Chocolate Cherry Pie

This chocolate cherry pie is built on a from-scratch chocolate custard that’s richer and more complex than any boxed pudding pie you’ve made before. Unsweetened chocolate melts into a milk-based custard thickened with flour and cornstarch, then gets enriched with egg yolks, butter, vanilla, and a splash of dark rum.

The rum is subtle but important. It deepens the chocolate flavor and adds a warmth that straight vanilla alone can’t deliver. Quartered maraschino cherries get folded in along with whipped cream, turning the dense custard into something mousse-like and light.

Pile the whole thing into a pre-baked pie shell, then top with more whipped cream sweetened with powdered sugar and a shower of grated chocolate. Let it chill until set, and you’ve got a showstopper.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir constantly while the custard thickens. Chocolate custards scorch faster than plain ones because the cocoa solids burn easily
• Temper the egg yolks by adding hot custard to them gradually. Dumping them straight in gives you chocolate scrambled eggs
• Cool the custard to room temperature before folding in the whipped cream. Hot filling deflates whipped cream on contact
• Use a fully pre-baked shell. The filling is no-bake, so an under-baked crust stays raw

Variations

• Dark cherry version: Use drained pitted dark sweet cherries instead of maraschino for a less sweet, more elegant pie
• Skip the rum and add an extra teaspoon of vanilla if you prefer no alcohol
• Chocolate cookie crust: Swap the pie shell for a crushed chocolate wafer crust for double chocolate impact