Cookies N' Cream Pie

No oven, no rolling pin, no fuss. This frozen chocolate pie comes together with a whisk and a freezer, which makes it a summer lifesaver and an easy project to tackle with kids.

The base is instant pudding beaten into cold half-and-half until thick, which gives the filling more body than a milk-only version and keeps it from freezing rock hard. Let the pudding stand a few minutes to set before you fold in the whipped topping; folding gently keeps the filling airy instead of dense.

Crushed sandwich cookies go in last for that signature speckled look and crunch. Spoon it all into a chocolate crumb crust and freeze until firm, at least six hours. The trick at serving: let it sit out ten minutes so it softens enough to slice cleanly.

Kitchen Tips

• Use cold half-and-half straight from the fridge; instant pudding needs the chill to set up properly.
• Fold, don’t stir, when the whipped topping goes in. Stirring deflates it and the pie loses its lightness.
• Crush the cookies coarsely so you get crunchy bits, not powder, scattered through the filling.
• Let the frozen pie stand ten minutes before slicing; cut it straight from the freezer and it shatters.

Variations

• Swap chocolate pudding for vanilla to let the cookies stand out more.
• Use a graham or vanilla crumb crust instead of chocolate.
• Stir in mini chocolate chips or a swirl of peanut butter for extra richness.