Mojito Pie — Something Cold for the Porch After the Catfish

Week 481. Year 10. Tommy is 43. Deep summer. The business thriving. Luc (19) at LSU studying engineering. The heat index above 100 and the AC straining and the only relief is the cold beer and the screened porch and the sound of the fan turning and the knowledge that fall is coming and the gumbo is waiting.

Made fried catfish this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Encore là — still here.

After a plate of fried catfish in a house smelling like Louisiana, you want something cold that earns its place at the table — not fussy, not heavy, just bright and sharp and alive. The Mojito Pie came out of the refrigerator while the fan was still turning on the porch, and it was the right call: lime and mint against that deep-summer heat, the kind of dessert that makes you feel like the season is working with you instead of against you. Year ten calls for a little celebration, and this was it.

Mojito Pie

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 0 min (plus chilling) | Total Time: 4 hrs 20 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4–5 limes)
• 2 tablespoons lime zest
• 2 tablespoons white rum (or 1 teaspoon rum extract)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Fresh mint sprigs and lime slices, for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the crust. Combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter in a bowl and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
2. Beat the filling. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until fully incorporated.
3. Add the mojito flavors. Mix in the lime juice, lime zest, rum (or rum extract), and chopped fresh mint. Stir until the filling is uniform and slightly thickened from the lime acid.
4. Whip the cream. In a separate chilled bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form. Gently fold half the whipped cream into the lime filling to lighten it, then fold in the remainder until just combined.
5. Fill and chill. Pour the filling into the chilled graham cracker crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firmly set.
6. Garnish and serve. Just before serving, top with fresh mint sprigs and thin lime slices. Slice with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for clean edges.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 230mg