Chocolate lovers will love this easy no-bake Chocolate Cherry Pie. A crisp chocolaty cookie crust holds a layer of sweet cherries then topped with a decadently smooth, incredibly rich chocolate mousse. It’s heaven on a plate!
This easy chocolate tart with cherries is the perfect warm-weather dessert. Of course, there's no arguing that it's delicious year-round too! But summer especially calls for quick and easy. Here, there is no hot oven heating up the house and no worries when it comes to the outcome. It always comes out smooth, creamy, and delicious.
No-bake desserts are nothing new to me. Living in Florida for over 30 years, I learned how to make plenty of desserts that didn’t heat up my house even faster than the sun. Favorites like Key Lime Pie, Grasshopper Pie, and Coffee Ice Cream Pie to name just a few.
Table of contents
This Chocolate Cherry Pie is actually my husband’s favorite. He loves cherries in any form and thinks they add a nice sweet richness to the chocolate mousse filling. I have to agree. It’s definitely decadent and deliciously refreshing all in one!
Tips & tricks
- You can make the chocolate crust up to 3 days ahead of time and store it, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator.
- When making the chocolate mousse, always use the highest quality chocolate as you want the main flavor of the dessert to shine.
- To make a quick version of this tart, use canned cherry pie filling. If you have the time, make your own cherry filling with a can of tart cherries. Check in the recipe for the how-to.
- Make this chocolate pie into a no-bake chocolate cherry tart simply by using a tart pan with a removable bottom.
- To keep the crust from getting soggy after a day, melt a little chocolate in the microwave and brush it onto the baked chilled crust. Chill the crust again then fill as directed in the recipe.
How to make
The chocolate crust
- Gather the ingredients - chocolate wafer cookies, sugar, butter, dark chocolate (use high quality for the best flavor) and a little salt.
- Melt butter in microwave then stir in chocolate until melted.
- Process wafer cookies in a food processor or food chopper until it resembles fine crumbs. Add sugar and salt then stir.
- Pour in chocolate-butter mixture.
- Stir until well mixed and all crumbs are moist.
- Pat into pie plate or tart pan with removable bottom. Chill in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
The chocolate mousse filling
- Only 4 ingredients needed for this spectacular filling - dark chocolate (you want the highest quality for the best flavor), whipping cream, butter, and vanilla extract.
- Warm ¾ cup of whipping cream in the microwave until just to the boiling stage. Add chocolate and stir to melt.
- Continue to stir while adding butter until it melts as well.
- Whip remaining cream to soft peaks. Soft peaks are peaks that form when you pull the beaters out of the whipped mixture and they fall slightly over at the top.
- Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.
- Ready to pour into pie dish.
Assembling the chocolate pie
- Remove chilled crust from the refrigerator and line with cherries. If using canned cherries, I like to mash mine a little.
- Top cherries with chocolate mousse and smooth top. Chill at least 2 hours to overnight.
If you love chocolate and are carving something dark, sweet and magical, then this dessert is definitely for you! I've served it for special occasions like Mother's Day and Valentine's Day as well as Memorial Day and every day picnics. It's something the entire family asks for again and again. Enjoy!
Variations
- Change out the cherries to your favorite fruit. You can use other flavors of pie fillings or prepare your own filling with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or pears.
- Try an almond tart crust, similar to my Fresh Fruit Tart crust, in lieu of the chocolate crust. I would change the lemon extract to orange extract for a better match with the cherries.
More easy summer desserts
Mocha Cheesecake Minis are built in a small jar or dish with layers of Oreo crumbs and luscious mocha cheesecake then topped with whipped cream.
Ice Cream Terrine with Roasted Strawberries from Rachel Cooks. Easy to make molded ice cream that's sweetened with maple-glazed roasted strawberries.
Fresh Fruit Tart is an easy to make no-bake dessert with an almond crust, a lemon cream cheese filling and topped with colorful fresh fruit.
Blueberry Galette is the easiest pie you'll ever make! Pie crust is rolled out, filled with blueberry filling then the edges are folded over. Bake and that's it!
Chocolate Ganache Cake with fresh strawberry cream cheese filling. It's perfect for chocolate lovers.
Find lots more dessert recipes here on 2CM!
