Description
A festive and delightful no-bake Grinch Pie perfect for holiday celebrations. This easy 10-minute recipe layers creamy instant vanilla pudding with peppermint-flavored green whipped topping on a graham cracker crust, garnished with crushed peppermint candies and maraschino cherries for a colorful, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 pre-made graham cracker crust (9-inch)
Pudding Layer
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 1/2 cups cold milk
- 3/4 cup whipped topping (part of the divided amount)
Green Peppermint Whipped Topping
- 3/4 cup whipped topping (part of the divided amount)
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 drops green food coloring (or more for deeper color)
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies
- 8 maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Prepare the pudding: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk for 2 minutes until thickened and smooth.
- Fill the crust: Pour the thickened pudding evenly into the pre-made graham cracker crust and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Make the green whipped topping: In a separate bowl, fold 3/4 cup of whipped topping with peppermint extract and green food coloring. Mix gently until the color is evenly distributed.
- Add the green layer: Spoon the green whipped topping gently over the vanilla pudding layer, spreading carefully with a spatula to create an even layer.
- Top with remaining whipped topping: Add the remaining 3/4 cup whipped topping on top of the green layer, spreading it evenly.
- Decorate: Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over the top and place one maraschino cherry in the center of each slice, or one in the middle of the pie for decoration.
- Chill before serving: Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours to allow layers to set. Slice and enjoy the festive dessert!
Notes
- For a deeper green color, add more green food coloring incrementally.
- Use fresh whipped topping for best texture, or store-bought cool whip works well.
- Make sure to chill the pie well to ensure it holds its shape when slicing.
- Crushed peppermint candies can be substituted with candy canes for a similar effect.
- For a gluten-free option, ensure the graham cracker crust is gluten-free.
