Three layers build this keto chocolate cream pie: crunchy chocolate crust, silky custard, and fluffy whipped cream — 4.4g net carbs. The custard step is the make-or-break moment, and I've nailed the exact temperature window.
I’ve been making this pie since I first developed the recipe, and I still come back to it because the filling is genuinely ridiculous. Three layers: a chocolate almond flour crust on the bottom, a rich chocolate custard in the middle, and a cloud of whipped cream on top. A small slice does the job because the filling is that dense and chocolatey. I said it in the comments and I’ll say it here: cut your slices thinner than you think you need. That filling is no joke.
The crust is my version of a graham cracker base without the carbs. Almond flour and coconut flour hold it together, and I add cocoa powder (or Cacao Bliss) for full chocolate flavor from bottom to top. I press it into the pan, bake it about 10 minutes, and let it cool completely before the filling goes in. You can make the crust up to three days ahead and keep it in the fridge.
The custard filling is where most people get tripped up. I’ve had readers tell me their eggs scrambled, and mine did too the first couple of times. The trick is low-medium heat and a food thermometer. You want 150 to 160 degrees, and the second it coats the back of a spoon, pull it off the heat. If your eggs do curdle, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. I’ve done this rescue more than once and it works every time.
Once the custard cools, you beat it into softened butter, then fold in whipped cream to get that mousse-like texture. This is what separates it from a straight custard pie. The filling is lighter, airier, and honestly more fun to eat. Pour it over the crust and refrigerate at least six hours (overnight is better). The whole pie freezes well too. I wrap it tightly and freeze for up to two months, then thaw overnight in the fridge.
If you love chocolate desserts, I have a few others worth trying. My keto chocolate trifle layers chocolate cake with mousse for a showstopper presentation. Keto lava cake muffins are great when you want something warm and gooey. I also have a few other pie versions. My coconut version and banana version use the same layered technique with completely different flavors.
Low Carb Chocolate Cream Pie
I build this pie in three layers: chocolate crust, chocolate filling, and fluffy whipped topping. For a deeper chocolate flavor, I add Cacao Bliss to the crust and filling. I partnered with Cacao Bliss on this recipe because their raw cacao powder has a superfood blend that gives the pie a depth regular cocoa powder can’t match on its own.
Pies like this are perfect for warmer weather since they’re served cold. Besides chocolate, I love making strawberry pie and peanut butter pie when I want to switch up the flavor.
Why I Use Cacao Bliss
The crust and filling are flavored with a raw cacao powder superfood blend called Cacao Bliss. It’s not your ordinary cocoa powder. Cacao Bliss contains turmeric, Himalayan salt, black pepper, cinnamon, MCT powder, and lucuma. These ingredients all help with blood sugar control.
I love using Cacao Bliss in place of unsweetened cocoa powder in my baking. The cinnamon and turmeric bring out a warmer flavor in chocolate that plain cocoa can’t replicate. It’s also lightly sweetened with monk fruit, so I can usually skip extra sweetener. I use it in my morning coffee and smoothies too.
You can save 15% off your order with my code KETOFOCUS at checkout.
The Chocolate Crust
This low carb, gluten-free crust is my alternative to traditional graham cracker crusts, which are loaded with carbs and sugar.
I combine almond flour, coconut flour, and a bit of cocoa powder (or Cacao Bliss) for the chocolate flavor. Regular cocoa powder works fine if that’s what you have on hand. You can make the crust up to three days ahead and store it in the fridge or at room temperature.
The Chocolate Filling
Sugar free chocolate chips are melted down to create the mousse filling. I use chocolate chips from ChocZero, which are sugar free and sweetened without sugar alcohols.
For a stronger chocolate flavor, add a few tablespoons of Cacao Bliss to the mixture. The hint of cinnamon works really well in this filling. You could also add a layer of peanut butter for a chocolate peanut butter version.
How to Keep the Custard from Curdling
Don’t overcook the custard or the eggs will curdle. Remove it from the stovetop as soon as it coats the back of a spoon. I aim for 150 to 160 degrees on a food thermometer. Below that and it won’t set properly. Above it and you’re looking at scrambled eggs.
If your eggs do curdle, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the lumps. I’ve had to do this more than once and you end up with a perfectly smooth custard that works just as well.
Whipped Cream Topping
The whipped cream topping comes together fast with heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered erythritol. I whip it until stiff peaks form and spread it right over the chilled filling. This whipped cream also pairs well with fresh berries as a low carb snack, but here it’s the finishing layer that balances the rich chocolate underneath.
