This Mississippi Mud Pie recipe was a family favorite when I was growing up. I’ve mentioned before that we were never fans of traditional birthday cakes, but Crazy Chocolate Cake and Mississippi Mud Pie frequently made an appearance.
We stumbled across this Mississippi Mud Pie recipe on a family vacation one year. We were staying at a ranch and one night this was served for dessert. After my entire family enjoyed it, the cook kindly gave my mom the recipe and it’s been a part of our family ever since.
Nope, it’s not “healthy” but we don’t make it often so I’m okay with that! A fun treat for a birthday celebration or company coming over for dinner.
What exactly is Mississippi Mud Pie? It’s an easy layered dessert that begins with a thin, shortbread crust and is topped with a layer of a cream cheese/whipped cream mixture followed by chocolate pudding and finished with whipped cream.
You may use nuts in the crust or leave them out.
The original recipe uses boxed pudding and Cool Whip. I will give the original recipe amounts, but also share how to do it with homemade whipped cream – my preferred method.
I have also made this with homemade pudding. You will need to use a recipe that call for 4 cups of milk and then decrease the milk to 3 cups. Do note that the homemade pudding won’t set up quite as nicely as the instant pudding but it does taste amazing.
Mississippi Mud Pie Ingredients
- Flour
- Granulated sugar
- Butter, melted
- Pecans, optional
- 2 boxes instant chocolate pudding (3.4 ounces each)
- Milk
- Heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cornstarch OR Cool Whip
- Cream Cheese at room temperature
- Powdered sugar
Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and stir the melted butter, sugar, and optional pecans in a small bowl. Press into the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. It will be very thin.
Bake for 10-14 minutes, until barely turning golden. Remove from oven to let cool.
Beat room temperature cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
In a mixer, using the whisk attachment (or in a bowl with hand beaters) whip 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks are formed. Then drop the cream cheese mixture in several spoonsful over the whipped cream. Beat just until blended and spread over the cooled crust.
(If you use Cool Whip, simply combine 2 cups of cool whip with the cream cheese and powdered mixture until smooth)
Make both boxes of instant pudding using only 3 cups of milk instead of 4. (If making homemade pudding, make sure it cools completely.) Spread over the cream cheese layer.
Place 2 cups of heavy cream in the mixer (I used the same one that I used in the previous whipped cream step) and beat until soft peaks form. Add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch or arrowroot (this will help keep the cream stay set – if you are serving the same day, you can omit this), 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until heavy peaks form and plop spoonsful over the pudding layer and carefully spread. (It should be 4 cups of whipped cream.)
(If using Cool Whip, you can omit this step and simply spread the remainder or the 16 ounce container on top of the pudding layer – approximately 4 cups.)
You can garnish with chopped nuts or chocolate pieces if desired.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
It is actually a really simple dessert and everyone loves it!
More Dessert Ideas:
Crazy Chocolate Cake
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brownie Brittle
Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 cups heavy cream, divided
- 2 packages instant chocolate pudding (3.4 ounces each)
- 3 cups milk
- 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder, optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- (OR substitute the last three ingredients and the heavy cream with a 16 ounce carton of Cool Whip - see recipe notes for instructions)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix melted butter, flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, & pecans (if using) in a small bowl. Press onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10-14 minutes (until barely turning golden). Let cool.
- Beat room temperature cream cheese and 1 cup of powdered sugar until smooth. In another bowl, beat 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Drop the cream cheese mixture over the whipped cream and beat just until combined. Spread on cooled crust.
- Mix both packages of pudding with 3 cups of milk. Spread over the cream cheese layer.
- Use the remaining heavy cream to make whipped cream: Beat 2 cups of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form. Carefully spread over the pudding layer.
- Optionally, garnish with chopped pecans and chocolate pieces.
- Refrigerate until serving.
In step 2 beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in 2 cups off cool whip until combined and spread on the crust.
In step 4, simply spread the remainder of the Cool Whip (about 4 cups) over the top of the pudding layer.
See recipe post for more information and details about using homemade pudding.
