Deep Dish French Silk Pie with Hazelnut Oreo Crust

I hope you’re ready for a little something indulgent and absolutely incredible. I first published this french silk pie recipe back in 2015 and wanted to bring it back because let’s face it, we could all use a little chocolate right now.

Storytime about this amazing pie: back when Tony and I were dating I started making his birthday dessert. The first year I made him a coconut cake with strawberry buttercream (AMAZING), but I really felt like I needed to step it up a notch the year after that. We got chatting about how he loved blueberry and banana cream pie and all things chocolate. Then I asked him if he ever had French Silk Pie, and he proceeded to ask me what it was.

Ummm… excuse me? Wait a minute… we’re dating and you haven’t had FRENCH SILK PIE?! Also known as the RICHEST and MOST DECADENT PIE on the planet! I was shocked. Fellow Minnesotans know all about the iconic Baker’s Square.

So of course, because I’m the birthday dessert wizard, I began on a quest to make him the best french silk pie known to mankind. On his birthday almost 6 years ago now, I made him this exact recipe decked out with candles on top and me singing happy birthday.

After his first few bites of the pie, I was concerned when he didn’t say anything. Did he like it? Did he hate it? What was happening? Did I totally just ruin his birthday?!

So many questions.

Turns out he was in chocolate pie ecstasy, also known as a euphoric reaction to scarfing down a slice of this french silk pie. He couldn’t say anything because he was blown away. He told me flat out it was the best thing he’s ever had, and that it was his new favorite dessert; he only wanted my French Silk Pie from now on.

And so here I am, finally re-sharing this recipe that we now hold near and dear to our chocolate-loving hearts. I think it would make the perfect addition to your holiday table.

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What is french silk pie made of?

If you’re like Tony and you’ve never had french silk pie before this recipe, you’re in for a real treat. It’s made with a sweet crust, fluffy, chocolate mousse-like filling that has an incredible texture, and topped with whipped cream. Older versions of french silk pie used to be made with pudding as the center, but people switched over to creating more of a mousse on the inside instead (which I LOVE).

Recommended tools

Making homemade french silk pie requires a few key tools:

Get all of our go-to kitchen essentials here!

Ingredients in french silk pie

This epic french silk pie recipe has three components: an oreo cookie crust, a fluffy, rich chocolate filling, and plenty of whipped cream on top. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:

For the pie crust: we’re making a hazelnut oreo cookie crust made just with Oreos, hazelnuts, butter and a little salt. So easy and SO delicious.
For the filling: you’ll need dark chocolate, butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and eggs.
For the topping: that fresh whipped cream topping is made with heavy whipping cream and granulated sugar. I recommend topping with more chocolate curls or chocolate shavings, too!

More amazing crust options

I love the hazelnut oreo crust with this french silk pie, but feel free to use a different crust if you’d like! Here’s what I can recommend:

Feel free to use a regular crust like my homemade all butter pie crust. Be sure to blind bake the crust first as you will not be baking the pie after adding the filling (like in apple or pumpkin pie).
Try using other cookies for a different flavored cookie crust! Nutter butters will add an amazing chocolate peanut butter flavor (like in my banana cream pie), vanilla wafers or a graham cracker crust would be delicious.

How to make the best french silk pie

Make the crust. Pulse the cookies and hazelnuts in a food processor until they’re finely chopped up, then add the melted butter and salt and pulse again until the mixture is well combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of your greased springform pan, bake, and then let it cool.
Make the filling. Start by melting chocolate in a saucepan, then set it aside to cool to room temperature. Beat together the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until it’s light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla and fold in the melted chocolate until it’s all well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 4 minutes for each egg until the pie filling is thick and fluffy.
Assemble & refrigerate. Pour the filling into your cooled, baked pie shell, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Add the toppings & devour. Whip together the heavy cream and sugar in an electric mixture until stiff peaks form, then spread the whipped cream over the pie filling. Garnish with chocolate shavings and serve!

Make the pie ahead of time

You can easily make one or both parts of the french silk pie 1-2 days ahead of time to save time on the day-of holiday festivities.

To make pie crust ahead of time: after baking the pie crust, simply store it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble and chill the rest of the pie. If you’re using a regular pie crust (like my all-butter pie crust) you can make the pie dough ahead of time and store it well-wrapped. in the fridge in a disc, or shape it into your pie dish, cover that, and store it in the fridge.
To make filling ahead of time: once you’ve mixed the whole filling together, cover the filling with plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the top of the filling (to prevent air from getting in) and chill the filling in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the pie. You can also make the whipped cream topping ahead of time and store it in an airtight container until you’re ready to add it to the pie!

How to store french silk pie

Store any leftover french silk pie loosely covered with plastic wrap or foil in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

More amazing desserts

Get all of my delicious dessert recipes here!

I hope you love this homemade deep dish french silk pie recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Deep Dish French Silk Pie with Hazelnut Oreo Cookie Crust

Prep Time 1 day

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 day 10 minutes

Serves12 slices

THE BEST french silk pie ever with an incredible hazelnut oreo cookie crust and whipped cream topping. This rich, decadent, deep dish french silk pie recipe is perfect for birthdays or holidays!

Ingredients

For the crust:
20 oreo cookies, finely crushed
1 cup raw hazelnuts
¼ cup butter, melted
⅛ teaspoon salt
For the pie filling:
3 ounces dark chocolate (at least 60%)
¾ cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, at room temperature
For the topping:
8 oz heavy whipping cream
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
To garnish: extra dark chocolate

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springfoam pan with nonstick cooking spray or melted butter.
Start by making the crust: Place cookies and hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 1-2 minutes or until cookies are finely crushed. Add in melted butter and salt and process again until well combined.
Dump the mixture into prepared pie pan and press into the bottom and side evenly. It should come up at least an inch to an inch and a half on the sides. Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
To make the pie filling: Melt dark chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Once chocolate is completely melted, set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together butter and sugar for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves into the butter and is no longer grainy. You’ll see the butter turn a light yellow/almost white color and become fluffy. This is good!
Add in vanilla and beat again for 30 seconds. Next fold in melted chocolate and mix again so that the chocolate is well combined with the butter and sugar. IMPORTANT: Make sure that the chocolate has cooled to room temperature, or the chocolate will melt the butter and ruin the filling.
Next add eggs, one at a time, beating for 4 minutes between each egg. You’ll want to use the whisk attachment if using a KitchenAid mixer. (To be clear: Add an egg, beat for 4 minutes on medium speed; then add another egg, beat on medium speed for 4 minutes and repeat with final egg and final 4 minute mixing.) Pie filling should be thick and fluffy at this point. If it’s a bit runny, don’t worry, it should thicken up during refrigeration.
Pour filling into cooled crust and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, but preferably overnight.
Once pie is ready to serve make the whipped cream topping: Add heavy whipped cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer; beat on high for 3-5 minutes or until cream reaches stiff peaks. Taste and add additional sugar if necessary and mix once more.
Evenly spread whipped cream over pie filling, then garnish with dark chocolate shavings. Serves 9-12, depending on how large you cut the slices. Pie will stay fresh for a few days if properly covered and stored in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

This pie uses raw eggs. You can use pasteurized eggs instead to prevent any food illnesses associated with consuming raw eggs.

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Sarah Fennel // BromaBakery.com.

This post was originally published on November 16th, 2015, republished on December 22nd, 2021, and republished on November 14th, 2023.

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