Classic, No-Torch-Needed Chocolate Meringue Pie Recipe

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Chocolate meringue pie, like its lemon-flavored cousin, is something you might not commonly find on the menu of a high-end bistro, but this old-timey dessert has been a diner classic for decades. Lemon meringue pie dates back to the early 1800s, while chocolate meringue pie caught up later in the same century — it was mentioned in an 1899 edition of The Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics. The basic elements of the recipe have remained the same for over 100 years, and developer Jessica Morone's recipe is as quintessential as they come. Unlike some meringue pie recipes, however, it doesn't require the use of a kitchen torch to brown the top. Instead, you brown the meringue by simply baking it in the oven.

This chocolate meringue pie is a perfect blend of contrasting tastes and textures. All in one bite, you get a buttery, flaky crust, rich, sweet chocolate pudding, and delicate, airy meringue that tastes like a lightly toasted marshmallow. Even though this pie, like so many pies out there, is just about perfect as-is, you could always play up on the meringue's marshmallowy flavor by swapping the crust for a graham cracker one, effectively turning it into a s'mores pie. If you don't mind making such tweaks to such an iconic dessert, other alterations might include using a coconut or chocolate cookie crust and adding instant espresso powder or flavoring extracts to the filling to make a "chocolate plus" pie.

The chocolate pudding filling is made from sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, milk, butter, vanilla extract, and egg yolks. The egg whites get used up in the meringue topping, which also calls for cream of tartar. Finally, you'll need a pre-baked pie crust (homemade or store-bought) to put everything together.

Start the chocolate filing: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt.

Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 7–10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the egg yolks to a small bowl and gradually whisk in a bit of the hot chocolate mixture to temper them.

Whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan, return to medium heat, and cook 2–3 more minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very thick and glossy.

Remove from heat and stir in butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. Let it cool slightly, then refrigerate while you make the meringue.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar and beat until glossy soft peaks form.

Add in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.

Spread the meringue over the chilled pie filling, making sure to spread the meringue all the way to the edges of the crust.

Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, or until the top of the meringue is golden brown.

Let the pie cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.

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While meringue's ingredients may be simple, it can sometimes be a bit tricky to make. One way to ensure success is to follow the directions: Beat the egg whites before adding the sugar, as per the steps. Once you've added it, keep beating until you've achieved stiff, glossy peaks because stopping when the peaks are still soft means the meringue won't hold up as well.

Another way to ensure meringue success is to keep an eye on the weather. According to domestic diva Ina Garten, meringue won't turn out well on a rainy day because the ambient humidity might make it weep. If you must bake your pie when conditions are humid, try adding a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch to the egg whites to absorb any excess moisture. Another reason your meringue might be weeping is that you didn't cover the chocolate filling completely, so be sure to spread the egg white topping right to the edges of the pie crust.

Finally, don't make the costly meringue mistake of whipping the egg whites in the same bowl you used to beat the yolks; at least not without thoroughly washing and drying it first. If there's any fat or oil in the bowl, even a slight residue, this will cause the whites to fall flat instead of rising to the occasion.

Chocolate meringue pie isn't really what you might call a meal-prepping dessert, but you can make it up to one day in advance and still have it looking and tasting its best. In order to store it, let it cool completely at room temperature, which should take about an hour and a half. (As per the USDA, don't leave this pie or any other non-perishables out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, or one hour if the temperature is above 90 F.) After the pie has cooled, refrigerate it for one hour uncovered, then cover it loosely with plastic wrap or foil. This will help prevent any weeping.

This chocolate meringue pie will last for three days in the refrigerator. The longer it sits, though, the softer and weepier it will get, so it's really best to eat it within 36 hours of baking. It's inadvisable to freeze a meringue pie, because the topping may collapse upon thawing. 

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