Cool, creamy St. Patrick’s Day Dessert

How About Some Grasshopper Pie?

I’m not a fan of green foods on St. Patrick’s Day…I think green potatoes or green meat just look spoiled and unappetizing. But there’s one green treat I find delicious and perfect for the day and that’s the dessert, Grasshopper Pie! It’s named that because some wag at some point in time decided it looked like the shade of green that many grasshoppers wear. But you can bet that the flavor in this pie has nothing to do with grasshoppers! This pie has a pale green shade, a minty, creamy taste, and chocolate crust! What more could you ask for on St. Patrick’s Day? There are TWO recipe choices below, one made with Creme de Menthe liqueur (both green and white types) and another for those who prefer it without alcohol. Either recipe will complement your St. Patrick’s Day menu perfectly. Please note that the between the two recipes, the ingredients are different in other ways too.

Recipe For Creme de Menthe Grasshopper Pie

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Ready in: 1 hour 15 min

Yields: 6 to 8 slices

Creme de Menthe Grasshopper Pie

This recipe DOES contain alcohol

1 9-inch chocolate cookie crust (or make your own with the recipe following the filling recipes on this page.)

1 1-pound bag marshmallows

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup Green Creme de Menthe Liqueur

3 Tablespoons White Creme de Menthe Liqueur

1 and 1/2 cup whipping cream, OR 1 8-ounce container Cool Whip.

Melt marshmallows in milk (may be done in microwave.) Stir, then cool completely. Fold into whipped cream, blend in liqueurs AFTER this step. Then turn mixture out into chocolate cookie crust. Freeze until firm (about 1 hour.) Garnish with whipped cream, crumbled chocolate cookies, or shaved chocolate. Remove from freezer at least 15 minutes before serving for ease in cutting. The pie will be pale green and delicious, perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day feast.

Green Creme de Menthe has that minty flavor and the gorgeous green color needed for Grasshopper Pie

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Non-Alcoholic St. Patrick’s Day Grasshopper Pie

This recipe for Grasshopper Pie does NOT include alcohol. It’s a simple recipe, with great flavor for any time. You can make it quickly for a family dinner or special occasion and it will always be welcomed. You will notice it uses marshmallow fluff rather than marshmallows. That’s because the recipe above has alcohol which permeates the marshmallows to just the exact degree needed for the filling to remain intact. In other words, it’s a chemical reaction. So that being said, do not use that recipe for this pie, or vice versa, because it will result in a pie that doesn’t get that cool creamy effect you’re looking for.

Non-Alcohol Grasshopper Pie

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Ready in: 1 hour 15 min

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cookie pie crust (bought or homemade with recipe following)

1 pint jar marshmallow fluff

1/4 cup milk

4 drops Peppermint Extract

6 to 7 drops green food coloring

1 cup whipping cream, whipped,

Or 1 8-ounce container of Cool Whip

In mixing bowl, combine marshmallow fluff, milk, peppermint and food coloring. Whip until fluffy and fold in whipped cream. Fill chocolate cookie pie crust with mixture. Freeze until firm. Garnish with shaved chocolate or more crushed cookies.This pie will also be pale green, gracing your St. Patrick’s Day table in all its green finery, a feast for the eyes as well as the mouth!

If you’d like to make your own chocolate cookie crust, here’s how to do it. You can use plain chocolate cookies or Oreo’s, whichever you prefer.

Oreos make good chocolate cookie crust

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Chocolate Cookie Crust

18 chocolate or Oreo cookies, finely crushed

2 Tablespoons melted butter

Crush cookies in food processor or by putting them into a plastic bag and rolling with a rolling pin. Mix melted butter thoroughly into cookie crumbs. Press crumbs firmly into pie plate, firming up the surface with the bottom of a glass. Make sure to bring the crumbs up the sides of the pie plate as much as possible. No baking necessary. Just fill with Grasshopper Pie mixture.

A Good Tool For This Pie

Hand-held mixers are so convenient for light mixing jobs like the filling for this Grasshopper Pie. They don’t take up much space in your kitchen and are light and easy to handle. For this recipe these mixers do a perfect job without having to haul out the big stand mixer. If you don’t yet have one, take a look at these mixers below.

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