This homemade Peanut Butter Pie is made from scratch with just a few ingredients and will have everyone coming back for seconds! It's CRAZY good! With step-by-step video.
Yield:
8 to 10 servings
Prep Time:20minutes
Cook:12minutes
Tessa's Recipe Rundown...
Taste: Like a massive peanut butter cup from heaven. Texture: The crust is crunchy yet buttery, the peanut butter filling is ultra light, fluffy, and luscious, and the candy on top takes it to a whole other level. Every bite is bliss. Ease: Super duper easy!! You’ll get a few dishes dirty and need some patience for the pie to set but this is a great easy go-to dessert recipe. Appearance: It’s everything a girl could want in a pie! Pros: Easy, crowd-pleasing, and can be made ahead of time. Cons: None! Would I make this again? 100% yes.
To me, peanut butter is one of the great pleasures of life. I’m OBSESSED with the stuff.
Especially when it’s combined with chocolate… in PIE form. Life doesn’t get much better than a Peanut Butter Pie.
This isn’t any old peanut butter pie. I mean, just look at it. It’s over the top, messy, and unapologetically sinful in the best possible way.
I’ve accompanied this recipe with a step-by-step video to not only show you how to make this beautiful pie, but to whet your appetite for it. Because the chocolate + peanut butter flavors truly belong together.
This easy peanut butter pie recipe is that it is a total crowd pleaser and won’t last long at all. That coupled with the fact that it can be made completely ahead of time makes it a perfect go-to recipe for easy entertaining. Everyone will want seconds of this pie. It’s that good!
How to Make Easy Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Pie Filling:
Cream cheese – make sure to use a regular full-fat cream cheese brick!
Powdered sugar
Peanut butter
Heavy whipping cream
Vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Pie CRUST Variations!
This recipe calls for a chocolate graham cracker crust, but you could also use:
Chocolate Teddy Grahams or chocolate wafer cookies (use the same amount by weight for best results, you should have about 1 3/4 cups crumbs total)
Oreo crust (follow the crust ingredients & instructions in this recipe)
Regular graham crackers (follow the crust instructions in this recipe)
My favorite part about this pie recipe is that it’s homemade! We make the filling with a mixture of peanut butter (of course!), cream cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Whipping the cream then folding it in with the other beaten ingredients gives this pie a light, creamy, yet rich texture without any Cool Whip.
What kind of peanut butter is best for pie?
Use conventional creamy peanut butter for this recipe, such as Skippy or Jif.
Any kind of “natural” peanut butter that doesn’t include an added oil to stabilize the mixture will result in a pie filling that will become oily and separated. If you must use natural peanut butter, make sure it’s extremely well stirred and smooth before using.
How much melted chocolate + peanut butter for topping?
This is entirely up to you and your taste preferences! Simply melt the peanut butter and chocolate in your microwave and drizzle as much as you’d like over your pie.
Can’t have peanuts? Use almond butter instead!
Use the same amount of almond butter as peanut butter in the recipe. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and almond butter filling (still adding the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the heavy cream mixture as well).
For the toppings, skip the Reese’s cups and peanut butter chips and instead garnish with almond butter cups and melted chocolate, or any other toppings of your choice!
How Long is Peanut Butter Pie Good For?
You can actually serve the finished pie frozen or refrigerated, just depending on which texture you prefer. Or how hot it is outside! Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze Peanut Butter Pie:
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
This homemade Peanut Butter Pie is made from scratch with just a few ingredients and will have everyone coming back for seconds! It's CRAZY good! With step-by-step video.
Ingredients
For the crust:
14whole chocolate graham crackers (196 grams)
1tablespoonlight brown sugar
7tablespoons(99 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
8ounces(227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4cup(94 grams) powdered sugar plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1cup(270 grams) creamy conventional peanut butter
1cup(240 grams) heavy whipping cream
1teaspoonvanilla extract
For the topping:
Melted peanut butter
Melted chocolate
Mini Reese’s cups
Peanut butter chips
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
For the crust:
In the bowl of a food processor, process the crackers and sugar until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Use the bottom of a measuring cup, glass, or ramekin to press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until fragrant, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For the filling:
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and the peanut butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer with the whisk attachment to whip the heavy cream until thick and light. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and the vanilla extract and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Pour into the prepared pie shell and freeze for 3 hours or chill in the fridge at least 6 hours.
Place your melted peanut butter and melted chocolate in separate resealable bags or piping bags. Snip off a tiny corner of the bag's tip. Squeeze slightly to drizzle the melted peanut butter and melted chocolate over your pie. Top with mini Reese's cups and peanut butter chips. Serve frozen or refrigerated.
