Our Mint Chocolate Cream Pie with a Chocolate Cookie Crust is a truly special holiday dessert.
We fill a crisp cookie crust with luxurious dark chocolate custard and a touch of mint for a rich, yet refreshing finish to any celebration.
Nothing completes a cozy family dinner for the holidays like a homemade pie.
Is your family set on a certain kind of pie for the holidays? Traditional apple, pumpkin, or pecan? Or do you crowd around key lime cheesecake for the perfect finish?
At our house, this creamy mint chocolate pie recipe is our choice alongside pumpkin dream pie for the ideal Thanksgiving dessert. In fact, it’s the top holiday dessert request from our youngest—along with the request to not try to make it healthier.
Since we eat clean most of the time, during the holidays we’re okay with a little compromise in our dessert ingredients. That’s why you find regular sugar and Oreo cookies in this pie recipe.
What is the difference between mint chocolate cream pie and grasshopper pie?
Grasshopper pie is a mint-flavored, fluffy marshmallow filling on a chocolate crust. A mint chocolate cream pie is more of a full-on chocolate flavor with mint-flavored pudding-like filling on a chocolate crust.
Creating a silky chocolate custard is an art, but more like coloring in the lines of a coloring book than creating a landscape with oil paint. This pie is, well, easy as pie!
You’ll forever say goodbye to pudding mixes when you see how simple it is to make the real thing. Whole milk, egg yolks, bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate, and a little cornstarch to stabilize everything is all you need for chocolate dessert bliss.
How to make chocolate custard from scratch:
- Simmer sugar, cornstarch, salt, milk, and egg yolks in a saucepan whisk slowly at first then actively as it thickens (8 to 10 minutes).
- Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve over a mixing bowl.
- Whisk in melted chocolate, mint flavoring, butter, and vanilla.
- Shape and butter a piece of parchment paper to fit directly on the surface of the custard.
- Cool at room temperature, about 2 hours, or set in an ice-water bath for 20-30 minutes.
- Spoon filling into crust, smooth top, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Chill at least 6 hours.
How to make chocolate cookie pie crust:
- Scrape away any filling out of the center of the cookie and discard.
- Pulse cookies in a food processor to break down into fine crumbs or crush with a rolling pin.
- Blend sugar into cookie crumbs
- Stir melted butter into crumb and sugar mixture.
- Press mixed crumbs into the bottom and up the side of a 9 1/2-inch pie dish.
- Brush crust with beaten egg white (this will help stabilize the crust when sliced).
- Bake at 375°F until set, 6 to 8 minutes; cool on a rack.
The chocolate cookie crust adds a one-two chocolate punch for the mint chocolate custard, sure to make your eyes roll with sheer delight.
Any favorite chocolate sandwich cookie (including gluten-free) will work so long as the middle filling is scraped away leaving just the hard cookie part.
NOTE: Pie (without whipped cream topping) can be chilled up to 2 days in advance of serving.
TIP: If you buy a pre-made cookie crust as a shortcut for this pie recipe, you’ll have custard leftover because store-bought crusts are smaller than the recommended 9-inch pie pan we use here.
No worries though, it’s easy to serve the extra custard separately in dessert cups.
Also, don’t skip brushing the crust with egg white and pre-baking, it keeps the crust from crumbling.
How to slice and serve cream pies:
- Score the top of the pie with a long knife to create a guideline for even slices
- Slice with a short blade knife along the guidelines
- Wipe the knife blade between each cut to keep the slice edges clean
- Use a flexible pie server to transfer the slices to a plate (don’t be tempted to use the long knife)
- Smooth any edges with the edge of the knife (if desired)
- Top with whipped cream when serving—keeping the whipped cream and pie separate until ready to serve will help it last longer in the fridge
How long does chocolate cream pie last?
A cream pie will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator (if nobody finishes it off first!) but the crust will soften and the filling liquids may separate and weep the longer it sits. For best results, serve within 48 hours once prepared. Keep the whipped cream separate until ready to serve for the best results.
Can you freeze leftover chocolate cream pie?
Yes, chocolate cream pie leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months if frozen and sealed properly. The texture of the cream filling will not be compromised, though it may weep a little. The cookie crust will soften once frozen, but shouldn’t be soggy if brushed with egg white and baked before filling.
How to freeze leftover mint chocolate cream pie:
- Freeze individual slices of pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet, uncovered.
- Once frozen, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in a zip-type freezer bag, or vacuum seal.
- To defrost, unwrap and allow to defrost on a plate at room temperature for about an hour before serving with fresh whipped cream.
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Recipe TIPS
- Making cookie crumbs—If you don’t have a food processor, put the cookies in a plastic bag and smash them with a mallet or rolling pin. Ideally, you do not want big chunks in the crust but they are not a deal-breaker!
- Brush crust with beaten egg white. Whip up an egg white to brush on the surface of any cookie crumb pie crust and prebake for a more stable crust that won’t fall apart when you cut it.
- Melting chocolate—If the chocolate package recommends using a double boiler, one can be easily assembled with a medium saucepot and a medium-large ceramic or glass bowl that fits over the top of the pot. Stirring is important as it melts on the bottom of the bowl and needs to be agitated to melt properly.
