Yummy Sugar Free Dream Pudding Pie

Hate indoor lighting right now!  lol

Now, I know pudding pies are not anything new to the scene and neither is using Dream Whip but just stick with me a minute.  I started making this pie in a sugar free version for my diabetic boyfriend eons ago and just recently, I made another one for the Army lab here on base.  They have 4 diabetic lab techs there and I had sent a huge cake for a celebration for another solider and I felt bad for those 4 that couldn't indulge with everyone else.  How awful to nosh on a carrot stick when everyone else is eating Death By Chocolate cake?  There is just no comparison.  So I sent it along with the cake and don't you know, the pie was gone FIRST.  When they heard it was sugar free, they went nuts.  We figured it up once and at 21 grams of sugar for the whole entire pie (divide that by 9 slices), that is a relatively low dose of sugar AND its milk sugars and not processed cane sugars, which your body processes differently.  One soldier said "I've tried like every thing sugar free out there but this was the best sugar free dessert I have ever eaten."  

What's crazy is that it doesn't even TASTE like sugar free.  You really don't know what you're missing in this case!  Its also kid tested in our house with approval.  They've eaten this pie for years and never known it was sugar free!  My personal favorite is the sugar free cheesecake version because its velvety smooth and gives a light cheesecake flavor without being heavy or thick.  My kids love the cookies and cream flavor.  Today I made this in chocolate fudge for hubby. You could of course make the regular version but if you do the sugar free, you'll feel less guilty for it.  And you honestly don't miss out on ANY flavor by using sugar free.  

If you're taking this somewhere and want to dress it up a bit, chop up some sugar free candies and sprinkle across the top.  Or take a sugar free chocolate bar and shave off some curls.  Sugar free peanut butter cups and the chocolate pudding are awesome together!  You could always use fresh fruit too.  

Creamy, thick and yummy..my 3 favorite things.

Sugar Free Dream Pudding Pie

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups of sugar free vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup of melted, unsalted butter
2 tbsp Splenda (optional)

Crush or process sugar free vanilla wafers till you have 1 1/2 cup of crumbs.  Add melted butter and Splenda (if using) to the crumbs and stir to combine.  Press into a 8 - 9 inch pie plate.  Chill while you make the pudding filling.

For the filling:
2 3/4 cup of milk, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 small boxes of sugar free pudding mix
1 box (2 envelopes) Dream Whip mix

Optional toppings:  fresh fruit, crushed sugar free candies

Combine 1 cup of milk, vanilla and the Dream Whip mixes.  Whip with your mixer until stiff peaks form.  (meaning if you lift up the beaters, the whipped peaks don't fall back down, they stand up and keep their shape)  Blend in the pudding mixes just until incorporated.  With the mixer running on high, drizzle in the remaining 1 3/4 cup of milk slowly.  (will be kinda sloshy)  Keep mixing still thickened and peaks reform and hold their shape.  

Spoon into your prepared shell and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting and serving.  (if you're going to add candies or fruit, do it right before serving)