Possum Pie

5 from 5 votes

This Arkansas possum pie features a crunchy pecan crust, creamy cheesecake, and chocolate pudding layers and is topped with whipped cream for a truly decadent dessert.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Chill Time5

Total Time5 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Arkansas Possum Pie Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 623kcal

Ingredients

Pie Crust

½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup pecans, finely chopped
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Layer

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring

Chocolate Pudding Layer

1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup cocoa powder, not packed (spooned into measuring cup)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1¾ cup whole milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

Whipped Topping

8 ounces whipped topping
chocolate shavings, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, finely chopped pecans, melted butter, light brown sugar, and salt. Using a wooden spoon or fork, stir the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Evenly press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely.
Using a handheld mixer and a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and clear vanilla. Continue mixing on medium-high speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the cream cheese mixture is smooth. Evenly spread the mixture on top of the cooled pie crust and set aside.
In a 2-quart saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch. (Do not turn the heat on yet) In a small bowl, whisk the milk and the egg yolks. Whisk the milk mixture in the cocoa powder mixture and heat over medium to medium-high heat, continually whisking. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until the chocolate pudding mixture is thick.
Evenly spread the pudding layer over the cheesecake layer. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours. You may also chill the pie overnight.
Just before serving, remove the pie from the refrigerator and top with the whipped topping. If you wish to make your own chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler and a chocolate bar. Hold the chocolate bar steady and, with even motions, gently scrape down the sides of the chocolate bar. You may also use store-bought chocolate shavings.

Notes

To finely chop the pecans, add them to the food processor until they are fine crumbs.
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don't end up with lumps in the cream cheese filling.
Don’t skip the chilling step as you need to give the pie and filling time to set.

Nutrition