Black Forest Cream Pie With Oreo Crust Recipe

It's hard to imagine a dessert more luxurious and balanced than one made with the flavors of classic Black Forest cake – rich chocolate, lightly sweetened whipped cream, fresh cherries, and just enough booze to add some complexity and depth. This creative spin on the beloved dessert keeps all of those flavors in the mix, with the addition of an Oreo pie crust for an even more crave-worthy result. 

Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse came up with this recipe for Black Forest cream pie when she had an abundance of fresh cherries on hand. "I love Black Forest cake, but in the summer months, turning on the oven to make a layer cake just isn't really in the cards. This pie version requires less than 10 minutes of baking time (for the crust), and it's served chilled for a deliciously rich dessert that's also refreshing and light. It's also a great way to feature fresh cherries."

Four components combine in this dessert: a crisp Oreo crust, velvety homemade chocolate pudding, rum-infused whipped cream, and fresh cherries sauteed with sugar and lemon for a tangy contrast to the overall richness of the pie. It's a pie that you'll be proud to serve — just get ready to share the recipe.

To make a Black Forest cream pie, you'll start with the crust, which is made with Oreo cookies and unsalted butter. If preferred, you can also use a standard pie crust (you'll need to blind bake it first), or substitute the ground Oreos with 2 cups of any cookie crumbs you prefer. For the chocolate pudding, heavy cream and milk create a creamy liquid base, while egg yolks and cornstarch are added in to thicken the pudding and add structure. Sugar sweetens the mixture, with bittersweet chocolate chips, butter, salt, and vanilla extract flavoring the pudding and adding richness. You can swap the bittersweet chocolate with any type you prefer, including white, milk, or dark chocolate chips, or opt for a store-bought chocolate pudding mix in a pinch.

The fresh cherry topping is made with pitted, halved cherries that are cooked with sugar and lemon juice to a jammy consistency. If you're making this pie outside of peak cherry season, use thawed, halved frozen dark cherries for a similar result. To top off the pie, heavy cream is whipped to stiff peaks with confectioners' sugar and spiced rum. Feel free to swap the spiced rum with other types of rum, bourbon, or Kirsch (cherry brandy) for a classic Black Forest touch. Cocoa powder is dusted over the cream to finish, and fresh cherries add a final flourish.

Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a food processor, pulse the Oreos until finely ground.

Melt 5 tablespoons unsalted butter and pour this over the Oreo crumbs.

Pulse to combine.

Press the crust evenly up the sides and into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant. Set aside.

In a medium bowl set over a damp kitchen towel, whisk to combine the egg yolks, ½ cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

In a medium pot, heat ½ cup heavy cream and the milk until simmering.

Slowly pour the hot liquid into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.

Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from the heat.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

Pour into the prepared pie crust and spread evenly.

Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding and chill for at least 4 hours, or until firm.

Prepare the cherry filling: In a large pan, cook the cherries, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cherries begin to soften and the liquid thickens to a syrup. Chill until ready to use.

When ready to serve, whip the remaining 1 ½ cups heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and rum to stiff peaks.

Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Pipe rosettes of whipped cream in a ring around the edge of the pie.

Dust the rosettes with the cocoa powder.

Top the rosettes with fresh cherries and fill the center of the pie with the cooked cherry filling.

Serve immediately with any remaining cherries or whipped cream.

Black Forest cake, called "Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte" in German, most likely originated in the Black Forest region of Germany, although who exactly created it and when is up for debate. This area of Germany is known for its tart cherries and Kirschwasser (or "Kirsch"), a clear brandy made from Morello cherries. It has a distinct cherry favor with a hint of almond, which comes from the cherry pits that are left in during processing.

The cake we know today, a layered confection with whipped cream, Kirsch, cherries, and chocolate cake, became popular in the 1920s and 30s in Germany. Its luxurious ingredients and eye-catching construction made it a renowned dessert in bakeries and cafes. After World War II, the popularity of the cake spread to different areas around the world. Today, you'll find it in bakeries and cake shops in the United States, with twists on the classic dessert finding a place on restaurant dessert menus. 

When it comes to preparing cream pies in advance, the options are somewhat limited. These pies are best served on the day they're made, or at most, the day after. When it comes to this Black Forest cream pie, however, there are a few ways to break up the preparation over the course of a few days, if needed.

The Oreo crust can be baked, cooled completely, and wrapped tightly. You can then refrigerate the crust for up to three days or freeze it for up to two months. Bring it to room temperature before using. The cherries can also be prepared ahead. Cook as directed, then transfer them to an airtight container and chill for up to two days for the freshest flavor and texture. The chocolate pudding filling can be prepared and poured into the Oreo crust up to one day in advance then topped and decorated with the cherries and whipped cream on the day of serving. Thankfully, it's a quick dessert to assemble, but in a pinch, you can also shorten the process by using a store-bought Oreo crust or chocolate pudding mix (although we definitely prefer this homemade version).