Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe
Recipes for Mississippi mud pie vary widely, but they all have one thing in common: the pie is a chocolate lover’s dream. Chocolate on chocolate on chocolate. The origins are just as muddy, pun intended, as the exact makeup of the pie itself. One thing is certain, though. If you love chocolate, this pie is for you. This version of Mississippi mud pie is especially decadent, with a chocolate Oreo crust, fudgy chocolate brownies, creamy chocolate pudding, and fluffy chocolate whipped cream. If that still isn’t enough chocolate, you can add a thin layer of rich chocolate ganache between the brownie and pudding layers.
Table of Contents
What is Mississippi Mud Pie?
There’s no definitive origin story for Mississippi mud pie, but most sources agree it’s named after the Mississippi River rather than the state of Mississippi. The name is said to reference the muddy banks of the Mississippi. The pie is most likely an evolution of Mississippi mud cake, which features similar flavors and textures but is baked without a pie crust.
Many versions layer brownies, pudding, whipped cream, and sometimes a cream cheese based filling. This recipe uses super fudgy brownies baked in an Oreo crust, topped with homemade chocolate pudding and finished with chocolate whipped cream. This recipe combines our super fudgy brownie pie with our classic chocolate cream pie. Mississippi mud pie is almost always made in a crumb crust, whether that’s an Oreo crust, a graham cracker crust, or another variation. Let us know what your favorite version of Mississippi mud pie looks like in the comments.
Origins of Mississippi Mud Pie:
There’s no definitive known origin of Mississippi mud pie, but people generally agree its named after the Mississippi River rather than the state of Mississippi. It’s said that the pie was named for the muddy banks of the Mississippi River. The pie is most likely an evolution of Mississippi Mud Cake, which is basically the same dessert, but not in a pie crust.
One popular urban legend claims the dessert was created by a waitress in Vicksburg, Mississippi, who had moved there from Greenville following the floods of 1927. According to the story, she remarked that a chocolate dessert served at the diner resembled the muddy riverbanks left behind after the floods. Whether or not the tale is true, Mississippi mud pie rose to national popularity in the 1970s, when recipes for it began appearing regularly in cookbooks across the country.
Step-by-Step Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe:
This Mississippi mud pie has four main components: the crust, the baked brownie layer, the homemade chocolate pudding layer, and the chocolate whipped cream topping. We’ll break the recipe into these four parts.
Crust:
To make this pie extra chocolatey, use an Oreo cookie crumb crust. Oreo crusts are one of the easiest pie crusts to make at home, and you can find the recipe here. This pie is also delicious in a graham cracker crust, whether you make it yourself or use a pre-made crust from the grocery store.
Brownies for Mississippi Mud Pie:
The brownies for this pie is a smaller batch of the filling for my brownie pie recipe.
Ingredients
- 4½T Unsalted Butter (64g / 2¼oz)
- 4½T Cocoa Powder (23g)
- 1oz Dark Chocolate (30g)
- ⅛t Salt
- 1t Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg
- 1½T Brown Sugar (19g)
- ½c Granulated Sugar (100g)
- 4½T All-Purpose Flour
1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2.
Melt the butter in a double boiler. To create a double boiler, fill a small pot with 1-2 inches of water, and place a heatproof bowl on top. The bowl should rest above the water without touching the bottom of the pot. Bring the water in the pot to a boil and leave on a burner on low until you’re done with step 4.
3.
Whisk in cocoa powder by itself first to give it time to bloom.
4.
Add the chopped chocolate and salt in the double boiler and whisk until the chocolate is fully melted.
5.
While the chocolate melts, whip the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for about 3 minutes in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until it reaches the ribbon stage. The batter will get paler and thicker and color.
6.
Remove the chocolate mixture from heat, and add the vanilla extract.
7.
Stream the chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs and sugar with the stand mixer on low.
8.
Sift your flour, and fold it into the batter with a spatula.
9.
Pour the brownie batter into your prepared crust, and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.
10.
Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the brownies cool to room temperature, and then continue with making the chocolate pudding.
