Mississippi Mud Pie

Ingredients

• 1 pre-baked 9-inch graham cracker crust
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks
• 5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate fudge sauce, for drizzling
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 2 tbsp sugar (for topping)

Method

1. Whisk the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks together in a saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 8–10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour the warm filling into the cooled crust and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
5. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled and set.
6. Drizzle with the fudge sauce, top with whipped cream, and chill before serving.

The Tale of Mississippi Mud Pie

Story updated September 19, 2026

Mississippi mud pie takes its name from the dark, muddy banks of the Mississippi River, which the dense chocolate filling is meant to resemble. One popular story says that Jenny Meyer, who lost her home in the 1927 Mississippi flood and later worked as a waitress in Vicksburg, joked that a melting frozen chocolate pie looked like the river's banks; this account is more folklore than documented fact. The pie is related to Mississippi mud cake, and the earliest known print reference to the pie is dated 1975. It spread through cookbooks and restaurants in the following years.