The best tips for making a grasshopper pie often depend a great deal upon the specifics of the recipe a person is following. In general, however, people should look at the basic instructions of different recipes and find one that seems to work well and fits their needs. There are some specific aspects of many of these recipes that can be changed or considered independently, allowing people to combine their favorite aspects from multiple recipes. Different recipes for grasshopper pie can vary quite a bit on how the crust and filling are made, which can have a tremendous impact on the pie.
A grasshopper pie typically contains a minty filling that is light and fluffy, poured into a graham cracker or cookie crust. Different recipes can make use of widely varying methods for making each of these major elements, so these should be looked at independently. Anyone making a grasshopper pie should consider the fact that the filling and crust can be mixed and matched between recipes. If someone prefers the crust from one recipe and the filling from another, then he or she can easily follow the part of each recipe that he or she prefers and combine them.
The crust for a grasshopper pie can be baked prior to filling or served unbaked. Someone preparing a pie with a graham cracker crust should use the type of crackers he or she prefers, and consider both plain and chocolate varieties. Different types of cookies can be used to make a crust, though wafer cookies with cream filling are quite common. For additional chocolate and mint flavor in a grasshopper pie, chocolate wafer cookies with mint cream filling can be used.
Different recipes can also call for a wide range of fillings that are prepared in a variety of ways. One of the most common and easiest ways to prepare the filling for a grasshopper pie is by melting marshmallows with some butter and either milk, cream, or a combination of both. Other recipes can require the use of gelatin, which is mixed into water and sugar to form a simple gelatin mixture that is then allowed to cool until it begins to set. Both types of filling usually call for crème de menthe and crème de cacao, which are types of flavored liquor, and are chilled and then added to whipped cream. Someone preparing a grasshopper pie should choose the filling that he or she has the time and baking experience to make.