This no-bake Grasshopper Pie is a 5-ingredient frozen dessert that's super simple to make. A creamy, light marshmallow and cream, mint-flavored filling, sits atop a rich chocolate cookie crust for the perfect chocolate mint flavor combination. This pie is a special treat for any season be it St. Patrick's Day, Easter, summer, or Christmas.
Table of contents
Delicious Chocolate Mint Combinations
I love the combination of chocolate and mint! Maybe it's from my Girl Scout cookie days, but the flavor combo hits the spot every time. It's got to be the contrast between the freshness of the mint compared to the smooth, totally decadent chocolate that does the trick.
I've got plenty of recipes on 2CM for mint chocolate lovers like me. Some of my favorites are Chocolate Mint Doughnuts, Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies or, yes I went there, a cocktail called Peppermint Patty Coffee Cocktail.
Easy Mint Chocolate Pie
And talk about easy! All you'll need is one bowl to make the chocolate cookie crust, one bowl and a whisk to mix the filling, and a pie plate. Chill and done! Oh, and no need to take the filling out of the cookies either as it helps hold the crust together and give it a little sweetness. Once done, this easy-to-make dessert has a texture somewhere between meringue and a cream pie. Oh, it's so good!
This easy grasshopper pie pleases everyone, from the ice cream lover, to the chocolate lover, and even the mint lover. Its pastel green coloring makes it perfect for any time of year, especially St. Patrick's Day and Easter. Its cool filling brings a bit of refreshment to beat the summer heat and its festive look makes it the ideal centerpiece for Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays.
What is Grasshopper Pie
OK, right off the bat, this pie does not have anything to do with grasshoppers! And definitely doesn't have any grasshoppers in it! Yuck! It actually got its name from the popular 1950s-1960s Grasshopper cocktail. It was a drink primarily composed of crème de menthe, giving the green color to the pie, white crème de cacao, and fresh cream.
The original recipe used crème de menthe and crème de cocoa combined with whipping cream and marshmallows. It was then poured into a chocolate crust and frozen. Hence, a deliciously light chocolate mint pie that meets all my fantasy dessert wishes.
Why You'll Love This Mint Chocolate Pie
No Bake - A delicious pie with no oven required! Just mix the crust, pat it into a dish, whisk the filling ingredients, then pour into the crust and freeze. That is!
Easy as Pie - simple ingredients that you just mix and freeze.
Oreo Cookie Crust - 'cause who doesn't love Oreos! Just leave in the stuffing, crush, and pat into a pie dish for a super rich chocolate flavor.
Mint & Chocolate - the perfect flavor combination, both refreshing and rich.
Minty mousse filling - a refreshing and creamy filling that results in a green color, making it perfect for St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and Christmas!
No Alcohol Grasshopper Pie
For those with children, making a no alcohol chocolate mint pie is easy. Eliminate the crème de menthe and replace it with a mixture of ¼ cup milk, ¼ to ½ teaspoon peppermint extract, and green food coloring. If you love peppermint flavor you'll want to tend towards the ½ teaspoon quantity. I used a heaping ¼ teaspoon and it was perfect. You can also add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract for a more rounded flavor. Believe me, no one will be able to tell the difference!
Ingredients
- Oreo Cookies - use regular Oreos, not the thins or double stuf
- Butter - helps to hold the crust together
- Marshmallow Fluff - is used in place of melted marshmallows making it a quick and easy recipe while still keeping the filling sweet and creamy
- Cool Whip - adds more creaminess to the filling
- Creme de Menthe - or other mint-flavored liqueur. For non-alcoholic pie, you can substitute milk, peppermint extract, vanilla extract (optional), and green food coloring.
- Garnish: Oreo crumbs, whole chocolate grasshopper cookies or thin mints, chocolate curls, mint sprigs, whipped cream
How to Make Grasshopper Pie
Here's how to make the frozen grasshopper pie Oreo crust. The exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
- Place Oreo cookies in a chopper and blend to fine crumbs. If you don't have a chopper, you can use a large resealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Add melted butter to the crumb mixture.
- Stir well.
- Press Oreo cookie crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a pie dish. Chill for 30 minutes.
Here are the simple steps for making the mint pie filling.
- Place marshmallow crème and Cool Whip into a large bowl. Fold them together to mix. If using whipped heavy cream, add crème de menthe into marshmallow fluff then fold in the whipped cream, which has been beaten to stiff peaks, into the mixture.
- Add crème de menthe or the non-alcoholic substitution shown above. You will only need the green food coloring if not using creme de menthe.
- Fold or whisk lightly until there are no green streaks left.
- Pour into the chilled pie shell and smooth the top.
- Decorate with crushed grasshopper cookies, thin mints, or Oreo cookie crumbs. I like to use mint-stuffed Oreos for that extra dash of mint.