- Choose quality chocolate—The key to getting that deep, dark, not-too-sweet chocolate flavor starts with the chocolate you choose. I like to use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips (65%) and unsweetened bar chocolate (100%) to make a pie that is certainly sweet but balanced.
- If your pie filling is runny, you may need to keep it on the heat longer. The eggs and milk will react and coagulate to reach optimal thickening. Be patient.
- Freeze leftovers for later. This chocolate cream pie freezes well, though the crust will be a little softer.
Recipe Variations
- Flavor with orange, raspberry, cherry, cinnamon, almond, or hazelnut essential oils
- Mix 2 teaspoons of instant espresso into custard with the melted chocolate for a more intense chocolate flavor.
- Substitute gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies for a gluten-free pie.
Mint Chocolate Cream Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- 1 1/3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs approximately 20 sandwich cookies, cream removed
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg white lightly beaten (use egg white from custard prep)
Custard Cream Filling
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 cups whole milk
- 5 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), melted
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons mint flavoring to taste, or 6 drops of peppermint essential oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Topping
- 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar or honey
Instructions
For the Cookie Crust
- Heat oven to 375°F. Remove any filling from sandwich cookies. Pulse cookies in food processor to create crumbs. Add sugar to processor and with the cookie crumbs and pulse a couple of times to mix in.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together crumb mixture with melted butter, and press on bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie dish.
- Brush the crust with egg white (this will help stabilize the crust when sliced). Bake until set, about 6 minutes; set aside to cool on a wire rack.
For the Custard Filling
- Melt chocolate according to package directions (see Recipe Notes for double boiler instructions) or place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, and start by heating in a microwave 1 minute and then in 30-second increments, stirring the chocolate as it melts. Stirring is important as it usually melts on the bottom of the bowl and needs to be agitated to melt properly. Continue to heat and stir until chocolate is smooth; set aside.
- In a 3-quart saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Gently whisk yolks and milk together and then add to the sugar mixture in the saucepan in a steady stream while whisking. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring with a whisk slowly at first then actively as it thickens (8 to 10 minutes). Once the consistency is like a thick pudding, simmer 1 more minute while continuing to stir.
- Set a fine mesh sieve over a mixing bowl and strain filling through the sieve into the bowl. Whisk in melted chocolate, butter, mint flavoring, and vanilla. Taste and add more mint flavoring, if desired, keeping in mind the mint will taste stronger once cooled.
- Trim a piece of parchment paper to fit directly on the surface of the pudding mixture. Butter one side of the paper and place it butter-side-down on the surface of filling. If you have time, you can allow the pudding to cool at room temperature, about 2 hours. Otherwise, place the pudding in an ice water bath to cool for 20 to 30 minutes. (Prepare an ice water bath by placing ice and water in the bottom 1/3 of a larger mixing bowl and place the bowl of custard in the larger bowl being careful not to allow any of the water to spill into the custard.)
- Spoon cooled filling into prepared cookie crust, smooth top with a spatula and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
For the Whipped Cream Topping
- Just before serving, whip cream with sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer until it just holds stable, but soft peaks. Serve with pie.
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Notes
- Making cookie crumbs—If you don’t have a food processor, put the cookies in a plastic bag and smash them with a mallet or rolling pin. Ideally, you do not want big chunks in the crust but they are not a deal-breaker!
- Whip up an egg white to brush on the surface of any cookie crumb pie crust and prebake for a more stable crust that won’t fall apart when you cut it.
- Melting chocolate—A double boiler can be easily assembled with a medium saucepot and a medium-large ceramic or glass bowl that fits over the top of the pot. Stirring is important as it usually melts on the bottom of the bowl and needs to be agitated to melt properly.
- Choose quality chocolate—The key to getting that deep, dark, not-too-sweet chocolate flavor starts with the chocolate you choose. I like to use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips (65%) and unsweetened bar chocolate (100%) to make a pie that is certainly sweet but balanced.
- If your pie filling is runny, you may need to keep it on the heat longer. The eggs and milk will react and coagulate to reach optimal thickening. Be patient.
- Pie (without topping) can be chilled up to 2 days in advance
- Freeze for later. This chocolate cream pie freezes well, though the crust will be a little softer.
-
Flavor with orange, raspberry, cherry, cinnamon, almond, or hazelnut essential oil
-
Mix 2 teaspoons of instant espresso into custard with the melted chocolate for a more intense chocolate flavor.
-
Substitute gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies for the crust for a Gluten-Free pie.
Pep says
Hello! This looks like a wonderful recipe. But i was wondering what would happen if you baked it with the pudding mixture? Like a baked cheesecake? Would it turn out dry.. or with a weird texture?
Lots of love 😋
Judy Purcell says
Hi Pep, the pudding is already cooked on the stove, so I wouldn’t cook it twice by baking it. Also, you don’t have to bake the crust, it will just be more crumbly it you don’t.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Just looking at that first photo makes me wish I had a slice right now.
mjskitchen says
OMG! My mouth is watering and stomach is grumbling. This looks absolutely awesome! One can never get enough chocolate and pie. This best of both.
Jill says
Thank you for this recipe we had it for Thanksgiving and it was amazing!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
I’m a huge fan of mint and chocolate together. Or separately, for that matter! But together they really do punch above their weight. Such a terrific, silky looking pie. Really good stuff — thanks.