No Bake Mango Mousse Pie

Buckle up because there is a short story with this recipe. Growing up my mom was known amongst our friends and family for her no bake mango mousse pie, she was always asked to make it for every party. My mom is a vegetarian, but unlike me she has never eaten meat before. So imagine her reaction when she found out that the mango jello packets she was adding to her pie contained gelatin and that gelatin is an animal-based product. That was the death of our beloved mango mousse pie.

Fast forward 12ish years later and I randomly had a craving for this pie that I haven’t had in years. After a bit of experimenting, we perfected the recipe for a gelatin-free version of a no bake mango mousse pie. This takes 30 minutes or less to put together and 30 minutes or less to devour πŸ™‚

What is Mango Mousse Pie made from?

  • Mango Pulp: This is an ingredient you can find at your local South Asian grocery store. I have tried this using a homemade mango pulp, unfortunately it does not taste the same. It must be the pounds of sugar in the canned version, that just make this pie delicious. I’ve linked the Amazon item for the Mango Pulp, but don’t buy it from there, but go to a store.
  • Cream Cheese: You just need one block of plain cream cheese for this! Let it come to room temperature before using to make the process easier.
  • Cool Whip: This is what will make your pie airy and light. Be sure to fold this in at the end instead of whipping it too much.
  • Powdered Sugar: Since we are using the very sugary mango pulp, we don’t need to sweeten this much. Adjust to your liking.
  • Graham Cracker Crust: I use a store bought pie crust that cuts the time it takes to make this recipe by a lot. You can choose to make your own crust by blitzing graham crackers and butter, then baking. But, I recommend sticking to the story bought version.

Notes:

How to elevate this simple pie?: You can add toppings like chopped pistachios, a bit of saffron, or even cardamom powder to give it a bit of a mango lassi flavor. I also think adding some chopped mango to the filling would give it some good texture.

Blending or Whisking?: I have tried both, but since the mango pulp and cream cheese are vastly different in texture, whisking takes a very long time to get a smooth consistency. I used an emersion blender to get a super smooth and lump free filling. Like I stated earlier, don’t blend or whisk the cool whip, gently fold it into the filling.

Fridge or Freezer?: I am team freezer! It makes the pie a bit more solid, but just enough to still keep the airy texture. Just refrigerating will keep the pie very airy and almost give it a pudding like texture.