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    Recipes » Desserts » Pie Recipes

    Grandma's Chocolate Rum Pie

    Published: Dec 15, 2016 · Modified: Nov 10, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 37 Comments

    Vegetarian

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    chocolate rum pie slice served with whipped cream

    I’ve introduced you to Keith’s parents before, but I’ve never told you about his grandmother, Maxine. I first met her the year that Keith and I started dating, more than twenty-five years ago. When I think of her, I still see the way she always greeted me: her face would light up in a big smile and she’d say, “hiii…,” the word stretched out in her sweet southern drawl.

    Chocolate-Rum-Pie-Slice-Served on black plate square

    She and her husband raised two sons, Edwin and Bob, in Memphis, Tennessee. Both sons settled in the west, one in Oregon, the other in California. As a young woman Maxine worked as a teacher’s aid, but after the untimely death of her husband, she decided to become a teacher herself.

    maxine-stevens

    Until her late eighties, she lived alone in her Memphis home where she was active in her church and sewing club, travelled internationally and drove a VW Bug that would act up occasionally. But not to worry, her neighbor had shown her how to pry just the right place open with a spoon to make it roar to life.

    Each year during the winter holiday season, she would fly to the west for a month. (Once, she so charmed the man sitting next to her on the plane that he sent a Virginia ham to meet her at her destination.) On these visits, she divided her time between her son’s homes, an event that her four grandchildren especially looked forward to. She would fill her days making sugar cookies, rolls and pies - always happy to spare a bite of dough or make a batch of cinnamon sugar crisps from pie crust scraps. And in the evening, you might find her knitting hats for the homeless people of Memphis.

    grandma-with-her-grandchildren
    Grandma with her grandchildren, left to right: Keith, Rob, Beth and Ed.

    There are at least two of Grandma’s recipes that are essential at every Stevens family holiday meal: Grandma’s Rolls and Chocolate Rum Pie.

    chocolate-rum-pie

    If you’ve ever had chocolate and rum together, you know they’re a heavenly match. But think of adding lightly sweetened whipped cream and a delicate, flaky Lard Pie Crust (or Gingersnap Crust that I also make for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie) and you’ll know why this recipe is a Stevens family heirloom. An heirloom that I’ve been given permission to share.

    What about Grandma’s rolls? I haven’t worked up the courage to ask about sharing that recipe yet. Maybe next year.

    More of My Favorite Southern Recipes

    • Skillet Cornbread
    • Homemade Biscuits
    • Sweet Potato Bread
    • Fried Green Tomatoes
    • Shrimp Creole
    • Slow Cooker Jambalaya
    Chocolate-Rum-Pie-Slice-Served on black plate square

    Grandma's Chocolate Rum Pie

    Marissa Stevens
    An heirloom Steven's family recipe..
    5 from 5 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 8 people
    Calories 486 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 10-inch pre-baked pie crust See recipe notes for suggestions.

    Pie Filling

    • ¾ cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar divided
    • pinch salt
    • 1 envelope gelatin
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 2 egg yolks beaten
    • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • ⅓ cup rum
    • 2 egg whites
    • 1 cup whipping cream
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Pie Topping

    • 1 cup whipping cream
    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-bake a 10-inch pie crust (see links in Recipe Notes) and allow it to cool completely before filling.
    • To make the pie filling, combine ½ cup sugar, gelatin and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir in milk and egg yolks. Place over medium-low heat; cook and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Add rum and stir. Chill until partially set. (I often use an ice bath, stirring occasionally, to speed this process).
    • Once chocolate mixture has cooled, beat egg whites with a standing or handheld mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into egg whites,
    • In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, beating until combined.
    • Add ½ of chocolate mixture to prepared pie crust; top with ½ of whipped cream. Repeat so that you have 4 layers. Using a rubber spatula, carefully swirl the layers into a marble pattern. Cover and chill until firm - several hours or overnight.
    • To serve: Beat 1 cup whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, beating until combined. Cut pie into 8 slices and serve each with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

    Notes

    A fully baked Lard Pie Crust is the perfect savory / sweet match for this pie.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 486kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 5gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 134mgSodium: 55mgPotassium: 229mgFiber: 1gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 1000IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 1.5mg
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Pie Recipes

    • Easy Apple Crisp
    • Lard Pie Crust
    • Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
    • Gingersnap Crust

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. SANDY says

      February 25, 2022 at 6:03 am

      5 stars
      I have this recipe from years ago and it's a HUGE crowd pleaser through the generations! Definitely worth creating!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        February 28, 2022 at 4:29 pm

        Thanks, Sandy. I agree!

