Amazing Cool Whip Chocolate Pie

This chocolate pie is made with low sugar and dairy-free ingredients but can be made with real sugar and dairy products if you prefer.

• Egg Whites - are whipped with sea salt and sugar and then baked with cookie crumbs to create a "cookie crust."
• Salt - enhances flavor and helps the "crust" stick together.
• Coconut sugar (or sucanat or brown sugar) - Coconut sugar is an unrefined palm sugar from the sap of the sap of the flower bud stem of the coconut palm. Sucanat is made from cane sugar extracts, so it has less sucrose and more trace nutrients. I buy it at a local farmer's market but it's readily available at health food stores. Brown sugar also works great in this recipe.
• Chocolate Wafer Cookies - ground into fine cookie crumbs.
• Hazelnuts (optional, but amazing here)
• Pure Vanilla Extract - adds sweet and sugary flavor.
• Frozen Non-Dairy Whipped Topping - like Truwhip (for a healthier version-they have a new Vegan option) but Cool Whip is fine (although not dairy-free).
• Dark Chocolate Bar - like a Hershey's dark chocolate bar or semi-sweet baking bar. You can use sweeter chocolate if you like.

To make this amazing cool whip chocolate pie, you'll also need:

• Large Metal Mixing Bowl (or Standing Mixer)
• Handheld Electric Mixer (or Standing Mixer)
• Spatula - to gently fold in the cookie crumbs into the egg whites and to spread out the pie layers in the pan.
• 9" Round Pie Pan
• Cooling Rack

How To Make Cool Whip Chocolate Pie

Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9" pie pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Beat egg whites into stiff peaks: In a large mixing bowl, add eggs whites and sea salt. Beat egg whites over high speed until foamy.

Continue beating while gradually adding in the sugar. Beat until a caramel-colored mousse-like consistency with stiff peaks forms.

Make cookie crumb "crust." Gently fold in finely ground chocolate wafer cookie crumbs and vanilla extract.

Bake. Spread cookie/egg white mixture in the bottom of the pie pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the center is firm to the touch.

Cool. Transfer the pie pan to a rack to cool completely before moving on to the next step. This pie will appear golden on top from the meringue, but when you slice it open you'll find lots of chocolatey goodness.

Add whipped topping and garnish. Once the first layer has cooled, spread frozen whipped topping on top. Garnish with a shaved dark chocolate bar and optional chopped hazelnuts. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Getting the egg whites to form "stiff peaks" works best if the bowl is cold.
• The secret to the rich, chocolaty "crust" in this pie is ground chocolate animal crackers. If you can't find animal crackers, any chocolate wafer cookie that is low in sugar will work well.
• Keep the whipped topping chilled until right before you're ready to add it. Cool whip will slowly but surely destabilizes at room temperature.
• For easier slicing, let pie chill in the fridge for 30 minutes after adding the whipped topping and garnishes.

Variations & Mix-Ins

To make a gluten-free cool whip chocolate pie, simply use your favorite gluten-free chocolate wafer-style cookies. The rest of the recipe is naturally gluten-free.

Use a different cookie: I love making this pie with chocolate animal crackers but really any dry, crispy cookie will work. Chocolate graham crackers are another tasty option, just make sure that they are low in sugar so they don't make the pie overly sweet.

Mix & match nut toppings: feel free to use walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts. If you prefer it without nuts, it's fine to leave them out completely, but they add a nice texture contrast to the pie. I happen to love the crunch and flavor of hazelnuts in this dessert.

Make flavored Cool Whip: To customize this pie with a flavored whipping topping, simply fold a dash of flavored extract into the whipped topping (peppermint, chocolate, hazelnut, maple, orange, etc).

Storing & Freezing

Storing Leftovers: If you happen to have leftovers, be sure to store them covered in the fridge and enjoy them within 3 to 4 days.

Freezing: You can freeze the whole pie. To do so, let it chill in the fridge for a few hours so the whipped topping is stable. Then, double wrap the pie in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge or enjoy frozen.

Important: Cool whip chocolate pie should not be stored at room temperature. The whipped topping will remain stable for at least 2 hours but any longer and it will start to lose its shape. To extend your chocolate pies shelf-life, keep it cold.

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