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Life doesn’t get much better than a Peanut Butter Pie.
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.
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
How to Make Peanut Butter Pie WITHOUT Cool Whip
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 (or any other highly-process whipped topping).
Peanut Butter Pie CRUST Variations!
This recipe calls for a chocolate graham cracker cookie crust, but you could also use:
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.
How Many Peanut Butter Cups Do I Need?
Use as many or as few as you like – and feel free to customize! If you’d like to add some Reese’s Pieces in there, go right ahead – be as creative and fun as you wish!
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 to Serve Peanut Butter Pie
You can actually serve the finished pie frozen or refrigerated, depending on which texture you prefer – or how hot it is outside!
How Long is Peanut Butter Pie Good For?
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. Serve frozen, or thaw overnight in the fridge before serving, if preferred.
More Easy Pie Recipes:
For the crust:
-
14
whole chocolate graham crackers (196 grams)
-
1
tablespoon
light brown sugar
-
7
tablespoons
(99 grams) unsalted butter,
melted
For the filling:
-
8
ounces
(227 grams) cream cheese,
at room temperature
-
3/4
cup
(94 grams) powdered sugar plus 2 tablespoons,
divided
-
1
cup
(270 grams) creamy conventional peanut butter
-
1
cup
(240 grams) heavy whipping cream
-
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
For the topping:
-
Melted peanut butter
-
Melted chocolate
-
Mini Reese’s cups
-
Peanut butter chips
-
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.
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!
This recipe was originally published in 2015 and was recently 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! Learn more about my monthly baking challenges here. Check out some of the delicious pies baked by you guys!
can I use regular graham crackers instead of chocolate?
You sure can, Jolene – tips for this in the pink tip box (above the recipe) 🙂
Do you think adding banana slices on top of crust would be ok with freezing and thawing or will bananas turn yukky?
Hi Jan! Frozen bananas will brown quickly and change consistency slightly once thawed, so I wouldn’t recommend adding the bananas until just before serving, if possible. Maybe try adding sliced bananas on top of the pie and then drizzling with the melted chocolate and peanut butter, and adding the PB cups, and then serve. Feel free to experiment, of course, but that would be my best advice 🙂 I hope that helps! Happy baking!
Great recipe. I made 3 of them for my brother-in-law’s birthday. Easy recipe to follow.
Delicious! Made this for my husband for his birthday – he’s a real Reese’s Peanut Butter cup fan – and he told me I was glorious and a genius. He had two pieces straight up and has declared this his forever birthday pie. Super easy to make! Thank you!!
Would this set up enough to cut it into bars ahead of time? Or is it a loser filling?
Hi Christina! We haven’t tried that, but it should work just fine to make this pie into bars – but just be sure to keep them cold (or even frozen!), for both food safety, best presentation, and to ensure the bars don’t become too loose. I hope that helps! Happy baking!
I made this as the original pie sized recipe once and it was amazing, then for a family gathering I doubled it and made it in a 9×13 and it was a huge success! I have photos of the result and it looked great too!
making this tonight but don’t have a 9 inch baking plate can I buy one of those tin ones at the store??
Hi Tyler! You should be able to purchase a 9-inch pie plate in the kitchen supply section of your grocery store. If you’re referring to the disposable variety, then yes, that should work just fine too. Let us know what you think once you have given this pie a try! Happy baking 🙂
where in the world did you guys all find the choc graham crackers lol?
Hi Enespia! Check out the pink tip box (above the recipe) if you’re unable to find chocolate graham crackers. Tessa listed several variations that will all work perfectly in their place 🙂
Delicious, made for Sunday dinner dessert, used some hot cocoa cookie wafers for the crust, topped with stabilized whipped cream, drizzled homemade chocolate and mini peanut butter cups, big hit. Thanks, every recipe I have made from your blog has been a great success.
Hi, I was wondering can you buy and use cool whip for the filling instead of making your own whip cream with heavy whipping cream?
Hi Haley! We don’t recommend using Cool Whip because it will add a lot more sweetness to the recipe, and it also contains a lot of random ingredients that will alter the texture, too. Feel free to experiment and give it a try, but the recipe as written will be totally worth the extra step. Happy baking 🙂
thank you for the recipe
I made this with natural peanut butter and I’m planning to re-make it with conventional peanut butter instead. My husband isn’t a huge fan of cream cheese. Can I use 4 ounces of cream cheese instead of 8?
Hi Shirley! We haven’t tried this recipe using less cream cheese, so we can’t say for sure! There will be much less filling with half as much cream cheese, and it won’t be as fluffy and creamy – but you can certainly give it a try if you wish! Alternatively, with all the peanut butter and other deliciousness, maybe your husband won’t notice the cream cheese flavor? My husband isn’t a huge cheesecake fan, and he still loves this pie 🙂 I hope that helps! Happy baking!
We substituted Peanut Butter Oreos for the chocolate graham crackers. Best pie I have ever had!
Yum yum yum!! I made this peanut butter pie for my husbands birthday. It was so delicious and another favorite from HTH. I used Reese’s thins, miniature peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s, Reese’s peanut butter chips and Hershey’s miniature kisses for the topping and I used Oreos for the crust. This will be made again soon ♡
Can I make this in a 9×13 pan? I have a large crew to feed
Hi Elisabeth! I’m sorry, we haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure! Alternatively, you can always make double the recipe and simply make in two pie pans. Let us know how it goes 🙂
Can I substituted Kite Hill cream cheese made with Almond milk rather than regular cream cheese?