Homemade Chocolate Pudding for Mississippi Mud Pie:
The chocolate pudding for this pie is a half batch of the chocolate pudding used in my homemade chocolate cream pie recipe.
Ingredients
- ⅔c Whole Milk (160mL)
- ½c Heavy Whipping Cream (118mL)
- 5T Granulated Sugar (65g)
- 1T Cornstarch (8g)
- 2T Cocoa Powder (10g)
- ⅛t Salt
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1¼oz Dark Chocolate (35g)
- 1t Vanilla Extract
- 1T Unsalted Butter (14g)
1.
In a pot over medium heat, combine the milk and cream and bring them to just below a boil.
2.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly mixed.
3.
Add the egg yolk and whisk lightly, just enough to break it up. There’s too much dry mixture to fully combine yet.
4.
Once the milk is hot and steaming, transfer it to a heatproof measuring cup. Very slowly pour it into the mixture from step 3 while whisking constantly and vigorously. This gradual process tempers the egg and keeps the mixture smooth.
5.
When all of the liquid has been added, pour the entire mixture back into the pot.
6.
Place the pot over low heat and whisk continuously until the pudding thickens and just begins to bubble.
7.
As soon as the mixture begins to boil, whisk vigorously for 30-60 seconds.
8.
Immediately strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean mixing bowl to remove any lumps or bits of cooked egg.
9.
Whisk the chocolate and butter into the chocolate pudding until both have melted completely.
10.
Pour the warm pudding directly on top of the baked brownie layer. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.
11.
Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
12.
Chill the pie for at least 3 hours, or until the pudding is fully set and cool to the touch.
Chocolate Whipped Cream Recipe:
Ingredients
- 1½c Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3T Cocoa Powder, sifted (15g)
- ¼c Powdered Sugar, sifted (60g)
- ½t Vanilla Extract
1.
Sift and whisk together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
2.
Add the heavy whipping cream, and whip on high until stiff peaks form.
3.
Spread the chocolate whipped cream evenly over the chilled chocolate pudding layer of the pie using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. For a more decorative look, transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag and pipe rosettes or swirls across the top.
4.
Serve the pie as is, or add more toppings for extra fun. If you have Oreos leftover from making the crust, crushed Oreo cookies make a great topping for Mississippi mud pie.
Making a 5-Layer Mississippi Mud Pie:
This Mississippi mud pie recipe has four chocolate components: the Oreo crust, the brownie base, the chocolate pudding, and the chocolate whipped cream topping. You can easily turn it into a five layer, extra decadent Mississippi mud pie by adding a thin layer of chocolate ganache between the brownie and pudding layers.
Chocolate ganache is a simple chocolate component made with just two ingredients: chocolate and heavy cream. Heat the cream until it just reaches a boil, then pour it over the chocolate and whisk until smooth and fully combined. A standard ganache will firm up to a fudge like texture as it cools.
To add chocolate ganache to this pie, whisk together 4 oz of chopped chocolate with ½ cup of hot heavy whipping cream until the chocolate melts completely. Spread a thin layer of ganache over the baked brownie layer, then chill the pie until the ganache has cooled and set.
When moving onto making the homemade chocolate pudding, instead of pouring the hot chocolate pudding directly into the pie, allow it to cool in a separate bowl first, then spread it over the ganache to assemble the pie. You can find more detailed information on chocolate ganache here.
Important Note: Do not pour hot chocolate pudding directly onto the cooled ganache. The heat will melt the ganache and cause the layers to merge. Always let the pudding cool before adding it to the pie.
Variations of Mississippi Mud Pie:
There are many variations of Mississippi mud pie, and everyone makes it a little differently. The important part is that the pie includes chocolate and at least a couple of layers. Some versions add a cream cheese filling layer, use vanilla pudding instead of chocolate, or finish the pie with plain whipped cream.
- Crust Variations: Mississippi mud pie comes out well with any kind of crumb crust. This recipe uses an Oreo pie crust, but you can just as easily make it in a graham cracker crust, Biscoff cookie crust, or vanilla wafer crust.
- Brownies: Many Mississippi mud pie recipes include a brownie layer, though not all of them do.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Some versions include a cream cheese filling layer for a tangy contrast to the chocolate.
