Trisha Yearwood’s Southern Chocolate Pie Is Like a Slice of Diner Dessert Heaven

Some desserts instantly take you back to a childhood diner booth or a family kitchen. And Trisha Yearwood’s Southern chocolate pie is absolutely one of them. In a throwback episode of Trisha’s Southern Kitchen, the country star joined forces with friend and fellow Food Network favorite Ree Drummond to whip up this rich, silky pie. Spoiler alert: it’s every bit as decadent as you’d expect. Made with a buttery graham cracker crust, rich chocolate pudding and golden meringue, it’s no wonder Trisha usually makes two. Here’s how to make this nostalgic dessert at home.

What is Trisha Yearwood’s Southern chocolate pie?

If you’ve never had the pleasure, Southern chocolate pie is an old-school dessert made with simple ingredients that pack a rich punch. It typically has a flaky pastry crust, a cooked chocolate filling that thickens to a pudding-like texture and a crown of meringue that’s lightly browned in the oven.

Trisha’s version is a nostalgic nod to the one her mother used to make, as well as the diners her dad loved eating at when she was a kid. “They were always in a case and you could see all the pies and the meringue was huge,” she tells Ree. “And I was like, no matter how full I am I’m gonna have that pie for dessert.” 

This pie delivers all that childhood charm, plus a graham cracker crust. “Now, graham cracker is not really typical. But I love a graham cracker crust,” says Trisha. Ree agrees wholeheartedly: “It’s so delicious, soaked in butter.” And in true Southern fashion, Trisha adds, “Well, I’ve added a little extra butter today because that’s how we roll.”

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Tips for perfect chocolate pie, straight from Trisha and Ree

Trisha and Ree may keep things light in the kitchen, but they’re full of great pie-making wisdom. Here are three tips from their Southern dessert session:

1. Don’t rush the filling. When making the chocolate mixture, add hot milk slowly and don’t turn the heat on too soon. This keeps the eggs from scrambling. Stir it gently until it thickens into a pudding-like consistency.
2. Use your food processor. To cut down on dishes, Ree recommends pouring the melted butter straight into the food processor as you pulse the graham crackers. This helps evenly distribute the butter and keeps cleanup simple.
3. Go big on meringue peaks. Trisha whips her egg whites until stiff peaks form, then spreads the meringue with a spatula, making decorative little peaks. “My momma always just took the spatula and tried to make tiny peaks on top of the pie,” she says. “This way they’ll get nice and brown.”

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Trisha Yearwood’s southern chocolate pie recipe

Ready to turn your kitchen into a Southern diner? Follow Trisha’s official recipe below. If you’re serving a crowd, take a tip from Trisha herself: “When I make this pie, I’ll usually make two—one with meringue and one without.” We won’t judge if you double the recipe. 

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1 sleeve graham crackers (9 whole crackers)
• 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 6 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 large egg yolks (whites reserved)
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• ½  tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

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Meringue:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar 
• Dash of salt

Directions:

• Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Pulse graham crackers and sugar in a food processor until crumbly. Add melted butter and pulse until combined. Then, press into a 9-inch pie dish and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, heat milk until hot but not simmering. In a separate saucepan, add sugar, flour and cocoa powder, then whisk until combined. Beat egg yolks, then add to the flour mixture. Slowly add hot milk, stirring. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about five minutes. The mixture will start to bubble for another two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla and salt. 
3. Pour the filling into the crust, then let it chill in the fridge for 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, beat egg whites and a dash of salt until frothy, then gradually add sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the chilled pie, creating small peaks with a spatula.
5. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the meringue turns golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.

Storage and serving tips

This Southern chocolate pie is best served chilled or at room temperature. Once cooled, cover any leftovers loosely with foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to three days. The meringue may weep slightly after the first day, but the flavor stays rich and chocolatey.