This Easy Retro Dessert Features a Jaw-Dropping Amount of Chocolate

If you’ve ever looked at a chocolate pie and thought to yourself, “I wish this had more chocolate,” then Mississippi mud pie is for you. Each of its three mouthwatering layers—crunchy chocolate cookie crust, fudgy brownie center, and creamy pudding top—features an eye-bulging amount of chocolate. And while the different layers of this intense chocolate pie are said to be named for the Mississippi River’s silty bottom, there’s nothing muddy about its flavor or texture. 

To create this mighty chocolate experience, our Birmingham, Alabama-based test kitchen colleague Elizabeth Mervosh baked pie after pie before landing on this chocolate-laden recipe below. Here’s how to perfect each layer in this delightfully indulgent chocolate dessert.

The Perfect Crispy Chocolate Crust Requires Just Three Ingredients

This effortless chocolate cookie crust relies on just three ingredients—cookie crumbs made from chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos), melted butter, and salt—to deliver a crust that’s pleasantly sweet and rich in flavor. Simply pulse chocolate cookies in a food processor, then combine the crumbs, butter, and a bit of salt in a bowl, and finally press the mixture evenly into a pie plate.

We like using store-bought or homemade Oreo cookies. In our tests, we  found it best (and easiest) to keep the filling with the cookies—the filling enhances the crust’s creamy texture, making it easier to press and mold into the pie plate. Or if you prefer, you can use the same weight of unfilled chocolate wafers, such as Nabisco brand, though the crust will be slightly less rich and sweet.

A Brownie Layer With a Rich Flavor but Light Texture

We wanted a brownie layer that was rich and fudgy, but that was also light enough in texture that it was easy to break off bite-size pieces with a fork once baked—after all, you don’t want to have to slice each individual bite of pie with a knife. The trick to getting this lighter texture with our brownies is whipping the eggs until they have tripled in volume and have the texture of runny marshmallows before folding them into the batter. This whipped egg mixture leavens the brownie layer and gives it an airy texture that pairs well with the other layers in the pie.

While we wanted our brownie batter to bake up light and fluffy, we still wanted it to have that signature brownie chew. Our tests revealed that the secret to the perfect chewy texture boils down to one thing: fat—specifically the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat. By using both butter (a predominantly saturated fat) and vegetable oil (an unsaturated fat) in an approximately one–to-one ratio, we are able to produce a brownie layer with a satisfying chew that’s still soft enough to run a fork through.

To intensify the brownie’s chocolaty punch, in addition to using melted bittersweet chocolate in the brownie layer, we added cocoa powder to the mix: Ounce for ounce, cocoa powder has more cocoa solids—and thus more chocolate flavor—than any other type of chocolate, so a mere three tablespoons greatly enhances the brownie layer’s flavor without creating the denser texture that using additional melted chocolate would result in.

The Creamiest Chocolate Pudding

On top of the fudgy brownie is a light, creamy chocolate pudding. Instead of whisking the pudding mixture together on the stovetop, as most traditional pudding recipes do, here the pudding is pulsed and combined until smooth in a food processor. As the hot cream mixture is slowly poured into the chopped chocolate mixture in processor, the sharp blade guarantees every bit of chocolate blends into the mixture for the smoothest pudding possible. 

The pie filling gets its rich flavor from—you guessed it—even more chocolate, in the form of bittersweet chocolate. We recommend skipping the chips and instead use a high quality bar chocolate with about 64 to 70% cacao. Chocolate chips often contain stabilizers like soy lecithin  that prevent them from melting fully—that’s great in chocolate chip cookies, but not so much in a pudding. So for a creamy, smooth chocolate pudding, you’re better off starting with a bar and chopping it yourself. And finally, to safeguard your pudding’s creamy texture and to make sure you don’t end up with scrambled eggs, remember to temper the egg yolks so they don’t curdle by slowly pouring the hot cream mixture into the food processor while running.

Whipped Cream Makes Almost Everything Better

We love the juxtaposition of the dense chocolate pie with fluffy whipped cream topping. And for a decorative and appropriately Southern finish, we recommend sprinkling the pie with crunchy pecans. If you’re not a fan of nuts, top the pie with simple chocolate shavings, crushed chocolate cookies, or absolutely nothing at all.

For the Crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). In a food processor, process cookie pieces and salt until fine crumbs form, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter to cookie mixture and pulse until crumbs begin to clump together, about 4 pulses. Transfer mixture to 9-inch pie plate. Using your fingers, press mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pie plate, then compress firmly using a flat-bottomed drinking glass or measuring cup. Keep pressing until the crumbs form a compact, even layer across the bottom of the baking dish. Wash and dry food processor bowl; set aside.

Bake until just set, 10 to 12 minutes. Crust may puff slightly while baking; if necessary, gently press down with a flat-bottomed drinking glass or measuring cup immediately after baking. Let cool slightly on a wire rack, about 10 minutes.

For the Brownie Layer: Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a heat-proof bowl large enough to nest in the saucepan without touching the water, combine chocolate, butter, and oil. Set bowl over the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, place chocolate, butter, and oil in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave chocolate mixture on medium power in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly between intervals, until melted and smooth, 2 minutes total.) Remove from heat and let stand until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes.

In a second large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until pale yellow and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until pale yellow and tripled in volume, 3 to 5 minutes.) Using a flexible spatula, fold 1/3 egg mixture into slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg mixture in 2 batches until no streaks remain. 

Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift flour and cocoa powder into chocolate mixture. Using a flexible spatula, fold dry ingredients into chocolate until just combined. Scrape batter into cooled crust, using a flexible or offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with several moist crumbs attached, about 18 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour.

For the Chocolate Pudding: In the now-clean food processor bowl, process chocolate, brown sugar, espresso granules (if using), and salt until finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add yolks and vanilla extract; pulse until thoroughly combined and chocolate mixture begins to clump together, about 5 pulses.

In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. With food processor running, slowly and carefully pour hot heavy cream through chute until chocolate mixture is melted and smooth, about 35 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour pudding over brownie layer and gently press plastic wrap against surface of pudding. Refrigerate until completely chilled and set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

For the Whipped Cream: In a large bowl, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla together using a hand mixer on medium speed until mixture holds medium-stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. (Alternatively, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla together on medium speed until mixture holds medium-stiff peaks, about 1 to 3 minutes.) Using a flexible or offset spatula, spread whipped cream over chocolate pudding layer and garnish with chopped pecans.

Special Equipment

Food processor, 9-inch pie plate, hand mixer or stand mixer, fine-mesh sieve, plastic wrap, flexible or offset spatula

Notes

While we love the rich flavor espresso powder adds to the pudding and the way it intensifies the chocolate, it can be omitted in a pinch if you don’t have it on hand.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The crust can be baked, then cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead.

The brownie layer can be assembled and baked through step 5 and refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days.

The finished pie can be prepared through step 7 and refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. Top with the whipped cream and pecans right before serving.