Store in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
This recipe was originally published 3/18/15 and has been updated with new tips & photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
April Baking Challenge
This recipe was the April 2022 selection for our monthly baking challenge! Every month you can join the challenge by baking the recipe and snapping a photo for a chance to win prizes! Full challenge details here. Check out some of the delicious pies baked by you guys:
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
About Tessa...
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
Kiersten @ Handle the Heat
— November 8, 2022 at 10:24 am
Hi Ashley! Feel free to experiment if you wish, but we haven’t tried this recipe with anything except full fat cream cheese, so we couldn’t say if anything else would work in its place. I really don’t think you can taste the cream cheese when paired with all the other deliciousness, though, if that helps 🙂
Kiersten @ Handle the Heat
— October 6, 2022 at 9:30 am
Hi Leslie! It sure can! Tessa included all the information about shelf life and even freezing instructions, in the pink tip box, above the recipe. Happy baking 🙂
I am going to make this recipe using cookie butter in the place of the peanut butter. Maybe top it with crushed Ferrero Rocher hazelnut chocolates. Mmm. Sounds mouth watering if you ask me!)
Kiersten @ Handle the Heat
— September 2, 2022 at 9:46 am
Hi Francesca! No, unfortunately milk cannot be substituted for whipping cream in this recipe. You need to whip the cream to stiff peaks, then fold other ingredients in, and milk will not hold a stiff peak. Let us know what you think if you give this recipe a try!
I made it once just for fun and now I get requests for it every gathering I go to. I used the Famous Chocolate Wafers for the crust because I couldn’t find chocolate Grahams. It worked perfectly.
Made this over the weekend, and of course it turned out great (no surprise!). I kept it very bare bones – used a simple pre-made graham cracker crust I had on hand and added a basic chocolate sauce and homemade whipped cream. Perfect for all of us stuck in this heatwave!
Kiersten @ Handle the Heat
— June 21, 2022 at 7:38 am
Hi Shamistha! I’m not familiar with the term ‘soft sugar’, sorry! Powdered sugar, icing sugar, confectioners’ sugar and 10X sugar are all the exact same thing. It’s essentially regular (white, granulated) sugar that has been ground down to a fine powdery consistency. Tessa talks about how to make your own at home here! I hope that helps 🙂
I made this today I was surprised at how easy it was. Now, I had to use a pre made chocolate graham cracker crust because the stir did not have chocolate graham crackers, and I didn’t realize I could have used Teddy Grahams. But it still was delicious
Kiersten @ Handle the Heat
— May 25, 2022 at 9:37 am
Hi Senikka! For best results, decorate after freezing 🙂 If you decorate before freezing, your decorations could start to sink into your pie, since it won’t be fully set yet! I hope you enjoy your peanut butter pie! 🙂
Kiersten @ Handle the Heat
— May 25, 2022 at 7:20 am
Hi Linda! I’m so happy you are loving this peanut butter pie! There is a little printer icon at the top of the page, right below the initial recipe description, but I have also linked the printer-friendly page right here. You should be able to print from there 🙂 Happy baking!
This pie was so easy and delicious. A new fave in my family! The Oreo crust didn’t hold together very well, so I may use a tad more butter next time. Thanks for a great recipe!
A peanut butter lover’s dream! I used oreos instead of chocolate graham crackers and the rest of the recipe was ridiculously easy to follow. My whole family loved it!
Great recipe, filling is excellent! You can use mix up candy on top depending on what you like. Reese’s Take 5 worked well and added a little crunch and salt to the flavor.
Easy and fun recipe that looks so decadent. I love that you can make it ahead and freeze it which is what I’ve done. I’ve made a peanut butter pie before but not with these decorations. I can’t wait to try it.
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Is the cream cheese non negotiable? Would love to make this but I am just not a fan of cream cheese.
Hi Ashley! Feel free to experiment if you wish, but we haven’t tried this recipe with anything except full fat cream cheese, so we couldn’t say if anything else would work in its place. I really don’t think you can taste the cream cheese when paired with all the other deliciousness, though, if that helps 🙂
Can this be made a day or two ahead without the crust getting soggy?
Hi Leslie! It sure can! Tessa included all the information about shelf life and even freezing instructions, in the pink tip box, above the recipe. Happy baking 🙂
I am going to make this recipe using cookie butter in the place of the peanut butter. Maybe top it with crushed Ferrero Rocher hazelnut chocolates. Mmm. Sounds mouth watering if you ask me!)
