Easy Peanut Butter Pie
This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for details.
There’s no other way to say this…but this Peanut Butter Pie is the best dessert you’ll ever make/eat/lay eyes on. It sets perfectly, slices beautifully, and everyone always raves about how impressive it is. Oh, and did I mention the assembly time is under 30 minutes?!
The hardest thing about this Peanut Butter Pie recipe is waiting for it to set once it’s assembled. The pie itself comes together in less than half an hour. But it does need to sit in the fridge at least 5 hours, making it the perfect make-ahead dessert. And honestly, it tastes even better the next day.
Seriously, this is one of the easiest dessert recipes ever. And I’ve even included no-bake crust options to make this recipe for peanut butter pie 100% oven free! Who knew something so decadent could be so easy?
Why You’ll Love This Easy Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
- Quick and easy – The filling doesn’t require any baking and is ready to chill in under 30 minutes
- Great make-ahead dessert – Since it requires chilling time in the refrigerator to set, this is a great option to make a day or two ahead.
- Everyone always loves this pie—It’s a tried-and-true flavor combo, with peanut butter you can actually taste! And while the filling is rich in flavor, it’s surprisingly light in texture, making it perfect all year long.
Simple Peanut Butter Pie Ingredients
This peanut butter cream cheese pie uses simple ingredients you might even have in your kitchen right now!
For the Chocolate Crust:
- Chocolate graham crackers – should equal about 2 cups of chocolate crumbs
- Melted butter – salted or unsalted works!
- Granulated sugar– the sugar adds sweetness, but it also melts to glue all the crumbs together!
Note: If you don’t want to make your own crust, feel free to use a store-bought chocolate crust instead.
For the Creamy Peanut Butter Filling:
- Heavy whipping cream– heavy whipping cream and heavy cream are interchangeable in this recipe.
- Powdered sugar -divided. This is for thickening and for sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – divided
- Cream cheese – softened. I use full-fat, block cream cheese for this recipe. Soften at room temperature so that it mixes easily.
Peanut butter – use a smooth or creamy variety, I stick with commercial brands like Skippy or Jif.
How To Make Peanut Butter Pie
Be sure to check out the full directions in the recipe card to get the best results.
To Make the Chocolate Crust
Skip this step if you’re using a premade crust.
Step 1
Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs with a food processor (or place them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin).
Step 2
Pour the crumbs into a bowl. Add the granulated sugar and give a stir to combine the two.
Pour the melted butter over the crumb mixture. Stir everything together until the texture resembles something like wet sand.
Tip: The crumb mixture should hold together if you squeeze some in your hand.
Step 3
Pour the crumbs into a lightly greased pie pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup, or glass to press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides.
Bake the crust in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling.
For the Peanut Butter Pie Filling
Step 1
Use a hand mixer to beat the heavy cream, ¼ cup of the powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a mixing bowl.
Start on low to combine, then increase to medium high speed and whip until stiff peaks form.
Step 2
In another large bowl, add the softened cream cheese, peanut butter, the remaining ¾ cup of powdered sugar, and the remaining teaspoon of vanilla.
Beat everything together with the hand mixer on medium speed. It will be thick at first, but that’s okay!
Step 3
Add two big tablespoons of the homemade whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and beat it in.
This helps lighten up the mixture so it’s easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream later.
Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture using a rubber spatula. Be gentle so you don’t lose all the fluff.
Keep folding until everything is combined and smooth and the streaks are gone.
Assemble the Pie
Step 1
Spoon the filling into the cooled chocolate graham crust and smooth out the top so it’s nice and even.
Step 2
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for at least 5 hours or overnight. Once the pie has set, add toppings if you’d like, slice, and serve!
How To Make A No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
The homemade chocolate graham cracker crust needs to be baked and cooled before being filled, or it’ll be too crumbly. For a 100% no-bake peanut butter pie, try one of these crust variations instead:
- Swap the chocolate crust for a traditional graham cracker crust. Instead of baking, just freeze the crust for 30 minutes before filling.
- Make an Oreo cookie crust by crushing 24 Oreos (2 cups of crumbs) instead of chocolate graham crackers. Reduce the butter to 6 tablespoons (because of the Oreo cream filling) and omit the sugar. No need to bake, just freeze the crust for 30 minutes before filling.