How to Make This Chocolate Pie
I build this pie in stages, and each one can be prepped ahead. The crust can sit in the fridge for up to three days before you fill it. I usually bake it the night before and let it cool on the counter.
The custard filling is the step that needs your full attention. Whisk the sweetener and eggs over low-medium heat and watch the thermometer. You’re aiming for 150-160 degrees. The moment it coats the back of a spoon, pull it off. Separately, melt your sugar free chocolate (I use ChocZero chips) and stir it into the warm custard with vanilla. Let that cool, then beat it into the softened butter before folding in whipped cream.
Pour the filling over the crust and refrigerate at least six hours. I prefer overnight. Add the whipped cream topping right before serving for the best texture. If you want a head start on the topping, you can whip it and refrigerate it in a separate bowl, then spread it on when you’re ready.
If you want a different crust option, my keto pie crust works here too, though the chocolate version in this recipe is my favorite match.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2
Make the pie crust
Add all ingredients for the crust to a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbles form.
3
Bake crust
Press into a greased pie plate and bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes or until crust starts to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Move onto making the filling.
4
Make chocolate custard
To make the chocolate filling, whisk together powdered sweetener and eggs in a saucepan over low-medium heat, stirring constantly. Heat until the egg mixture reaches 150-160 degrees or until it coats the back of a spoon. Don’t overcook or your eggs will curdle. (See information below on how to salvage your custard if your eggs curdle.) Meanwhile, melt chocolate either by using a double boiler or melt in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in melted chocolate and vanilla. Set aside.
5
Make the pie creamy
In a large bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until light and fluffy.
6
Finish the chocolate mousse cream filling
In a separate medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until combined.
7
Refrigerate
Pour chocolate mixture over pie crust and refrigerate the pie for at least 6 hours or overnight.
8
Add whipped topping
To make the topping, whip heavy cream, sweetener and vanilla on high using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Scoop on top of chocolate layer and spread evenly. Top with sugar free chocolate shavings.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 slice
Calories
659
Fat
68.4g
Protein
7.1g
Total carbs
20.1g
Fiber
15.7g
Net carbs
4.4g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze this pie?
I freeze this pie all the time. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (before adding the whipped cream topping) and freeze for up to two months. When I'm ready to serve, I thaw it overnight in the fridge and add the whipped topping fresh. The filling holds up well, though the crust softens slightly after freezing.
Why did my eggs scramble in the custard and how do I fix it?
I've been there. The custard needs low-medium heat and constant stirring. I keep a food thermometer in the pan and pull it off the heat at 150-160 degrees. If your eggs did curdle, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. I've rescued curdled custard this way more than once and it turns out perfectly smooth.
Can I use a different flour instead of almond flour?
I've tested this with sunflower seed flour as a nut-free swap and it works. The flavor is slightly different (a bit earthier) but the crust holds together the same way. I wouldn't use coconut flour alone here because it absorbs too much moisture and the crust gets dry.
What can I use instead of Cacao Bliss?
I use Cacao Bliss because the cinnamon and turmeric add a warmth that plain cocoa doesn't have, but you can swap it for 2 tablespoons of 100% dark cocoa or cacao powder. I've made it both ways and the pie is still great. Just make sure whatever you use is unsweetened.
How should I store leftover pie?
I keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and they stay good for 4-5 days. The filling actually firms up more overnight, which I prefer. If the whipped cream layer deflates a bit, I just add a fresh dollop on each slice when I serve it.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I haven't tested a fully dairy-free version myself, but I've heard from readers who swapped the heavy cream for canned coconut cream (chilled for at least 24 hours so it whips properly). You'd also need to use coconut oil instead of butter in the crust and filling. The texture will be slightly different, but the chocolate flavor still comes through.
Can I add a peanut butter layer?
I've done this and it's incredible. I spread a thin layer of creamy peanut butter (about 3-4 tablespoons) over the cooled crust before pouring in the chocolate filling. It sets up in the fridge and gives you a chocolate peanut butter pie that my family goes through faster than the original. My keto peanut butter pie uses a similar idea if you want even more peanut butter.
What's the difference between a mousse filling and a custard filling?
This recipe uses both techniques. I start with a cooked custard (eggs and sweetener heated to 150-160 degrees), beat it into creamed butter, then fold in whipped cream to lighten it into a mousse texture. The custard gives the filling structure and richness. The whipped cream makes it airy. If I skipped the custard step and just used whipped cream with melted chocolate, it would taste good but wouldn't hold its shape when sliced.
How many carbs are in a chocolate cream pie?
