Mississippi Mud Pie is such a favorite for kids and adults alike! We start with a sweet chocolate cookie crust topped with hot fudge, coffee-flavored (or chocolate) ice cream, one more layer of fudge, and then creamy whipped topping to finish things off.
OREO CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a pie pan with cooking spray. Melt 4 tbsp. butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, set aside to cool for 5 minutes. (Hot butter will cause a greasy crust.) In a blender or food processor, process the whole cookies (don't separate cookie from cream) until they are all fine crumbs (re-blend any large chunks). Measure to get a level 1 and 3/4 cups of crumbs and add to a large bowl. Add salt to the bowl. Use a spatula to scrape in every bit of butter and mix until well combined.
FINISH CRUST: Empty the crumb mixture into the prepared pan. Using your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and then up the sides. Use the bottom of a flat 1-cup measuring cup to thoroughly compress the crumbs into a firm crust. Bake for 10 minutes then remove and set aside to fully cool.
FUDGE: Meanwhile, prepare the fudge. Cut butter into 4 equal-sized slices and place in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed medium-sized pot. Place over medium heat and add in the 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and 1/8 tsp salt. Using a whisk, briskly mix until ingredients are combined and butter is fully melted. Remove from heat. Whisk in 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Let stand to cool (it will thicken as it cools).
ASSEMBLE PIE: Add 1/2 of the fudge mixture to the cooled pie crust, and gently coax along the bottom into one even layer. Freeze for 10 minutes. Then add scoops of ice cream, gently compressing into one solid compact layer -- you should use the entire container of ice cream. Smooth the top with the back of a table knife and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove the pie and spoon small amounts of the remaining fudge all over the top. Gently coax into an even layer -- this takes some patience!
WHIPPED CREAM: Use a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or a hand mixer) to combine the 3/4 cup heavy cream, 3 tbsp powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and a tiny pinch of salt. Whisk on high speed until you get soft peaks. Gently dollop the whipped cream and smooth into an even layer on top of the fudge layer. If desired, crush up 2-3 Oreos (I just break them up with my fingers) to garnish the top. Freeze until completely solid, about 4-8 hours and then cut and serve (Note 3). Promptly return any leftovers, covered tightly into the freezer.
Video
Notes
Note 1: Short-cut Mud Pie: To make an easier version here are the main short-cuts:
Use a store-bought Oreo cookie crust (no need to bake it up beforehand -- it's ready to go!)
Buy a jar of hot fudge sauce (~12 oz.)
Replace the from-scratch whipped cream topping with an 8-ounce container of frozen whipped topping (fully thawed).
Note 2: Ice cream: My husband swears that there is no other way to do mud pie than to use coffee-flavored ice cream (this one by Tillamook is his favorite). That said, chocolate ice cream (or any complementary flavor to chocolate) will work great here. My personal favorite is this chocolate-mudslide ice cream!Note 3: Serving: If the pie is especially firm, let it stand for 5 minutes at room temperature before cutting and serving. Use a hot, sharp knife (run it under hot water, dry with a towel) to make cuts into the pie. This will take some muscle! :)