Arkansas' Iconic Possum Pie Does Not Actually Contain Rodents

Possum pie is the unofficial state treat of Arkansas — and despite the rodent-inspired name, it isn't a far cry from the family of other Southern confectionery favorites like chess pie, shoofly pie, and Mississippi mud pie. When foodies think of the Arkansas food scene, salty-savory culinary classics like fried okra, smoky collard greens, chicken-fried steak, and crispy catfish probably come to mind. But, Arkansas' beloved possum pie is as sweet as can be.

Recipes vary from baker to baker, but typically, possum pie consists of a quad-layer of chocolate cream, vanilla pudding, and cream cheese or sour cream, built atop a nutty, toasty crust and all topped by thick, fluffy topping, often homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip. Pecan sandy crust or another nut-crumb crust is traditional. To finish, crunchy chopped pecans or grated chocolate are sprinkled on top for a textural element before this no-bake pie is placed in the fridge to set sets for about four to six hours.

Covered, possum pie lasts for a few days in the fridge or a couple of months in the freezer for easy entertaining last-minute guests. (Pro tip: If you freeze your possum pie, leave off the whipped topping. Then, add it on top post-thaw when you're ready to serve). Possum pie isn't always circular, either. This layered beauty can be made in a pie pan or a casserole dish, the latter of which makes for easier storage.

It's all about the fake-out. Possums are known for playing dead, eluding predators with the ballet-dance of deception. In a similar fashion, possum pie's thick cap of whipped cream drapes and obscures the multitude of layers beneath for a tasty surprise. Whether you call it the "Toothpick State," the "Bear State," or the "Natural State," Arkansas' unofficial state dessert fittingly goes by many names. Possum pie is also called "Arkansas possum pie" and "four-layer delight," among other playful monikers. 

The first written mention of "possum pie" appears in a 1983 restaurant review printed in the local newspaper, the Arkansas Gazette. Although, before that on June 6, 1974, a recipe for a dessert nearly identical to possum pie appeared in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as part of a write-up about the Arkansas Dairy Recipe Contest. Then, in 1982, a recipe for the same pie appeared again in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette under the name "The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford" (great name). This version used a combination of both vanilla and chocolate pudding mixes. It wasn't until the late 2000s that possum pie was printed in a food column as the layered chilled pie fans today know and love. Today, possum pie's highest concentration of popularity resides in bakeries across Western and Northern Arkansas, making this somewhat of a regional dessert.