Looking for a show-stopping dessert that'll have your holiday guests asking for the recipe? This Christmas Peppermint Bavarian Cream Pie is a creamy, dreamy no-bake wonder that tastes like winter in the best way possible! With a crunchy Oreo crust, silky white chocolate filling, and a gorgeous peppermint swirl, this pie is basically Christmas on a plate.
I made this last December when Emily's friends came over for a holiday movie night, and let me tell you – it disappeared faster than I could say "candy cane." The combo of chocolate cookies and peppermint cream? Chef's kiss! Plus, it only takes 15 minutes of hands-on time, which means you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the season.
If you're into festive desserts that don't require baking skills or hours of work, you'll want to check out my Pumpkin Custard Pie for another creamy, crowd-pleasing option.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Christmas Peppermint Bavarian Cream Pie
- What You'll Need For Candy Cane Peppermint Pie
- How To Make This No-Bake Peppermint Pie
- Storage And Reheating Tips For Your Peppermint Pie
- My Best Tips For The Perfect Candy Cane Pie
- Can I Use A Store-Bought Crust?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Peppermint Bavarian Cream Pie
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts On This Peppermint Cream Pie
- Candy Cane Peppermint Pie
Why You'll Love This Christmas Peppermint Bavarian Cream Pie
- No-bake magic – Just 15 minutes of prep, then let the fridge do all the work!
- Make-ahead friendly – Perfect for busy holiday schedules (I make mine 2 days ahead)
- Stunning presentation – The red swirls and crushed candy canes make it look bakery-fancy
- Crowd-pleaser – Even people who say they "don't like peppermint" end up going back for seconds
- Customizable – Add chocolate ganache, extra Oreos, or swap the crust entirely
- Freezer-friendly – Make it now and keep it frozen until you need it!
What You'll Need For Candy Cane Peppermint Pie
Let me break down what goes into this beauty. Most of these ingredients are probably already in your kitchen (or at least in your holiday baking stash).
For The Oreo Crust:
- 25 Oreos – Yes, use the whole cookie with the filling! Don't waste time scraping anything out
- 6 tablespoons salted butter – Melted and ready to bind everything together
For The Peppermint Filling:
- 2 cups heavy cream – This is what makes it so light and fluffy
- ¾ cup powdered sugar – Divided between the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture
- 8 ounces white chocolate – USE GOOD QUALITY BARS, not chips (I learned this the hard way)
- 8 ounces cream cheese – Softened to room temperature (this is important!)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract – The real stuff makes a difference
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract – Start with this amount; you can always add more
- Red food coloring – Just a few drops for that pretty pink swirl
- ½ cup crushed candy canes – Plus extra for decorating on top
Equipment You'll Need:
I use a 9-inch pie plate and my large food processor for the crust. Honestly, if you don't have a food processor, you can put the Oreos in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. It works just as well (and Emily thinks it's fun to help).
How To Make This No-Bake Peppermint Pie
Making The Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. I know this seems weird for a "no-bake" pie, but trust me – we're just setting the crust for 10 minutes.
- Pulse those Oreos in your food processor until they look like fine black sand. The whole cookie goes in – filling and all! Add your melted butter and pulse until everything looks evenly moistened and clumpy.
- Press the mixture into your 9-inch pie plate. I use the flat bottom of a glass to really pack it in there. Make sure you press it up the sides a bit too.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes to set the crust, or if you're in a hurry, just stick it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Either way works perfectly.
Creating The Filling
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream and ½ cup of powdered sugar until you get stiff peaks. This takes about 3-4 minutes with a hand mixer. You'll know it's ready when you can lift the beaters and the cream stands up on its own. Pop this in the fridge while you make the rest.
- Melt your white chocolate in the microwave. Do this in 20-second bursts, stirring really well between each one. It should take about 90 seconds total. Don't rush this part or you'll end up with seized chocolate (been there, done that, cried about it).
- In another large bowl, beat the cream cheese and the remaining ¼ cup of powdered sugar until it's smooth and fluffy. No lumps allowed here!
- Add the melted white chocolate, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, a few drops of red food coloring, and your crushed candy canes to the cream cheese mixture. Mix everything together really well, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. This is where the magic happens!
Bringing It All Together
- Grab your whipped cream from the fridge. Add about ⅔ of it to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula. Don't stir vigorously – you want to keep all that air in there for a light, fluffy texture.
- Transfer the filling to your prepared Oreo crust and smooth the top with your spatula. It should look pretty and pink with little flecks of candy cane throughout.
- Pop the whole thing in the fridge for at least 2 hours. I usually make mine in the morning and serve it after dinner, so it has plenty of time to set up properly.
- Before serving, top with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle crushed candy canes all over the top. You can get fancy with the whipped cream if you want – I sometimes pipe it in swirls around the edge.
Storage And Reheating Tips For Your Peppermint Pie
Storage: Keep this pie covered in the fridge until you're ready to serve it. It'll stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days (though in my house, it's lucky if it lasts 2 days).
