No-Bake Chocolate Kahlua Pie

A delectable no-bake dessert that tastes like a cross between chocolate mousse and a chocolate cream pie.

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Published August 12, 2025
A slice of pie with whipped topping served on a plate with a fork on a striped napkin

Serious Eats / Deli Studios

Why It Works

  • Tossing chocolate wafer cookie crumbs with melted butter, sugar, salt, and water creates an easy press-in crust with a sandy texture.
  • Gelatin helps the no-bake pie filling set.
  • Incorporating coffee liquor into both the pie filling and whipped cream topping gives the dessert rich coffee notes.

As an avid baker and fruit pie enthusiast, I'm usually not afraid to turn on my oven during the summer. This year, however, has been a scorcher—I haven't baked a single pie, crumble, or cookie. Instead, I've turned to no-bake desserts, such as icebox cakes, banana splits, and fudgy chocolate squares, to satiate my sweet tooth.

This creamy chocolate Kahlua pie, from Serious Eats contributor Yvonne Ruperti, is the newest addition to my family's roster of no-bake summer desserts. Rich with bittersweet chocolate and scented with coffee liqueur, the pie gets its light, fluffy texture from whipped cream folded into melted chocolate. Incorporating the liqueur into both the pie filling and whipped cream topping gives the dessert bold coffee and caramel notes, but using a judicious amount keeps it from tasting too alcohol-forward. 

It's a minimal-effort dessert that requires just about 20 minutes of prep time before you plop it in the fridge to set. An easy crust of crushed chocolate wafer cookies tossed with melted butter, sugar, and salt means there's no need to roll out or par-bake pie dough; simply press the moistened crumbs into an even layer in a 9-inch pie plate.

For the filling, you'll melt chocolate, then fold in a mixture of lightly sweetened whipped cream, gelatin, and coffee liqueur. Scrape the filling into your pie crust, then let it set in the fridge for three hours or so. When you're ready to serve, all that's left to do is top with whipped cream that's flavored with just a touch more liqueur. It's a delectable pie that tastes like a cross between chocolate mousse and chocolate cream pie, with just a hint of alcohol and coffee—no oven or stovetop required.

July 2013

Recipe Details

No-Bake Chocolate Kahlua Pie

Prep 20 mins
Cook 5 mins
Chilling Time: 3 hrs
Total 3 hrs 25 mins
Serves 8 to 10
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Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 36 chocolate wafer cookies (about 4 1/2 ounces; 126 g), such as Dewey's, Oreos, or Goya Chocolate Maria Cookies (see notes)

  • 113 g unsalted butter (4 ounces; 8 tablespoons), melted

  • 5 g (1 teaspoon) granulated sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

For the Filling:

  • 226 g (8 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

  • 3/4 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin

  • 3 1/3 cups (790 ml) heavy cream, divided

  • 7 tablespoons (105 ml) coffee liquor, such as Kahlua, divided

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (1/2 ounce; 30 g), divided

  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for table salt, use half as much by volume

Directions

  1. For the Crust: In a food processor, pulse 36 wafer cookies until finely ground. Place crumbs in a large bowl and toss with melted butter, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons water to evenly coat. Scrape crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate and, using flat-bottomed drinking glass or measuring cup, compress firmly until crumbs are in a compact, even layer across bottom and sides of pan.

    Steps in preparing a pie crust including blending ingredients mixing by hand pressing into a pan and smoothing with a tool

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

  2. For the Filling: Place chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, nest bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.)

    Melted chocolate in a glass bowl on a marble surface

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

  3. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water to a small microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Let sit until gelatin has softened and hydrated, about 5 minutes. Microwave on high power until just melted, 10 to 20 seconds; let cool slightly.

    A hand placing a spoon of powdered ingredient into a patterned ceramic bowl

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

  4. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, combine 2 1/3 cups cream, 6 tablespoons coffee liquor, melted gelatin, 1 tablespoon sugar, and salt. Whisk on low speed until sugar is fully dissolved, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high, and continue whisking until medium peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

    Two stages of whipped cream preparation with a stand mixer before and after whipping

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

  5. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture to the chocolate and, using a flexible spatula, fold until thoroughly combined. Add remaining cream and gently fold until cream is fully incorporated and no streaks remain. (Mixture may deflate slightly; that is okay.) Scrape into pie shell and chill until set, about 3 hours.

    Stepbystep preparation of a dessert including mixing ingredients in a bowl and transferring to a pan

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

  6. To Serve: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, whisk remaining 1 cup cream, remaining 1 tablespoon coffee liquor, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar on low speed until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and continue whisking until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Serve with pie.

    A creamtopped dessert in a round dish with dark crust edges on a marble surface

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

Special Equipment

Food processor, 9-inch pie plate, large microwave-safe bowl, stand mixer or electric mixer

Notes

Oreo wafers can be purchased online or at specialty grocery stores. If using filled Oreos, scrape filling out.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
603 Calories
52g Fat
25g Carbs
7g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 603
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 52g 66%
Saturated Fat 32g 160%
Cholesterol 115mg 38%
Sodium 166mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 82mg 6%
Iron 5mg 25%
Potassium 297mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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