Somewhere between the Jell-O molds and the liver sausage pineapples, our grandparents actually came up with a few winners. Grasshopper pie is one of them. It’s a frozen, minty, boozy, chocolate-crusted dessert that was everywhere in the 1960s, and then — poof — it just kind of vanished. Nobody really talks about it anymore, which is a shame, because it’s genuinely good. Not good “for a vintage recipe.” Just good.
If you’ve ever had a grasshopper cocktail — the green one with crème de menthe and crème de cacao — then you already know what this pie tastes like. It’s that drink, turned into a fluffy chilled dessert, poured into a cookie crust, and stuck in the freezer. That’s it. It sounds almost too simple to work, and yet it works beautifully.
Let me be clear about something: this is not one of those horrifying mid-century recipes that belongs in a museum. This is not the cranberry salad candle with a birthday candle jammed into it. This is not a tomato aspic. Grasshopper pie actually tastes like something you’d order at a nice restaurant if any restaurants still had the good sense to serve it. The fact that it disappeared while we kept making seven-layer dip is, frankly, an injustice.
What Grasshopper Pie Actually Is
Grasshopper pie is a no-bake frozen dessert built on three layers of flavor. You’ve got a chocolate cookie crust on the bottom — usually made from crushed Oreos or chocolate graham crackers. Then you’ve got the filling, which is a combination of melted marshmallows, heavy cream, green crème de menthe, and white crème de cacao, all whipped together until it’s light and airy. That filling gets poured into the crust and frozen until it sets up firm enough to slice but still soft enough to eat without a chisel.
The color is bright green. Unapologetically, aggressively green. It looks like mint chip ice cream’s fancier cousin. Some people use food coloring to amp it up, but you really don’t need to — the crème de menthe handles that on its own. And yes, there is alcohol in this pie. It’s not optional. That’s kind of the whole point. It reached its peak popularity in the ’60s, when cocktail culture and dessert culture were basically the same thing, and people saw no reason a pie shouldn’t get you slightly buzzed.
Why It Disappeared (and Why That’s Dumb)
The 1970s killed a lot of great desserts. The theatrical, over-the-top presentations of the ’50s and ’60s fell out of favor. Cherries jubilee went away. Baked Alaska went away. And grasshopper pie, with its vivid green color and cocktail-party vibes, got swept out with them. People wanted “natural” and “simple.” Carrot cake came in. Grasshopper pie went out.
But here’s the thing — grasshopper pie IS simple. It has maybe seven or eight ingredients. There’s no oven involved. You mix stuff together, pour it into a crust, and freeze it. The total active time is about 20 minutes. The hardest part is waiting for it to set. If you can make a milkshake and crush some cookies, you can make this pie. It’s way easier than most of the things people bake for Thanksgiving, and it’s honestly more impressive-looking too.
I think the real reason it went away is that people just forgot about it. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t prawn-stuffed apples or Miracle Whip on pears. Nobody was gagging. It just quietly slipped off the menu, and each generation that followed had less reason to bring it back.
The Crust Makes or Breaks It
Let’s talk about the crust, because it matters more than you think. You’ve got two real options here: Oreo cookies or chocolate graham crackers. Both work. Both are easy to find at any grocery store in America. My preference is Oreos, and I’ll tell you why — you get that slightly bitter, deep cocoa flavor that plays off the sweet mint filling perfectly. Chocolate graham crackers are a little milder, a little more honey-forward, and they work fine if that’s what you have on hand.
Either way, you need about 25 Oreos (with the filling — don’t scrape it out, it acts as extra binder) or about a sleeve and a half of chocolate grahams. Crush them to fine crumbs. A food processor is ideal, but a zip-lock bag and a rolling pin get it done. Mix the crumbs with about 5 tablespoons of melted butter, press it firmly into a 9-inch pie plate, and stick it in the freezer while you make the filling. That’s 10 minutes of work, tops.
One common mistake: people don’t press the crust firmly enough. You want it packed tight, especially up the sides. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to really compress it. A loose crust crumbles when you try to slice the pie, and then you’ve got a mess instead of a dessert.
The Filling: Marshmallows Are the Secret
Some grasshopper pie recipes use gelatin. Some use egg whites. But the classic — the one your grandmother probably used — calls for marshmallows. You melt about 30 large marshmallows (or roughly 5 cups of mini marshmallows) with a half cup of whole milk over low heat, stirring constantly, until it’s smooth and completely liquid. Then you let it cool to room temperature. This is important. If you fold hot marshmallow into whipped cream, you’ll deflate the cream and end up with a dense, gummy pie instead of a fluffy one.
While the marshmallow mixture cools, whip 2 cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks. Once the marshmallow is cool — actually cool, not warm, not lukewarm, cool — stir in 1/4 cup of green crème de menthe and 1/4 cup of white crème de cacao. Then gently fold in the whipped cream in three additions. Gentle is the key word here. You’re not stirring. You’re folding. Big, slow, sweeping motions with a spatula. You want to keep as much air in there as possible, because that air is what gives the pie its light, mousse-like texture.
Pour the filling into your frozen crust, smooth the top, and freeze for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better. When it’s ready, the pie should be firm enough to slice cleanly but still creamy and scoopable, like really good ice cream.
Variations That Actually Work
The classic recipe is perfect as-is, but there are a few ways to change it up without ruining what makes it great. The most obvious one: swap the crème de menthe for peppermint extract (about 1 teaspoon) and add a tablespoon or two of vodka if you want to keep the boozy element but prefer a less sweet mint flavor. This also keeps the filling white instead of green, which some people prefer for a cleaner look.