Hi Maura! I’m sorry, but we haven’t tried that so we cannot say for sure! If you give that a try, please let us know how it goes 🙂
I made this one for a pie contest and I received first place.. It was awesome.. I also have had friends request this for there birthday pie. It is so good and decadent,,
Woohoo! Congratulations, Lisa! That’s amazing 🙂
I’ve been making a version of this for a long time but make A crust with crushed Nilla wafers and pretzels. It’s so good! I usually use regular Jif peanut butter but now I want to use natural peanut butter with no added sugar. It’s a little bit more runny, but do you think it will work OK?
Hi Carrie! Tessa has included tips for this in the pink tip box, above the recipe! As she mentions there, “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.” Happy baking 🙂
This was a huge hit with the grandkids. We used chocolate animal crackers with a bit of sugar for the crust. So good. Topped it with some Reese’s pieces and tiny peanut butter cups.
I made this today to take to a friend’s for dinner. It came out great! Highly recommend! I used chocolate teddy grahams for the crust and added Reese’s pieces candies to the top!
For the melted peanut butter and chocolate on top; what did you use? How did you melt? I used chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, and when they hardened, it made the pie hard to cut. Is that normal? Other than that, it was delicious, and as big of a hit you said it’d be!
Hi Jessica! We typically just melt the chocolate and peanut butter (separately) in microwave-safe bowls in short increments until melted. If you’re worried about the chocolate cracking when you cut it up, you can leave the pie out for a bit before slicing and serving – or skip the drizzle entirely. You can also use melted peanut butter, rather than peanut butter chips. I hope that helps 🙂
I may have missed it but what are the measurements for the topping? How much
Melted peanut butter, Melted chocolate, Mini Reese’s cups and Peanut butter chips? Thank you! Lora
Hi Lora! Tessa didn’t include measurements for the topping because it’s totally up to you how much you use 🙂 Drizzle and top til your heart’s content 😉 Happy baking!
I’ve made many different peanut butter pies and this one takes the cake! It’s not dense and heavy like others tend to be and instead really light and airy! It’s not too rich and has just the right amount of peanut butter!
I’m making this for Thanksgiving. Of course I waited till the last minute and there is no whipping cream. Can I use half and half?
Hi Amy! I’m sorry, we were out of the office to enjoy the Thanksgiving break with our families, so let us know how this went!
I wasn’t able to find chocolate graham crackers so I’m going to try using chocolate teddy grahams. Has anyone tried this?
Yes, we have and it works great!! Tessa has additional tips for this in the Tip Box, above the recipe 🙂
I had so much fun making pies with this recipe!
Yay! So glad to hear that, Vanessa!
I can’t find the video to make this Peanut Butter Pie.
Hi there! Apologies, our ‘Jump to Video’ button does not work (we’re working on fixing that!). To view the recipe video for this Peanut Butter Pie, simply go to the very top of the page, and just scroll down a tiny bit. You’ll see Tessa’s Recipe Rundown, and another picture of this delicious pie underneath that. It’s right below that, under a header that says ‘Recipe Video’ (an ad might play first, but it will play right after that). Let us know what you think once you’ve given this recipe a try! 🙂
This is always the favorite dessert when I bring it. Everyone loves this and it is so easy to make. I usually make it a day or two in advance and just bring it frozen in a cooler bag and it’s perfect to serve after dinner. So glad I found this recipe – I use lots of recipes from Handle the Heat and they are all great. My go to place when I need to make something. Thank you, Tessa, for sharing all your wonderful recipes and tips-they are much appreciated! Making this for Thanksgiving today!
Hi Janie Lynes! We are SO excited to hear that this pie has been such a hit for you! Thanks so much for your comment and Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello! This pie looks absolutely delicious, and I am hoping to make it for Thanksgiving this week. When you say “conventional” peanut butter – I presume you don’t mean the natural variety? Have you tried with natural peanut butter?
Hi Melissa! Tessa has tips on this very topic in the Tip Box above the recipe! Let us know if you give this recipe a try – we’d love to know what you think! 🙂
I don’t have powered sugar, can I just use regular sugar?
Hi Christina! You can easily make your own powdered sugar – learn how here!
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 🙂
How many ready grahams would you say to use if you are using those instead?
Hi Patrick! Assuming you mean Teddy Grahams, follow Tessa’s instructions in the Tip Box above the recipe: “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”. Happy baking 🙂
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’ve made this before (amazing), but I can’t find chocolate graham crackers anywhere. Can I use a Keebler chocolate ready crust? Please help!
Hi Nicole! That ready-made crust should work, but it might not quite be big enough to hold all the filling. Otherwise, Tessa has several crust variation ideas in the Tip Box, above the recipe. Check it out for ideas of chocolate graham cracker replacements or alternative crust recipes 🙂 Happy baking!
I’m sure you already made it, but I used the Keebler chocolate crust and it turned out just fine. The filling fit into it without issue. Wanted to let you know in case you choose to make it again!
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.