Mud Pie

This recipe has several easy steps to make all the delicious layers, and I lead you step-by-step through the process. Most importantly, the end result is more than worth it! Serve it at your next gathering or family dinner for the chocoholics in your life. For more homemade pie recipes, try my peanut butter pie, easy oreo pie, or grasshopper pie recipe.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Oreo Cookies – crushed classic Oreos make a delicious chocolate crust. Alternatively, you can use golden Oreos, chocolate graham crackers, or another crunchy chocolate cookie. Butter – use unsalted butter so you do not oversalt the recipe. You will need melted butter for the crust and cubed butter for the brownie and pudding layers. If all you have is salted butter, just reduce the added salt in the pudding and brownie batter by a pinch. Chocolate – I recommend using 60% bittersweet chocolate to balance out the sweetness of this recipe. Cocoa Powder – choose unsweetened natural cocoa powder to avoid making this mud pie too sweet. Dutch-processed cocoa will also work and yield a deeper chocolate flavor. Large Eggs – you will need both large whole eggs and large egg yolks for different parts of the recipe. Milk – choose whole milk to make the pudding layer rich and creamy. I don’t recommend swapping this for another type of milk, as it will not create the same pudding texture. Heavy Cream – the key ingredient to the homemade whipped cream topping. For best results, make sure the cream is cold before mixing with the sugar.

How to Make Mud Pie

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Finely crush the cookies into fine crumbs in a food processor, or crush them a heavy-duty ziplock bag. Stir the cookie crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl until well combined.
2. Firmly press the crumb mixture into a deep 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Let the crust cool while making the brownie layer.
3. For the brownie layer, melt the butter and chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, for about 2 minutes. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until well combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt.
5. Stir in the flour with a spatula until just combined.
6. Pour the brownie batter into the crust and bake until puffed and set, for about 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Prepare the pudding layer. Place the egg yolks in a small heat-proof bowl and gently whisk to loosen them up. Set aside. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the milk, and cook while whisking over medium-high heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk about ½ cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to temper them, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
8. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate, butter, and vanilla until fully melted and combined.
9. Pour the pudding over the brownie layer and let cool at room temperature for 20 minutes. Place the pie in the refrigerator, uncovered, to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
10. When ready to serve, beat the cream and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pie in an even layer. Garnish with chocolate shavings, pecans, or cookie crumbs before slicing.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Make the crust even. Use the bottom of a cup or the back of a large spoon to evenly press the cookie mixture into the pie pan. This will help the crust cook evenly and make each slice uniform. Cool the brownie layer completely. Make sure the brownie layer is cooled before adding the pudding layer on top. This will prevent the pudding from melting. Chill the mud pie before adding the topping. For the best texture, chill the pie overnight in the refrigerator to allow the pudding to set before adding the whipped cream topping. This will prevent the whipped cream from weeping onto the pudding layer or making the crust soffy. Make the whipped topping right before you’re ready to serve! Optional variations. Add ½ teaspoon of espresso powder to the brownie layer to bring out the chocolate flavors. Alternatively, stir a handful of chopped Ades mints into the brownie batter and mix ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract into the pudding along with the butter and chocolate for a grasshopper-flavored twist. If you’re short on time, you can use a boxed brownie mix instead of making your own (only use 1½ cups of batter) and Cool Whip instead of homemade whipped cream for the topping. Make it an ice cream pie! Skip the pudding and top the cooled brownie layer with coffee ice cream or your favorite flavor. Just leave the carton out for a few minutes to soften before spreading it into the pie, then refreeze for a couple of hours before topping with whipped cream and serving. Add toppings. You can mix and match any toppings you desire to add flavor and presentation! Try chopped candy bars, toasted nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds, sprinkles, M&Ms, or even fresh fruit like raspberries or sliced strawberries.

If you’ve tried this Mud Pie recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!