Rich and dark as the muddy Mississippi itself, this Mississippi Mud Pie recipe is a chocolate lover’s dream dessert with an Oreo cookie crust, a fudgy brownie-like base, chocolate mousse and chocolate whipped cream with Oreo crumbles sprinkled on top! It’s decadent and over-the-top in the best possible way!
Table of Contents
I’ll be honest and admit that I’m not the biggest chocolate fan in the family and can only handle a small slice of this indulgent dessert! But Paul loved it and our friends who helped us taste test this Mississippi mud pie recipe raved about it and declared it to be perfect. There are a few elements to this recipe, but each one is pretty quick and easy to make and the end result is definitely worth it.
I was overruled by the chocolate lovers about making any changes although personally I think I would love it even more with some chopped pecans or walnuts baked into the bottom brownie layer or some raspberry coulis drizzled over the top!
Mississippi mud pie gets its name because of it’s richly brown, chocolate appearance that is said to be the same color as the Mississippi River. This is one of America’s favorite pies and had to be included in my collection of Mississippi-inspired recipes as part of my American Eats series!
The Mississippi River (also known as the “Old Man River”) is the second longest river in the United States after the Missouri River and it gets to be 11 miles across in places! It is also the birthplace of waterskiing in 1922 and the Mississippi River is the third-largest river basin in the world, behind the Amazon and the Congo.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Oreo cookies – I always use regular Oreos for our cookie crust, filling and all but chocolate graham crackers or Nabisco’s famous chocolate wafers will also work.
- Cocoa powder – For the brownie layer, mousse layer, chocolate whipped cream, and the Oreo crumbles on top. So. Much. Chocolate.
- Chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate – This is for the brownie base.
- Milk chocolate chips – You will combine these with the heavy cream for making the chocolate mousse layer.
- Heavy cream
- Sugar – You need brown sugar, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar for the different components of this layered dessert.
- Eggs
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works just great in this recipe. Only a small amount is used so the texture is fudgy rather than cakey.
- Butter & oil – The combination of these two fats provides the best texture and flavor to the brownie layer.
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
How to Make Mississippi Mud Pie
- Make the crust. You can cheat with a storebought Oreo cookie crust, but a homemade version is so much better and only takes minutes to make. Just crush Oreo cookies, filling and all, into fine crumbs using a food processor (affiliate link) or rolling pin and a ziplock bag. Then add just enough melted butter to moisten the crumbs and press them into a 9-inch pie pan.
- Bake the crust. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 325 degrees F to set the crust, then remove from the oven and set aside.
- Melt chocolate. Meanwhile, melt the butter, chopped chocolate, oil, and cocoa powder in short 20-30 second bursts in the microwave in a large microwave-safe bowl until smooth. Stop to stir between bursts of heat until the chocolate is melted.
- Whisk in brownie ingredients. Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt until combined. Then add the flour and stir until a thick batter has formed.
- Fill and bake. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared Oreo crust and bake for 25-30 minutes just until barely set. You want this layer to be a little fudgy and underbaked if anything so make sure to test it with a toothpick. It should come out slightly wet still rather than clean like when you are baking a cake. Set aside to cool completely.
- Make the mousse filling. Melt chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl using short bursts of heat and stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat cream, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl using a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add ⅓ of the chocolate whipped cream to the melted and cooled chocolate and stir until combined. Add remaining whipped cream and fold in to make the chocolate mousse.
- Add mousse layer. Spread the chocolate mousse on top of the chocolate brownie layer, smoothing it to the edges. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
- Top with chocolate whipped cream. Beat heavy cream with sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread on top of the mousse layer.
- Make Oreo crumble topping. Roughly crush Oreo cookies in a large ziplock bag. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and melted butter, then toss to coat. Spread the pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely, then sprinkle on top of the pie to finish.
Recipe FAQ’s
Unfortunately this is one of those recipes that has origins as murky as its namesake. No one is really certain who or where Mississippi mud pie was first invented and there are many, many iterations of it, some involving pudding, ice cream, cake, chocolate sauce, and even marshmallow. This version is just one of our favorites.
Yes! Use your favorite gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour and gluten-free Oreos and you’ve got yourself a delicious gf dessert!
