Original Grasshopper Pie: Get this amazing recipe direct from the source, plus find out how it was invented in 1966 - Click Americana (2024)

• Categories:1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Vintage dessert recipes,

• By The Click Americana Team
• Added or last updatedMarch 7, 2023

Couple create Grasshopper Pie: A dessert with a kick

By Camille Glen – The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas) July 28, 1966

The Lawrence Pughs of Louisville, Kentucky, have creative palates. Pugh, a native of England, is a chemist. He likes his job so well that it is also his hobby. Mrs Pugh says that more often than not one corner of their kitchen is turned into a lab for blending flavors and mixing liqueurs.

In 1949, Pugh concocted the Grasshopper co*cktail. “The American people seemed to be very fond of chocolate-covered mints,” says Pugh, “so I blended the chocolate and mint liqueurs and found it delicious.” Because of the creme de menthe, the drink was green, so it was dubbed the Grasshopper.

ALSO SEE: 100 years of the best old-fashioned mint julep recipes (1862-1962)

As the Grasshopper was most refreshing when served very cold, it occurred to Mrs. Pugh to thicken the formula with marshmallows, put it in a chocolate crumb crust and freeze it.

Presto! “The Grasshopper” had been transformed into a pie. Good culinary news travels fast. A friend found the Grasshopper Pie in a West Coast magazine not long ago, and the fastidious Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, has listed it on its dessert menu.

MORE: Delicious peppermint fudge with crushed candy canes is an extra festive Christmas treat

Get the classic how-to for this chocolate-mint dessert

Here you will find the Pughs’ recipe for the original Grasshopper Pie recipe, which they served frozen. We made a few modifications to allow for modern marshmallow sizes, and filled out the instructions with a bit more detail.

For the purists, however, below our recipe card, you will find the original newspaper clipping of the recipe, exactly as published.

Original Grasshopper Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookies, crushed fine
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 32 large marshmallows
• 1/4 cup green creme de menthe (2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup white creme de cacao (2 ounces)
• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• 1/8 cup shaved chocolate for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine the crushed cookies and melted butter, and press them into a pie plate. This makes the crust.
2. Over low heat, warm the milk, then melt the marshmallows in it, stirring constantly just until the marshmallows are melted.
3. Cool the marshmallow mixture, stirring occasionally.
4. Gradually stir the creme de menthe and creme de cacao into the cooled marshmallow mixture.
5. In a separate chilled bowl, beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form.
6. Fold the whipped cream into the marshmallow-liqueur mix. If you would like to add green food coloring, do that now.
7. Spread the filling into the chilled pie shell. Sprinkle with shaved chocolate and freeze.

Notes

The original recipe published in 1966 called for 20 marshmallows, however, marshmallows are smaller nowadays. We did some research, and estimated that 32 large modern marshmallows would be roughly equivalent.

Instead of freezing the pie, you can instead chill it by refrigerating it for at least 4 hours. Serve cold. Cover and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 505Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 306mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 1gSugar: 37gProtein: 4g

Click Americana offers approximate nutrition information as a general reference only, and we make no warranties regarding its accuracy. Please make any necessary calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, and consult with a qualified healthcare professional if you have dietary concerns.

See Also

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See the 60s original Grasshopper Pie

Here’s a clipping of the 1966 original Grasshopper Pie recipe, exactly as published.

ALSO TRY: Quick creamy chocolate mint pie (1985)

• Categories: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Vintage dessert recipes,
• Tags: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, alcohol, alcoholic beverages, co*cktails, cookie recipes, cookies, desserts, frozen, mint, peppermint, recipes, Vintage chocolate, vintage dessert recipes, Vintage pie recipes
• Added or last updatedMarch 7, 2023
• Comments: One comment so far