Chocolate Cream Pie with a Thin Mint Crust

We've always been a mint-lovin' family. I don't think any of us would argue with that. We've always been that way, and we always will be. Mint is by far not our favorite flavor, but we've always had a special appreciation for it. Our family would have thin mint cookies during the spring, mint chocolate chip ice cream cones during the summer at Silver Dollar City, and peppermint ice cream and Andes mints around Christmas. And fresh breath year round.

I think you had to be raised with mint to love mint. If you didn't have any of the former items growing up, I doubt you're a mint lover. And then it's not your fault, but totally your parents' fault.

My sisters and I would always fight over the thin mint girl scout cookies when they were delivered. I believe mom had to divvy them out to everyone. Along with the Tagalongs, Samosas and Shortbread cookies. Man, I've getting hungry just thinking about them.

At four dollars a box, they better be good. I want to say they're not worth the money, but they kind of are. They're very tasty. And the money goes to the girl scouts, and that's like charity, right? You can't feel bad about buying boxes and boxes of girl scout cookies, because really you're just giving money to charity and nature and stuff.

With the exception of Oreos, Nilla Wafers and Nutterbutters, I'm not a fan of store-bought cookies. But girl scout cookies don't count as store-bought cookies. You're buying them from girl scouts.
And you can only buy them once a year. Yeah. That makes them even more special. People don't like the idea that they can't buy them anytime of the year, so they always have to stock up. That's where this keeping thin mint cookies in the freezer idea was born. I have not actually tried it; our cookies have never lasted that long.

If you can bear to part with some of your thin mint cookies, consider making this pie because it is spectacular. It's exactly what you'd expect: a thin mint cookie crust topped with a delicious chocolate pudding-like filling, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. These pictures were taken the day after, so the whipped cream had melted down and settled into the filling, so it looks like it's all whipped cream - but it's not. The pictures don't do it justice.

Chocolate Cream Pie with a Thin Mint Crust (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

1 1/4 cups finely ground thin mint cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus an additional tablespoon, divided use
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus an additional 2 tablespoons, divided use
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together cookie crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter until well combined; press into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven and cool.

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine milk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Whisk the eggs together in a medium bowl, and gradually whisk in half of the hot milk mixture until combined; whisk the egg mixture back into saucepan containing remaining milk. Heat mixture, whisking frequently, until it starts to thicken up and coat the back of a spoon.

Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate chips, additional tablespoon butter and vanilla. Cool saucepan over an ice bath for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour filling into pie crust and cool completely in the refrigerator, about 1 hour. (You could probably speed this process up by placing it in the freezer.)

To make the whipped cream, combine heavy cream and additional 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl, using a mixer on high speed, and beat until stiff peaks form - about 1-2 minutes. Spread whipped cream evenly on pie and sprinkle with chocolate shavings if desired.

Makes 8 servings