One slice of my keto chocolate cream pie has 4.4g net carbs and 20.1g total carbs. Most of the gap between those two numbers is erythritol, a sugar alcohol I don't count. A traditional chocolate cream pie runs far higher because of the sugar and the graham cracker crust.
Can I make sugar-free chocolate cream pie?
Yes, this whole pie is sugar free. I sweeten the custard filling with 1 cup of powdered erythritol, melt in sugar free chocolate chips from ChocZero, and whip the topping with 2 tablespoons of powdered erythritol. Each slice comes out to 4.4g net carbs.
This chocolate pie was amazing. It was a lot of work. I feel as if it will be easier to make the next time and there will be a next next since I know the process of making better now. You will not be disappointed.
Honestly, chocolate cream pie is what I missed most going keto, mostly because my mom made one every year at Thanksgiving and I’d made peace with it being gone. I finally tried this last weekend and actually paid attention to the custard step for once, watched the temperature and pulled it right when it coated the spoon. I let it chill overnight and had a slice the next morning. Same dense richness as hers. Didn’t expect that.
Making this for a dinner party this weekend, so I’m already deep in prep. My hesitation is the sweetener. Erythritol has crystallized on me in cold fillings before and gone gritty after a few hours in the fridge, and this pie needs time to sit and set. I want to swap in allulose for the filling. Would 1 cup powdered still work, or does the sweetness difference need adjusting? I’ve used it in puddings and it sets great, but never through a cooked custard with a temperature window that tight.
The 1 cup swap is fine. Allulose stays soft in cold fillings (no recrystallizing) so overnight in the fridge isn’t a problem. Sweetness runs close to erythritol, I wouldn’t adjust. The custard temp window stays the same, pull it at 150-160.
I’ve never made anything with a custard before and I almost backed out three times because that temperature-watching step sounds terrifying when you read it. Had my instant-read thermometer in my hand the whole time, completely convinced I was about to make scrambled egg chocolate soup. It actually set up. I still can’t believe it. Made this the night before a pool day and it was perfect cold out of the fridge the next afternoon. One question: should the whipped cream go on right before serving, or can the whole thing sit assembled for a day or two?
Gina, add it right before you serve. It starts to weep and deflate if you leave it assembled overnight. I usually make the whole pie a day ahead and add the whipped cream when I’m cutting slices.
Made this over the weekend and the custard step actually went smoothly, which I was bracing for. The crust holds up better than most almond flour crusts I’ve worked with. One thing: the erythritol in the filling had a cooling aftertaste that came through more on day two, pretty common with higher amounts. I’d probably swap half for allulose next batch to see if that smooths it out. Worth making, just something to know going in.
On my fourth time making this I finally tried Cacao Bliss instead of regular cocoa and the custard is just completely different now (richer, almost fudgy). Still have to watch that temperature window. Pulled it early once and the texture was noticeably off, but when you nail it the filling is silky in a way that still gets me.
The Cacao Bliss version is genuinely a different pie. The cinnamon and turmeric add this warmth that plain cocoa just doesn’t have, and it tastes deeper somehow. I pull mine right at 155, sometimes a hair earlier if it’s thickening faster than usual.
Three Sundays in a row now. What I figured out is to portion into ramekins before the whipped cream goes on (made that mistake the first time and the cream got weepy by day two). Holds in the fridge four days clean. The custard step I was nervous about, but once the temperature clicks, you see exactly what Annie means. Four stars only because I keep eating through my meal prep supply by Wednesday.
Smart on the ramekins. I go straight into the pan but portioning first makes sense when it’s sitting a few days. The Wednesday thing though, that’s on you.
Stirred a teaspoon of espresso powder into the custard and the chocolate flavor went completely freaking insane, way more depth than I expected from a keto pie. Slightly bitter edge that cuts through all that richness. Four stars only because I keep messing with it and haven’t landed on the final version yet.
Espresso in the custard is smart. The bitterness pulls the chocolate forward without actually tasting like coffee. When you land on the final ratio, let me know.
I really want to make this for Mother’s Day but I don’t own a food processor. Can I cut in the butter by hand and still get that coarse crumb texture, or does the food processor do something structurally that hand-mixing can’t replicate?
Made this for Easter and my brother-in-law, who skips anything labeled ‘keto,’ went back for a second slice before anyone touched the regular desserts. The chocolate custard sets up firm enough that it held shape on the plate after two hours sitting out. Four stars only because I overfilled my crust and the layers shifted when I cut it, but that’s operator error.
The brother-in-law test is the one that counts. On the overfilling – I leave about a half inch from the top of the crust, the filling puffs slightly as it chills and you need that room to get a clean slice.
