When I was in high school I lived across the street from a Poppin’ Fresh, which is now known as Baker’s Square. They make the BEST French Silk Pie, which is a rich and creamy chocolate cream pie. Yes, they beat out Marie Callender’s by a mile. I have been making this pie every Thanksgiving and Christmas since 2008.
French Silk Pie
There isn’t a Christmas or Thanksgiving that goes by without this my French Silk Pie, and chances are we’ll be enjoying it for Easter too. It’s just a family favorite and there would be a lot of sad faces if I didn’t make it!
I recently updated the photos on this post. So if you followed a link or came from Pinterest and these aren’t the photos you expected, that’s why. However, I have kept the original photos in a small collage below. You know. For old time’s sake. :)
What you’ll need to make Baker’s Square French Silk Pie
From my original blog post: “I have to admit, I was so excited to make this, and then so worried it wasn’t going to work because the instructions said to beat the butter and sugar until creamy and not grainy. Well, mine was creamy but never NOT grainy. However, after making this multiple times now, I know to simply beat it for several minutes until light and fluffy, about 6-7 minutes.” The sugar melts in the rest overnight, so be sure to include that step. You won’t be disappointed!
For this recipe, I used my KitchenAid stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Make the filling first. The filling will be pale in color but will 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. If you are using Cool Whip, go ahead and top the pie now 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.
- NOTE: 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.
Can I freeze this pie?
Yes, you can freeze my 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 (I live by myself, so this works best for me, I do it with cake all the time), 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.
I have made this French silk pie numerous times and have used both Cool Whip (pictured in the original photos) and fresh whipped cream (as seen in these updated photos) for the topping.
You can dress it up by shaving some bittersweet chocolate through a mandolin or by using a vegetable peeler. Sprinkle the shavings on the top of the pie.
Other Holiday Desserts I Love
- Perfect Pumpkin Pie
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Hershey’s Drop Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Homemade Baker’s Square French Silk Pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled COMPLETELY
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces Whipping cream or 8ounce tub Cool Whip
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 6 ounce deep dish frozen pie crust baked according to package
Things You'll Need
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.
- Beat 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.
- You can garnish with shaved bittersweet chocolate as well.
Video
Expert Tips & FAQs
- 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 the filling first. The filling will be pale in color but will 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.
- 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. If you are using Cool Whip, go ahead and top the pie now 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.
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Nutrition
This post originally published here on December 6, 2008, then republished October 8, 2016.
Amanda Formaro
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Petty says
Hi Amanda, I love baking and I will surely try this pie. I’ll let u know how it turns out.
PS..I have chocolate mouth lovers in my family and I’m sure this will be a knockout!
Thank you.
Amanda Formaro says
Hope you love it as much as we do!
Lisa says
I made this pie yesterday. It was the first time and it turned out beautifully. I read some other pie recipes and took some pointers and applied it to this recipe. Here they are: I creamed the sugar and butter in a glass bowl, added the chocolate and vanilla, then transferred the mixture into a stainless steel bowl that i had kept cold in the freezer. I added one egg at a time and beat each egg for five minutes. I let the batter rest for five minutes between each egg and put the stainless steel bowl in the fridge to keep it cold. I noticed by the time the third egg was added, it really started to fluff up. It was set in a couple of hours and smooth as silk.
Kip Cole says
Should the eggs be cold or room temp?
Amanda Formaro says
Room temperature :)
Sarah says
Yah I figured that out after we added them, some of the chocolate seized to the side of the mixing bowl. Will make sure next time.
Shauna Sappington says
I just made this and it turned out AMAZING! ?
Amanda Formaro says
So glad you loved it like we do!
Jessica S says
im going to try this today. eeeeep
Amanda Formaro says
Hope you enjoy it!
Lauren says
hi Amanda, I have a question I just made this pie and before putting it in the fridge it looked a bit more on the liquidy side (not super super runny though) as it has been in the fridge for about 30 minutes it´s starting to look a little more solid, do you think it´ll turn out fine? thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry I’m just seeing this? How did it tun out?
