Layers of JELL-O chocolate pudding, creamy cream cheese filling and crushed peppermint candies make this No Bake Candy Cane Pie the perfect holiday dessert!
Love Peppermint desserts? Try these Candy Cane Whoopie Pies
Still looking for a gift for someone on your shopping list? Check out our Gift Guides here!
The tree is up and the lights are aglow! It’s officially the holiday season and I’m one happy girl.
The presents have started to arrive at my doorstep and the holiday cards in the mailbox.
What is not to love about this season?
It’s the season of giving, love and Peppermint! Mint just screams Christmas, doesn’t it?!
When I was a little girl my mother used to order from the school food fundraiser, Market Day.
We loved their food but the one thing that stands out most to me was their Candy Cane Pie.
It was the epitome of Christmas.
It has layers of chocolate and peppermint filling, red and green chocolate chips and peaks of whipped cream.
I’ve tried for years to recreate this delicious pie and this year, I’ve nailed it.
Many people love Bakers Square Candy Cane Pie and I will be honest, I’ve never had it but I do miss their pies.
I know theirs has a white chocolate center while this one is milk chocolate.
I knew I wanted something creamy and delicious and I was again reminded of when I was little and my mother would make us dirt cups.
If you’re a peanut butter fan, check out out Peanut Butter Dirt Cups! ZOMG!
She’d use JELL-O chocolate pudding and we’d be devouring the cups at a moment’s notice.
So, when it came to this no bake candy cane pie, I knew exactly where I was going to start. With a box of JELL-O chocolate instant pudding!
This No Bake Candy Cane Pie couldn’t be simpler. You’ll want to make this for every get together possible this year. Yes, it’s that good!
Here are the groceries you’ll need to make this
- 1 chocolate pie crust (you could also use this pie crust- Peppermint Chocolate Pie Crust (FYI it contains nuts) PIE
- 1 (3.9oz) box Jell-O instant chocolate pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup Peppermint mocha creamer*
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (clear)
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 (8oz) container whipped topping
- ¾ cup red and green chocolate chips
- 4 teaspoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract (clear)
- *you may just substitute more milk for the creamer
Start with a store-bought chocolate pie crust and a box of JELL-O Chocolate Pudding.
It’s the holiday season after all and you’re BUSY to say the least. Take a few store-bought shortcuts and no one will ever be the wiser!
My secret for packing in the most peppermint flavor is to replace half of the milk in the JELL-O pudding mixture with peppermint coffee creamer. If you don’t want purchase the creamer, peppermint extract works too!
Step by Step Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together JELL-O pudding mixture, milk and creamer. Whisk for 2 minutes and place into the refrigerator to set for 5 minutes.
- Remove JELL-O pudding from refrigerator and place 1 ½ cups into prepared pie crust. Spread out and place into the freezer for 2 hours to completely set.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer or large bowl, cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add in vanilla and peppermint extracts. Fold in whipped topping followed by the chocolate chips.
- Place cream cheese mixture on top of JELL-O chocolate pudding layer and place back into the freezer to chill for 1 hour.
- Place cold water into a bowl and pour gelatin over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- While the gelatin is sitting, In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment* place heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla.
- One the gelatin is set, place into microwave for 10 seconds to turn into liquid.
- Turn the mixture on medium and start to beat the cream, sugar and vanilla. Slowly pour in gelatin and beat on high for 2 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Place into a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D tip and pipe stars all along the surface of the pie
- Sprinkle with candy cane pieces and serve chilled.
No Bake Candy Cane Pie is chocolatey, creamy and so incredibly delicious, it’ll transform you right into a winter wonderland!
common questions and helpful tips
- Can I make this ahead of time?
- You can make this pie ahead of time up until whipped cream. Prepare and top with whipped cream just before serving.
- I can’t find the red and green chocolate chips?
- This recipe was posted a few years back when NESTLE made red and green chips which may not be available right now. They only provide color for the pie, so feel free to use any type of chocolate chip you’d like. I’ve had readers use Andis mint chip chunks and loved it!
- Can I use a different types of pudding?
- Sure! I’d recommended substituting with white chocolate pudding, dark chocolate pudding or a cheesecake pudding.
- Can I use store bought whipped cream
- Absolutely! No shame in using store bought time savers!