Fourth time making this. Finally tried straight dark cocoa instead of Cacao Bliss since I couldn’t find it anywhere, and the custard set noticeably firmer, which I prefer. My only complaint is the crust going soft after day two, but it never lasts that long anyway.
Dark cocoa runs firmer. The spices in Cacao Bliss (cinnamon, turmeric) actually work against a tight set. Two extra minutes prebaking the crust before filling usually buys it past day two.
The custard is where most people blow it on cream pies, and I figured out the fix: pull it the second it coats the back of a spoon instead of waiting for it to fully thicken in the pot. Carryover heat does the rest and it comes out silky, no graininess at all. If you have a Thermapen, 170-175F is the sweet spot. Annie really wasn’t kidding — that step makes or breaks the whole thing.
Stirred a tablespoon of cream cheese into the whipped topping before beating it and it holds for days in the fridge without going watery. I usually bring this to my sister’s on weekends and by day three the top was still clean, didn’t weep at all. Make it the night before.
Cream cheese in the whipped topping is a legit stabilizer trick. I’ve done this with mascarpone but cream cheese holds even longer. Stealing the night-before tip.
I went into this expecting to be let down. Keto custard pie with an almond flour crust sounded like the kind of thing that looks great in photos and tastes like sweetened flour, and the temperature step for the filling almost made me bail. I pushed through it, and the custard came out completely smooth, actual silky texture, nothing grainy or weird. The crust held its own too, which I wasn’t counting on. The layers looked legit when I cut into it. First keto dessert I’ve made where I didn’t feel like I was compensating for something. I’m bringing this to Easter and not saying a word about it being keto.
One thing that helped with the custard: temper the eggs really slowly off heat before bringing them back to the pan. Keeps it smooth instead of grainy. I’d also run it through a fine mesh sieve right after if you want it silky. Worth the two minutes.
Custard nailed it on the second try once I actually paid attention to the temp, but the crust came out sweeter than I expected with the full cup of erythritol (the filling is already so sweet on its own it just piles on). Worth dialing back to maybe 3/4 cup next time.
Never attempted anything with a custard before and was pretty sure I was going to ruin it, but it actually set up beautifully. Do you think it would still work if I used all heavy cream instead of milk in the filling?
Made this over the weekend and my custard filling came out grainy instead of silky. I think the heat was too high, but I’m not totally sure. What temp should I be aiming for to keep the eggs from curdling?
Grainy usually means the heat got away from you, so yeah, aim for 150-160 degrees and pull it the second it hits that range. Constant stirring the whole time helps too, not just occasionally. If this batch is already grainy, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve and it should smooth right out.
My daughter spotted ‘keto dessert energy’ before I even said anything, and went back for a second slice without a word. That custard is silkier than I expected.
Kids never lie about food. That silky texture is all about pulling it at exactly 150-160 degrees (I keep a thermometer in the pan the whole time). Once you nail that window it comes out perfect every time.
Fourth time making this and I finally nailed the custard without scrambling the eggs. The filling is SO rich — I cut my slices smaller than I think I need to and it’s still plenty.
Four times in and finally no scrambled eggs — that’s the win right there. The tempering step trips people up more than anything in this one. And yeah, tiny slices. That filling is no joke.
Couldn’t get the recipe to print so scrolling up and down.. made the crust.. attempted to make the “custard”.. before I cooked the eggs the recipe says to add your melted chocolate and vanilla.. so I put the chocolate and vanilla in a saucepan over double broiler.. and it seized.. so not need to go any further.. as I don’t have any more sugar free chocolate chips.. what a waste.. so i am assuming you supposed to melt the chocolate first then add the vanilla.. if someone has the answer I greatly appreciate hearing from you
Vanilla extract has enough water in it to seize chocolate the second it touches it. Melt the chocolate on its own first, then stir it into the custard base once everything else is combined. Sorry about the chips.
I have never made a pie before in my life. But, I made this one. It was easy! Oh man, I can’t tell the difference between this and a regular chocolate mousse. Very yummy. This is our Thanksgiving dessert.
First pie ever and it’s the Thanksgiving dessert now. The mousse comparison is right, the filling is a custard folded into whipped cream, so it’s basically mousse in a crust.
My daughter’s best friend celebrated her birthday with us and wanted chocolate pie instead of cake. Since my husband and I are on keto I needed a pie we could enjoy too. So I made this one. It was fantastic! Rich, creamy, delicious. The girls loved it as well and didn’t see any difference with a full sugar pie. Thanks so much for the recipe!
