Mud Pie

This mud pie recipe is made with creamy layers of sweetened cream cheese, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream over a crunchy buttery crust. Decadent, rich, delicious!

Featured in this recipe

1. Ingredients in Mud Pie
2. Layer it Up
3. Optional Toppings
4. Tips and Suggestions for the Best Mud Pie Recipe
5. Frequently Asked Questions
6. Storing Leftovers
7. More Tasty Summer Dessert Recipes
8. How to Make Mud Pie Recipe
9. Mud Pie Recipe Recipe

This mud pie recipe is simple to make, yet rich and indulgent, just the way a perfect dessert should be! It is great to make during the summertime because it is cool and refreshing, and serves a crowd. Perfect for summer picnics, barbecues backyard gatherings, or even quiet summer nights on the patio when the mood calls for something sweet!

Mud pie is layered with a sweet and creamy texture that is simple to make ahead and store leftovers. It has a sweet taste to it with a comforting and savory feel. Layers of chocolate, buttery crust, cream cheese layer, and fluffy whipped topping make this a dessert that is absolutely to die for! This is the perfect combination!

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. It is layered and makes a complete dessert that everyone loves!

• Flour – This will make the crust and build and hold the crust together with butter and pecans. The base layer needs to be strong and durable to hold the layers together.
• Butter – I like to use unsalted butter for this recipe to control the amount of sodium in the dish.
• Pecans – Finely chopped pecans are best! You can use a food processor or chop them by hand or purchase them chopped.
• Cream cheese – Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature. It will whip together more smoothly with the other cream layers.
• Powdered sugar – Sift the sugar before adding to the cream cheese to avoid lumps in the cream cheese layer.
• Cool whip – You will use about half of the carton when layering then again to top it off. The carton will be divided and used twice in the recipe. Add more or less if needed!
• Instant chocolate pudding mix – You can use one small package of butterscotch and one chocolate or just two packages of chocolate pudding for different combinations!
• Milk – Take the milk out right when it is cold. We like to use thicker milk that is 2% for that creamy texture.

Layer it Up

You can’t go wrong with this famous mud pie recipe! It is so simple to make and kids to adults love this dessert at any gathering. It is perfect for sharing and making for a crowd.

1. Crust – To make the crust, use a stand mixer to mix the melted butter, flour, and chopped pecans. Then press it into the bottom of a rectangle pan. You could also use a 9-inch pie plate.
2. Bake – 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.
3. Second layer – 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. 
4. Third layer – 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.
5. Top layer – Finally, use a knife to spread on the remaining cool whip and chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator to set.

Optional Toppings

It is always fun to put a twist on the top of the mud pie for special holidays and occasions! Add color to the top, celebrate special days, or make it classic with an elegant look. All these toppings and more can give you a different dessert each time you make it!

• Worms – Create an actual mud pie with gummy worms sticking out of the mud pie layers or on top with crushed Oreos scattered about. It is a fun birthday “cake” or Halloween dessert!
• Cookies – Crush Oreos or chocolate cookies are an added texture and flavor for the topping.
• Syrup – Drizzle chocolate or caramel syrup over the finished mud pie before serving it. It adds a decorative touch that is pretty and elegant.
• Candy – Crush your favorite candy bars on top for an extra layer of crunchy deliciousness! Add Crunch, Snickers, Butterfinger, or Reeses for the sweet topping option.
• Berries – Give a burst of berries to the top for a fun and sweet topping.
• Sprinkles – Celebrate with sprinkles and add just the colors you love! Christmas sprinkles or birthday colors are always family favorites when making this mud pie dessert!
• Nuts – Variations of crushed nuts will give this mud pie a delicious and crunchy topping.
• Food coloring – For the last and final layer with the cool whip, change the color using food coloring to make the holiday or event even better! Make it pink and red for Valentine’s Day or Green for St. Patrick’s Day!

Tips and Suggestions for the Best Mud Pie Recipe

This mud pie recipe is straight forward and very simple to make! It has all the flavor and all the layers to help you create the best dessert. Follow these easy tips and suggestions when making this mud pie for best results!

• Crust tip – Mix the crust well and evenly press it into the pie pan to create a solid foundation for your mud pie. Let it bake all the way ensuring that it is strong and will not break or crumble when serving.
• Pudding flavor – 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 are 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.
• Chill – Make sure to chill and refrigerate the mud pie. This will help the layers firm up and become uniform when cut. Allow a good amount of time for chilling.
• Slicing – Slice the mud pie using a sharp and clean knife. In between each slice dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each cut. This will ensure crisp and clean slices every time.

• Candy layer – For an added layer of texture, add a crushed-up candy bar, cookie crumbs, chocolate chips, or chopped walnuts or pecans to the top as a garnish.
• Garnish – Drizzle chocolate sauce or hot fudge sauce over the top of each serving for all you chocolate lovers out there.

“Loved it! Thank you for sharing, just the perfect sweet treat I needed!”

– Noelle Simpson

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing Leftovers

Keep leftovers covered tightly in the fridge for up to five days. I love leftovers because the crust gets nice and soft and mixes beautifully with the layers. If transporting the mud pie be sure to use a dome over top to prevent the lid from sticking to the top layer.

How to Make Mud Pie Recipe

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