This is the best Chocolate Mousse Pie recipe that is made with Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust, rich and silky Chocolate Mousse Filling, and airy Whipped Cream Topping. It will be a perfect dessert for any celebration!
I am so excited to share one of my favorite dessert recipes with you! This rich and decadent Chocolate Mousse Pie is made with Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust, silky Chocolate Mousse Filling, and topped with Whipped Cream.
The filling itself is based on my recipe for Julia Child’s Chocolate Mousse. While it might seem a bit complicated, it’s really super easy to make. Just follow all my instructions and additional notes for the best results. Your mousse will come out very light and airy yet rich in flavor!
Here are 3 main components for the recipe:
- Graham cracker crust
- Chocolate mousse
- Whipped cream topping
Table of contents
How to make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
There is no reason to buy premade crust in the store as it’s easy to make it at home.
You can make it in 3 simple steps:
- Grind Graham crackers in a food processor.
- Transfer ground crackers in a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients (cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter), then mix.
- Transfer the mixture into a pie pan and press tightly.
- Bake at 300˚F for 10 minutes. Then cool the crust for 1-2 hours before filling it up with chocolate mousse. (I like to keep it on a counter for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour).
How to make chocolate mousse filling
Separate 4 eggs into egg yolks and egg whites. Cover egg whites with plastic wrap and set aside.
This step is very important! Put egg yolks in a mixing bowl and, using a whisk, beat it very well for a few minutes until they become lighter in color and thicker consistency.
NOTE: By whisking the egg yolks before adding hot ingredients to it, will prevent the eggs from getting “cooked” and lumpy.
While you are whisking the egg yolks, put strong brewed coffee and sugar in a sauce pan and heat it on the stove until all the sugar dissolves. You don’t need to boil it, just dissolve the sugar.
Gradually add the brewed coffee and sugar mixture into egg yolks while constantly whisking the egg yolks so they won’t cook.
Put a mixing bowl with egg yolks mixture over a pot of steaming water and constantly whisk the mixture for about 10 minutes until the mixture gets thick and pale color.
NOTE 1: For the best results, bring the water to boil first, then reduce the heat to low. We don’t need the water to boil, but only to release hot steam. After you lowered the heat, place the bowl with egg yolks on top and whisk.
NOTE 2: The whisking time over hot water can take different time (up to 20 minutes). As the final result, we want the mixture to get thicker consistency, until the ribbons form.
Put this thick and pale egg yolks mixture into the stand mixer bowl and beat it for 5 minutes on medium speed. It should become even thicker and paler.
In a separate bowl whisk together melted chocolate and softened butter until smooth consistency. Add melted chocolate mixture to the egg yolk mixture and fold it in.
In a separate bowl put egg whites, salt and cream of tartar and, using a hand or stand mixer, beat it until you have stiff peaks formed.
Fold it together with egg yolk/chocolate mixture until smooth.
Scoop the mousse in the chocolate graham crust and refrigerate overnight.
How to make Whipped Cream
The last step is the easiest one.
Put heavy cream with powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and using a hand and stand mixer whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
Top the pie with whipped cream.
As an option, you can shave some dark chocolate on top of the whipped cream for decoration.
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer to bake it for 10 minutes, so the crust holds better and won’t crumble when you cut it in slices. If you want to make it as “no-bake dessert”, you can skip the baking part and just refrigerate the crust for couple of hours.
You can keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Best Chocolate Mousse Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chocolate Graham Crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham crackers 10 full sheets
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Ingredients for Chocolate Mousse:
- 4 large eggs separated
- ¼ cup strong brewed coffee
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 6 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate melted
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Ingredients for Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipped cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
How to make Graham Crust:
- Grind Graham crackers in a food processor.
- Transfer ground crackers in a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients (cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter), then mix.
- Transfer the mixture into a pie pan and press tightly.
- Bake at 300˚F for 10 minutes. Then cool the crust for 1-2 hours before filling it up with chocolate mousse. (I like to keep it on a counter for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour).
