This Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie was a favorite summer treat growing up. Easy to make, it’s a layered no-bake frozen dessert with an Oreo crust, mint chocolate chip ice cream layer, chocolate fudge, and Cool Whip. It’s made in a 9×13 pan, so it’s easy to serve a crowd for special occasions or holidays. With its classic chocolate mint flavor combination, it is cool and refreshing, and perfect for the hot days of summer.
What we love about this Grasshopper Pie with Ice Cream
This is a nostalgic dessert for me; I grew up eating it many summers as a child. We called it Grasshopper Pie as kids. When we had company or had a special barbecue dinner, this dessert was made on a regular basis. It’s a no-bake frozen dessert, perfectly cool and refreshing for the hot days of summer, and is very, very easy to make.
After spreading the crushed Oreo and butter combination into the bottom of a 9×13 pan for the crust, you freeze it for 20 minutes. Add the ice cream layer and freeze for 20 minutes. Add the chocolate fudge layer and freeze for 20 minutes. Add the final Cool Whip layer and freeze for 20 minutes or until serving. The actual hands-on time is less than 15 minutes to make the dessert; each layer just needs its time to set in the freezer.
The chocolate mint combination is irresistible. It’s nostalgic, and retro, and utterly delicious. In the long, hot Arizona summer, this dessert is one that helps beat the heat; it is the ultimate cool and refreshing summer dessert.
Looking for another summer dessert? Try our favorite Cream Cheese and Strawberry Pie or our delicious Cherry and Cream Cheese Pie. We also love this Old Fashioned Blueberry Cobbler, these Berry Crumb Bars, Strawberry Glazed Pie, Homemade Strawberry Shortcakes, and our 4th of July Chex Mix.
What you need to make this Ice Cream Grasshopper Pie
You will need the following ingredients:
- Oreo cookies
- Butter
- Mint chocolate chip ice cream
- Chocolate fudge sauce
- Cool Whip
Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie Substitutions
I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand, and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- You could make whipped cream if you don’t have Cool Whip or don’t want to use it.
- You could substitute mint chocolate chip ice cream for vanilla or another ice cream flavor, and while it wouldn’t be “grasshopper pie,” it could be delicious with so many flavors: peppermint, cookies and cream, Snickers, rocky road, etc.
- You could use a different cookie base, like vanilla Oreos. I wouldn’t use that with mint chocolate chip, but perhaps with a different ice cream flavor.
- The same goes for the chocolate fudge sauce; you could try caramel, and while it wouldn’t complement mint chocolate chip, it would taste good with different ice cream flavors and a different cookie base.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1. Crush the 32 Oreos in a food processor or in a plastic bag with a mallet or rolling pin. Pour into a small bowl and mix together with the melted butter. Using a fork or spatula, press the Oreos into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Step 2. While the Oreo crust freezes, set the ice cream on the counter to soften for 20-30 minutes. Spread the softened ice cream over the Oreo crust. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Step 3. Heat the fudge topping according to package directions so it is more pourable and spread it evenly over the ice cream. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Step 4. Add a layer of Cool Whip over the hot fudge topping layer. Freeze for 20 minutes or until serving.
Step 5. To get the layers defined and frozen solid, freeze for 3-4 hours before serving or overnight. Serve frozen, sliced into bars.
Tips
- While you can serve the dessert after the Cool Whip has frozen for 20 minutes, I like to freeze the dessert longer, from 3-24 hours before serving, so the layers are a little more defined and the dessert is frozen solid.
- There are different ways to soften ice cream to spread. You can stick it on the counter to soften at room temperature for 20 minutes or so. If you have more time, you can let it soften in the fridge for about 30 minutes; it softens a little more evenly without melting this way. Or you can, at 50% power in the microwave, heat for 10-40 seconds, checking every 10 seconds or so. I usually soften it on the counter while I’m making the cookie crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Can Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie be made in advance? |
| a. Absolutely, the ice cream pie is best within the first 2 weeks of making it when stored tightly in the freezer. I would personally serve it within a day or two of making it for the best taste and texture. |
| How to store Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie |
| a. Ice cream pie lasts 1-2 months in the freezer. While it is safe to eat after that, the ice cream, after a while, starts to develop ice crystals and freezer burn, and the taste and texture will diminish over time. b. To store it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and again with foil. |
Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie
This Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie was a favorite summer treat growing up. Easy to make, it’s a layered no-bake frozen dessert with an Oreo crust, mint chocolate chip ice cream layer, chocolate fudge, and Cool Whip. It’s made in a 9×13 pan, so it’s easy to serve a crowd for special occasions or holidays. With its classic chocolate mint flavor combination, it is cool and refreshing, and perfect for the hot days of summer.
12
servings20
minutes1.5-24
hoursIngredients
32.9 ounce package of Oreos (you need 32 Oreos and will have a few extra)
1/3 cup melted butter
48 ounce (1.5 quarts) mint chocolate chip ice cream (we used Blue Bunny brand
11.75 ounce Chocolate fudge topping (I used Smucker’s brand)
8 ounce Cool Whip, thawed in the refrigerator
Directions
- Crush the 32 Oreos in a food processor or in a plastic bag with a mallet or rolling pin. Pour into a small bowl and mix together with the melted butter.
- Using a fork or spatula, press the Oreos into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Freeze for 20 minutes.
- While the Oreo crust freezes, set the ice cream on the counter to soften for 20-30 minutes. Spread the softened ice cream over the Oreo crust. Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Heat the fudge topping according to package directions so it is more pourable and spread it evenly over the ice cream. It will blend in a little with the ice cream because it’s warm as you spread it. Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Add a layer of Cool Whip over the hot fudge topping layer. Freeze for 20 minutes or until serving. To get the layers defined and frozen solid, freeze for 3-4 hours before serving or overnight. Serve frozen, sliced into bars.
Notes
- There are different ways to soften ice cream to spread. You can stick it on the counter to soften at room temperature for 20 minutes or so. If you have more time, you can let it soften in the fridge for about 30 minutes; it softens a little more evenly without melting this way. Or you can, at 50% power in the microwave, heat for 10-40 seconds, checking every 10 seconds or so. I usually soften it on the counter while I’m making the cookie crust.
- While you can serve the dessert after the Cool Whip has frozen for 20 minutes, I like to freeze the dessert longer, from 3-24 hours before serving, so the layers are a little more defined and the dessert is frozen solid.
- It can help to run your cutting knife under hot water before slicing, and wiping it off between slicing servings when preparing to serve.
