Decadent and silky, this easy Peanut Butter Pie is a no bake dessert recipe that utilizes only 8 ingredients to make the crust, filling, and toppings. Treat your loved ones to a gourmet treat that’s surprisingly simple to make.
Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
Peanut butter is one of those incredibly unique ingredients that can be made savory or sweet. I love it equally in both ways, but there’s something special about pairing it with cream and sugar in a decadent dessert.
Maybe it’s a childhood love of Reese’s peanut butter cups, but we just love peanut butter desserts!
It also makes the perfect easy, no-bake pie. Since peanut butter is delicious, and acceptable to eat right off the spoon, there’s really no need to bake it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A creamy pie that’s perfect for peanut butter lovers- what’s not to love!
- Simple ingredients – The ingredient list for this simple recipe is actually quite short. In fact, you might have a lot of the ingredients on hand already.
- No bake – I don’t know about you, but I love no bake desserts; especially during summer when it’s just too hot to turn on the oven.
- Loved by all – Every time I serve this chilled pie, it becomes a fast favorites of everyone who gets to enjoy it. And I’m sure it will at your house too.
Peanut Butter Pie Ingredients
A simple combination of whipped cream, butter, and sugar make the creamy filling that sits in a classic no-bake graham cracker crust. The best part?
Making a gourmet pie has never been easier! To make this Peanut Butter Pie all you’ll need is…
- Graham crackers – This is what we will use to make the crust. Store-bought crusts are perfectly acceptable too- especially if you’re trying to cut down on time.
- Powdered sugar – In order to add a little more sweetness to our own graham cracker crust, I like to put in some powdered sugar.
- Melted butter – To hold that delicious crust together, we add some melted butter. I prefer to use unsalted so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Creamy peanut butter – Now onto the good stuff- I don’t like a chunky pie, so I prefer to use creamy peanut butter for this no bake peanut butter pie recipe.
- Heavy cream – We need something to add to the peanut butter to make it, well, a pie filling. This also lends a creamy aspect to the easy pie.
- Vanilla extract – Adding a splash of vanilla to desserts adds another layer of flavor and warmth.
How to Make Peanut Butter Pie
While there are several steps, none are complicated, and some are even optional if you want to make it even easier!
- Make crust. Blend the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Pulse until it resembles crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse several more times until it looks like wet sand.
- Add to pan. Transfer to a pie plate and spread evenly across the bottom and sides, using your fingers to press it firmly into the plate. Using a rounded glass, press firmly down on the crumbs until it is an even crust. Place the crust in the freezer to chill.
- Make pie filling. Start by placing the bowl of your stand mixer in the freezer to chill. Beat the peanut butter, remaining melted butter, and powdered sugar in a bowl and beat until it forms a smooth batter.
- Whip cream. Remove your bowl from the freezer and to it, add the cold whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl. Beat on medium speed until fluffy whipped cream forms.
- Combine with peanut butter. Add whipped cream to the peanut butter batter, and fold in gently to combine. Repeat with the rest of the whipped cream until a smooth, fluffy peanut butter filling forms.
- Add to crust. Spoon the peanut butter filling into the chilled pie crust. Smooth until even on top. Return to the freezer at least one hour, or the fridge.
- Decorate and serve. When you’re ready to serve, decorate the top of your pie with the reserved whipped cream (either spoon or pipe it on), the peanut butter crumbles, and if an option, a drizzle of chocolate or even caramel sauce.
Tips for Making Easy Peanut Butter Pie
Here are some tips and tricks for ensuring you make the perfect peanut butter cream pie every time.
- Gather your ingredients on the counter with all your tools before you begin. Organization makes this fast and easy.
- Chill your mixer bowl, or any large bowl, to make whipping the heavy cream easy and fast.
- If making peanut crumbles for the top, preheat your oven to 350°F, so it’s ready to go when you are.
- A food processor makes the graham cracker crust and the peanut butter crumbles simple to make, but you can also use a plastic bag and a wooden spoon or rolling pin to crush and mix them.
- Have space in your freezer for chilling the crust while you make your peanut butter pie filling, it’ll be ready to fill when you are!
- Pop the finished pie in the freezer to reduce the wait time needed before you eat it! Or store in the fridge if you have a few hours to wait before enjoying.
- If using salted peanuts for the peanut crumbles, don’t add extra salt to the mixture.
Variations
While we love the original recipe exactly as written, there are plenty of ways for you to make this frozen pie your own.
