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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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?