I'm not usually a huge pie fan, mostly because I'm generally not a huge fan of pie crust. But this pie changed everything. The espresso and Oreo crust, the mouthwatering chocolate mocha filling, and the perfectly toasted meringue topping in this Mocha Meringue Pie has forever changed my opinion on pies. This pie is easy to bake and the most delicious to eat!
Why this recipe works
Chocolate and coffee, of course, are a match made in heaven. This crust combines Oreos with espresso for a rich chocolatey crust with a kick. The filling combines chocolate syrup with more espresso to really deepen the chocolate and coffee flavors. And the meringue is a light, fluffy marshmallow-like topping that balances out the richness of the crust and filling perfectly. A chocolate meringue pie would be incredible and a coffee meringue pie would be incredible, so why not have both in one pie?!
Ingredients and notes
Oreos - I love to use Oreos for a meringue pie crust. I think they have a deeper and richer flavor than a chocolate graham cracker. However, for this coffee and chocolate meringue pie recipe, either will work!
Corn Starch - Using corn starch in the filling is essential to your Mocha Meringue Pie filling setting. That means, when you cut a rich, luscious slice, it will hold its shape!
Eggs - The egg yolks in the filling also are essential for this easy chocolate meringue pie with espresso to stand tall. And egg white is what meringue is! You can substitute aquafaba for the egg white to make the meringue (aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas). You can make extra meringue if you're like me and like mile high meringue pie, or you can cut it back if you want just a hint.
How to make this recipe
Mocha Crumb Crust
Step 1
Combine Oreos or chocolate graham crackers, sugar, espresso powder, and butter until well-combined and the crumbs are fully moistened.
Step 2
Pour into your pie dish and press into the bottom and up the sides.
Step 3
Bake for 5 minutes, then let cool.
Mocha Filling
Step 4
Heat sugar, cornstarch, and water on the stove until it gets thick and glossy and boils. Let it boil for about a minute.
Step 5
Add about half the hot mixture into the egg yolks and combine so that the yolks get heated a bit first by the hot mixture. Then add the yolk mixture back into the pot where the full mixture can cook and should boil for another two minutes.
Step 6
Remove the mixture from the heat and add the butter, espresso powder, and chocolate syrup to the pot and mix until the butter is fully melted. Pour this mixture into the pie crust (which should have been cooling for a bit while you cooked this mixture).
Meringue Topping
Step 7
Use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer (a hand mixer will work fine too!) beat the egg whites and cream of tartar till they start to foam, then once they are foamy, slowly add the sugar.
Step 8
Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, covering all the way to the edges.
Step 9
Bake the pie for 12-15 minutes. The meringue on top should look like a toasted marshmallow.
Step 10
Let the pie cool for a while and then refrigerate and serve cold.
Recipe FAQs
Use a clean sharp knife to cut through this rich and delicious homemade meringue pie. Wipe the knife down between each slice. You can also warm the knife by dipping it in hot water between each slice. I also start first with the tip of the knife before slicing down into the pie.
Weeping is where a layer of liquid sits between your meringue and your pie filling, and we don't want that! Make sure to add the meringue topping while the pie filling is hot. This will allow the filling to begin cooking the bottom of the meringue immediately and keep your pie from getting wet and soggy. When you bake the pie, the top of the meringue is exposed to the heat, but the bottom isn't, so the hot mixture will help form the texture of the bottom of the meringue.
Yes, but not immediately! The meringue pie needs to cool to room temperature first. Putting a hot pie dish in a cold refrigerator could cause the dish to shatter. Refrigerating too soon could also cause the meringue to weep.
Tips & Tricks
- The sugar and butter are essential in the pie crust in order to hold it together. Do not reduce those measurements.
- You first add the hot mixture to the egg yolks before putting the egg yolks in the pot in order to gradually increase the heat in the egg yolks. If you add the egg yolks to the hot mixture, they will heat up too quickly and will turn into scrambled eggs, and we don't want scrambled eggs in our pies!
- The sugar is essential in whipping meringue topping. It absorbs the liquid to create that perfect meringue texture. Do not reduce this measurement.
- Cream of Tartar is not essential to the meringue topping, but meringue can be very finicky and cream of tartar is like a back-up plan. It's an extra assurance that your meringue topping will whip up nice and fluffy.
Related Recipes
Hot Mocha Bombs
Peppermint Mocha Brownies
Coffee Marshmallows
Margarita Meringue Pie
Lavender Lemon Meringue Pie
Meringues
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Mocha Meringue Pie
Equipment
- small bowl
- 9" pie dish
- Saucepan
- Hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
Mocha Crumb Crust
- 2 cups Oreo crumbs or chocolate graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
Mocha Filling
- 3 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue!)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups water
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons espresso powder
- ½ cup chocolate syrup
Meringue Topping
- 6 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup sugar
Instructions
Mocha Crumb Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Combine the dry crust ingredients in a small bowl.
- Stir in the melted butter until the dry ingredients are wet.
- Pour the crust mixture into a 9" pie pan.
- Press the crust into the pie pan with your hands, spreading the crust evenly around the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Mocha Filling
- Turn the oven up to 400 F. Place the egg yolks in a small bowl.
- Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
- Add water and place over medium heat.
- Stir constantly until the mixture boils. The mixture will start to look clear and glossy and will feel a bit thicker.
- Stir while the mixture boils for one minute.
- Pour approximately half the mixture into the egg yolks and stir till combined.
- Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pan with the remaining half of the sugar/cornstarch mixture and stir constantly over medium heat for an additional 2 minutes (mixture should still be boiling).
- Remove from heat and mix in the butter, espresso powder, and chocolate syrup until the butter is melted.
- Pour the mixture into cooled pie crust.
Meringue Topping
- Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until foamy.
- Slowly and gradually add in the sugar, while continuing to beat at a high speed until the mixture becomes stiff and glossy. The topping is done when you can pull a beater out (when the mixer is off!) and the mixture holds a stiff peak.
- Cover the top of the pie with the meringue spreading it all the way to the edges of the pie pan.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. The meringue will appear toasted. Allow the pie to cool, then refrigerate. The pie can be served cold.
Notes
This post was updated in October 2021 with additional information about the recipe.
Meghan Griffin says
This pie could quite possibly be THE best pie I've ever tasted!
Liz says
Wow, thank you!!! So glad you like it!