- Chill peppermint pie for 2-4 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, pipe some whipped cream into the center of the pie and decorate it with a cookie. Or, as a fun twist, drizzle a plate with a little chocolate syrup, place the pie slice on top, add a little dollop of whipped cream to each slice, then top it with a cookie and a fresh mint sprig. Oh, my mouth is sooo watering, I'm thinking of eating the last piece right now! (willpower girl, willpower)
Recipe Tips
Trade the pie pan for a 9" springform pan to make it easier to slice and serve.
Freeze the pie for at least 4 hours so the pie sets before serving.
When storing for longer than 24 hours, cover the pie with plastic wrap to prevent frost from forming on the top.
To achieve that beautiful green color, add green gel food coloring so as not to water down the filling.
Pro Tip: For easier slicing, let the frozen pie set for 10 minutes on the counter before serving. If it is still difficult to cut, run a sharp knife under hot water, then slice.
Variations
- I changed the original pie up slightly to make this the easiest version of grasshopper pie around. It uses only one liqueur, crème de menthe, and switches out the whipping cream for Cool Whip. It's just a matter of mixing the filling together with a whisk or spoon and pouring it into my favorite Oreo cookie crust.
- Add more chocolate and mint flavor by chopping up chocolate mint cookies or andes mints and folding them into the filling. I used cookies called, of all things, grasshopper cookies, to add a little crunchiness to the smooth cream filling. This is totally optional but oh so good!
- You can also forgo the Cool Whip and use 2 cups of heavy whipping cream, whipping until stiff peaks form, then fold it in with the marshmallow fluff and liqueur.
- Make the chocolate crust even more minty by using Oreo Mint-filled cookies or opt for a chocolate wafers crust or even a graham cracker crust as shown in my favorite pies.
- Need a gluten-free version? No problem! Just use the new gluten-free Oreos or other gluten-free chocolate cookies for the crust and topping and you're good to go!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I use a very small quantity of creme de menthe to give this pie a refreshing minty flavor. See above for how you can make this pie alcohol-free.
This pie can be made anywhere from 4 hours to 1 week ahead of time. It is better to make it at least one day before to give it enough time to set.
This pie will keep about 1 week in the freezer before freezer burn sets in. Cover the pie with plastic wrap to help protect the filling.
More Creamy Desserts
Authentic Key Lime Pie is a tart, creamy pie that's perfect for summer or when you're dreaming of a tropical getaway.
Irish Coffee Mousse is an adults-only dessert for a chocolaty boozy end to dinner. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day!
No Bake Banana Split Cake is a classic dessert with all the flavors of the ice cream treat.
No-Bake Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie is a decadent chocolate lovers pie complete with salted caramel pecans.
Find lots more easy pie recipes here on 2CM!
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Grasshopper Pie
Ingredients
- 24 Oreo cookies, crushed creme filling does not need to be removed
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
- 8 oz Cool Whip or 2 cups whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
- ¼ cup creme de menthe or for non alcoholic version use ¼ cup milk, ¼ to ½ teaspoon peppermint extract + green food coloring
- 6-7 Chocolate Mint (grasshopper) cookies or Thin Mints, chopped + additional for garnish (optional)
- Optional garnishes: mint leaves, whipped cream, extra cookies
Instructions
- Crush 24 Oreo cookies with filling in a large ziploc bag until it resembles fine crumbs.
- Mix with melted butter and press in bottom & up sides of 9" pie dish or springform pan.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before filling.
- In a large bowl, whisk together marshmallow creme, Cool Whip and creme de menthe.
- Add chopped chocolate mint cookies, if using.
- Pour into chilled pie crust. Sprinkle with additional crumbs if desired. Crumbs can be Oreos or chocolate mint cookies.
- Freeze for at least 2-4 hours to overnight or until set.
- When ready to serve, remove from freezer 10 minutes prior to serving. This will make the pie easier to cut. Garnish with whipped cream, additional cookies and/or mint leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new information and easier step-by-step instructions. It was first posted on May 25, 2016.
Kristina T. says
This is my favorite grasshopper pie recipe because it's so simple yet delicious! The ingredients are very basic (not to mention easy on lactose-intolerant people), and it doesn't require any cooking. I did shortcut several steps. I used a premade Oreo crust and I whipped the marshmallow cream and cool whip together for a more smooth, creamy consistency.
Linda Warren says
Great suggestions. So glad you enjoyed it.
Jlovejoy says
I made this recipe into individual cups using cupcake tins and liners. Came out sooo good! Thank
Linda Warren says
What a great idea! Glad you enjoyed it.
Royvia says
Great post.
Jessica @ Citrus Blossom Bliss says
My mama loves mint anything - especially mint and chocolate. I'm going to have to surprise her with this pie for her birthday on July 3rd 🙂
Linda Warren says
If she loves mint I'm sure she'll love it Jessica! Let me know what she thinks.
Natalie @ Obsessive Cooking says
I made this a long time ago and I don't know why I haven't since! I didn't have Cream de Menthe before - sounds like an interesting ingredient I need to check out
Linda Warren says
Same here. Hadn't made it in a while & actually had to go buy an entire bottle of Creme de Menthe. I hated buying so much but my husband convinced me that it was great poured over ice cream too so we would use it up. Umm, ulterior motive perhaps?