Description
Someone in Mississippi looked at a regular chocolate pie and thought “not enough layers, not enough chocolate, needs to be messier” and created this absolute monster of a dessert. This is a chocolate cookie crust filled with fudgy brownie, topped with chocolate pudding, buried under whipped cream, and showered with chocolate shavings because apparently we’re not done yet. It’s called “mud pie” because it’s dark, dense, and looks like the Mississippi River bottom, but tastes infinitely better.
This isn’t a dainty slice-and-serve situation. This is “bring a fork and lower your expectations for portion control” territory. Every layer is chocolate. Every bite is rich. It’s the kind of dessert that makes chocolate lovers weep with joy and people who claim they “don’t really like sweets” suddenly discover they were lying to themselves all along.
This is maximum chocolate energy in pie form. It’s what happens when you stop pretending you want a balanced dessert and just commit to the excess. It’s Mississippi’s gift to chocolate lovers everywhere, and we should all be grateful.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookie Crust:
- 25 Oreo cookies (or chocolate wafer cookies), filling and all
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
For the Brownie Layer:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional but recommended)
For the Chocolate Pudding Layer:
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Garnish:
- Chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips
- Cocoa powder for dusting (optional)
Special Equipment:
- 9-inch pie pan (deep dish preferred)
- Food processor
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, pulse the Oreos (filling and all – don’t be that person who scrapes it out) until they’re fine crumbs. No big chunks. You want chocolate sand. Add melted butter and salt, pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when squeezed.
Press the cookie mixture into your pie pan, covering the bottom and up the sides. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to really pack it in there. You want it firm and even. If it’s too loose, it’ll crumble when you try to slice the pie later. Press it like you mean it.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes. It won’t look dramatically different, but it’ll be set and slightly toasted. Let it cool while you make the brownie layer. Don’t skip this step – a par-baked crust stays crispy under all those layers.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chopped chocolate together, stirring constantly. Once melted and smooth, remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. You don’t want it hot when you add the eggs or you’ll have scrambled chocolate eggs (sounds interesting, actually isn’t).
Whisk the sugar into the cooled chocolate mixture. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips if using. Don’t overmix or you’ll have cakey brownies instead of fudgy ones.
Pour the brownie batter into your cooled crust and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The edges should be set but the center should still look slightly underdone – it’ll jiggle a bit when you shake the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs, not clean. Underbaking is better than overbaking here. Let it cool COMPLETELY. This is mandatory.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. No lumps. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly – and I mean CONSTANTLY – until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. This takes about 8-10 minutes. Your arm will get tired. Keep whisking anyway.
Once it’s thick and bubbling, remove from heat. Add the chopped chocolate and butter, whisking until completely melted and smooth. Add vanilla. The pudding should be thick and glossy. Let it cool for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
Pour the pudding over the cooled brownie layer. Spread it evenly to the edges. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding (this prevents a skin from forming). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The pudding needs to set completely or your pie will be a delicious but structural disaster when you try to slice it.
When you’re ready to serve (or up to 4 hours before), make the whipped cream. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat cold heavy cream on medium speed until it starts to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Don’t overbeat or you’ll have butter. Stop when the cream holds its shape but is still smooth and glossy.
Remove the plastic wrap from the pudding layer. Dollop the whipped cream all over the top and spread it to the edges, or pipe it with a star tip if you’re feeling fancy. Create swoops and peaks – this is your moment to be artistic. The whipped cream should be generous. If you can still see pudding, you need more cream.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate over the top of the whipped cream. Or just sprinkle mini chocolate chips. Or cocoa powder. Or all three because at this point, why show restraint? Cover every visible bit of white cream with chocolate. This is Mississippi Mud Pie – subtlety was never the goal.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the whipped cream firm up slightly. This makes slicing cleaner and prevents the cream from sliding off when you serve it.
Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each slice. This pie is rich and dense – each slice should be modest unless you want a sugar coma. Cut slowly and deliberately. The layers should be distinct and beautiful.
Serve each slice with a fork and maybe a glass of cold milk. Take a bite that includes all four layers – crunchy cookie crust, fudgy brownie, silky pudding, fluffy cream, and chocolate shavings. Notice how each texture plays off the others. Notice how you’re not sharing this slice with anyone. This is the Mississippi Mud Pie effect.
Notes
Cool Completely Between Layers: Rushing this will melt your pudding into your brownie and create a structural mess.
Use Quality Chocolate: You’re eating four layers of chocolate. Don’t use the cheap stuff. It matters.
The Pudding Must Be Thick: If it’s too thin, it won’t set properly. Cook it until it’s noticeably thick before removing from heat.
Cold Cream for Whipping: Everything should be cold – cream, bowl, beaters. This helps it whip faster and stiffer.
Don’t Skip the Overnight Chill: This pie needs time for all the layers to set and the flavors to meld.
Serve Cold: This is a cold dessert. Room temperature Mississippi Mud Pie is a melted mess.
Small Slices: This is RICH. A small slice is plenty. People can always get seconds.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~520 kcal
- Fat: ~32g
- Carbohydrates: ~56g
- Protein: ~6g