Chocolate Cherry Pie
Ingredients
Fresh Cherry Filling (optional) or use canned Cherry Pie Filling
- 14.5 oz can tart pitted cherries, drained and chopped (makes about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup granny smith apple, peeled & grated
- ½ cup sugar
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- 1 ½ cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅓ cup butter, cut into chunks
- 2- oz Dark chocolate, chopped small
Chocolate Mousse
- 7 oz Dark chocolate, chopped small
- 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup butter, cut in chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cherry Filling (optional homemade version) or use canned Cherry Pie Filling
- In a medium saucepan, bring chopped cherries, grated apples and sugar to a boil then lower and simmer 10-15 minutes until thickens to a preserve consistency. Stir often so it doesn't burn.
- Remove from heat and let cool. This can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- Crumb cookie wafers by pulsing in a blender or food processor or by placing in a resealable plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
- Place crumbled cookie crumbs in a medium bowl. Mix with sugar and salt.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter in microwave for about 30 seconds. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate is completed melted. If needed, heat again in microwave for about 15 seconds. Pour into crumb mixture and stir until well incorporated.
- Pat crumbs into bottom and up sides of a pretty pie dish or a tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to help firm up.
Chocolate Mousse
- Heat ¾ cup cream in large microwave safe bowl until it just begins to boil.
- Whisk in chocolate and stir until melted. Add butter a little at a time until it is completely melted.
- Whisk in vanilla extract.
- In an electric mixer, beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate-butter mixture until well combined.
To assemble
- Spread cherry filling on top of cooled cookie crust.
- Spoon chocolate mousse over the top and spread evenly. Let set in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or, even better, overnight.
- If using a tart pan with removable bottom, lift out carefully before slicing. If using a pie dish, cut as you would a regular pie.
Notes
- You can make the chocolate crust up to 3 days ahead of time and store it, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator.
- When making the chocolate mousse, always use the highest quality chocolate as you want the main flavor of the dessert to shine.
- Make this chocolate pie into a no-bake chocolate tart simply by using a tart pan with a removable bottom.
- To keep the crust from getting soggy after a day, melt a little chocolate in the microwave and brush it onto the baked chilled crust. Chill the crust again then fill as directed in the recipe.
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on October 5, 2015.
Christina says
Yummy! I heart chocolate!! 🙂
Annamarie V says
I love all chocolate but favorite in this order milk, white and dark. I love to make my own chocolate dipped strawberries and homemade chocolate cup cakes with a little piece of chocolate bar placed in each one.
Linda Warren says
Sounds fantastic!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
Oh I like that there is apple and cherry mixed in there. Apple is not a flavor I regularly think of when it comes to chocolate but it works!
Linda Warren says
I was surprised at how well it worked too but glad I added it.
siegalpaula says
My husband loves chocolate mousse
Linda Warren says
If your husband loves chocolate mousse, you just have to give this tart a try.
Mary Frances says
Chocolate and cherry is one of my favorite combinations. This looks like a delicious treat!
Kelli says
I used to think dark chocolate wasn't sweet enough, but now I prefer it over milk & semi-sweet.
Linda Warren says
I think our palate improves with age. Now all I want is dark chocolate!
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says
This tart reminds me of Black Forest Cakes, one of my very favorite cakes in the world. I am going to have to give this tart a try.
Linda Warren says
You're right, this is like a black forest cake!I know you'll enjoy it if you give it a try. If you do, let me know what you think.
thespeckledpalate says
This tart sounds SO good! You can't beat the combination of chocolate and cherries! Saving this for future baking because, well, everybody needs chocolate in their lives!
Linda Warren says
I couldn't agree more Erin! Everyone needs chocolate and the cherries and chocolate were perfect together. Hope you get to try it soon!
thatskinnychickcanbake says
What a fabulous tart! I love the cherry filling--what a delicious twist!
Linda Warren says
Thanks Liz! The cherry filling really did make the dessert!
E. Tucker says
Haha, my favorite type of chocolate is whatever type I have at the moment! 🙂
My favorite recipe is a nameless fudge-like pie I've been making for 20 years.
Linda Warren says
My sentiments exactly!
Natalie J Vandenberghe says
I love Dark Chocolate (however, I wouldn't pass on milk or white chocolate 😉
My favorite recipe with chocolate is called peanut butter dream. It has a wonderful pb mousse and nutty caramel filling, covered with a rich/decadent chocolate ganache--it's delicious!
Linda Warren says
Sounds great! Of course, anything with chocolate has to be good!
A S H L E Y (@Shippydoll) says
I LOVE chocolate smore recipes, yum!
Tasha @thatssoyummy says
Looks perfect for chocolate week!
Linda Warren says
Thanks Tasha! It was really a decadent treat!