Wendy Anderson says
Amanda, can I make this a few days in advance ? Looks amazing, thank you.
Amanda Formaro says
Yes! I would say no longer than 3 days, 2 is better. If you make the pie but don’t add the whipped topping, you can keep it in the fridge for up to a week. Add the whipped topping one day before serving :)
Maddy says
You’ve got me so excited – my absolute favorite dessert growing up and a birthday staple was Baker’s Square French Silk Pie (and NO, a Marie Callenders chocolate cream was not the same…) and I literally can’t get it any more on the west coast. Even drove an hour to a place claiming to have french silk pie still for one of my recent birthdays and was disappointed to get a regular chocolate cream. In desperation I tried making it one year but had the same experience you described — tried beating it with electric beaters for almost an HOUR but it remained grainy. I’m not much of a baker so I thought maybe it was just beyond my skills.
If I can make this recipe and have my childhood back I will cry!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Maddy! You will LOVE this pie, I promise!! I swear by it.
Tiffany says
Hi, I am very interested in making this pie!
May I ask the recipe you use to make your whipped cream for the pie?
Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Tiffany! To make whipped cream, pour one cup of cold heavy whipping cream into a chilled mixer bowl. Add a tablespoon of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whisk on high until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
ophelia says
I reduced the sugar by 1/2 cup and I still found this recipe to be way too sweet. Next time I’ll be adding a bit more chocolate and less sugar. Overall it was successful though. I had fun making it!
Amanda Formaro says
It’s definitely a rich pie. Glad you enjoyed it!
Sara says
I followed the recipe to a t. My chocolate was completely cooled, I beat it on high with an electric hand mixture, 5 minutes after each addition of 2 eggs. Can’t fogure out why it was very runny and my sugar was very granulated even after overnight. Gonna try freezing it to make it less runny. For now, just gonna run to bakers square for the real deal
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry you had trouble Sara, the filling should definitely not have been runny. By chance, did you melt the butter? It’s the only thing I can think of that would have caused that issue other than not measuring something correctly. :(
Karen says
I have been making two of these pies (per the requests of my parents and in laws) every year for Christmas and Easter since I’ve owned a Kitchenaid. I use store bought pasteurized eggs and I always splurge and use 3 to 4 ounces of the expensive brand unsweetened chocolate. I’ve found that using semi-softened butter and very cold eggs help the filling have a more airy, mousse-like consistency (like the real Bakers Square pie). Room temperature ingredients leave it runny and ultimately result in a final product that is way too dense. I would never dare let Cool-Whip anywhere near this amazing pie. I top mine with homemade whip cream that has been stabilized and sweetened with powdered sugar and homemade chocolate curls.
Amanda Formaro says
Sounds like you are in my kitchen Karen! Haha – I love the homemade whipped cream too, though I do understand that some people like to use Cool Whip. So glad you enjoy it so much!! :)
Zadi says
You’re awesome
**Never let cool whip near it lolol. That’s my thought as well.
Lindsay says
I’m making this pie today for Christmas tomorrow. Followed the directions to the letter, and finally I have a pie that’s easy, and my family will enjoy. It’s super easy, and with homemade whipped cream, it’s sure to please. (I have never been able to make sweets, but this is one I can now.) Thanks so much for this recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
I’m so glad! Mine in is the fridge right now :) Merry Christmas!
Maria says
Can I make the pie ahead and feeeze it?
Amanda Formaro says
I have never frozen it before, however it should be fine. Thaw it in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to serving.
Karen says
Thanks so much for posting this. I remember Baker’s Square fondly from my childhood and this pie was always my favorite. I can still remember what it tastes like, even though I haven’t been there in over 20 years. Now I can recreate it for my family who never got to try it before.
Amanda Formaro says
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Karen :)