🍬MORE PEPPERMINT RECIPES TO LOVE
Homemade Peppermint Patty Bars (Yes, just like your favorite candy)
Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Cookie Cups (Little cups of chocolate Heaven)
Chocolate Peppermint Eggnog Cocktail (A festive, boozy twist on Eggnog)
No Bake Candy Cane Pie
Layers of JELL-O chocolate pudding, creamy cream cheese filling and crushed peppermint candies make this No Bake Candy Cane Pie the perfect holiday dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate pie crust
- 1 (3.9oz) box Jell-O instant chocolate pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup Peppermint mocha creamer*
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (clear)
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 (8oz) container whipped topping
- ¾ cup red and green chocolate chips
- 4 teaspoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract (clear)
- *you may just substitute more milk for the creamer
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together JELL-O pudding mixture, milk and creamer. Whisk for 2 minutes and place into the refrigerator to set for 5 minutes.
- Remove JELL-O pudding from refrigerator and place 1 ½ cups into prepared pie crust. Spread out and place into the freezer for 2 hours to completely set.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer or large bowl, cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add in vanilla and peppermint extracts. Fold in whipped topping followed by the chocolate chips.
- Place cream cheese mixture on top of JELL-O chocolate pudding layer and place back into the freezer to chill for 1 hour.
- Place cold water into a bowl and pour gelatin over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- While the gelatin is sitting, In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment* place heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla.
- One the gelatin is set, place into microwave for 10 seconds to turn into liquid.
- Turn the mixture on medium and start to beat the cream, sugar and vanilla. Slowly pour in gelatin and beat on high for 2 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Place into a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D tip and pipe stars all along the surface of the pie
- Sprinkle with candy cane pieces and serve chilled.
Notes
*Yes, this can be made ahead of time. Make right through step 4. I do not recommend freezing the whipped cream on top. Whipped cream is best made right before serving.
*Place into freezer before serving. Make sure to place into refrigerator 20 minutes prior to serving. You do not want to serve a frozen pie but this pie is best enjoyed chilled.
*Yes, you can use sugar free JELL-O pudding, nonfat milk, lower fat cream cheese and light/fat free Cool Whip.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 8 servingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 581Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 255mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 2gSugar: 50gProtein: 7g
All information and tools presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on strawberryblondiekitchen.com should only be used as a general guideline.
No Bake Candy Cane Pie is luxurious, easy and should make an appearance at your table this holiday season or bring it over to a friend’s house and watch Hallmark movies and sip hot cocoa.
Tis the season for good cheer and good {pie} eatings!
still hungry for more?
follow me on facebook, pinterest and instagram for more deliciousness!
pin this recipe on pinterest!
Subscribe! sign up for easy + delicious recipes delivered weekly-straight to your inbox!
Marcus says
Yum
Amy says
The instructions say to put the gelatin in the microwave and liquify it twice ?? Once at the end of step 5 then again in step 7?? Is this correct or something was just accidentally posted twice.
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
My apologies! It was posted twice and I have corrected the recipe. Thank you!
Katy says
Do you keep it in the freezer or move to the fridge after you put the whipped cream on? Can’t wait to make this for Christmas!
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi Katy! Move it to the fridge after you’ve put the whipped cream on. I wouldn’t put the whipped cream on too far in advance of eating or wait til right before serving to sprinkle with candy canes as they will start to bleed the color onto the whipped cream.
Katy says
Thank you!
Kim Simpson says
Can you make all or part of this the night before?
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
You can make all of it up until the whipped cream. I would wait for that until a little bit before you serve.
Mary Fraser says
Can the pie be made ahead and frozen?
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Yes, I would freeze before the whipped cream.
Katelyn says
Instead of red and green chocolate chips i used andis mint chip chunks! Also i had one question everything went well except the pudding. Was it suppose to sit for only 5 minutes before sticking it in the freezer ? I let mine sit for about 10 and it still came out a thick runny i put it back in the freezer i was so excited to make it i tried taking my time but that was my only concern on how i could fix that ! Thanks.
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Did you use instant pudding or cook and serve? Did you use 2 cups total liquid for the JELL-O? Once you whisk and refrigerate the pudding, it should be set and ready.
Diane says
Can we use different flavor pudding and what other flavor would test good with the peppermint?
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi Diane! You could use a white chocolate pudding, vanilla or a cheesecake flavored one. All of those flavors would go well with Peppermint. Hope this helps!
Diane says
oh ok. Thank you so much. Happy Holidays:)
Doris says
why use a large box of pudding (3.9oz) when you only use 1 1/2 cups for the filling?
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi Doris! the chocolate pudding only comes in a 3.9oz box.
