It’s a classic, and always a hit! Learn how easy it is to make Chocolate Jello Pudding Pie with a crunchy chocolate cookie crust and creamy whipped topping.
You only need 5 ingredients to make the most delicious, chocolatey pudding pie! Instant Jell-O pudding mix blends with heavy cream to make a simple, decadent, no-bake pie filling.
Add the filling to a pre-made chocolate crust, then cover the whole thing with Cool Whip and chocolate shavings. It’s truly that simple, and you can make this pie in less than 10 minutes if you’re focused!
If you love rich and creamy desserts, you have to try my No Bake Peanut Butter Pie next.
You can do so many things with a package of Jello Instant Pudding! Try these fun Pudding Shots, or Soft Chocolate Pudding Cookies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Extra Thick Pudding Pie– The trick to a really thick, rich chocolate pie is using heavy cream rather than whole milk to make the instant pudding. It’s a simple and very effective way to make this yummy easy chocolate mousse pie.
- Simple Three Layer Pie – Desserts always seem much fancier when they include multiple layers! This pie has three delicious layers, and they don’t take much effort at all.
- Decorate Your Way– I added whipped topping and milk chocolate shavings to the top of this pie, but you can also use chocolate chips, fresh whipped cream, or drizzle melted chocolate on top. Have fun with it!
- Easy to Make Ahead – Chill the pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before serving, or freeze it and serve it as a frozen or semi-frozen treat.
- Kids Love This Pie – Not only do little ones enjoy eating this creamy chocolate pie, but they can also help you make it. Since there’s no heat or cooking involved, it’s a safe recipe for even the youngest cooks to help with.
Ingredients In Chocolate Jello Pudding Pie
Just 5 ingredients are needed to make a Chocolate Pie that the entire family will go crazy for!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chocolate Crust – I’m using a store-bought Oreo Crust to build my simple Jello Pudding Pie. You can also look for chocolate graham cracker crust, or even a traditional graham cracker crust if you like.
- Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix – You should use 2 regular boxes (3.9-ounce size) of Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding to make this pie. The larger size boxes are 5.9 ounces, and won’t be quite enough. Be sure to use instant pudding, not the cook-and-serve type.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – This high-fat dairy product is key to giving our no-bake pie a thick consistency.
- Whipped topping – Cool Whip or a store brand equivalent is the topping for this simple dessert. We’ll also mix some of it in with the thickened pudding to get the perfect filling consistency. I like the traditional style Cool Whip, but you can use the lighter varieties here to reduce the fat or sugar a bit.
- Extra Chocolate – Use a chocolate bar that you’ve chopped or shaved to decorate the pie. You can also use chocolate chips or a drizzle of fudge sauce as a pie topping.
How To Make Chocolate Jello Pudding Pie
- Mix Pudding: In a large bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream with chocolate pudding and mix with a hand mixer until thickened (it should be very thick) if needed add a splash of milk to thin it out. Add half of the whipped topping and fold it in with a spatula until combined.
- Fill Pie Crust: Transfer the chocolate pudding mixture to the prepared chocolate cookie crust and smooth out with a spatula.
- Top and Decorate: Add the rest of the whipped topping and gently spread it over the chocolate layer. Decorate as you like with chopped or shaved chocolate.
- Chill: You can serve this right away, but it’s best if chilled for at least an hour first.
Tip!
A pre-made chocolate crust makes this recipe super simple, but if you’d like to make your own Oreo crust, check out how I do it in my Oreo Pie recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Plan Ahead. It’s best to make this pie at least a few hours before you plan to eat it. This gives the pudding a chance to set up extra firm and will make it easier to slice and serve.
- Get Clean Slices. The biggest tip I have about cutting clean slices from no-bake pies is to clean your knife between every cut. Keep some warm water and paper towels nearby to make this simple.
- Make Two! It’s just as easy to make two chocolate pudding pies as it is to make one. If you’re bringing this dessert to a party or holiday dinner, be sure to have enough for everyone.