Tips for Success
- Don’t overmix the mousse. It’s tempting to really stir the whipped cream and melted chocolate together to create the mousse, but the harder you work it the more you will knock out the air in the whipped cream that helps create a lovely fluffy mousse layer. Fold the two components together with a rubber spatula for best results.
- Spread out the work. If making the whole recipe in one go sounds overwhelming, you can make the crust and brownie layer one day and finish with the mousse and chocolate whipped cream the next!
Storage Instructions
This pie will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Just cover with plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container. You can also freeze the whole pie or individual slices. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
More Chocolate Recipes
- German Chocolate Cake
- Best Fudgy Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies
- Best Chocolate Cupcakes
- Small Batch Triple Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Truffles
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Mississippi Mud Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 25 Oreo cookies
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Brownie Layer
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter melted
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Cookie Topping
- 8 Oreo cookies
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon dutch-processed cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Mousse Layer
- 6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Finely crush Oreos into crumbs in a food processor (affiliate link) or using a rolling pin (affiliate link) and a heavy-duty ziplock bag.25 Oreo cookies
- Add melted butter and stir until evenly moistened. Press into a 9-inch pie plate (affiliate link).6 Tablespoons salted butter
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until set.
Brownie Layer
- Heat chocolate, butter, oil, and cocoa powder in 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring between each burst of heat until completely melted.4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 3 Tablespoons salted butter, 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Whisk well to combine.2/3 cup light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Stir in flour. Pour brownie batter into the prepared Oreo cookie crust.3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Bake 25-30 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into the brownie layer comes out barely wet with a little batter on it still. You can also test the brownie layer with an instant digital thermometer. It should read 180 degrees F when this layer is done so the pie will set up nice and fudgy.
Cookie Topping
- Roughly crush the cookies by pounding them a few times in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin (affiliate link).8 Oreo cookies
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Toss well.2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon dutch-processed cocoa powder, Pinch of salt
- Drizzle the melted butter into the crushed cookie mixture and toss until evenly moistened. Spread the cookie pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely before sprinkling on top of the finished pie.2 Tablespoons salted butter
Mousse Layer
- Melt the chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl by heating it for 20 second bursts and stirring well between each burst of heat. Once melted, let the chocolate cool for 10 minutes until about 90 to 100 degrees F.6 ounces milk chocolate,
- Meanwhile, beat cream, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.1 cup cold heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder, 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, Pinch of salt
- Stir ⅓ of the chocolate whipped cream into the cooled, melted chocolate. Then fold the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula.
- Spread the chocolate mousse on top of the cooled brownie layer. Transfer the pie to the fridge and let it chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Beat cream, sugar, and cocoa powder in a large bowl with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Spread over the finished pie, then sprinkle with the crushed cookie pieces to finish.1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Notes
- Storage: This pie will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Just cover with plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container. You can also freeze the whole pie or individual slices. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Question- the chocolate whipped cream call for; heavy cream, granulated sugar and cocoa powder. The instructions say beat cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Wondering what the correct ingredients are.
Thanks for pointing that out. It was supposed to say cream, sugar, and cocoa powder, not vanilla extract. I fixed it in the instructions!
Your step by step instructions say to put the cookie crumble on top of the chocolate whipping cream but the printed instructions say to put it on top of the mousse and to put it on top of the whipping cream. I haven’t made it yet but plan to this weekend. It looks fabulous.
Thank you for pointing that out, Judi! I fixed it in the recipe card!
I made this recipe for my sister’s birthday! Family thought it was restaurant quality.
Superb!
I have made this recipe twice. Not something you’re going to whip together one evening after work, but it is sooooo worth the effort! On the second go ’round I added toasted pecans to the brownie…yum!
I am curious why you chose to use both regular and Dutch process cocoa? Since no leavening is involved I assume it would be ok to use the smoother tasting Dutch process cocoa throughout?
Thanks for this exceptional recipe!
Yes, you could use all Dutch process cocoa throughout. Personally I think the flavor has more depth and notes with both types of cocoa powder, but it’s totally personal preference.
Too much sodium.
Great recipe, came out well despite the chaotic way it was written out. Hard to follow recipe without annoying scrolling. Do NOT put salt in mousse ( not needed). 2 different cocoas did make it amazing, complex chocolate flavor. We added some dark cherries & slivered almonds to the top too.