- Whipped cream – Nothing compares to the delicious fluffiness of freshly whipped cream, but you can substitute a full fat cool whip in its place if you’d like too. You’ll need ½ cup for the topping, and 2 ½ cups for the filling.
- Crust – As for the peanut butter pie crust, you can absolutely use a store bought cracker crust to save on time or if you want a traditional pie crust, make one homemade.
- Chocolatey Oreo crust – Instead of using graham crackers, try using Oreos to make this a chocolate peanut butter pie.
- Toppings – Try adding chocolate curls, Reese’s Pieces, melted chocolate, Nutter Butters or chocolate sauce on top of the pie for an added bonus.
Storing Your Peanut Butter Pie
Storage: If you want to pull it out and immediately cut and enjoy a slice, the fridge will keep it at a temperature that allows for that. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Freezing: If you want it to last longer and don’t mind waiting 5 to 10 minutes, keep it in the freezer. You’ll need to slice with a sharp knife, and let it sit for a few minutes so that it’s creamy and delicious. It will stay in the freezer for up to two weeks.
More Summer Desserts
- Red Wine Cherry Cobbler
- Rhubarb Cherry Pie
- Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
- No Bake S’mores Cookies
- Mixed Berry Pie
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No Bake Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
Decadent and silky, this easy Peanut Butter Pie is a no bake dessert recipe that utilizes only 8 ingredients to make the crust, filling, and toppings!
Servings:
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Crumbles (optional):
- 2 sheets graham crackers
- 1/4 cup dry unsalted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Crust:
- 10 sheets graham crackers
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
Peanut Butter Pie:
- 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Peanut Butter Crumbles (optional):
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the graham crackers, peanuts and powdered sugar into the food processor. Pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the melted butter and give it a few more pulses.
- Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and press (free form) into a square about ½ inch thick.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Allow to cool before breaking into shards or crumbles for garnishing.
Crust:
- Blend the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor (or a large zip top plastic bag) with ¼ cup of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Pulse until it resembles crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse several more times until it looks like wet sand.
- Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and spread evenly across the bottom and sides, using your fingers to press it firmly into the plate. Using a rounded glass, press firmly down on the crumbs until it is an even crust. Be sure to go around the sides with your fingers firmly to pack it in. Place the crust in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
Peanut Butter Pie:
- Start by placing the bowl of your stand mixer, or any large mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
- In a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (not the one in the freezer), beat the peanut butter, remaining melted butter, a pinch of salt, and ¼ cup of powdered sugar in a bowl and beat until it forms a smooth batter.
- Remove your bowl from the freezer and to it, add the cold whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl. Beat on medium speed until fluffy whipped cream forms.
- Remove ½ cup of whipping cream for the topping later and place in a covered bowl in the fridge.
- Add half of the remaining whipped cream to the peanut butter batter, and fold in gently to combine. Repeat with the rest of the whipped cream until a smooth, fluffy peanut butter filling forms.
- Spoon the peanut butter filling into the chilled pie crust. Smooth until even on top. Return to the freezer at least one hour, or the fridge for at least 4 hours.
- When you’re ready to serve, decorate the top of your pie with the reserved whipped cream (either spoon or pipe it on), the peanut butter crumbles, and if an option, a drizzle of chocolate or even caramel sauce!
- Slice and serve, cover the leftovers and store in the fridge for 3 days or the freezer for two weeks.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments and ratings.
Nutrition
Calories: 516 kcal, Carbohydrates: 28 g, Protein: 12 g, Fat: 42 g, Saturated Fat: 14 g, Cholesterol: 49 mg, Sodium: 385 mg, Potassium: 320 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 15 g, Vitamin A: 1134 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 46 mg, Iron: 1 mg
Can you use ready made whipped cream?
Sounds delicious
I hope to receive an answer. So many sites never answer. 🙂
Hi Pat! I always answer 🙂 I would shy away from using the ready made whipped cream in a can- it is actual whipped cream, but it falls flat super easy and gets soupy. For something like this, you are better off using a stabilized whipped cream or a “whipped topping” like Cool Whip so they don’t melt. Hope that helps! – Jessica
This is the epitome of all desserts in my opinion! I LOVE peanut butter pie! It’s so perfect for summer and has the perfect combination of flavors…YUM!!
I’m in love with this recipe! I had to make it as soon as I saw it. It’s no-bake, which is a bonus, and it got gobbled up in no time!
Yum! I love Peanut butter flavor. I am sure my kids will love this!
Delicious flavor of Peanut Butter. So creamy and delicious. Presentation perfect.
This pie has my name written all over it! Love that I don’t have to turn on the oven to make it!