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a slice of Arkansas Possum Pie on a white plate next to a fork and missing a bite
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4.17 from 6 votes

Arkansas Possum Pie

Arkansas Possum Pie is a creamy, layered chocolate and cream cheese pie in a pecan shortbread crust that is sure to please!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Chilling Time4 hours
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 519kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Pecan Shortbread Crust

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup pecans, chopped

Cream Cheese Layer

  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Pudding Layer

  • 1 cup sugar
  • cup cocoa powder
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped Cream Topping

  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
  • grated chocolate

Instructions

Crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt the butter, then combine the butter, flour, brown sugar and pecans by stirring with a fork.   
  • Bake for about 15-20 minutes, just until the crust begins to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool completely.  

Cream Cheese Filling

  • In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and heavy cream using a hand mixer until smooth.  Spread over bottom of the cooled pecan pie crust.

Chocolate Layer

  • Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk well. 
  • In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks and milk and whisk well, then add to the sugar and cocoa powder mixture in the sauce pan, whisking to combine.  
  • Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until pudding begins to thicken and bubble, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the butter and vanilla, stirring just until the butter is melted and combined.  Transfer the chocolate pudding to a shallow bowl and cover with a plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to help the filling cool down.  
  • When the filling has mostly cooled down, remove the plastic wrap and stir, then spread over the cream cheese layer.  Cover the pie with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 4 hours until set.  

Whipped Cream Topping

  • Beat the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla using a hand mixer until whipped cream forms and holds it's shape when betters are removed.  Spread the whipped cream over the top of the chocolate pudding layer and sprinkle with a handful of chopped pecans and chocolate shavings before slicing and serving.

Notes

Adapted from Tie Dye Travels.

Nutrition

Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 890IU | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 1.6mg