We make this delicious pudding pie every year for St. Patrick's Day. It reminds me of the mint chocolate chip ice cream that was my favorite as a child. It's a great way to finish your Corned Beef and Cabbage & Irish Soda Bread holiday dinner!
1 1/2cupsfinely ground graham cracker crumbs(about 1 pouch)
3-4Tbspwhite sugar
6Tbspbutter, melted
Pie Filling:
2 - 3.4-ounceboxes instant pistachio pudding mix
2 3/4cupsmilk
16ouncesCool Whip (*or stabilized heavy whipping cream)* See below
20Andes Creme de Menthe Thins
1cupshelled & chopped pistachios
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter until blended. I do this right in a 9-inch pie plate to save a dirty bowl! Press into bottom and up sides of the pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
* If you are using heavy whipped cream as I do, at this point you will want to put 1 cup of heavy whipping cream in a cold bowl with 2 Tbsp sugar and beat it on medium/high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. This will make approximately 2 cups of whipped cream. If you don't plan on eating the whole pie right away (or within a day), you may want to follow directions for making stabilized whipped cream. I haven't tried this before but am going to later this week when I make this year's pie.
Unwrap and finely chop the Andes mints. I do these by hand because they are so soft, any sort of chopper you use tends to gum them up.
Now, you are ready to mix all of this together. Fold your Cool Whip or stabilized whipped cream into your pistachio pudding. Also gently mix in about half of your chopped pistachios and Andes mints, saving about half of each for the top.
Pour mixture into your prebaked, cooled graham cracker crust, and top with remaining chopped pistachios and Andes Mints. Cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to set (and keep refrigerated until serving time.)