Chocolate Pie Crust

Recipe by PJ Hamel
8 Reviews 3.6 out of 5 stars

When you want your favorite nut or cream pie filling to rest in a chocolate pie crust, nix the chocolate graham crackers and try this cocoa-enhanced pastry crust. With all the attributes of a classic flaky crust, this chocolate pie dough adds deep-dark chocolatey flavor to every bite. Our thanks to Erin McDowell, whose flavored pie dough blog post inspired this recipe.

Prep
10 mins
Total
10 mins
Yield
single crust for a 9" to 10" pie
Chocolate pie dough rolled out and laid into a pie pan

Instructions

Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.

  1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and confectioners' sugar (see "tips," below).

  2. Work the butter into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender or fork, your fingers, or a stand mixer. Don't mix the butter in completely; leave some of it in pea-sized lumps.

  3. Add 4 tablespoons of the water, then enough additional water to just bring the dough together; it should be cohesive, but not sticky.

  4. Shape the dough into a disk, and chill until you're ready to use it. Store unbaked pie dough, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Compared to a typical chocolate cookie crust, this pastry crust is chocolate-forward, one most suited to adult tastes and as a counterbalance to very sweet filling (think pecan pie). Adding 1/2 cup sugar makes a crust whose sweetness is about the equivalent of the cookie part of an Oreo cookie; in other words, barely sweet. If you prefer a sweeter crust, continue adding sugar to taste.

Baker’s Resources