No Bake Peanut Butter Pie (Printable Version)
Creamy peanut butter filling in a chocolate cookie crust, no baking required
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 20 chocolate sandwich cookies (approximately 7 oz)
02 - 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
→ Filling
03 - 1 cup creamy peanut butter
04 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
05 - 1 cup powdered sugar
06 - 1 cup heavy cream, cold
07 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Chocolate Ganache Topping (Optional)
08 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 - 2 tbsp chopped salted peanuts
# Directions:
01 - Crush chocolate sandwich cookies into fine crumbs using a food processor, or place them in a resealable bag and crush with a rolling pin. Combine crumbs with melted butter until evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
02 - In a large bowl, beat together peanut butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until completely smooth. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until just combined. Spread the filling evenly into the chilled crust.
03 - Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream until steaming, then pour over chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. Spread the ganache evenly over the peanut butter layer. Sprinkle with chopped salted peanuts if desired.
04 - Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours until completely set. The pie will firm up as it chills. Slice and serve cold.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The chocolate cookie crust does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so you can focus on the filling
- This pie genuinely improves after a night in the fridge, making it perfect for make-ahead entertaining
02 -
- Overmixing when folding in the whipped cream will deflate your filling, so stop as soon as everything is combined
- The ganache sets quickly once it cools, so spread it immediately after stirring
03 -
- Chill your beaters and mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before whipping the cream
- Room temperature ingredients prevent that dreaded curdled look in the filling