Gooey, chocolatey, fudge brownie pie. When flaky pastry surrounds the most decadent brownie, it’s a very good thing.
I’m not a regular pie baker, so I usually stick to cakes. I admire those grandmas who can make a flaky pie crust from memory — maybe one day I’ll have that magic touch. But I do have a weakness for brownies, and the idea of a brownie baked inside a pie crust was too tempting to pass up.
Meet Fudge Brownie Pie: dense, ultra-chocolatey and fudgy, all encased in a flaky pastry shell. It’s an excellent way to elevate brownies into a show-stopping dessert. Serve it warm with ice cream and caramel for an over-the-top treat, or top it simply with fresh berries for a lighter finish. Either way, it’s brownie heaven.
For the Flaky Pie Crust
For this recipe I used an all-shortening pie crust. Shortening produces a very flaky texture and is forgiving to work with; butter gives more flavor but can be trickier. Because the brownie filling is already rich, an all-shortening crust works well here. If you prefer, use a butter crust, a combination of butter and shortening, or a refrigerated pre-made pie shell (thaw frozen crusts in the refrigerator first). You do not need to prebake the crust — the brownie batter is poured into the unbaked shell and baked together.
Here’s what the crust looked like before baking.
For the Fudge Brownie
These brownies are for true chocolate lovers: gooey, decadent and fudgy. To maximize fudginess this recipe uses melted dark chocolate rather than cocoa, adds an extra egg yolk, and keeps the flour to a minimum — more flour makes brownies cakier. I used 70% dark chocolate for a deep flavor; for kids, choose 50–60% chocolate. Bake the pie for about 30–35 minutes so the top looks set and no longer shiny while the center remains gooey. The pie crust insulates the filling during baking, which makes the interior extra fudgy.
If you need a special birthday dessert for a chocolate lover — or just want to make an ordinary Monday feel celebratory — this brownie pie is an excellent choice.
Fudge Brownie Pie
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3–6 tablespoons very cold water
For the Brownie
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter
- 5.5 oz dark chocolate, 50–70% cocoa
- 1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (in addition to the 2 eggs)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
Instructions
To Make the Pie Crust
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut in the shortening until the pieces are smaller than the size of your pinky fingernail.
- Stir in the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just begins to hold together. Squeeze a piece between your fingers — if it holds, you’ve added enough water; if it crumbles, add a little more.
- Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
- When ready, flour a work surface and roll the chilled dough into an 11–12 inch circle. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate by rolling it over your rolling pin and unrolling it onto the plate. Trim excess dough, fold and crimp the edge as desired. Chill the prepared crust while you make the brownie filling.
To Make the Brownie (or start here if using a 9-inch refrigerated pie crust)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. If using frozen store-bought dough, thaw it completely and place it in a 9-inch pie plate; chill while preparing the filling.
- Place butter and chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt over a double boiler. Let cool about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk in the two eggs and the additional egg yolk, making sure the chocolate mixture isn’t hot to avoid scrambling the eggs. Stir in the flour gently until just combined.
- Remove the chilled pie crust from the fridge and pour or spoon the brownie batter into it. Cover the crust edge with a pie shield or strips of foil to prevent burning.
- Bake 30–35 minutes. After 15–20 minutes remove the shield so the crust can brown. The top should be set and no longer shiny; the center will remain fudgy. If you prefer a less gooey center, bake 35–40 minutes. The pie in the photos baked about 32 minutes.
- Allow the pie to cool completely before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition