Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe

Relative to the illustrious Mississippi mud cake and similarly named for its resemblance to the Mississippi River’s muddy river banks, Mississippi mud pie is where pie lovers and chocolate lovers (raises hand) intersect.

Like the cake, its exact lore is debated, as are its components. One of the more popular versions of Mississippi mud pie consists of a chocolate crust, a layer of brownie baked right in the crust, chocolate pudding or custard, and whipped cream. That’s what I went for here, keeping the process simple but the results delicious.

The most hands-on layer of the bunch is the brownie (adapted from my homemade Cosmic Brownie recipe). I tweaked the recipe so that instead of it turning rock-hard in the fridge, you get a pecan-studded, slightly cakey yet still rich and fudgy brownie that stays that way once chilled. Bonus: it can be made in a few short minutes in one bowl.

Though there are several components, the hardest part about making this pie is having the patience to wait for everything to cool and set. Luckily, the recipe can be broken down into parts and made ahead at your convenience, making it an ideal dessert for any get-together, big or small.

Key Tips for Making This Pie

• Try not to pack in the Oreo crust too tight as this can cause butter to leak out.
• Don’t swap the oil in the brownie for butter. The oil helps to keep the brownie from tightening up in the fridge.
• To ensure the brownie stays soft once chilled, don’t over-bake. A toothpick inserted into the center won’t come out clean, and that’s perfectly okay. It will continue to cook through as it cools.
• I’ve been the victim of butter leaking out of my springform pan and smoking up my oven. If you’re worried about that, feel free to put a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below the pie to catch anything. It won’t inhibit the way the brownie bakes. 
• If you have time, after topping with whipped cream, pop the pie back into the fridge for a few minutes for the whipped cream to set up slightly to yield cleaner slices. 

Make It Ahead

The crust and brownie can be made a day ahead of filling. Cool completely, cover with plastic wrap, and store at room temperature.

The pie can be made all the way through adding the pudding layer (and before finishing with whipped cream) up to 2 days before serving. Keep covered and chilled in the refrigerator, then top with whipped cream within a few hours of serving.

Easy Tweaks

• If you have a homemade pudding recipe you’d prefer, swap that for the instant. You will need 3 cups.  
• I like the specific softness and airiness of homemade whipped cream, but you can swap it for store bought whipped topping, such as Cool Whip.
• You can skip the dusting of cocoa powder or swap it for a flourish of chopped, toasted pecans, shaved chocolate, or crushed Oreos.