Nothing says indulgence quite like Marie Callender’s famous Black Bottom Pie, with its decadent layers of chocolate and vanilla pudding crowned with billowy whipped cream. This beloved restaurant dessert has been satisfying sweet cravings for decades, combining the comfort of homemade pudding with the sophistication of a layered presentation.
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Old-Fashioned Black Bottom Pie
A trip to Marie Callender’s is just not complete without a slice of Black Bottom Pie at the end of the meal. With its flaky crust, layers of vanilla and chocolate pudding, and a big dollop of whipped cream, it’s no wonder Black Bottom Pie is one of the restaurant’s most popular desserts.
But you don’t have to go out to try this tasty pie when it is so easy to make at home!
Why This Recipe Works
The magic of Black Bottom Pie lies in its perfect balance of flavors and textures. The chocolate pudding layer provides rich, indulgent sweetness while the rum-spiked vanilla pudding adds complexity and depth. Using a traditional flaky pie crust instead of the typical chocolate wafer crust gives this version more structural integrity and a delightful textural contrast. The blind-baking technique ensures a crisp bottom that won’t become soggy from the pudding layers.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this Black Bottom Pie recipe, you will need:
- Plain pastry pie crusts – Provides the perfect flaky foundation that holds up to the creamy pudding layers
- Chocolate pudding mix – Creates the rich, dark bottom layer that gives the pie its signature name
- Vanilla pudding mix – Forms the lighter top layer and serves as the perfect canvas for rum flavoring
- Rum extract – Adds the traditional tropical note that elevates the vanilla pudding
- Whipped cream or Cool Whip – Crowns the pie with light, airy sweetness that balances the rich pudding
Ingredient Substitutions
There is a lot of room to play with the ingredients in this version of Black Bottom Pie, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it exactly as written. You can, and it is still delicious. But if you have the time and desire to make it your own, try these changes.
Going the instant pudding route instead of making a more typical custard filling saves a lot of time and headaches, and there are high-quality pudding mixes out there like the ones from Godiva. However, nothing compares to making the pudding yourself.
While the recipe calls for using rum extract, you can certainly use a tablespoon of real rum instead. Dark rum is the best, but stay away from the spiced variety.
How to Make Black Bottom Pie
- Blind bake both crusts in the oven as directed on the package or in the recipe.
To keep the pie crust from puffing, you’ll need to use some sort of pie weight. If you don’t have any pie weights on hand, try lining the crusts with parchment paper and filling the crusts with dried beans.
Note: Don’t cook with the beans after baking. Instead, keep them for blind baking crusts in the future.
- When the crusts come out of the oven, cool them completely on a wire rack before filling.
- While the crusts cool, make the puddings according to the directions on the package. If you plan to make the puddings from scratch, prepare them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge.
- Stir the rum extract (or rum, if using) into the vanilla pudding.
- Pour half of the chocolate pudding into one pie crust and the rest into the other one. Use an offset spatula to smooth the pudding.
- Pour half of the vanilla pudding into one pie crust and the rest into the other. Clean off the spatula and gently flatten the top of the vanilla pudding without applying too much pressure.
- Cover the pies with plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least an hour, until they are thoroughly chilled. Pressing the plastic wrap on the surface will prevent a skin from forming on the top.
- After the pies are cold, you can spread a layer of whipped cream on top or store the pies without the whipped cream and add it fresh to each serving.
Recipe Variations
Baking should be fun, so here are a couple of suggestions for tweaking this recipe:
- For even more crunch, you can try adding a layer of crushed chocolate wafer cookies between the two different layers of pudding.
- Use a ganache in place of the chocolate pudding for an even more chocolatey pie.
How to Serve Marie Callender’s Black Bottom Pie
Cut each pie into six slices and serve on a small plate. Add whipped cream if there isn’t any, and you can garnish with chocolate shavings, chocolate chips, or crushed nuts.
What Goes Well With a Black Bottom Pie?
Coffee’s the perfect drink to serve alongside this pie. Its bitterness pairs well with the sweetness of the dessert. For the same reason, if you prefer something alcoholic, choose a bottle of your favorite stout to drink.
Some great coffee drinks are:
Storage Instructions
- Freezing: Not recommended as pudding-based pies don’t freeze well and may separate upon thawing
- Refrigerator Storage: Store covered with plastic wrap or in a pie keeper for up to 3-4 days
More Marie Callender Copycat Recipes
Favorite Pie Recipes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Chocolate Pudding Pie
- Coconut Custard Pie
- Eggnog Pie
- Karo Pecan Pie
- Kool-aid Pie
- Millionaire Pie
- Sour Cream Raisin Pie
Check out my easy pie recipes and the best copycat casual dining restaurant recipes here on CopyKat!
Marie Callender’s Black Bottom Pie Copycat
Ingredients
- 2 8-inch plain pastry pie crusts (store-bought or make your own)
- 1 box chocolate pudding 4 serving size box use either cooking or instant
- 1 box vanilla pudding 4 serving size box use either cooking or instant
- 1/4 teaspoon rum extract (more or less to taste)
- whipped cream or Cool Whip topping
Instructions
- Bake both empty pie crusts until golden.
- In two separate pans or bowls, prepare the chocolate pudding and vanilla pudding according to the package directions.
- Add rum extract to the vanilla pudding and stir.
- Pour half of the chocolate pudding into each crust and spread in an even layer.
- Pour half of the vanilla pudding on top of each chocolate layer and spread evenly, being careful not to mix the layers.
- Chill the pies in the fridge.
- Once chilled, spread whipped topping over the vanilla pudding.
Boxes of pudding – small or large boxes, please?
Use the small boxes, these boxes contain 4 servings.
Needs more rum
Could you use real rum in this recipe?