Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Chocolate angel pie was one of the first holiday desserts I made after being diagnosed with celiac disease! It’s naturally gluten-free, with a crisp meringue crust and a filling that tastes like a chocolate truffle!
Why You’ll Love It: This is a great make-ahead recipe for the holidays! It’s a showstopper and crowd-pleaser that looks fancy, but comes together quite easily.
Top Tips: Let the meringue cool in the oven to avoid cracks. For dairy-free pie, use coconut milk and dairy-free whipped cream in place of heavy cream.
You might like these other gluten-free pie recipes: gluten-free apple pie, gluten-free pecan pie, gluten-free buttermilk pie, gluten-free vegan chocolate pudding preztel pie, and crustless pumpkin pie cupcakes.
xoxo erin
Featured Comment
From Marybelle: “Oh, this is quite a recipe. Not super difficult, but not super easy to make. So worth the work though! The meringue crust is utter perfection!”
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this chocolate angel pie. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Egg whites: Use fresh, room-temperature egg whites to get the fluffiest meringue texture. Make sure there’s no yolk or grease in your mixing bowl, which can stop them from whipping properly.
- Chopped chocolate: Pick a high-quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate bar. Chocolate chips don’t melt as smoothly!
- Cream of tartar: Just a pinch helps stabilize the meringue so it stays fluffy and crisp.
- Heavy whipping cream: For dairy-free chocolate angel pie, use full-fat coconut milk.
- Heavy cream: For a dairy-free pie, whip up full-fat coconut milk or use another dairy-free whipped cream.
- Vanilla: I always use real vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best depth of flavor. It really shines through in this whipped cream topping!
How to Make Chocolate Angel Pie
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
Whip the meringue: Use a very clean bowl to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and whip until thick and glossy, with stiff peaks that curl at the tip.
Shape and bake: Spread meringue into a pie plate dusted with cornstarch, building up the sides to create a pie shell shape that resembles a fluffy cloud. Bake until crisp and golden, then turn off the oven, crack the door, and let it cool completely. This helps prevent cracks!
Melt the chocolate: Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a minute or two, then stir until smooth and glossy to create the ganache base.
Temper the yolks: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a bowl over simmering water, until the mixture is smooth, thickened slightly, and reaches 160°F. Stir in vanilla.
Combine and cool: Whisk chocolate ganache into the egg mixture until fully blended. Let it cool to room temperature.
Whip the cream: Beat the rest of the cold cream (or coconut milk) until fluffy.
Fold together: Gently fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until it’s streak-free and silky smooth.
Assemble the pie: Spread mixture into the cooled meringue crust and smooth the top. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Top and serve: Whip up the final layer of cream or coconut milk. Spread over the chilled pie, then finish with a dusting of cocoa or chocolate curls. Slice carefully—the meringue is delicate!
Chocolate Angel Pie {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}
Ingredients
Meringue Crust
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- cornstarch for dusting the pie plate
Chocolate Mousse
- 6 ounces (170g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chopped
- 1½ cups (360g) heavy whipping cream divided (or coconut milk)
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- pinch of kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream or dairy-free whipped cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the meringue crust:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate, then dust with cornstarch, tapping out any excess.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until glossy stiff peaks form, about 5–6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Spread the meringue evenly into the prepared pie plate, building it up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until crisp and lightly golden. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and let the meringue cool completely inside the oven.
For the chocolate mousse:
- Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a separate small bowl, microwave ½ cup of the heavy cream until simmering, about 1 minute. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. If needed, microwave in 20-second intervals at 50% power, stirring after each, until fully melted and glossy. Set aside.
- In another medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and kosher salt until smooth. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Whisk the chocolate ganache into the egg mixture until fully combined. Let cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, whip the remaining cold cream on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3–4 minutes.
- Gently fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until no streaks remain. Spread the filling evenly into the cooled meringue crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
For the whipped cream topping:
- For the whipped cream topping: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, whip together the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes
- Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled pie. Garnish with shaved chocolate or a dusting of cocoa powder, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2015. It was updated with new photos and instructions in November 2025.
what would the instructions be if using heavy cream in place of the coconut cream and the measurements for it because you use a can of coconut but separate it and want to make sure I use the correct amounts for the whipped cream portion and then the chocolate portion?
Oh this is quite a recipe. Not super difficult, but not super easy to make. So worth the work though! The Meringue crust is utter perfection!
I must start by saying: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I am so glad you shared this! Chocolate Pie was always one of my favorites, but after realizing I could no longer enjoy diary or gluten products, I had given up the idea of being able to enjoy this treat ever again. Having seen this post, I cannot wait to start mixing it up for a special treat! I am definitely looking forward to enjoying this on Saturday, when I will have hopefully recouped from Thanksgiving!
Im loving the idea of the meringue crust!! Its like eating a cloud 😉