This peanut butter pie is amazingly delicious! With a chocolate chip cookie crust, creamy peanut butter filling, and a heaping of chopped nuts and shaved chocolate, it has become one of our family’s favorite desserts.
I wasn’t always a big fan of peanut butter pie. I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, but most versions are too rich for me. Sometimes I bite and feel like I can’t do it anymore. But this no-bake peanut butter pie completely changed my mind.
The crust is fantastic and super easy to make with chocolate chip cookies (I use Oreos!) and butter. The cloud-like filling is heavenly with cream cheese, whipped cream, and peanut butter. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s no baking for this pie, just refrigeration, as it needs a night in the fridge to harden enough to get those beautiful slices. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, you might also enjoy our peanut butter chocolate chip cookies or try our chocolate peanut butter cookies.
Key Ingredients
- Peanut butter: Use your favorite peanut butter in this pie! Our homemade peanut butter works well, as does natural peanut butter (just make sure to whisk it well to mix in the oil). We only tested this pie with unsweetened peanut butter. If your peanut butter has added sugar, you may need to adjust the sugar in the recipe to make sure it’s not too sweet. Start by reducing the sugar by a few spoons and adjust to taste. Although optional, I love the salty kick that peanut butter adds to this pie!
- Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioners’ sugar, this is perfect for making our pie filling delicious. Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps before adding it to the other ingredients.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cheese in this pie. You want it to soften to room temperature (soft enough that you can easily press it with your finger), so leave it on the counter for a few hours before making the pie.
- Cream: Whipped cream makes our pie fluffy and airy. You will need “heavy cream” or “heavy cream” (or “double cream” if you are outside the US).
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: Oreos are a classic peanut butter pie cookie, but other chocolate sandwich cookies like Newman-O’s or Joe-Joe’s will work, too. I made this frosting two ways: with cookies and cream inside and with whipped cream and tossed. The recipe does not change in any way, but if you remove the cream, the crust will be less (which is good against the sweet filling).
- Butter: You will need unsalted butter, which is soft at room temperature (soft enough to press your finger into). Leave it on the counter with the cream cheese for a few hours before making the pie.
How to Make Peanut Butter Pie
To make this peanut butter pie, I start with the crust. A food processor makes it quick and easy! Beat the chocolate chip cookies until they form fine crumbs. Then, add the softened butter and process until the mixture comes together.
Pour the mixture into your pie dish and press it into an even crust. I like to use the bottom of a flat measuring cup or drinking glass to press the crumbs into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the bowl. You may find the mixture sticks to your fingers a bit but don’t worry too much about making it perfect. Once you add the filling, everything will come together nicely.
Next, the peanut butter filling! I use a stand mixer to whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Remove the whipped cream from the bowl and set aside (no need to wash it!). Then, using the same bowl, beat the peanut butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar on medium speed until the mixture is smooth.
I gently mix the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until combined, then spread the creamy filling on the prepared crust.
I like to add a handful of chopped nuts and shaved chocolate before refrigerating for at least 8 hours or overnight. This allows the filling to firm up, making cutting those nice, clean slices easier. And that’s it. A very sweet, not too rich, peanut butter pie!
Easy Peanut Butter Pie
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This no-bake peanut butter pie has quickly become a family favorite. I use Oreo cookies for the frosting, but other chocolate chip cookies should be fine. For peanut butter, I choose homemade peanut butter or organic peanut butter that has been well shaken to add fat. If you have sweetened peanut butter, you may want to reduce the sugar listed below by a tablespoon or two to adjust. I also like salted peanut butter and think it makes the pie taste better. If you don’t have salted, add a pinch of salt to the filling when mixing.
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie, 8 slices
You will need it
24 (278g) chocolate cream cookies, like Oreo’s
5 tablespoons (70g) butter, softened
1 ½ cups (170g) powdered sugar
1 cup (236ml) heavy cream
6 ounces (170g) fat block cream cheese, softened
1 cup (270g) finely ground peanut butter
1/4 cup (40g) roasted nuts, chopped, optional
Grated chocolate for garnish, optional
Directions
- Make the cookie crust
1Lightly coat a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray or extra butter.
2Place the chocolate chip cookies in a food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs. Add the softened butter and beat again until the crumbs and butter are well mixed.
3Place the cookie and butter mixture into the prepared pie dish. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the bowl to create a crust. You may find the mixture sticks to your fingers a bit but don’t worry too much about making it perfect. Once you add the filling, everything will come together nicely. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.
- Make Peanut Butter Pie
1Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and set aside.
2In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer), combine the heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of the sifted powdered sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and set aside, ready to add to the filling later.
3Place the stand mixer bowl (no need to clean it) back into the mixer and insert the paddle attachment. Then, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter on medium speed until well combined. It’s okay if it’s intense.
4Reduce the mixer to low speed and gradually mix in the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. It’s okay if the mixture looks crumbly.
5Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix in the whipped cream on low speed until combined.
6Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Garnish with chopped peanuts and chocolate shavings.
7Refrigerate the pie overnight to allow it to set completely, then serve. Keep the pie chilled in the fridge if you are not serving the pie, as the filling will soften if left at room temperature.
Tips from Adam and Joanne
- To save: I use plastic wrap or an airtight container to cover the pie and place it in the coldest part of my refrigerator (usually the back). It will last up to 4 days.
- Pie dish: For the photos, we used a 10-inch pie dish. If you’re using a standard 9-inch pie pan, your crust will be larger, and the filling will be less full than ours. The video shows this pie made in a 9.5 inch pan.
- Oreo Cookies: For a more tart crust, use a butter knife to remove the cream filling from the cookies before tossing them into the crumbs.
- No stand mixer: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer with a large mixing bowl to whip the cream and mix the filling.
- Chocolate shavings: Watch our video to see how we make chocolate shavings. I swipe my vegetable peeler on the side of the chocolate bar.
- The nutrition facts given below are estimates. We did not include the optional crushed nuts and chocolate shavings in the calculation.
Food Per Serving
Serving Size
1 piece (8 total)
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Calories
493
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Perfect Oils
37.4g
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Saturated Fats
15.6g
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Cholesterol
57.5 mg
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Sodium
228.5 mg
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Carbohydrate
34.8g
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Dietary fiber
1.6g
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Total Sugar
28.6g
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Proteins
9.1g
