Description
This Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie combines a crisp chocolate wafer crust with a creamy peanut butter filling, topped with a glossy chocolate ganache. Perfectly rich and indulgent, it’s a no-bake filling dessert with a baked crust and chilled layers, ideal for peanut butter and chocolate lovers seeking the ultimate decadent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 ½ cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 36 wafers)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
Peanut Butter Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (no-stir variety preferred)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional, for shine)
Garnishes
- Chopped peanuts
- Chocolate shavings
- Peanut butter cups, halved
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: In a food processor, pulse chocolate wafers until fine crumbs form, or crush wafers in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin to a sand-like texture.
- Mix crust ingredients: Combine the chocolate wafer crumbs with melted butter, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl, mixing until all ingredients are evenly moistened.
- Form crust in pie plate: Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch pie plate and press firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides using a measuring cup bottom or your fingers.
- Bake the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the crust for 8–10 minutes until fragrant and set. Cool completely before proceeding.
- Chill the crust: Place the cooled crust in the refrigerator to chill, ideally for at least 30 minutes, while preparing the filling.
- Beat cream cheese: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add peanut butter: Add the creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese and beat until fully combined.
- Incorporate powdered sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar while beating on low speed, scraping the bowl sides to ensure complete mixing.
- Add heavy cream and vanilla: Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until the filling becomes light and fluffy.
- Mix in salt: Stir in the salt evenly to balance flavors.
- Fill the pie crust: Remove the chilled crust from the fridge and pour the peanut butter filling into it, spreading evenly with a spatula.
- Chill the filled pie: Cover the pie surface with plastic wrap pressed gently onto the filling to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to let the filling set thoroughly.
- Prepare ganache ingredients: Finely chop semi-sweet chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat cream for ganache: Warm the heavy cream over medium heat in a small saucepan just until it starts to simmer; avoid boiling.
- Combine cream and chocolate: Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and allow it to sit for about one minute to melt fully.
- Stir ganache smooth: Gently stir until the chocolate melts completely, producing a smooth, glossy ganache. Add light corn syrup here if using, and mix well.
- Cool ganache slightly: Let the ganache cool for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened but still pourable.
- Top the pie: Remove the pie from the refrigerator and pour the ganache evenly over the peanut butter filling, spreading with a spatula.
- Set the ganache: Return the pie to the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes, or until the ganache firms up.
- Garnish the pie: Before serving, decorate the top with chopped peanuts, chocolate shavings, and halved peanut butter cups as desired.
- Slice the pie: Use a sharp knife dipped in warm water and wiped clean between cuts to slice the pie into neat wedges.
- Serve chilled: Enjoy this rich chocolate peanut butter pie cold for the best decadent flavor and texture.
Notes
- Chilling the crust before filling helps maintain a firm base for the pie.
- Press plastic wrap gently onto the filling prevents a skin from forming on the peanut butter layer.
- Warming your knife before slicing ensures clean pie slices without sticking.
- The light corn syrup in the ganache adds shine, but it’s optional and can be omitted if unavailable.
- Use no-stir peanut butter for a smoother filling texture and easier mixing.
- This pie is best served chilled and consumed within 2-3 days for optimal freshness.
