No Bake Peppermint Pie

No Bake Peppermint Pie features a chocolate cookie crust filled with a creamy pink peppermint filling, studded and topped with crunchy candy pieces. Ready in just minutes, it can sit in the fridge while you finish preparing dinner and even freezes beautifully for extra convenience. Perfect for last-minute holiday dessert, it’s festive, indulgent, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Love More Pie Desserts? Try My Christmas Eve Cinnamon Vanilla Creamy Custard Pieor this Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Rich yet light, this no-bake peppermint pie combines creamy pink filling with a chocolate cookie crust and crunchy candy pieces that stay crisp even after sitting overnight. It’s indulgent enough to impress guests, yet simple to make, perfect for book clubs, holiday gatherings, or last-minute dessert emergencies.

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Ingredients

Crust:

• 18 Oreo cookies, crushed
• ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 cup (240mL) heavy cream
• 8 oz (227g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• Red food coloring (optional, but so pretty!)
• 1 bag Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped, chopped, and divided

Substitution Notes: Last month the store was out of Candy Cane Kisses so I used crushed up peppermint bark instead. Worked great. My friend Jenny makes hers with coconut cream because her daughter’s lactose intolerant – she says it tastes just as good.

Why These Ingredients Work

Oreos make this crust taste like those thin mints I used to buy from Girl Scouts, except better because there’s more chocolate. The peppermint extract is key – don’t use too much or it’ll taste like toothpaste. Found that out the hard way at Thanksgiving 2019.

Cream cheese keeps it from being sickeningly sweet like some desserts get. Heavy cream whipped up makes everything light and fluffy instead of dense. Those candy pieces give you little pops of flavor when you’re eating it, plus they make it look fancy without any extra work.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 9-inch pie dish
• Food processor or rolling pin (for crushing Oreos)
• Large mixing bowl
• Electric mixer or whisk
• Medium mixing bowl
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons

How To Make No Bake Peppermint Pie

Step 1: Prepare the Crust

Dump those Oreos in a food processor and pulse until they’re chunky crumbs. Don’t have one? I’ve beaten cookies to death in a plastic bag with a rolling pin plenty of times. Mix the crumbs with melted butter until it holds together when you squeeze it. Press it hard into your pie pan – I mean really mash it down, especially around the edges. Stick it in the fridge for thirty minutes or your slices will fall apart later.

Step 2: Make the Magical Filling

Whip the heavy cream until it forms peaks that don’t flop over. Takes about three minutes with my mixer. Don’t overdo it or you’ll make butter. Set it aside. Beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth – any lumps now means lumps in your pie. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Mix it all up.

Take your whipped cream and fold it into the cream cheese stuff real gentle-like. Use a big spoon and kind of cut down through it, then scoop under and fold over. Don’t stir it or you’ll knock all the air out. Add food coloring if you want it pink – I usually do because it looks more festive.

Step 3: Add the Candy Cane Kisses

Chop up half the candy and fold it in. Save the rest for the top because that’s what makes people go “wow” when you bring it out.

Step 4: Assemble and Chill

Dump the filling in the crust and smooth it out. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped candy on top. Cover with plastic wrap and stick it back in the fridge for at least four hours. I usually make it the night before because waiting sucks but it’s worth it.

You Must Know

That cream cheese better be soft when you start or you’re gonna have lumps. Leave it out on the counter for an hour or zap it in the microwave for ten seconds at a time until you can poke it with your finger.

Personal Secret: Put a pinch of salt in the filling. I know it sounds weird but Mom taught me this and it makes everything taste more like itself. The mint tastes mintier, the chocolate tastes more chocolatey.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Crush cookies when they’re cold – they break nicer and don’t turn to dust
• Those cream cheese blocks aren’t always exactly 8 ounces so weigh it if you can
• Stop beating cream cheese the second it looks smooth or it gets grainy
• Filling too thick? Add heavy cream one spoonful at a time
• Want more chocolate? Melt some and drizzle it over the crust first

Flavor Variations

My nephew hates peppermint so I make him a chocolate version with cocoa powder mixed in. My sister does orange cream with orange extract instead of peppermint. Kids love when I fold in crushed Oreos instead of the candy. For grown-up parties, I add peppermint schnapps but don’t tell my mother-in-law.

Make-Ahead Options

This tastes better after sitting overnight. All the flavors get friendly with each other. Make it three days ahead and it’s still good. Want to make it way ahead? Cut it up and freeze the pieces wrapped in plastic. Takes about two hours to thaw in the fridge.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Don’t skip chilling the crust or it crumbles when you cut it – learned this the messy way
• When you’re folding in whipped cream, cut straight down then scoop under and up
• Can’t find those candy kisses? Regular Hershey’s kisses work, just add more peppermint extract
• Hot knife cuts clean slices – run it under hot water and wipe it off between cuts

Serving Suggestions

Honestly it doesn’t need anything else, but some people like extras:

• More whipped cream for the people who go overboard with everything
• Crush up some candy canes right before serving if you want it extra minty
• Drizzle chocolate syrup if you’ve got chocolate addicts
• Stick a mint leaf on top if you’re trying to be fancy
• Goes great with coffee or hot chocolate

I’ve brought this to potlucks, birthday parties, and fancy dinners. Nobody cares that it didn’t need an oven when it tastes this good.

How to Store Your No Bake Peppermint Pie

Keep it covered in the fridge up to five days. It actually gets better after the first day when everything settles together. For longer storage, wrap pieces tight in plastic and freeze them up to a month. When you want some, just move pieces to the fridge a few hours ahead.

Eat it cold straight from the fridge. Don’t heat it up or you’ll ruin it.

Allergy Information

This recipe contains:

• Dairy (cream cheese, heavy cream, butter)
• Gluten (Oreo cookies)
• Soy (may be present in chocolate)

Allergy-Friendly Substitutions:

• Dairy-free: Coconut cream whips up just like regular cream, dairy-free cream cheese works fine
• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free chocolate cookies – my neighbor likes the Glutino ones
• Nut allergies: This doesn’t have nuts so you’re good

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use store-bought whipped topping instead of heavy cream?

You can but it tastes weird and gets all gummy after sitting in the fridge. Heavy cream takes three minutes to whip and tastes way better.

Why is my crust falling apart when I slice the pie?

You didn’t press it hard enough or skipped the chilling. Really mash that crust down and don’t skip the fridge time. Also use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts.

How do I know when the pie is set enough to serve?

Stick a knife in the middle and wiggle it a little. If it holds its shape and doesn’t jiggle everywhere, it’s ready.

Can I use mint extract instead of peppermint extract?

Sure but use less – mint extract is stronger. Start with a quarter teaspoon and taste it first.

💬 Made this pie? Tell me how it went in the comments! I love hearing about your kitchen disasters and successes, and if you post pictures somewhere, tag me so I can see!