Freezing: Want to make this way ahead of time? You totally can! Wrap the entire pie (or individual slices) in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. When you're ready to serve it, just thaw it in the fridge overnight or on the counter for an hour or two. Add the fresh whipped cream and candy cane topping right before serving.
Pro tip: If you freeze it, wait to add the whipped cream topping until after it's thawed. Frozen whipped cream gets a little weird when it defrosts.
My Best Tips For The Perfect Candy Cane Pie
Want to know my secrets? Here's what I've learned from making this pie about a dozen times:
Use white chocolate bars, not chips. I can't stress this enough! White chocolate chips have stabilizers that make them harder to melt smoothly. I grab the Ghirardelli white chocolate baking bars and they melt like a dream.
Let your cream cheese come to room temperature. Cold cream cheese equals lumpy filling. I set mine out about an hour before I start baking (or if I forget, I microwave it for 10 seconds).
Don't skip the crust baking step. I know it seems unnecessary, but those 10 minutes in the oven make the crust hold together so much better. The first time I made this, I skipped it and ended up with crumbly crust all over the place.
Adjust the peppermint to your taste. Some people go crazy for strong peppermint, others prefer just a hint. Start with 1 teaspoon of extract and taste the filling before adding more. You can always add, but you can't take away!
Try different variations. Sometimes I add 12 crushed Oreos right into the filling for a cookies-and-cream situation. Other times I drizzle chocolate ganache on top (heat ½ cup heavy cream for 1 minute, pour over 1 cup chocolate chips, wait 5 minutes, stir until smooth, and drizzle away).
Make it extra special. Want to really wow people? Add some peppermint bark on top or drizzle melted chocolate in a zigzag pattern. Emily likes to help me arrange the candy cane pieces in a pretty design.
Can I Use A Store-Bought Crust?
Absolutely! If you're short on time (or just don't want to deal with another step), grab a premade Oreo crust from the store. It works just as well, and I won't tell anyone if you don't. I've done it plenty of times when I'm making multiple desserts for a party.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Peppermint Bavarian Cream Pie
Yes! Make it up to 2 days ahead and store covered in the fridge. Add the whipped cream topping and candy cane garnish just before serving.
Absolutely! A Oreo crust works perfectly and saves you prep time. Just add the filling and chill.
No, this is a no-bake pie. Only the crust gets a quick 8-10 minute bake to set it, then everything chills in the fridge.
The pie will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days when properly covered. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
Recipes You May Like
If you're all about easy, impressive desserts that look like you spent hours in the kitchen (but didn't), you'll want to try these:
- Gluten-Free Apple Pie – Another beautiful holiday pie that everyone can enjoy
- Fudgy S'mores Brownies – Rich, chocolatey, and perfect for winter gatherings
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies – When you want something sweet but don't need 3 dozen cookies
Final Thoughts On This Peppermint Cream Pie
This Christmas Peppermint Bavarian Cream Pie has become my go-to holiday dessert when I want something that looks fancy but doesn't stress me out. The combination of the crunchy chocolate crust, creamy peppermint filling, and festive candy cane topping is honestly perfect.
What I really love about this recipe is how forgiving it is. Forgot to soften your cream cheese? Microwave it for a few seconds. Want more peppermint? Add another ¼ teaspoon of extract. Need to make it two days early? No problem at all!
Last Christmas, I made three of these pies for different parties, and they were the first desserts to disappear every single time. People kept asking if I bought them from a bakery (which might be my best compliment ever).
So whether you're hosting Christmas dinner, bringing dessert to a holiday party, or just want to treat yourself to something special this winter, give this candy cane peppermint pie a try. It's one of those recipes that makes you look like a baking genius without actually requiring genius-level skills.
Save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it when you need a stunning holiday dessert!
Candy Cane Peppermint Pie
Equipment
- 9-inch Pie Plate
- Large Food Processor
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 25 Oreos
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Filling
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar divided
- 8 ounces white chocolate chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Red food coloring
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candy canes or starlight mints + extra for decorating
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Pulse Oreos (including the filling) in a large food processor until they are fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until evenly moistened. Press into a 9-inch pie plate with the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup. Bake for 8-10 minutes to set or freeze for 15 minutes before filling.
Filling
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream and ½ cup of the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the fridge.
- In a separate bowl, melt the white chocolate in the microwave by heating in 20 second bursts of heat, stirring well between each burst. This should only take about 90 seconds. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and remaining ¼ cup of powdered sugar until smooth. Add the melted white chocolate, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, food coloring, and crushed candy canes. Mix well until combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add ⅔ of the whipped cream to the filling. Use a rubber spatula to fold it in, then transfer the filling to the prepared Oreo pie crust.
- Transfer the pie to the fridge to chill for 2 hours before topping with the remaining whipped cream and decorating with additional crushed candy canes or peppermint bark.
