Mississippi Mud Pie (Easy Recipe)

Mississippi mud pie is sweet, refreshing, and downright irresistible!

With its crunchy Oreo crust and multiple layers of decadence, it’s impossible not to love. It combines three of my favorite things: chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate! 

Mississippi Mud Pie 

My family has been making Mississippi mud pie for years. And in all that time, I’ve never tired of it. I mean, it’s chocolate, cream, pudding, and Oreos! What’s not to love? 

Mississippi mud pie features a chocolate crust, a decadent brownie layer, and rich chocolate pudding. Top it all off with luscious homemade whipped cream, and voila! 

It’s a delicious, easy-to-make pie for parties, get-togethers, and backyard BBQs. Plus, it tastes best when cold, so it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert.

Ingredients 

Let’s break down what you need for the different layers of the pie. 

For the crust, you only need two ingredients: 

• Oreos. A regular-sized pack of Oreos contains about 45 cookies. You only need 32 to make the crust, leaving you with plenty to crumble up and sprinkle on top. 

• Melted butter. I always use salted butter for the crust. The salt helps enhance the Oreos’ sweetness. Melt the butter in the microwave in 15- to 30-second increments. 

The next layer is the fudgy brownie layer. For it, you need the following: 

• Butter. I prefer to control the amount of salt I add to this layer. For that reason, I use unsalted butter. 

• Dark chocolate. Some Mississippi mud pie recipes call for milk or semi-sweet chocolate. However, I think dark chocolate provides the best and richest flavor. I typically use a high-quality dark chocolate bar cut into chunks. 

• Sugar. Regular granulated sugar is fine. 

• Eggs. Set them out beforehand and let them warm to room temperature for best results. 

• Vanilla. You won’t need much, but vanilla is essential. It further sweetens the dessert and enhances all the other flavors. 

• Flour. All-purpose is fine. 

• Cocoa powder. Be sure to get unsweetened cocoa powder. Remember, you’re adding sugar, so using sweetened cocoa powder will be overkill. 

• Salt. As always, salt acts as a flavor enhancer. 

Next up is the pudding layer. It requires only two ingredients: 

• Milk. I always use whole milk. It has the best flavor and provides the best texture for the pudding. It makes it thick, silky, and smooth. 

• Chocolate pudding mix. Use whatever brand you prefer.  

And finally, you’ll top it off with homemade whipped cream. You need three things to make it: 

• Heavy cream. The colder the cream is, the easier it is to whip. So be sure to refrigerate it ahead of time. 

• Vanilla extract. It provides a rich, warm flavor. 

• Powdered sugar. Sugar serves a dual purpose in whipped cream. It sweetens it AND helps stabilize it. Confectioners’ sugar is also acceptable. 

How to Make Mississippi Mud Pie 

There are a few steps to making Mississippi mud pie, but they aren’t difficult. Let’s check them out. 

1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set out the eggs, butter, and other ingredients. Melt the butter needed for the crust. 

Dump the Oreos into a food processor and process them until they’re nothing but fine crumbs. 

2. Make the crust. Add the crushed Oreos to a medium bowl and mix them with the melted butter. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake it for 10 minutes. 

3. Make the brownie layer. Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a bowl in the microwave. Warm them for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval. Don’t overheat.

Next, whisk in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Once they’re incorporated, whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Pour the mixture into the crust. 

4. Bake. Bake the pie for 25 minutes or until the brownie layer passes the toothpick test. Let the pie cool for 3 hours before adding the pudding layer. 

5. Make the pudding layer. Whisk together the milk and pudding mix in a medium bowl until combined. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then spread it over the brownie layer. 

6. Chill. Chill the pie for 2 hours. 

7. Make and add the whipped cream. Use a stand or hand mixer to form soft peaks in the heavy cream. Then, add in the vanilla and powdered sugar. Blend until stiff peaks form. 

Spread the whipped cream over the top of the chilled pie. If you want, add extra crushed Oreos to the top. 

Finally, slice, serve, and enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Mud Pie 

Here are a few tips when making your pie: 

• Save time with a boxed brownie mix. The brownie layer in this pie is 100% from scratch. If you don’t have much time, use a boxed brownie mix instead. 

• Save more time with Cool Whip. Again, this pie is 100% homemade, right down to the whipped cream on top. However, you can save time using Cool Whip or another frozen whipped topping instead of the DIY stuff. 

• Let the crust and brownie layer cool completely. Don’t try to add the pudding layer to a still-warm pie. Doing so will completely ruin the pudding’s texture. It’ll be rubbery and unpleasant. The pie needs at least 3 hours to cool completely before adding the pudding layer.  

Variations 

Here are a few variations you’ll love: 

• Make it extra chocolatey. This pie has a ton of chocolate already. But that still isn’t enough for some people. Sometimes, I use chocolate ganache for a topping instead of whipped cream. Other times, I include the whipped cream but cover it in homemade chocolate glaze. 

• Add a little fruit. You can add sliced strawberries or bananas to the top of your Mississippi mud pie for a fruity finish. Alternatively, try adding strawberry cake filling between the brownie and pudding layers. 

• Give it a boozy kick. Mix in some Kahlua with the chocolate pudding. 

• Add nuts. Crush your favorite nuts and sprinkle them over the top. 

How to Store 

Mississippi mud pie is a dessert best served cold, so storing the leftovers is simple.

To Store: Transfer the pie to an air-tight container and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If you don’t have an air-tight container, you can wrap the leftover pie in aluminum foil instead. 

To Make Ahead: Because this is a “best-served cold” dessert, you can also make it ahead of time! Follow the directions in the recipe card below. Then, store the pie in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before serving it.