I made this for a family gathering and it was a huge hit! So rich and delicious. My dad said it might be the best pie he’s ever had. It is a lot of steps but they are not difficult. Will make again!
It’s made with chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate…and peanut butter… and marshmallows…and pecans. This easy pie has it all, piled high and ready for any potluck or special occasion. No baking!
Ingredients
For Crust
- ▢2 sleeves Ritz crackers
- ▢½ cup salted butter, melted and allowed to become golden brown
- ▢½ teaspoon vanilla salt, but good, optional
For Dark Chocolate Ganache
- ▢1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- ▢½ cup heavy cream, whipping
- ▢1 tablespoon butter
For Peanut Butter Mousse
- ▢1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, whipping, divided use
- ▢8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ▢1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ▢1 cup powdered sugar
- ▢½ cup milk chocolate chips
For Topping
- ▢½ cup mini marshmallows
- ▢½ cup chopped pecans
- ▢½ cup chocolate chips, milk, bittersweet, or a combination
For Milk Chocolate Ganache
- ▢½ cup heavy cream, whipping
- ▢1 cup milk chocolate chips
- ▢1 tablespoon white corn syrup
- ▢1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
For Crust
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- Put the crackers in the blender or food processor and pulse until they are crumbs.
- Mix in the vanilla salt if using.
- Mix with the butter and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch pie plate.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until set.
- Remove from oven and cool.
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- Bring the cream just under a boil in a large bowl in the microwave or in a heavy pan on the stove.
- Remove from heat.
- Add the chocolate and butter. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Spread the chocolate over the crust and place in the freezer.
Peanut Butter Mousse
- Whip the cream in the mixer on high until peaks form but be careful not to overwhip.
- Set aside
- Melt the ½ cup chocolate chips with the 2 tablespoons heavy cream.
- Stir until smooth.
- Allow to cool.
- Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, cooled chocolate mixture, and sugar together until smooth and blended.
- Whip in the cream being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Pile on top of the ganache, sprinkle with the chopped pecans, milk chocolate chips, and marshmallows and put back in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Milk Chocolate Ganache
- Bring the remaining ½ cup cream just under a boil.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, corn syrup, and butter.
- Stir until well blended and shiny.
- Drizzle over the nut and marshmallow layer.
- Return to the freezer until 20 minutes before serving.
- Allow to stand at room temp for 20 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Storage:
Whether leftover or freshly made, keep the pie in the freezer for best results. Cover it with plastic wrap or the lid of your pie dish (if it has one.)
Remove the pie from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving. You can also cut leftovers into individual slices before freezing, so you don’t have to thaw the whole pie just to enjoy one slice.
Like any classic mud pie, you can keep this frozen for up to six months. (For long-term storage, add extra plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.)
Tips
- Be sure to use a regular commercial peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter or homemade peanut butter won’t work.
- If you don’t have a food processor, crush the crackers in a plastic bag or use a large bowl and a muddler/wooden mallet.
- Watch the butter closely while it’s melting, and use low heat. Butter goes from browned and fragrant to burnt in the blink of an eye!
- Don’t try to substitute the heavy cream with another dairy or non-dairy substitute. It won’t have the stability (or creaminess) this pie needs.
- Make the mousse with a stand or hand mixer. However, if using a stand mixer, don’t walk away. It’s easy to get distracted and overwhip it!
- Use regular cream cheese—not whipped, low-fat, or the kind in a tub. Otherwise, your mousse/cream cheese layer will be watery and flat.
- Mississippi Mud/Texas Flood Pie is best chilled. Pull it out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for just twenty minutes before serving. Any longer, and you may have a real mud flood on your hands!
You can use a premade crumb crust if you like … it’s not as good but if you buy one add a sprinkle of kosher salt to the crust before add the first layer of ganache.You’ll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.
