Blue Ribbon Dessert - Four Layer Delight - Mississippi Mud Pie or Bayou Goo

24 servings Prep: 20 m Cook: 25 m Total: 45 m Beginner
5.0/5 (1)
Blue Ribbon Dessert - Four Layer Delight - Mississippi Mud Pie or Bayou Goo
This recipe has an interesting story behind it. MawMaw first ate this dessert with its pecan crust, cream cheese layer, pudding, and Cool Whip at a get-together to celebrate the visit of the author’s brother-in-law on leave from Iraq. It was the hit of the evening. The author tells us that her best friend won a blue ribbon for this dessert. MawMaw gets the recipe, makes the dessert and goes to Holly Beach for a weekend of fun. One of her friends declares it the best dish of the weekend. The friend then gets his Mom’s recipes to submit to the website and finds his Mom had that same recipe, but under a different name. Finally, MawMaw’s mother-in-law gives her all her mother’s recipes in an old recipe box. Her Mom lived until the age of 99. You guessed it - this same recipe was in her treasured recipe box! We also found that it mimics Bayou Goo. Bayou Goo is a pecan crust with a layer of sweet cream cheese, then a layer of vanilla custard swirled with chocolate chunks and topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Ingredients

24 servings
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 stick oleo or softened butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or nuts
  • 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 (8oz) container Cool Whip
  • 2 small (4 oz) boxes of instant pudding (chocolate, lemon or any other flavor)
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the first 3 ingredients - the flour, oleo and nuts. Press into a 13x9 glass pan to form a crust. Bake for 20-30 minutes (until the edges are golden brown). Let cool completely before adding the next layer.
  3. Mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 of the container of Cool Whip, and the powdered sugar. Spread on top of the cooled crust.
  4. Mix the pudding and the milk. Add the vanilla and blend well. Pour on top of the white layer. Add the rest of the cool whip on top of the pudding layer.
  5. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of nuts if desired. Refrigerate at least 2 hours until ready to eat. Enjoy. Maw-maw made this dessert using sugar free pudding mix and Splenda for the sugar.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my crust soggy?

A: Make sure the crust is completely cooled before adding the cream cheese layer. Any residual heat will cause condensation and make it soggy. Also, refrigerate the dessert uncovered for the first 30 minutes to let excess moisture evaporate.

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Absolutely! This dessert actually tastes better the next day after the layers have had time to set up. You can make it up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator.

Q: My cream cheese layer is lumpy, what did I do wrong?

A: Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese won't blend smoothly with the Cool Whip and powdered sugar.

Tips and Techniques

The crust can be made a day ahead and stored at room temperature. For a richer flavor, toast the pecans for 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees before mixing them into the crust. If using chocolate pudding, try sprinkling mini chocolate chips on top for extra flair.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Cool Whip: homemade whipped cream (2 cups heavy cream whipped with 1/4 cup sugar)
  • instant pudding: cook-and-serve pudding
  • pecans: walnuts or almonds
  • powdered sugar: Splenda or other sugar substitute

Equipment Needed

  • 13x9 inch glass baking pan
  • mixing bowls
  • electric mixer (for cream cheese layer)

Historical Context

This layered dessert became a Southern potluck staple in the 1960s and 70s when convenience products like instant pudding and Cool Whip made it easy for busy cooks to create impressive-looking desserts. Known by many names across the South, it’s the kind of recipe that gets passed around at church socials and family reunions.