Jack-O-Lantern Pie

This Halloween pie is all about the fun. Orange Jello melted into softened vanilla ice cream creates a creamy, sherbet-like filling that sets up in a chocolate Oreo cookie crust. Once it’s firm, kids get to decorate a Jack-O-Lantern face on top using candy corn for the teeth and eyes and black licorice for the mouth and nose.

The filling comes together fast. Dissolve the Jello in boiling water, stir in softened ice cream until smooth, then chill until it thickens slightly before pouring into the crust. That 10-minute chill in the fridge is important. Too liquid and it seeps into the cookie crust and makes it soggy. Slightly thickened, it pours cleanly and sets with a smooth top.

Two hours in the fridge and you’ve got a sliceable, creamy pie ready for decorating. The chocolate crust against the bright orange filling looks instantly festive without any food coloring.

Kitchen Tips

• Soften the ice cream before adding it to the Jello. Rock-hard ice cream won’t melt evenly and leaves lumps in the filling.
• Let the Jello mixture thicken slightly (about 10 minutes in the fridge) before pouring into the crust. This prevents a soggy bottom.
• Decorate right before serving if possible. Candy corn can get sticky and licorice can bleed color if it sits too long on the filling.

Variations

• Pumpkin spice version: Add ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to the Jello mixture before chilling for a warmer, more seasonal flavor.
• Graham cracker crust: Use cinnamon graham cracker crumbs instead of Oreo for a lighter-colored crust.
• Spider web top: Pipe whipped topping in concentric circles and drag a toothpick through for a spider web pattern instead of a Jack-O-Lantern face.