Hi Sara! That sounds like it could be delicious – let us know how it goes once you have given that a try!! 🙂
My family LOVED this! I will definitely use this recipe again!! Thank you for sharing!!
could you use milk in place of heavy whipping cream?
Hi Francesca! No, unfortunately milk cannot be substituted for whipping cream in this recipe. You need to whip the cream to stiff peaks, then fold other ingredients in, and milk will not hold a stiff peak. Let us know what you think if you give this recipe a try!
Made this recipe for my work crew. If you want to be the peanut butter pie king then you must use this recipe. It is totally amazing and delicious.
That’s so wonderful to hear, Paul! So glad this was such a hit 🙂
I made it once just for fun and now I get requests for it every gathering I go to. I used the Famous Chocolate Wafers for the crust because I couldn’t find chocolate Grahams. It worked perfectly.
Yay! So happy to hear that, Arianna!!
Made this over the weekend, and of course it turned out great (no surprise!). I kept it very bare bones – used a simple pre-made graham cracker crust I had on hand and added a basic chocolate sauce and homemade whipped cream. Perfect for all of us stuck in this heatwave!
Hi Lauren! So happy to hear this was a delicious, cool treat in this heat!!
Not printable recipe
Hi Charlotte! If you go to the top of the recipe page, you will see a little print icon. This will bring up the printable version of the recipe 🙂 I have included a link to the printable version of the Peanut Butter Pie here! Happy baking 🙂
Is powdered sugar icing sugar or soft sugar
Hi Shamistha! I’m not familiar with the term ‘soft sugar’, sorry! Powdered sugar, icing sugar, confectioners’ sugar and 10X sugar are all the exact same thing. It’s essentially regular (white, granulated) sugar that has been ground down to a fine powdery consistency. Tessa talks about how to make your own at home here! I hope that helps 🙂
I made this today I was surprised at how easy it was. Now, I had to use a pre made chocolate graham cracker crust because the stir did not have chocolate graham crackers, and I didn’t realize I could have used Teddy Grahams. But it still was delicious
So happy you enjoyed this pie, Mary!!
Fantastic and easy!
So happy to hear you loved this pie, Sue!!
Might be a new family favorite I cheated and used a pre made pie crust. So easy!
How can I print the peanut butter pie receipt or can u send it to me please
Hi Ron! There is a little printer icon at the top of the page, right below the initial recipe description, but I have also linked the printer-friendly page (click here). You should be able to print from that link!
Do you decorate before freezing?
Hi Senikka! For best results, decorate after freezing 🙂 If you decorate before freezing, your decorations could start to sink into your pie, since it won’t be fully set yet! I hope you enjoy your peanut butter pie! 🙂
I JUST PUT THIS IN THE FREEZER….EVEN NOW THE FILLING TASTES GREAT….THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH IT, IS THAT I CAN’T SEE WHER E TO PRINT THE. RECIPE.
Hi Linda! I’m so happy you are loving this peanut butter pie! There is a little printer icon at the top of the page, right below the initial recipe description, but I have also linked the printer-friendly page right here. You should be able to print from there 🙂 Happy baking!
I’m going to try to make this pue
We can’t wait to hear what you thought of this delicious pie, Connie!
– Kiersten @ HTH
This recipe is for all the Peanut Butter lovers! Not only was it so easy to make, but I ended making 3 pies all at once.
Simple and delicious recipe. Easy to follow.
This pie was so easy and delicious. A new fave in my family! The Oreo crust didn’t hold together very well, so I may use a tad more butter next time. Thanks for a great recipe!
Absolutely scrumptious!
Delicious pie, will make again!
Yummy!! Awesome pie.
A peanut butter lover’s dream! I used oreos instead of chocolate graham crackers and the rest of the recipe was ridiculously easy to follow. My whole family loved it!
Perfect. Not too sweet, creamy and delicious. Very easy , too!
So good. Perfect for peanut butter lovers and easy to make.
so easy and delicious!
Delicious! Couldn’t find the chocolate grahams but chocolate wafer cookies were a perfect substitute.
The easiest & delicious pie. It’s like eating a jumbo peanut butter cup.:)
Great recipe, filling is excellent! You can use mix up candy on top depending on what you like. Reese’s Take 5 worked well and added a little crunch and salt to the flavor.
Creamy and delicious! Super rich
Easy and fun recipe that looks so decadent. I love that you can make it ahead and freeze it which is what I’ve done. I’ve made a peanut butter pie before but not with these decorations. I can’t wait to try it.