- Grab a store-bought graham cracker crust (chocolate or plain). Use a deep dish crust if you can, but if not, you’ll just have a little extra filling to nibble on. No need to pre-bake these crusts, just fill and chill.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Best Peanut Butter Pie
- A homemade chocolate graham cracker crust NEEDS to be baked; otherwise, it’ll be too crumbly. See the “no bake peanut butter pie” section for alternate no bake crusts.
- If you’re using a baked crust, make sure it’s cooled completely before filling, so the peanut butter cream filling doesn’t melt.
- For the filling, start by folding in just a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream to loosen up the dense peanut butter and cream cheese filling. This makes it much easier to fold in the rest of the whipped cream later.
- Be gentle when you fold in the remaining whipped cream, you don’t want to knock all the air out. The whipped cream keeps the filling light and fluffy.
How to Serve Peanut Butter Pie
Slice the pie straight from the fridge and serve as is, with a little whipped topping, or with a scoop of Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream or Cookies and Cream Ice Cream. I’ve also included a few more topping ideas you might like:
- Top with shaved chocolate curls, chopped peanuts, crushed Oreos, or chopped peanut butter cups.
- Drizzle chocolate ganache or caramel sauce over the top of the pie.
- If it’s Girl Scout Cookie season, garnish each slice with a Peanut Butter Pattie or Tagalong cookie. Sure, it’s a little over the top, but everyone always loves it!
How to Store Leftover Peanut Butter Pie
Store leftover pie in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’re storing the pie in the pie plate, press a piece of plastic wrap against the cut sides of the peanut butter filling to keep it moist and from drying out.
More Easy Pie Recipes
Peanut Butter Pie Recipe FAQs
Yes, use a thawed 8-ounce container of Cool Whip and swap it for the whipped heavy cream in the recipe.
I have not tested this, since natural peanut butter can be super oily and separate. I recommend using standard creamy peanut butter like Skippy or Jif for this recipe.
Definitely. Slices of pie can be frozen for up to two months when stored in a freezer safe, airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight.
Save This Recipe
Just enter your email below and we will send this recipe right to your inbox, plus we will send more yummy recipes and ideas.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie (No Bake Filling)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Crust:
- 14 whole chocolate graham crackers (about 2 cups of crumbs)
- 8 tablespoons melted butter (salted or unsalted – either works!)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Peanut Butter Filling:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural peanut butter)
Instructions
Make the chocolate graham cracker crust (skip if using a store made crust)
- Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. You can use a food processor or place them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Pour the crumbs into a bowl. Add the sugar and give it a quick stir.
- Pour the melted butter over the crumb mixture and stir everything together until it looks like wet sand. It should hold together if you squeeze some in your hand.
- Dump the crumbs into a lightly greased 8½ – or 9-inch pie plate. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or glass to press the crumbs firmly into the pie plate. Make sure to get up the sides evenly too.
- Bake the crust at 350°F for 10–15 minutes, until it smells nice and toasty.
- Let it the pie crust cool completely before adding the filling.
Make the no bake peanut butter filling
- In a mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, ¼ cup of the powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
- Use a hand mixer to beat the mixture—start on low speed to combine, then increase to medium high speed and whip until stiff peaks form. (That means when you lift the beaters, the cream stands up on its own.) Set this aside.
- In another large bowl, add the softened cream cheese, peanut butter, the remaining ¾ cup of powdered sugar, and the remaining teaspoon of vanilla.
- Beat the cream cheese and peanut butter mixture with the hand mixer on medium speed. It might look thick at first—kind of like cookie dough—but that’s okay! Just make sure it’s all mixed in.
- Add two big tablespoons of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and beat it in. No need to be gentle at this step. The cream helps lighten up the mixture so it’s easier to fold in the rest of the whipped cream later.
- Now, gently fold the rest of the whipped cream into the peanut butter filling using a rubber spatula. Take your time and be gentle so you don’t lose all the fluff from the whipped cream. Keep folding until everything is combined, smooth, and no streaks remain.
- Spoon the filling into the cooled chocolate crust and smooth out the top.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill the pie in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight until firm. Once the pie has set, slice and serve!
Notes
- For a completely no-bake peanut butter pie, use a pre-made deep-dish graham cracker crust (plain or chocolate) or make a homemade graham cracker crust. Store-bought crusts can be filled right away, but a homemade crust should be frozen for 30 minutes before filling. The chocolate crust in this recipe requires baking, otherwise it’s too crumbly.
- Store leftover pie in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze slices for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen pie in the fridge before serving.
So delicious and surprisingly light!
Yay! Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