Storing Tips
Cover the pie with plastic wrap, or the lid that may have come with your premade crust. Keep this no-bake dessert in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
You can store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days.
What To Serve With Jello Chocolate Pudding Pie
This easy no-bake pie is welcome at just about any occasion. Serve it as dessert on Thanksgiving or Christmas, or add it to your Summer BBQ menu.
More Easy Pies to Make
All Pie Recipes→
FAQs
Yes! This pie freezes very well. Wrap the whole pie tightly with plastic wrap in multiple layers to keep air out. You can freeze this for up to 1 month. You can enjoy the pie frozen, or allow it to thaw in the refrigerator first.
If you tried to use low-fat or fat-free milk in place of the heavy cream in this recipe you’d end up with chocolate jello pudding that is thin and runny. Use heavy cream to get a thick pudding pie that will hold up to slicing.
Most of the flavors of Jell-O instant pudding do contain gelatin. To my knowledge, only the vanilla, banana cream, pistachio, and lemon flavors are considered vegan.
Jello Instant Pudding will not set properly using non-dairy milk such as almond or coconut milk. In order to make a dairy-free chocolate pudding pie, you would need to follow a recipe that makes the chocolate filling from scratch.
If you’d prefer to top the pie with fresh whipped cream you can, just don’t do it until right before you are serving. Whipped cream isn’t as stable as whipped topping, so it will melt if done ahead of time.
Jello Pudding Pie is so easy to make! Save this recipe for the next time you want to make a delicious dessert without a lot of fuss. Pin it for more people to enjoy too!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chocolate Jello Pudding Pie
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream or whole milk
- 2 3.9 ounce packages chocolate instant pudding
- 16 ounces whipped topping thawed
- 1 pre-made chocolate crumb crust
- chocolate bar or mini chocolate chips optional, for decoration
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream with chocolate pudding and mix with a hand mixer until thickened (mixture will be very thick) if needed add a splash of milk to thin it out.
- Add half (8 ounces) of the whipped topping and fold it in with a spatula until combined.
- Transfer the pudding mixture to the chocolate crust, and smooth out the top with a spatula. Top with the remaining whipped topping and chill until you’re ready to serve.
- Decorate with chocolate chips or chocolate shavings if desired.
Notes:
- Be sure to use instant pudding, not the cook-and-serve type.
- You can top the pie with fresh whipped cream if you like, but be sure to add it just before serving, otherwise, it may melt.
- Using a pre-made crust is a great shortcut, but you can also make your own Oreo or graham cracker crust for this pie.
- To Store: Keep this pie refrigerated and covered. It can be stored this way for up to 2 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap the pie very well and store it in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator before serving, or enjoy it as a frozen dessert.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Sandy says
Far too much for a 8” pie crust. Enough left so nobody had to fight over cleaning out the bowl. Kinda crunchy tho. I did mix it all until it got thick. I even added a bit of milk as recipe stated. I didn’t want to mix too much because I didn’t know what would happen. Tastes good.
Debbie D says
This is the absolute (to die for) most decadent pie I’ve ever eaten. Everyone went nuts over it but I had so many problems making it. I couldn’t really whisk it because almost immediately it got too thick for beaters to beat but I got it mixed up and into the store bought chocolate cookie crust. It was a mess cutting because crust was falling apart. No one cared because it was AMAZING. I’ll definitely try it again soon .
Diana says
It’s wonderful to hear that despite the challenges in the preparation process, the Chocolate Jello Pudding Pie was a hit! When that happens to me, I just thin it out with a little bit of milk but I insist on using heavy cream in the recipe because the pie is definitely richer and creamier that way. I’m glad everyone enjoyed it.
Kristen says
I made this for my son’s birthday and he loved it, thanks for the recipe!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
You’re welcome, Kristen! I’m so glad to hear that.
Samia says
I loved how quick and easy this recipe was to throw together and my whole family loved it. My husband literally said “just like grandma used to make!” Ha.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Haha thank you for sharing this kind review, Samia! I’m so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe!