Possum Pie is a rich and delicious layered pie over a homemade shortbread crust. With a creamy cream cheese layer on the bottom, a rich chocolate silky smooth layer in the middle, and a fluffy whipped topping layer on top you won’t be able to resist this pie.
I grew up eating traditional southern desserts such as Chocolate Delight and Coca Cola Cake so there’s always a bit of nostalgia when I make them. This pie, also known as Arkansas Possom Pie is no different.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s simple but unique in flavor. There are no complicated ingredients in this pie, but simple flavors combined so each bit is richly flavored.
- Something new for the holidays. You’ll definitely have something to talk about at the Thanksgiving dinner table when you tell folks you’ve brought possum pie, but it’s great for year-round and more commonly brought to potlucks and picnics.
Ingredients Needed
- Shortbread Cookies – I buy one box of the Lorna Doone cookies and pulse them all in my food processor and that makes slightly more crumbs than needed for the crust in this recipe. You can also use graham cracker crumbs too.
- Chopped Pecans – Pecans are a traditional southern staple and we put them on everything including casseroles like Sweet Potato Soufflé. In this recipe, they’re baked into the crust for some added crunch as well as sprinkled on top for a delicious and beautiful presentation.
- Cornstarch – You’ll need cornstarch to prepare the chocolate pudding-like layer. This combined with the egg yolks makes for a smooth and thick layer.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – I most often choose to prepare my own whipped topping when it comes to pies and especially desserts. You can use Cool Whip or another stabilized whipped cream for the top layer, but I recommend using heavy whipping cream to make your own.
How to Make Possum Pie
- Prepare the shortbread crust. Preheat the oven to 350º F and pulse the shortbread cookies in a food processor until tiny crumbles have formed and there are no large chunks.
- Bake the crust. In a medium-sized bowl mix the shortbread cookie crumbs, chopped pecans, and melted butter together. Press the mixture into a 9″ pie dish making sure to cover the sides. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool completely before filling.
- Whip the cream cheese layer. Using a handheld mixer beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla together until smooth. Spread the mixture over the bottom of the prepared pie crust.
- Whisk the dry ingredients for the pudding. Pour the sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch into a medium saucepan and whisk them together until fully incorporated.
- Beat the wet ingredients for the pudding. In a separate bowl whisk the milk and egg yolks together and then pour it into the saucepan and whisk it again until the mixture is smooth.
- Combine and heat the mixture to thicken it. Turn the heat to medium and whisk the mixture continuously so it doesn’t burn for 6 to 7 minutes until it thickens into a pudding.
- Pour the chocolate layer in. Pour the chocolate pudding mixture on top of the cream cheese layer, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for 4 hours.
- Beat the whipped cream. Using a handheld mixer or an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie and top with additional chopped pecans and chocolate shavings.
Storage and or Freezing Instructions
- Storage Instructions: Cover the pie tightly and keep it stored in the fridge. It will last up to 1 week after it’s been prepared. It can easily be made a day or two in advance of when you plan on serving it.
- Freezing Instructions: I recommend leaving the whipped topping layer off if you plan on preparing this pie and freezing it. To freeze it cover it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It can be stored in the freezer for 3 months.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- To speed up the cooking process I like to place the baked pie crust directly into the fridge. This way it cools quickly as I make the cream cheese layer. Then after the cream cheese layer is poured into the pie I place it back into the fridge to continue to chill. I’ll make the chocolate layer while it’s chilling.
- Make it ahead. This pie needs to chill for 4 hours before the last and final layer is spread on top. I recommend making it a day in advance of when you plan on serving it.
FAQS
Possum pie has a shortbread and chopped pecan crust with a smooth cream cheese layer on the bottom, a silky chocolate pudding layer on top, and then is covered in homemade whipped cream. It’s often topped off with additional chopped pecans and chocolate shavings.
As with many pie names like Chess Pie, there are only theories as to where it came from, but the most commonly shared is that it comes from the layers of the pie hiding beneath trying to be something they’re not, just like a possum. It’s also said the colors of the pie resemble the animal, but not to worry there is no actual possum in possum pie.
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Possum Pie Recipe
Equipment
- Handheld Mixer
- Pie Dish
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups Shortbread Cookie Crumbs
- 3/4 cup Chopped Pecans
- 5 tablespoons Butter melted
Cream Cheese Layer
- 6 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Pudding Layer
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1¾ cup Whole Milk
- 3 large Egg Yolks
Whipped Topping
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 tablespoons Chopped Pecans
- Chocolate Shavings optional
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350º F and pulse the shortbread cookies in a food processor until tiny crumbles have formed and there are no large chunks.
- In a medium-sized bowl mix the shortbread cookie crumbs, chopped pecans, and melted butter together. Press the mixture into a 9" pie dish making sure to cover the sides. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool completely before filling.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Using a handheld mixer beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla together until smooth. Spread the mixture over the bottom of the prepared pie crust.
Pudding Layer
- Pour the sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch into a medium saucepan and whisk them together until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl whisk the milk and egg yolks together and then pour it into the saucepan and whisk it again until the mixture is smooth.
- Turn the heat to medium and whisk the mixture continuously so it doesn't burn for 6 to 7 minutes until it thickens into a pudding.
- Pour the chocolate pudding mixture on top of the cream cheese layer, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for 4 hours.
Whipped Topping
- Using a handheld mixer or an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie.
- Top with additional chopped pecans and chocolate shavings.
Notes
- To speed up the cooking process I like to place the baked pie crust directly into the fridge. This way it cools quickly as I make the cream cheese layer. Then after the cream cheese layer is poured into the pie I place it back into the fridge to continue to chill. I’ll make the chocolate layer while it’s chilling.
- Make it ahead. This pie needs to chill for 4 hours before the last and final layer is spread on top. I recommend making it a day in advance of when you plan on serving it.
Storage and or Freezing Instructions
- Storage Instructions: Cover the pie tightly and keep it stored in the fridge. It will last up to 1 week after it’s been prepared. It can easily be made a day or two in advance of when you plan on serving it.
- Freezing Instructions: I recommend leaving the whipped topping layer off if you plan on preparing this pie and freezing it. To freeze it cover it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It can be stored in the freezer for 3 months.