No-Bake Candy Cane Pie is the perfect Holiday dessert! With a sweet peppermint flavored creamy filling in a crunchy chocolate cookie crust, it's sure to be a hit at your next family gathering. Topped with crushed candy canes, it's full of festive flavor that everyone will love. Whether you're making it for a family Christmas dessert, or Holiday party dessert, Candy Cane Pie will delight all your holiday guests.
A Peppermint Holiday Dessert Treat
Peppermint is one of the delicious flavors we associate with the Christmas Holidays. No bake pies area favorite of mine because they are easy to make, and always get rave reviews from guests at our Christmas dessert table!
You can always make the classic desserts for the Holiday season, but how fun would it be to dress up the Holiday table with dessert recipes that you haven't made before?
This no-bake dessert is festive, delicious, and beautiful!
If you're in the mood for some more sweet holiday treats, check out our Gingerbread Cream Pie or our Christmas Cut-Out Sugar Cookies.
What Makes This Dessert Great
- This is a great recipe for peppermint lovers!
- It's a great make ahead dessert (especially because of the required chill time) saving more time for other recipes.
- Not only is this a fun looking pie, but it's full of delicious, festive peppermint flavor.
- This is a no-bake dessert which leaves room in your oven for other holiday dishes.
- This Holiday dessert can be made ahead of time.
Can I Make This No Bake Pie Recipe Ahead of Time?
• Absolutely! In fact, this is one of those easy pie recipes where you kind of have to. You need to let the pie chill for at least 4 hours.
• So, if you make this in the morning and put it in the fridge, you'll have the perfect dessert for dinner in the evening, or the next day, ready to go!
Simple Ingredients in No-Bake Candy Cane Pie
Exact measurements are below in the recipe card.
- Crushed Oreo Cookies: You can use Golden Oreos instead of the classic chocolate ones, or even graham crackers.
- Salted Butter: You can use unsalted butter if needed, just add a pinch of salt to the crust mixture.
- Mini Marshmallows: Stick to the mini marshmallow size for this delicious pie filling. It can be harder to melt the larger ones without cutting them in quarters.
- Whole Milk: Whole milk is going to give the creamy texture and full flavor you want. If you need to swap it out, go for half and half instead.
- Vanilla: Add another depth of flavor with your vanilla extract.
- Peppermint Extract: This helps enhance your peppermint flavoring.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors. Typically we use kosher salt or sea salt.
- Red Food Coloring: This helps give your pie filling that bright red color.
- Crushed Candy Canes: Or crushed peppermint candies. If you want to use as bigger pieces, you can. This is great for the filling and on top of the pie.
- Cool Whip: Or other whipped topping from the grocery store, or homemade whipped cream, to help give this candy cane pie recipe the light, creamy, fluffy texture.
What Other Pie Crust Can I Use?
If you don't want a chocolate pie crust (homemade oreo crust), you can try a graham cracker crust (store-bought crust), a traditional homemade pie crust, a sugar cookie crust, or a Golden Oreo pie crust for this peppermint pie recipe.
What Other Toppings Can I Add?
- Want to add more to your pie? Try adding some chocolate chips or a drizzle of chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup on top when you go to serve each slice of pie.
- You could also top this with some more crushed Oreo cookies, chopped chocolate mint candies, or chocolate shavings.
- For a real decadent treat, drizzle some melted chocolate or melted white baking chocolate on top.
- You could also serve a slice of this peppermint pie with a scoop of vanilla or peppermint ice cream!
Can I Make My Own Whipped Topping?
- Yes you can! Replace the Cool Whip® and make your own instead.
- Making your own whipped topping is easy – all you need is heavy whipping cream, sugar, and a few drops of vanilla extract.
- Start by pouring the cream into a chilled bowl, then adding in the sugar and vanilla extract. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes until soft peaks form. Then, you can use it to top your pie or as desired.