        Reply
    2. Georgia Maurizio says

      December 18, 2021 at 10:04 am

      5 stars
      I have made this pie every Christmas for 50 years. My recipe came from the 12 volume set of Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cooking from the early 70s and is nearly identical. The one change I made was to increase the unflavored gelatin from one pkt. to 1.5 pkts. as the pie sometimes didn't set firmly. This does not affect the taste. Aside from being delicious. it is beautiful and a show stopper!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 18, 2021 at 11:02 am

        aww...I love this, Georgia! Nice to hear that this beauty is a tradition in your family too.

        Reply
    3. Mindy says

      March 10, 2019 at 7:12 pm

      Hi,
      Would rum /alcohol content be strong in this recipe?I am considering to make this for work, but don't want to get in trouble for too much rum!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 11, 2019 at 10:27 am

        Hi Mindy! If the pie is divided into 8 slices, it's equivalent to about 1/3 of an ounce of rum per slice. It's not a lot of alcohol per person, but the rum is a pronounced flavor. Hope that's helpful!

        Reply
    4. Jennie says

      November 22, 2017 at 8:11 am

      5 stars
      Hi long shot, but in case you are checking, this is v similat to my grandmas recipe. Im wondering if i doubled the filling- ( i have two pie crusts) if it would work. 1 packet of gelatin still or two? Any help appreciated! Jennie

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        November 27, 2017 at 1:41 pm

        Hi Jennie - I'm afraid my response is after you've made your pies - sorry about that. I'd use a full two packets of gelatin in doubling the recipe.

        Reply
    5. Tessa @ Blooming Bites Photography says

      April 03, 2017 at 9:04 pm

      What a fabulous recipe, and great blog post. I enjoyed reading every moment of it, thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 04, 2017 at 10:01 am

        Such a sweet note. Thank you, Tessa!

        Reply
    6. Sabrina says

      December 26, 2016 at 6:19 am

      What a wonderful family recipe :). Love the photos of Keith's grandmother

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 28, 2016 at 2:48 pm

        Thanks, Sabrina. 🙂 She was such a sweet lady...

        Reply
    7. Beeta @ Mon Petit Four says

      December 22, 2016 at 11:45 am

      I loved reading this post! Grandma Stevens sounds like an incredible lady! Also this recipe seems like the perfect holiday dessert! Thank you for sharing sweet friend <3

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 28, 2016 at 2:48 pm

        Thank you, Beeta. She really was...xo

        Reply
    8. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      December 18, 2016 at 11:12 am

      5 stars
      Oh my gawsh, this is SUCH a great post, Marissa! Keith's grandmother sounds like an absolutely wonderful woman and she is seriously SO cute! Thank you so much for sharing her chocolate rum pie with us!! Family recipes are the best and this one looks just amazing! I mean, chocolate AND rum in a pie?! I totally need that in my life!! Cheers, friend!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 18, 2016 at 4:27 pm

        aww, thank you Cheyanne! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Faith (An Edible Mosaic) says

      December 18, 2016 at 7:09 am

      Thank you so much for sharing this heirloom! Recipes like this are one of my favorite things about the holidays. Maxine sounds like a truly incredible lady and this pie looks out of this world!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 18, 2016 at 4:27 pm

        I agree, Faith. I love hearing about family recipes - they always come with a story. 🙂 xo

        Reply
    10. Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says

      December 17, 2016 at 1:02 pm

      Family recipes are always the best! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post with us! And this pie!!! Oh my, my! Chocolate and rum?! Now that sounds like one stellar combo to me!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 17, 2016 at 5:17 pm

        Thank you, sweet Kathleen! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Tom B says

      December 17, 2016 at 9:01 am

      I truly love family stories, and when they are about food that is the best! You did not mention type of rum (light or dark). Zaya would be choice – it a wonderful aged rhum from Trinidad, with a great finish and I think it would be a great match.

