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I'm not exaggerating when I say one of my best and strongest childhood memories is eating single-serve cups of chocolate cream pie from my elementary school's cafeteria. My sister and I loved those things -- to the point where I've since looked them up to try to order some to my apartment, but I think they must have been discontinued or are only sold directly to Midwestern cafeterias.

The cups were so memorable because of their four distinct layers: buttery crushed graham crackers on the bottom, a thick layer of creamy chocolate pudding, a dollop of light-as-air whipped cream, and a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips. I knew I had to recreate this deliciousness at home, but in a larger format so it could feed a crowd. Here's how to make the easiest-ever chocolate cream pie at home, inspired by my favorite childhood dessert.

3 smart steps for a perfect pie

1. Opt for a no-bake Oreo crust. Although I grew up on a graham cracker crust, I wanted this pie to be entirely no-bake, and no-bake Oreo crusts are far superior.

2. Make the filling with instant pudding mix. Making pudding from scratch is a fun snow-day project, but the 10-step process will significantly slow down your chocolate cream pie endeavor. Instead, buy a box of instant chocolate pudding mix (make sure it's Instant, not Cook & Serve, or it won't set up in the fridge).

3. Use whipped cream two ways. You'll whip a full pint of heavy cream -- no need to measure, just pour the whole pint container into your mixer -- until soft peaks form. Then, fold half of it (you can eyeball it) into your chocolate pudding mixture, which not only gives it a lighter, mousse-like texture, but it increases its volume so it fills out more of the crust and helps it firm up so that you can cut a clean slice. Then, you'll save the rest of the whipped cream for spreading all over the top of the pie.

Chocolate Cream Pie

Makes 1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie

Serves 8 to 12

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