This pie combines a thin no-bake peppermint cheesecake layer with a thick luscious chocolate truffle layer.
Personally, this is one of my favorite pies. Gram used to make a chocolate pudding pie that’s similar to this one, but I’ve gone a little off the edge, adding a thin layer of unbaked cheesecake and turning the top layer into a chocolate truffle. She never added peppermint or candy cane pieces to her pie, but I did to make it more Christmas-y. It is DELICIOUS!
If you enjoy just a hint of peppermint this pie is just right. The only peppermint is in the thin no-bake cheesecake layer on the bottom and a little sprinkle of peppermint candies on top. For a stronger peppermint flavor, just add some peppermint oil to the luscious layer of chocolate truffle on top. For even more peppermint, add it to the chocolate wafer crust. Or, if you have a variety of people who like or don’t like a lot of peppermint, don’t add much to the layers but add more sprinkles to the slices for those who desire more flavor. You have the opportunity to gauge how much peppermint you use to make it a favorite with your family and friends.
You’ll want to enjoy the silky chocolate truffle layer SLOWLY with its gorgeous texture and light silky softness. (A cup of coffee goes nicely with it.) Sandwiched between the thick chocolate truffle goodness and the baked chocolate wafer crust, the thin vanilla-peppermint cheesecake layer complements both chocolates. Top it with a little homemade whipped cream and a few candy cane sprinkles and you have a show-stopper pie for Christmas dinner or with a cup of Christmas coffee.
Serves 6-8 generous slices.
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees a few minutes before baking the crust.
Prep your pan:
Dust off your 9” pie plate. I like to serve this in my clear glass pie plate so people can see the delicious chocolate wafer crust.
You’ll need a microwave safe bowl for melting the chocolate chips.
Assemble your Ingredients, layer by layer:
Crust:
20 Oreo cookies, original chocolate, crushed
5 T Butter, melted
3 T Sugar
1 t Peppermint oil (optional)
No bake cheesecake layer:
8 oz Cream cheese, softened
½ C Powdered sugar
1 t Vanilla extract
Peppermint oil (optional)
3 T Heavy cream or whipping cream, unwhipped
Chocolate Truffle layer:
2 C Chocolate chips, semi-sweet
1 ½ C Whipping cream or heavy cream, unwhipped
¼ C Powdered sugar, sifted
1 T Vanilla extract
1 t Peppermint oil (optional)
Topping:
3 Tablespoons homemade whipping cream
1 T Candy cane sprinkles, red and white
Make your layers:
Crust:
- Crush the chocolate wafers or Oreo cookies.
- Mix in the sugar and melted butter until well combined.
- Add 1 t peppermint oil (Optional – if you like a lot of peppermint flavor, add the oil to cooled melted butter before you stir it into the crushed wafers.)
- Press into the bottom of the pie plate and press up the sides to the top edge of the sides.
- Bake at 350F degrees for 7-8 minutes.
- Cool and refrigerate for one hour before adding the cheesecake layer.
Cheesecake layer:
- Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the powdered sugar very slowly to keep from billowing around the kitchen, and beat until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract (and peppermint oil if you like) and heavy cream and beat on low to medium until it’s fluffy and holds a peak.
- Softly fold in the chocolate chips if you want them in this layer.
- Spread the cheesecake layer over the cooled chocolate Oreos crust.
- Cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before adding the chocolate truffle layer on top.
Chocolate Truffle layer:
- Melt the chocolate chips and half of the heavy whipping cream together in the microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes total. It should be smooth and glossy. Make sure your bowl is microwave safe.
- Cool to room temperature and stir once in a while.
- Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla (and peppermint if you opt to add some to this layer). Set aside.
- Beat other half of the whipping cream at high speed until soft peaks form (2-4 minutes).
- Add the chocolate mixture ¼ to 1/3 at a time and beat until completely mixed each time.
- Spoon chocolate truffle filling on top of white cheesecake layer.
- Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Plastic wrap can be messy so I cover it with an upside-down oversized bowl. It works very nicely!
Topping:
- Spread some homemade whipping cream on top of the center of the pie. Yes, I confess…since I don’t need much for the topping, I have used the fake frozen store bought “whipped cream” instead of whipping up such a little amount for the topping.
- Sprinkle with red and white candy cane sprinkles.
- This is just the thing to top off a big holiday meal. Or, serve with coffee later in the day. Either way, it’s delicious!
- This would be a fun pie to make with children who are just a little older and who wants to learn about making different layers and flavors in a pie. It’s fun to see how the chocolate and whipped cream sweetly transform into a truffle layer. Let them join you and “Bake your own Memories!”
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