This Gluten-Free French Silk Pie is everything you could want from a chocolate dessert! The creamy, no-cook filling is so easy to make with whipped coconut cream folded into melted dark chocolate, naturally sweetened with a touch of maple syrup. You can make things even easier by using a pre-made pie crust from the store or make your own for a fully, made-from-scratch pie that'll impress your guests. Gluten-free and vegan.
A Rich & Decadent No-Bake Dessert.
This chocolate-lovers dessert has a deliciously deep, chocolate flavor that's lightened up with whipped coconut cream for a mousse-like texture. While traditional French silk pie usually involves cooking an egg-thickened chocolate pudding on the stove (which can be a bit tricky!) this no-cook filling is a breeze to make, plus it's dairy, egg, and gluten-free. It's ideal for serving at family gatherings or dinner parties as it can be made ahead of time and left in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
Gluten-free pie crust - Either use a homemade gluten-free pie crust, baked in a 9-inch pie dish or buy one pre-baked from the grocery store.
Alternatively, you can use crushed, gluten-free chocolate wafer cookies mixed with a little melted vegan butter or coconut oil, pressed into a pie dish and chilled until firm.
Coconut milk - Go for full-fat coconut milk here as we need the solids from the top of the can to form the creamy, whipped texture for the pie filling. It's important to chill the coconut milk before hand as this helps the solids to separate from the liquid, allowing you to scoop them off easily. If you can find canned coconut cream, that also works great.
Vegan dark chocolate chips - You can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (I like the EnjoyLife brand) depending on how sweet you'd like the filling to be. If dairy isn't an issue, you can use regular dark/semi-sweet chocolate.
Almond butter - All-natural, creamy almond butter with no added sugar or palm oil is best here. Give it a good stir before measuring to incorporate the solids from the bottom of the jar. You can also use cashew butter for a milder flavor.
Maple syrup - The lightly caramelized flavor of this liquid, vegan sweetener works great in this recipe. Agave nectar can also be used if you prefer.
Dairy-free whipped cream - Forms the fluffy layer to decorate the pie. You can buy this from the grocery store or make your own.
Vanilla extract and salt
How to Make Gluten-Free French Silk Pie
Before you start: If using a homemade pie crust, line a 9-inch pie dish with it and bake until crisp and golden, then allow to cool completely.
Step 1: Melt chocolate chips and set aside. Scoop the waxy solid from out of the coconut milk can (or 1 ½ cups canned coconut cream) into a medium mixing bowl, stopping when you hit liquid below. Using an electric mixer, beat the solid coconut milk until it starts to turn creamy and soft peaks appear. (If using canned coconut cream, beat for about 30 seconds.)
Step 2: In a separate mixing bowl, add and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.
Step 3: With a spatula, fold in half of coconut whipped cream into the almond butter mixture. Add the rest of the coconut whipped cream and fold until the filling is thoroughly blended.
Step 4: Add the melted chocolate in a little at a time and beat on low to incorporate.
Step 5: Transfer filling into prepared crust and smooth top with a spatula. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours or until set. Transfer to the refrigerator to store until serving.
Step 6: When ready to serve, top the pie with whipped cream or whipped topping as desired. Decorate the perimeter or dollop whipped cream in a circle over most of the pie. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.
Variations
Try out some different flavors in your French silk pie for a twist on the classic:
- Chocolate-Peppermint: Add a few drops of peppermint extract to the filling for a festive flavor. Decorate the pie with crushed candy canes or peppermints.
- Mocha: Mix 1 teaspoon of espresso powder with a splash of hot water to dissolve, let it cool, then fold into the filling.
- Chocolate-Orange: Fold the finely grated zest of an organic orange into the filling.
Recipe tips
- If baking the pie crust yourself, make sure it has fully cooled before adding the filling. If it's still warm it can cause the filling to melt and lose its fluffy texture.
- Don't shake the cans of coconut milk before or after chilling as this can prevent it from separating nicely.
- Chilling the coconut milk allows the cream to separate out from the coconut water which makes it super easy to scoop off.
- It's important to whip the coconut solids (or coconut cream) while they're still cold from the refrigerator so that they can hold the air incorporated when whipping.
- Give yourself enough time for the pie to chill after assembling so that the filling can firm up as this will give you nice, neat slices of pie.
More Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Desserts
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📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free French Silk Pie (Vegan)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 x recipe Gluten-Free Pie Crust (baked in a 9-inch pie dish) or store-bought prepared 9-inch pie crust
Filling
- 2 x 13.5oz cans full-fat coconut milk refrigerated overnight (or ~1 ½ cups canned coconut cream)
- 9 oz vegan semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup creamy all-natural almond butter well stirred (or cashew butter)
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 10 ounces dairy-free whipped cream or whipped topping
Instructions
Make the chocolate filling
- Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30-second intervals until chips are mostly melted. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Set aside.
- Scoop the waxy solids from the top of the coconut milk can (or 1 ½ cups canned coconut cream) into a medium mixing bowl, stopping when you hit liquid below.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the solid coconut milk until it starts to turn creamy and soft peaks appear. If soft peaks do not appear, that is okay. (If using canned coconut cream, beat for about 30 seconds.)
- In a separate mixing bowl, add and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. With a spatula, fold in half of coconut whipped cream into the almond butter mixture. Add the rest of the coconut whipped cream and fold until the filling is thoroughly blended.
- Add a small amount of the melted chocolate at a time to the almond butter cream mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula to incorporate. The mixture will start to thicken as you add more. Stir until all melted chocolate is incorporated.
Assembly
- Transfer filling into prepared crust and smooth top with a spatula. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours or until set. Transfer to the refrigerator to store until serving.
- When ready to serve, top the pie with whipped cream or whipped topping as desired. Decorate the perimeter or dollop whipped cream in a circle over most of the pie. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.
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