How to Make Chocolate Mousse Filling:
- Separate 4 eggs into egg yolks and egg whites. Cover egg whites with plastic wrap and set aside.
- This step is very important! Put egg yolks in a mixing bowl and, using a whisk, beat it very well for a few minutes until they become lighter in color and thicker consistency.
- NOTE: By whisking the egg yolks before adding hot ingredients to it, will prevent the eggs from getting “cooked” and lumpy.
- While you are whisking the egg yolks, put strong brewed coffee and sugar in a sauce pan and heat it on the stove until all the sugar dissolves. You don’t need to boil it, just dissolve the sugar.
- Gradually add the brewed coffee and sugar mixture into egg yolks while constantly whisking the egg yolks so they won’t cook.
- Put a mixing bowl with egg yolks mixture over a pot of steaming water and constantly whisk the mixture for about 10 minutes until the mixture gets thick and pale color.
- NOTE 1: For the best results, bring the water to boil first, then reduce the heat to low. We don’t need the water to boil, but only to release hot steam. After you lowered the heat, place the bowl with egg yolks on top and whisk.
- NOTE 2: The whisking time over hot water can take different time (up to 20 minutes). As the final result, we want the mixture to get thicker consistency, until the ribbons form.
- Put this thick and pale egg yolks mixture into the stand mixer bowl and beat it for 5 minutes on medium speed. It should become even thicker and paler.
- In a separate bowl whisk together melted chocolate and softened butter until smooth consistency. Add melted chocolate mixture to the egg yolk mixture and fold it in.
- In a separate bowl put egg whites, salt and cream of tartar and, using a hand or stand mixer, beat it until you have stiff peaks formed.
- Fold it together with egg yolk/chocolate mixture until smooth.
- Scoop the mousse in the chocolate graham crust and refrigerate overnight.
How to make Whipped Cream
- The last step is the easiest one.
- Put heavy cream with powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and using a hand and stand mixer whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
- Top the pie with whipped cream.
- As an option, you can shave some dark chocolate on top of the whipped cream for decoration.
Hi Veronika, once again I’m new to baking and I noticed that while the egg yolks get “cooked” likely while stirring over the steam….the egg whites are not included in that step so does that mean the egg whites are raw when eaten in the end result? Not something I would like to do. I have this recipe for chocolate mousse which is part of a chocolate layered dessert and I’m wondering if it could be used in place of the mousse in your recipe?
Mousse:
* 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
* 5 tablespoons hot water
* 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate , chopped fine
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
* 1 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on desired sweetness
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* pinch of table salt
With this method… * whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside.
* Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% power, stirring often, until smooth (don’t overheat!). Whisk the cocoa/water mixture into the melted chocolate until smooth (if there are little lumps, you can press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl). Let it cool to room temperature (just slightly lukewarm is fine, too, as long as it isn’t warm or hot)
* In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, whip the cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt at medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted (I often use my Ninja blender to whip cream – only takes a few seconds).
* Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
For me I find it tastes very good as a mousse I’m just not sure if it would be firm enough for a pie? I would love your comments. I know this is an adapted recipe from the original Epicurious but I don’t know who did the adaptation.
yum! This is so indulgent and the perfect dessert for the holidays!
Oh heck yes! This chocolate pie looks and sounds amazing! Count me in! I don’t want to share a single piece of this deliciousness!
This looks like it could satisfy any chocolate craving! It looks so creamy and indulgent. I want a slice please!
This pie is everything. I lovelovelove chocolate mousse, and I love pie!!! I definitely have to try this soon, as it really sounds scrumptious and up my alley, texture-wise.
This is making me drool! I am so loving that rich and silky Chocolate Mousse Filling, and airy Whipped Cream Topping so much. I will definitely have this on the Holiday!
That pie looks seriously awesome. Chocolate mousse is one of my favorite desserts. It doesn’t get any better than a big old plate of chocolate and pie crust. Om nom nom.