Peanut butter pie is the (nearly) no-bake, creamy, dreamy dessert that you need this summer. Super simple ingredients come together to make the absolute best peanut butter dessert out there, try it and see!
peanut butter pie is the perfect summer dessert
And it’s all about that filling ~ words don’t do it justice, you kind of have to make this one to experience it for yourself. The texture is like a cross between a mousse, a cheesecake, and a silky pudding pie. To say it slices like a dream is an understatement, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by this one!
a 6-ingredient filling and 2-ingredient crust couldn’t be easier!
This simple recipe is perfect because it lets the peanut butter flavor take center stage. While many creamy pies rely on gelatin or pudding mix to give them structure, the peanut butter, cream cheese, and whipped cream in this one work together to make the most luxurious texture.
- peanut butter – I like Jiff Natural.
- cream cheese – I know it seems like a strange combo, but this adds body and richness to the filling without tasting weird or tangy – promise!
- whipped cream gives the filling airiness and lightness like a mousse.
- powdered sugar sweetens the filling without any graininess.
- vanilla and salt amp up the flavor.
- graham crackers and melted butter make up the easy crust – it’s a classic for a reason.
- roasted peanuts make a great crunchy topping. That little extra hit of salt is perfect.
why we love icebox pies
Homemade ice creams and sorbets can be delicious but finicky to get right, and often require an ice cream machine. Icebox pies, on the other hand, are so easy and virtually foolproof. Definitely bookmark this one for your next summer gathering. The peanut butter and cream cheese give the filling enough stability that it doesn’t even take all that long to set once you make it, mine was ready after about 3-4 hours of fridge time, so no waiting overnight if you don’t want to.
variations on peanut butter pie
I’m giving you a few ideas for changing this pie up, but honestly, I recommend making it exactly as written, it’s sooooo good!
- You could try a different nut butter in place of the peanut butter, but be aware that if your nut butter has a different texture than peanut butter (some nut butters are a lot runnier), that may affect the end result.
- If you’re allergic to peanuts, try Sunbutter.
- Nothing’s stopping you from drizzling a little chocolate sauce or mini chocolate chips over the whipped cream.
- Peanut butter pairs well with spices like cinnamon, so try adding a little to the filling for a unique flavor twist.
- Use another cookie, like chocolate wafers, to make the crust. Any plain cookie will work, including peanut butter cookies!
more chilled pies and cakes
- Lemon Icebox Pie
- Strawberry Icebox Cake
- Nutella Tiramisu
- Brown Sugar Bourbon Icebox Pie
- (Almost) No Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
Peanut Butter Pie
Equipment
- 9 inch deep dish pie plate
Ingredients
for the crust
- 16 whole graham crackers (to make 2 cups crumbs)
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
for the peanut butter filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whipping cream
for the topping
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar (optional)
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a food processor, blend the graham crackers until finely ground.
- Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and mix with the melted butter until uniform and clumpy.
- Add the crumb mixture to an 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. I like to use a cup measure with a flat bottom to do this.
- Bake the pie crust for 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely.
- To make the peanut butter filling, wipe out your food processor and add the cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract to the bowl.
- Process until uniform.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Add the peanut butter mixture, starting with a little bit, to the whipped cream and fold it together until there are no streaks.
- Pour the peanut butter filling into the cooled pie crust, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or up to overnight.
- When ready to serve, whip 1/2 cup cream with the sugar to stiff peaks. Top with the whipped cream and crushed peanuts.
Notes
- If you’d like to reduce the calories in this dessert, try using low fat cream cheese, and omitting the whipped cream topping.
- Recipe slightly adapted from Southern Living
Nutrition
Made this substituting 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar with 1/2 powdered swerve erithritol to bring the calories down, while still using 1/4 real powdered sugar to maintain a normal flavor (which worked-tasted just like restaurant version with no chemical or weird taste at all.. I do avoid certain sweeteners like agave and stevia because they taste like a toxic chemical to me. Just an fyi if you want to substitute as well.
I also used a chocolate nut crust… 1/8 of a slice of crust is 110 calories so it seemed reasonable nutrition wise and was much lower in carbs/sugar than a gram cracker crust as I used one with minimal added sugar. I calculate out my own nutrition info- and though it “should” be less than the original recipe, it’s 515 calories for 1 slice (1/8 of a 9” pie). Turns out the author calculated the original recipes nutrition info by having the pie cut into 12ths as a serving- but nobody I’ve ever met cuts a pie into 12ths. It’s deceiving. Even 1/12 of my reduced calorie version still packs a whopping 344 calories. ? I also left off all toppings. No added whipped cream, nuts or anything.
While it’s delicious, it’s definitely still too many calories, so I’ll be consuming it by making minuscule tiny slices until I can come up with a better even lower calorie recipe. I stayed away from reduced fat PB, as it’s about the same calories, but not as creamy and the lower fat but higher fiber/sugar in reduced fat PB does affect recipes and texture- it will solidify too hard for what most people like and end up a little gritty. I’m hoping to find a way to thicken a low calorie nut milk to substitute for the whipped cream… if it works I’ll leave a new review!
Best of luck! Happy baking!! Stay healthy 🙂
Very tasty. I used Shortbread cookies for my crust. The filling is velvety, smooth, creamy, and surprisingly light. I did 6 mini Tarts instead of a pie, so my question is…do these, or rather does this recipe freeze well without compromising the flavour and texture?
Can I use Cool Whip instead of whipping cream for this recipe?
Hi Sue!
In the ingredient list for your Peanut Butter Pie it lists 3/4 cup of whipping cream for the topping but in the recipe it calls for 1/2 cup of the whipping cream. Please…which one is it? Can’t wait to make this for my son. It sounds fabulous! :-))
it’s a 1/2 cup!
Have you ever used crunchy peanut butter for this recipe?
I haven’t, because I love the silky texture of this pie, but you absolutely could try it!
I made it today and we just finished enjoying it. I didn’t have any chopped peanuts so I drizzled with chocolate sauce and chocolate cookie crumbs. Yummy! Five stars from the whole family!
Love peanut butter anything! My mom always made my brother a peanut butter cream pie that was delicious but this type of pie in my opinion fits summer. Thank you, it looks dreamy good.
Thank you for this chocolate-free peanut butter pie recipe! I dislike chocolate very much and I adore peanut butter. Too many peanut butter pie recipes include chocolate in some form. Can’t wait to try this!
Funny, because the first thing I did was start dreaming about a chocolate version, but this one is so good, I know you’re going to love it Kim 🙂