You can also shave dark chocolate over the top before freezing. A vegetable peeler run along the edge of a good chocolate bar — something like Ghirardelli 60% cacao — gives you those elegant little curls without any special equipment. Some people pipe extra whipped cream around the edge, which looks pretty and adds another layer of richness.
For a kid-friendly version, skip the liqueurs entirely. Use 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract plus a few drops of green food coloring. Add 2 extra tablespoons of milk to compensate for the lost liquid. It won’t be exactly the same — the alcohol contributes to the soft, scoopable texture since it doesn’t freeze solid — but it’ll still be good. Think of it as a frozen Andes mint in pie form.
What doesn’t work: using mint chocolate chip ice cream as a shortcut. I’ve seen recipes that suggest softening ice cream and putting it in the crust. It’s not the same. The texture is wrong. It freezes too hard. You lose the mousse-like quality that makes grasshopper pie special. Don’t take the shortcut. The real version only takes 20 minutes of hands-on time anyway.
When to Serve It
This pie is a showstopper at holiday dinners, especially around Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day, when the green color actually makes thematic sense. But it’s honestly great any time of year. Summer cookouts? Perfect — it’s frozen, it’s refreshing, it takes zero oven time on a hot day. Dinner party with friends? Bring this out and watch people lose their minds trying to figure out what it is. Most people under 50 have never seen one.
It also holds up in the freezer for a solid 2 weeks if wrapped well, which makes it one of the best make-ahead desserts I know. Wrap the whole pie plate tightly in plastic wrap, then again in foil. Pull it out about 10 minutes before serving so it softens just slightly. That 10-minute window is the sweet spot — firm enough to slice, soft enough to eat comfortably.
A Dessert Worth Remembering
Our grandparents ate a lot of strange things. Some of those dishes — the gelatin monstrosities, the sardine-egg canapés, the liver sausage pineapples — deserve to stay buried. But grasshopper pie is not one of them. It’s fun, it’s easy, it’s genuinely delicious, and it deserves a spot on modern tables. If your grandparents left you anything worth inheriting in the kitchen, it might be this recipe. Make it once, and I think you’ll understand why it was everywhere 60 years ago. The only question is why we ever stopped.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make grasshopper pie without alcohol?
A: Yes. Replace the crème de menthe and crème de cacao with 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 extra tablespoons of milk. Add a few drops of green food coloring if you want that classic look. The texture will be slightly firmer since alcohol doesn’t freeze solid, but it’ll still taste great.
Q: How far in advance can I make grasshopper pie?
A: You can make it up to 2 weeks ahead and store it in the freezer. Wrap the pie plate tightly in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn. Pull it out about 10 minutes before serving to let it soften to the right scoopable consistency.
Q: What’s the difference between crème de menthe and peppermint extract?
A: Crème de menthe is a sweet, mint-flavored liqueur with an alcohol content around 25%. Peppermint extract is a concentrated flavoring that’s much stronger — you only need about a teaspoon. The liqueur adds sweetness, liquid volume, and a softer frozen texture. The extract just adds mint flavor, so you’ll need to adjust other ingredients slightly.
Q: Can I use a store-bought Oreo crust instead of making my own?
A: You can, and it’ll save you about 10 minutes. The pre-made Oreo crusts you find at the grocery store are a little thinner and smaller than a homemade one, so you might have some extra filling. Pour the overflow into small cups or ramekins and freeze them as individual treats. That said, a homemade crust tastes noticeably better and holds together more firmly when slicing.
Classic Grasshopper Pie
Course: DessertCuisine: American8
servings20
minutes10
minutes380
kcalThis retro frozen dessert from the 1960s is minty, boozy, and ridiculously easy to make — no oven required.
Ingredients
25 Oreo cookies (with filling intact)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
30 large marshmallows (or 5 cups mini marshmallows)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup green crème de menthe
1/4 cup white crème de cacao
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Dark chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)
Whipped cream for topping (optional)
Directions
- Place the Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until you have fine, even crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, put them in a large zip-lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin until no large pieces remain. You want a consistently fine texture so the crust holds together.
- Pour the melted butter over the cookie crumbs and stir until every crumb is coated and the mixture looks like wet sand. Transfer the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and press it firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to really pack it down tight. Place the crust in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- Combine the marshmallows and milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until the marshmallows are completely melted and the mixture is smooth with no lumps remaining. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature — this is critical, so don’t rush it.
- While the marshmallow mixture cools, pour the heavy whipping cream into a large chilled bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks means the cream holds its shape firmly when you lift the beaters — it shouldn’t droop or fall over.
- Once the marshmallow mixture has cooled to room temperature, stir in the crème de menthe and crème de cacao until fully combined. The mixture will turn a bright green color and smell incredible. If the marshmallow has thickened too much while cooling, give it a good stir to loosen it up before adding the liqueurs.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the marshmallow-liqueur mixture in three separate additions. Use a large spatula and make big, slow, sweeping motions from the bottom of the bowl upward. The goal is to keep as much air in the mixture as possible — don’t stir or you’ll deflate the filling.
- Pour the filling into the frozen Oreo crust and spread it evenly with the spatula, smoothing the top. If desired, scatter dark chocolate shavings over the surface. Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap, making sure it doesn’t touch the filling, and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Remove the pie from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving to let it soften slightly. Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts for the cleanest slices. Top each piece with a dollop of whipped cream and extra chocolate shavings if you like.
Notes
- The marshmallow mixture must be fully cooled before you fold in the whipped cream. If it’s even slightly warm, it will melt the cream and the filling will be flat and dense instead of fluffy.
- For a non-alcoholic version, replace the crème de menthe and crème de cacao with 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons additional milk, and a few drops of green food coloring.
- This pie keeps in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn and to keep it from absorbing other freezer odors.
