The Best Classic & Easy No-Bake Grasshopper Pie

Are you looking for a dessert that’s impossibly light, refreshingly cool, and the perfect, sophisticated blend of mint and chocolate? A stunning, no-bake treat that looks like it came from a fancy retro supper club but is secretly one of the easiest pies you’ll ever make? It’s time to rediscover the magic of the classic, crowd-pleasing, and utterly delicious Grasshopper Pie.

This isn’t just a dessert; it’s a cloud-like confection. This legendary freezer pie is famous for its beautiful, pale pastel green color and its light-as-air mousse filling, all nestled in a rich, crunchy, chocolate cookie crust. Using a few clever ingredients like marshmallow fluff and crème de menthe, this recipe creates a show-stopping dessert with absolutely no baking required. It’s the perfect, elegant treat for dinner parties, holidays, or any time you’re craving a cool and creamy delight.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Recipe Overview: A Cool, Creamy, and Classic Treat

What makes this Grasshopper Pie a timeless favorite is its unique, airy texture and its perfect, refreshing mint-chocolate flavor profile. The no-bake filling is a brilliant combination of sweet, sticky marshmallow fluff and boozy, minty crème de menthe, which is then folded into fresh whipped cream to create a stable, cloud-like mousse that freezes beautifully. It’s the ultimate make-ahead dessert that is guaranteed to impress your guests.

Metric	Time / Level
Total Time	2 hours 30 minutes (includes freezing)
Active Prep Time	15 minutes
Difficulty Level	Easy
Servings	8

The Essential Ingredients for This Retro Masterpiece

This recipe uses a handful of simple, yet powerful ingredients to create its signature flavor and texture.

• Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: These form the rich, dark, and crunchy crust that is the perfect contrast to the light and airy filling. A 9-ounce package of classic chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos) is ideal. We’ll crush them up to create a simple, no-bake, press-in crust.
• Marshmallow Fluff: This is the secret to the pie’s incredible texture! A jar of sweet, sticky marshmallow fluff acts as a stabilizer for the filling. It creates a smooth, sweet, and airy mousse that freezes perfectly without becoming icy or dense, giving the pie its signature cloud-like consistency.
• Crème de Menthe Liqueur: This is what puts the “grasshopper” in Grasshopper Pie! Crème de menthe is a sweet, mint-flavored liqueur. For that classic, beautiful, pale green color, be sure to use the green variety. It provides a cool, refreshing mint flavor and a subtle, sophisticated boozy kick.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: We use real, fresh heavy whipping cream, which is whipped to soft peaks and then folded into the marshmallow base. This is what makes the filling incredibly light, ethereal, and truly mousse-like. It’s a crucial step for achieving that signature airy texture.
• Butter: A half stick of melted butter is the simple binder that transforms the chocolate cookie crumbs into a sturdy, delicious, press-in crust.

Family-Friendly & Non-Alcoholic Variation

Want to make a version that everyone, including kids, can enjoy? It’s easy!

• Simply replace the 1/4 cup of crème de menthe with 1 teaspoon of pure mint extract (not peppermint) and 3-4 drops of green food coloring. This will give you the same beautiful color and refreshing minty flavor without the alcohol.

Step-by-Step to the Perfect Grasshopper Pie

Follow these simple, detailed steps to create this stunning and delicious no-bake dessert.

Step 1: Prepare the Chocolate Cookie Crust

First, you need to crush the 25 chocolate sandwich cookies into fine crumbs. The easiest way to do this is in a food processor. You can also place them in a sturdy, resealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or a heavy can.

Set aside 1/4 cup of the cookie crumbs for the garnish later.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining cookie crumbs with the 1/2 cup of melted butter until all the crumbs are evenly moistened.

Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan or a 9-inch pie plate.

Pro Tip: Using a springform pan makes serving this frozen pie incredibly easy and results in beautiful, clean slices. Using the flat bottom of a measuring cup is a great trick to press the crumbs down into a tight, even layer.

Step 2: Create the Crème de Menthe Mousse Base

In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 cups of marshmallow fluff and the 1/4 cup of green crème de menthe liqueur.

Mix them together with a spatula or on a low speed with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and a beautiful, uniform pale green color.

Step 3: Whip the Cream and Fold the Filling

In a separate, chilled glass or metal bowl, beat the 2 cups of cold heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Beat just until the cream begins to thicken and forms soft peaks. “Soft peaks” means that when you lift the beaters, a peak will form, but its tip will gently curl over on itself.

Pro Tip: For a light and airy mousse, it’s important not to over-whip the cream at this stage. You want it to be thick but still soft enough to fold easily.

Now, add the whipped cream to the bowl with the green marshmallow mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the two mixtures together until they are just combined and no white streaks remain. This gentle folding motion is key to maintaining the light, airy texture.

Step 4: Assemble and Freeze the Pie

Carefully pour the light and fluffy mousse mixture into your prepared chocolate cookie crust. Use your spatula to spread the top evenly.

Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of reserved cookie crumbs over the top of the pie for a simple and beautiful garnish.

Cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Freeze until the pie is completely firm, which will take at least 2 hours, but 4-6 hours is even better.

When you are ready to serve, remove the pie from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to soften slightly. This will make it much easier to slice and will give it the perfect, creamy, frozen mousse texture.

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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

This Grasshopper Pie is the ultimate make-ahead dessert, as it needs to be made in advance and waits for you in the freezer.

• Make-Ahead: You can assemble this entire pie up to a week or more in advance. After the initial freeze, wrap it very well in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil to protect it from freezer burn.
• Storage: Store any leftover pie, well-covered, back in the freezer. It will stay fresh and delicious for at least a week.

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Creative Recipe Variations

This classic retro pie is a wonderful base for your own creative and delicious twists.

1. “Flying Grasshopper” Pie: For a richer, deeper chocolate-mint flavor, you can make the “Flying Grasshopper” version. Simply add 2 tablespoons of a white crème de cacao (a clear, chocolate-flavored liqueur) to the marshmallow mixture along with the crème de menthe.
2. Mint Chocolate Chip Pie: For a family-friendly version with extra texture, prepare the non-alcoholic version (using mint extract and food coloring). After you have folded the filling together, gently stir in 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate before pouring it into the crust.
3. Grasshopper Pie Bars: For an easy-to-serve party treat, press the chocolate cookie crust into a foil-lined 8×8 or 9×9 inch square pan. Top it with the mousse filling and freeze as directed. Once frozen solid, you can lift the entire block out using the foil and cut it into perfect, neat squares.

Enjoy This Cool, Creamy, and Classic Dessert!

You’ve just created a truly special dessert that is a delightful trip back in time. This classic Grasshopper Pie is a perfect harmony of cool mint and rich chocolate, with an impossibly light, cloud-like texture. It’s a sophisticated, yet incredibly easy, no-bake treat that is perfect for dinner parties, holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas, or any time you’re in the mood for a refreshing, elegant dessert.

We hope you love every last, light-as-air bite!

If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good retro classic!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)