How to Make No-Bake Candy Cane Pie
First we make the chocolate crust:
• Combine the crushed chocolate sandwich cookies and melted butter together in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until the cookies are well coated in the butter and you have a wet crumb texture.
• Use baking spray to grease the pie plate and add the crust crumbs into the prepared pan. Then, press the crust mixture down evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate before placing in the fridge to chill.
Now make the pie filling:
• Combine mini marshmallows and milk in a large mixing bowl and put it in the microwave. Using 30-second intervals, heat for 1 ½ minutes, or until melted, stirring after each 30 seconds.
• Once finished, let the mixture cool down slightly before adding in the vanilla, peppermint extract, salt, and food coloring. Add as much or as little food coloring as you desire, until you get the shade of red you're looking for.
• Next, fold 1 cup of the Cool Whip® and most of the crushed candy canes into the filling mixture. If making homemade whipped cream, use a hand mixer to beat heavy cream in a cold mixing bowl with powdered sugar to taste until stiff peaks form (not too stiff). Then add to the filling.
• Take the chilled Oreo cookie crust out of the fridge and transfer this mixture into it. Then add the rest of the Cool Whip to the top.
• Use a knife or toothpick to swirl it around to give this easy dessert a pretty design.
• Garnish with the additional candy cane pieces, then cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Tips for Making This Peppermint Pie Recipe
- Placing the pie (in the pie plate) on a separate dish filled with ice will help it last longer at parties, etc.
- Don't microwave the marshmallows continuously for the whole minute and a half. You risk burning the marshmallows or overheating them. Heat in 30 second intervals.
- When microwaving your marshmallows, be sure to use a heatproof bowl.
- To crush the Oreo cookies, you can add them to a food processor and pulse several times, or put in a Ziplock bag and run a rolling pin over them.
- Make sure you use peppermint candy canes, not spearmint. Even though they both have mint in the name, they are very different flavors.
Leftover Pie Storage
• Store your pie covered with plastic wrap, or ideally in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Due to the nature of these ingredients, when you are not eating this no bake peppermint pie, it needs to be kept refrigerated.
• If you leave it at room temperature too long it will start to change texture and melt.
Now that you know how easy it is to make this delicious No Bake Peppermint Candy Cane Pie, have fun creating Holiday magic this season!
More Holiday Dessert Recipes
Gingerbread Cream Pie
Candy Cane Cookies
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Christmas Cracker Toffee
Apple Cinnamon Roll Casserole
If you make this yummy peppermint no-bake Candy Cane pie, please leave a comment with a star rating below. Thank you!
No-Bake Candy Cane Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 ¾ cups Crushed Oreo Cookies®
- ½ cup Salted Butter melted
Filling
- 4 cups Mini Marshmallows* (mini size works best)
- ½ cup Whole Milk (or half-and-half)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Red Food Coloring (as desired)
- ⅓ cup Crushed Candy Canes divided (or peppermint candies)
- 1 ¼ cups Cool Whip® divided (or whipped cream)
Instructions
Crust
- In a medium sized mixing bowl combine crushed oreos and butter. Mix until the cookie crumbs are well coated and the texture is a wet crumb.
- Spray a 9" pie plate with baking spray, then transfer the crust mixture into the prepared pan. Press the crust mixture down evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate, then place into the refrigerator to chill.
Filling
- In a large microwave-safe bowl combine marshmallows and milk, then place into the microwave. Heat in 30 second increments for 1 ½ minutes, stopping to stir every 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and let cool down slightly.
- Once slightly cooled, but still warm, mix in the vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt.
- Add the food coloring in drops, mixing after each drop, until the desired color is reached.
- Fold in 1 cup of cool whip and most of the crushed candy canes.
- Remove the crust from the refrigerator, then transfer the filling mixture into the cooled crust. Top with the remaining cool whip, swirling it into the mixture with a knife or toothpick to make a design.
- Top with additional candy cane pieces, then cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!