This mud pie recipe is simple to make, yet rich and indulgent, just the way a perfect dessert should be! We love to make it during the summertime because it’s cool and refreshing, and serves a crowd. Perfect for summer picnics, barbecues or backyard gatherings or even quiet summer nights on the patio when the mood calls for something sweet. Layers of chocolate, buttery crust, cream cheese layer, and fluffy whipped topping make this a dessert that is absolutely to die for!
Ingredients in Mud Pie
This recipe is a delightful twist on a classic Mississippi mud pie recipe, but with a few shortcuts to make it a bit easier and faster to make. Each layer uses only a few ingredients, many of them store-bought. Here’s what you need:
CRUST:
Flour – a cup of all purpose flour is all you needButter – I like to use unsalted butter for this recipe to control the amount of sodium in the dish.Pecans – finely chopped. You can use a food processor or chop them by hand.
CREAM CHEESE LAYER:
Cream cheese – make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature; it’ll whip together more smoothly with the other cream layersPowdered sugar – Sift the sugar before adding to the cream cheese to avoid lumpsCool whip – you’ll use about half a carton in this layer.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING LAYER:
Instant chocolate pudding mix – You can use one small package of butterscotch and one chocolate, or just two packages of chocolate pudding.Milk – use whole or 2% COLD milk.Cool whip – use the rest of the carton of cool whip for this layer
Layer it Up
To make the crust, use a stand mixer to mix the melted butter, flour and chopped pecans together. Then press it into the bottom of a rectangle pan. You could also use a 9-inch pie plate. Bake in the oven for just about 15 minutes, then cool completely. Once it’s mostly cooled, you can pop the pan in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the process.For the cream cheese layer, whisk together room temperature cream cheese with the powdered sugar and cool whip until light and fluffy, then pour over the cooled pecan crust. Next, beat the instant pudding with the cold milk on medium speed in a large bowl for a couple of minutes. Then carefully spread over the cream cheese layer.Finally, use a knife to spread on the remaining cool whip and chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator to set.
Suggestions and Variations for this Mud Pie Recipe
The chocolate pudding layer can be easily swapped out for any other kind of pudding flavor. We have made it with pistachio pudding, butterscotch and lemon and they’re all so tasty! You could also try cookies and cream, chocolate mint, or plain vanilla. The pudding layers completely change the entire dynamic of the dessert, making it wonderfully versatile and delicious.For an added layer of texture, add crushed up candy bar, cookie crumbs, chocolate chips, or chopped walnuts or pecans to the top as a garnish.Drizzle chocolate sauce or hot fudge sauce over the top of each serving.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mud Pie
More Tasty Summer Dessert Recipes
Summer dinners on the patio call for something light and sweet. Try a few of these favorite indulgent recipes for your next warm weather gathering.
Frozen Banana Split DessertBlueberry Jell-O SaladCinnamon Swirl CakeChocolate Pudding CakeFour Layer Banana Pudding DessertDuke’s Hula Pie (Copycat)Easy Berry PieCoconut Cream Pie From Scratch
Frozen Banana Split Dessert
Blueberry Jello Salad
Cinnamon Roll Cake
Chocolate Pudding Cake
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