- Pudding Flavors: Chocolate and vanilla pudding are both commonly used in Mississippi mud pie. You can also experiment with less conventional pudding flavors, such as caramel or strawberry.
- Whipped Cream Flavors: Mississippi mud pie is delicious with both vanilla or chocolate whipped cream as the topping.
How to Store Mississippi Mud Pie:
Because the chocolate pudding layer in this Mississippi mud pie is made with a dairy-based pudding filling, it must be kept refrigerated. Cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap or store it in a large, airtight container to keep it fresh. It will stay at its best for up to three days. After the first couple of days, the crust will start to soften as it absorbs moisture from the filling, the whipped cream won’t be as fresh, and the brownie layer may start to get stale. Unlike baked fruit pies, Mississippi mud pie can’t be reheated or recrisped in the oven, so it’s best enjoyed chilled straight from the refrigerator.
We’d love to know what your favorite versions of Mississippi mud pie look like! If you try this recipe or make your own version, tag us at @doggone_baking so that we can join in the baking fun!
Mississippi Mud Pie
Ingredients
Crust
Brownies
- 4½ tbsp Unsalted Butter (64g)
- 4½ tbsp Cocoa Powder (23g) Dutch-Processed
- 1 oz Dark Chocolate (30g)
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg
- 1½ tbsp Brown Sugar (19g)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100g)
- 4½ tbsp All-Purpose Flour (35g)
Chocolate Pudding
- ⅔ cup Whole Milk (160mL)
- ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream (118mL)
- 5 tbsp Granulated Sugar (65g)
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch (8g)
- 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder (10g)
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1¼ oz Dark Chocolate (35g)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter (14g)
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 1½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream (355mL)
- 3 tbsp Cocoa Powder, sifted (15g)
- ¼ cup Powdered Sugar, sifted (60g)
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Make the Brownie Layer
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Melt the butter in a double boiler. To create a double boiler, fill a small pot with 1-2 inches of water, and place a heatproof bowl on top. The bowl should rest above the water without touching the bottom of the pot. Bring the water in the pot to a boil and leave on a burner on low until you’re done with step 4.
- Whisk in cocoa powder by itself first to give it time to bloom.
- Add the chopped chocolate and salt in the double boiler and whisk until the chocolate is fully melted.
- While the chocolate melts, whip the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for about 3 minutes in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until it reaches the ribbon stage. The batter will get paler and thicker and color.
- Remove the chocolate mixture from heat, and add the vanilla extract.
- Stream the chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs and sugar with the stand mixer on low.
- Sift your flour, and fold it into the batter with a spatula.
- Pour the brownie batter into your prepared crust, and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.
- Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the brownies cool to room temperature, and then continue with making the chocolate pudding.
Make the Chocolate Pudding
- In a pot over medium heat, combine the milk and cream and bring them to just below a boil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Add the egg yolk and whisk lightly, just enough to break it up. There’s too much dry mixture to fully combine yet.
- Once the milk is hot and steaming, transfer it to a heatproof measuring cup. Very slowly pour it into the mixture from step 3 while whisking constantly and vigorously.
- When all of the liquid has been added, pour the entire mixture back into the pot.
- Place the pot over low heat and whisk continuously until the pudding thickens and just begins to bubble.
- As soon as the mixture begins to boil, whisk vigorously for 30-60 seconds.
- Immediately strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean mixing bowl to remove any lumps or bits of cooked egg.
- Whisk the chocolate and butter into the chocolate pudding until both have melted completely.
- Pour the warm pudding directly on top of the baked brownie layer. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Chill the pie for at least 3 hours, or until the pudding is fully set and cool to the touch.
Top the Pie with Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Sift and whisk together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Add the heavy whipping cream, and whip on high until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the chocolate whipped cream evenly over the chilled chocolate pudding layer of the pie using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. For a more decorative look, transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag and pipe rosettes or swirls across the top.
- Serve the pie as is, or add more toppings for extra fun. If you have Oreos leftover from making the crust, crushed Oreo cookies make a great topping for Mississippi mud pie.
