Description

You’ll love all of the delicious layers in this all-natural possum pie recipe — vanilla bean cream cheese, toasted walnuts, homemade chocolate pudding, sweetened vanilla bean whipped cream topped off with toasted pecans all resting in a nutty walnut-pecan cookie crust. There’s a reason why this pie is famous well beyond the borders of Arkansas (and has a hundred other names). For anyone new to making this pie, I’ve included step-by-step recipe photos at the end of the post.

Ingredients

Scale

Pecan-Walnut Shortbread Crust

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed (1 stick) (113g)
1 cup all-purpose flour (or 00 flour) (120g)*
3/4 cup (6 ounces) toasted pecans, roughly chopped (170g)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (4g)

Chocolate Pudding Layer

2/3 cup granulated sugar (150g)
1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder (30g)
3 tablespoons cornstarch (30g)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1g)
2 1/4 cups whole milk (515g)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30g)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder, or pure vanilla extract (2g)

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Layer

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (227g)
2 tablespoons heavy cream (30g)
3/4 cup powdered sugar (75g)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder, pure vanilla extract (2g)
dash of salt

Toasted Walnut Layer

1 1/2 ounces toasted walnuts, chopped (optional but recommended) (45g)

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Layer

1/2 cup heavy cream (125g)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (50g)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar (30g)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder, or pure vanilla extract (2g)

Toasted Pecan Garnish

1/2 cup toasted pecan halves and/or pieces, or more to taste (75g)
shaved milk or dark chocolate (or mini chocolate chips)

*I use 00 flour when I’m in Italy, and King Arthur all-purpose when I’m in the States. And the weight of these different flours varies based on the humidity content of the flour and also the environment you’re living in. No matter where you live, just be sure to use the ‘scoop and level’ method to measure your flour into measuring cups and spoons and the recipe works perfectly every time.

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark even when your hands have flour all over them

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C and prepare the crust. In the bowl of a food processor, add all of the crust ingredients and pulse until the nuts are chopped and the mixture is combined. Alternatively, in a medium bowl cut in the butter with the chopped nuts and flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand. Press the mixture into a pie plate, or a 9×13 casserole dish and bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden in color and the crust is set and slightly puffy. Set aside to cool.
Make the pudding. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt to a medium heavy-bottomed saucepot and whisk to combine the ingredients well. Slowly blend in the milk while continuing to whisk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils. Boil and stir for 1 minute to thicken (it will coat the back of a spoon). Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Cover with sustainable cling film to avoid a “skin” from forming and allow to cool while you make the cream cheese layer.
Make the vanilla bean cream cheese. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer) cream all of the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes).
Assemble the possum pie. Add the cream cheese layer to the pie crust, smooth it out, and then sprinkle the top with toasted walnuts. Add the cooled chocolate pudding, smooth it out over the top, place cling film on top, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but better overnight.
Make the vanilla bean whipped cream. Using a handheld whisk, handheld mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream for about one minute, and then add the remaining ingredients. Continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Top the pie with whipped cream and toasted nuts and serve or cover and refrigerate until ready to be eaten Enjoy!

Notes

Homemade Arkansas Possum Pie 4-Layer Delight Shortcuts & Substitutions

While I can assure you that making this pie 100% from scratch tastes above and beyond any version ever made with boxed or ready-made ingredients, sometimes we know you just need a break (and a really good dessert without any of the fuss). So, if that’s you, here are some substitutions you can make to get a tasty (very quick) version of our delicious Arkansas Possum Pie without much effort.

substitute the pecan shortbread crust with a store-bought version instead, or use a graham cracker crust
substitute homemade whipped cream for your favorite whipped topping (12 ounces)
substitute homemade pudding for 2 boxes of your favorite pudding mix + 3 cups of whole milk

Can You Freeze Arkansas Possum Pie?

Yes, you can freeze possum pie, but be sure to allow it to thaw properly before eating it because the pudding layer won’t have the right texture if you try to eat it while the pie is still frozen. When the pie has completely chilled, wrap it well in sustainable cling film, wax paper, or parchment paper and place it into an airtight freezer-safe bag or container. When you want to eat it, allow the pie to thaw in the fridge overnight, and be sure to use a paper towel to soak up any “pie juice” if it accumulates during the thawing process before serving. *This is one of my least favorite pies to freeze, but I’ve done it before with decent results.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Refrigerate: 4 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Pies + Cobblers + Crostate
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Southern

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice