every Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. I’m sorry you had trouble!
Sandy says
I use about 1/3 of a cup of melted chocolate, and be sure to use “Bakers Sugar” it comes in a tall carton like a quart of milk and is much finer than regular sugar. Also, be sure to use room temperature butter and eggs, and beat 2 eggs at a time in for 5 minutes each time.
Jim Beaman says
As an old retired production manager Production manager of Bakers Square Poppin fresh pies we always used fudge base not heated melted chocolate and eggs were used cold not room temp.
Michael Donovan says
What kind of fudge? Is the rest of the recipe right?
Amanda Formaro says
This is not Poppin Fresh’s recipe, it’s a copycat. Which means that it was created to replicate the flavor, which it does.
Jamie Lee says
What happens if I use salted butter? Also do the eggs need to be at room temp?
Amanda Formaro says
It will likely be fine with salted butter (though I haven’t tried it myself) but could change the flavor slightly. Yes eggs should also be at room temp :)
Lisa says
My pie was gritty and tasted like sugar with a chocolate chaser 😆. I beat the butter and sugar for 7 minutes on speed 6 and put it the refrigerator for 24 hours. Should I have beat it on speed 8? Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry to hear that! Did you use white granulated sugar? I ask because I tried making it with a sugar substitute once (Monk Fruit to be exact) and it was awfully gritty.
Lisa says
Yes, it was white granulated sugar.
Amanda Formaro says
I’m at a loss for an answer. I’ve made this pie for over 20 years, three times a year, and only had that problem when I used Monk fruit. the only thing I can suggest is to make sure all your ingredients are at room temp and that you follow the instructions exactly. I’m sorry!
Connie says
My pie was gritty too. I followed the recipe to a “T” and got the same result you did!
Amanda Formaro says
There’s no way you followed the recipe to a T then. I’m sorry, but I make this every year for over 20 years and it’s perfect.
Jeanne says
Used this as my base recipe for candy cane pie – since Bakers Square isn’t doing their holiday pies this year due to Covid! Everyone loved it and said it tasted exactly like the original (which we’ve had every year for last 20+ years!)
-Oreo crust
-Thin layer of french silk recipe above (needed about half the recipe split across two pies). Chilled.
-Used above recipe for the peppermint white chocolate layer (sub 5 oz white chocolate in place of unsweetened chocolate – reduce sugar to 1 cup since white chocolate is already sweetened – add 1 tsp or so peppermint extract at same time as vanilla – fold in shattered candy cane bits at end). Split the full recipe across two pies.
Paris says
Jeanne , thank you for this tip! I CANNOT for the life of me find a dupe anywhere online for the Bakers Square candy cane pie recipe except for the same one everyone keeps copying and pasting like clickbait using a pic that clearly doesn’t match the pie recipe and I can’t find but 3 reviews. I will use this recipe with your tips. Thank you very much !😁 The Bakers Square in my area closed and my family misses our traditional pies 😭
Jen says
If I don’t have a deep dish pie pan would it be best to cut the recipe in half?
Amanda Formaro says
No it’s fine, you can use a regular pie crust and pan! :)
Martha says
I have been using your recipe every Thanksgiving and Christmas since 2016.. this is an outstanding recipe. My family loves it and requests it! Thank you for sharing!
Tal Almany says
The recipe was great! For some reason, after resting the pie overnight, it’s still gritty. Any thoughts?
Amanda Formaro says
Hmm, yeah it definitely shouldn’t be gritty still. Did you beat everything for the full amount of time in the recipe?