      Zaya may also be a wonderful digestive after some of Maxine’s pie to bring the evening to a close. Hope to give it a try over the holidays.

      BTW – another strange crossing… my father’s family was from Memphis

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 17, 2016 at 9:16 am

        Tom, I can always count on you to come through with some sage advice. 🙂 We've used both dark and light rum to delicious results, but I'll keep an eye out for this Zaya you speak of. I can say that one family member (who shall not be named) once tried doubling the rum to less-than-delicious results. 🙂

        We really must get together this year...again and again we discover our kindred spirits!! (pun intended!)

        Reply
    12. cakespy says

      December 17, 2016 at 3:58 am

      What a gorgeous old-fashioned pie. I love recipes like this.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 17, 2016 at 5:17 pm

        Thank you!! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

      December 16, 2016 at 3:58 pm

      I love reading about Grandma Maxine and then getting a recipe of her chocolate rum pie was the sweetest ending Marissa! :DS

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 16, 2016 at 5:32 pm

        Aww, I love that you said Grandma Maxine. You're the best, Lorraine. xo

        Reply
    14. Kevin | Keviniscooking says

      December 16, 2016 at 3:32 pm

      What a wonderful post! I loved it and feel like I know her, what a cool lady. As for this beauty you shared of hers, thank you. I'm Pinning to give it a go sans the rum of course. Haven't been feeling too well as of late and this got my stomach growling. 🙂 Enjoy the snow and weekend Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 16, 2016 at 5:33 pm

        I'm so sorry that you haven't been feeling well, Kevin! I wish I could make you some chicken soup!! I bet this would be good with cold, strong coffee or espresso in place of the rum. Feel better my friend! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Sally Stutler says

      December 16, 2016 at 12:45 pm

      This looks delicious and we will try making it. Thanks for the recipe. Work on the family for the homemade roll recipe! I absolutely love bread!!

      Reply
      • Sally Stutler says

        December 16, 2016 at 12:48 pm

        Forgot to mention how much I love the story and pictures. Cherished memories for sure!

        Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 16, 2016 at 5:34 pm

        haha, okay, I'll work on them. 🙂 Thanks for such a nice comment, Sally. 🙂

        Reply
    16. Dorothy Dunton says

      December 16, 2016 at 10:07 am

      Hi Marissa! What a lovely post! Family recipes that are passed down are the best and this pie is a perfect example of that! This would not last long here as Gary has a BIG weakness for pies, all pies! If I am lucky I get a piece before they disappear! I compiled my first recipe collection at the kids' request so they would have the recipes I'd cooked for them and all their friends through the years. Two years ago my son's girlfriend asked if I would give her a copy for Christmas and I was honored to do so!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 16, 2016 at 5:35 pm

        From the recipes you've shared with me, Dorothy, I would bet anything that your recipe collection is also an heirloom! You have such a wonderful sense of food and what it's really all about...xoxo

        Reply
    17. Paula | Vintage Kitchen says

      December 16, 2016 at 9:26 am

      5 stars
      Stunning dessert Marissa! I used to make a chocolate rum mousse, and the flavor combo is outstanding! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 16, 2016 at 5:36 pm

        I bet your mousse is incredible, Paula!! I'd love to try it...Have a wonderful weekend, my friend.

        Reply
    18. Kimberly Davis says

      December 15, 2016 at 4:17 pm

      Great read today as I sit at the table of one said Stevens Grandchild. Thank you for sharing -- the story and the recipe!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 16, 2016 at 5:37 pm

        Thank you, Kimberly! What perfect timing...I was disappointed that Beth's face didn't show up in the blowing out the candles shot, but it was such a sweet moment that I couldn't resist sharing it.

        Reply

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