Doris says
Hi Megan, thank you for replying so quickly. I looked at the box of pudding I have & net wt. 1.4oz (39g). so now I understand. Thank you again & can’t wait to try this.
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
No problem, happy to help! Happy Holidays! ?
Katie says
Could u just use cool whip or redi whip instead of making the whip cream to pipe on top?
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi Katie, Absolutely! ☺️
Lisa says
Would love to make this for Christmas eve, but I’m not a a fan of Gelatin anything – is there a good substitute for this step?
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi Lisa! You don’t have to use the gelatin, it just helps keep the shape of the whipped cream peaks. I’d suggest placing the whipped cream on just before serving and you can certainly leave the gelatin out. Happy holidays!
Samantha Dominguez says
What’s the whipped topping for? I see
If not the ingredients but it’s not listed as to what to do with it in instructions. I’m making this tonight going to grab the last of what I need for it.
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
The whipped topping is part of the middle filling. It makes for a lighter, fluffier middle. Hope it turned out for you! Happy Holidays! ♥
Lisa says
Looks delicious! I’m making this for my first Christmas with my in-laws ?? Wish me luck!! Merry Christmas and thanks for a wonderful, non traditional Holiday dessert!
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Lisa, thank you so much! I hope your in laws love it! Merry Christmas! ♥
Jaime says
I made this pie over the weekend. Followed the recipe exactly as written. When I served the pie, the chocolate pudding layer was runny. The whole pie was just a chocolate mess. I think the chocolate layer needs something to stabilize it. It was delicious tasting, but a mess to look at. Disappointing!
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi Jaime! I am so sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Did you serve the pie chilled? The pudding shouldn’t be have runny.
Thomas Smith says
I can’t find the red and green chocolate chips I called Nestle and they said they have discontinued them so how do I make this pie with no red and green chocolate chips?
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi Thomas, that’s a bummer! You could sub in red and green sixlets, mini M&M’s or Red and Green Nonpareils. You could also just use regular chocolate chips as the red and green is just for color. Hope this helps!
Katherine Reynoso says
Hi! Looking forward to making this this Christmas, but have a couple questions just to clarify…
– if I don’t get the creamer, am I then using 2 cups of milk? and how much peppermint extract would I put in to get the peppermint taste?
– do you know how discolored the layer would get if I used regular vanilla extract instead of clear vanilla extract?
Thanks!
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
HI! Yes, replace the creamer with the milk. Peppermint can be very strong, so I would only add 1/4 teaspoon. You may want to taste test it and then add more depending on your preference. In my experience, a little goes a long way with peppermint. As for the regular vanilla, it won’t make it super brown/dark. I would say an off white. I wouldn’t worry about it at all. Hope this helps and I hope you enjoy it! Happy Holidays!
Nicole says
Hi! I prefer to use the cook and serve pudding instead of instant. Would that make a difference?
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
No, it shouldn’t make a difference.
Jen says
I made this pie for the first time last year and it was such a hit that it was requested that I make it again this year! Absolutely delicious!! Thank you for the amazing recipe!! Merry Christmas!!
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
This makes me so happy!! Such a festive dessert for Christmas (and one of our favs!) Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Thank you!
Susan says
Hi there! I was looking on Pinterest tonight for a dessert that I could make for my husband and myself. I love Peppermint and I think I can manage this. My health is not the best but I can do some of this sitting down. I don’t know why people couldn’t use red and green sugar sprinkles instead of the chips if they aren’t available. Thank you for your simple recipe and every step I hope you have a Merry Christmas. We will have this Christmas Eve. Thank you! Susan
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi Susan! You can absolutely use sprinkles instead of chocolate chips. I just use chocolate chips to keep the recipe the same I remember when I was a kid but sprinkles will work just fine! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas as well and enjoy! ❤️
Victoria says
Can the cream cheese layer set in the fridge instead of freezer? If so, how long? (My pudding box told me how long for fridge). My pie pan won’t fit in the freezer.. so excited to take this to my Christmas gathering this year!
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
Hi! Although I haven’t tested the recipe by placing the layer in the fridge, I do believe it should work since the cream cheese should stabilize the layer. I hope you enjoy! ❤️
liz says
I made this for Christmas this past year and made a mint Oreo crust and used chopped Hershey candy cane white chocolate kisses instead of the red and green chocolate chips. The pie was delicious and only got better each day as I swiped spoonfuls from the fridge. 🙂 I did not use the gelatin for the whipped cream and instead just made some mint whipped cream and put it on the pie right before serving.
Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen says
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!