Description
This Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is a rich, creamy, and indulgent dessert featuring a crunchy chocolate wafer crust, a luscious peanut butter cream cheese filling, and a smooth semi-sweet chocolate ganache topping. Perfect for chocolate and peanut butter lovers, this pie is simple to prepare, requires no baking of the filling, and is sure to impress at any gathering or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
- 1 ½ cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 36 wafers)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
For the 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
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional, for shine)
For Garnish
- Chopped peanuts
- Chocolate shavings
- Peanut butter cups, halved
Instructions
- Prepare the Chocolate Crust: In a food processor, pulse chocolate wafers until they become a sand-like consistency or crush wafers in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin. Combine the crumbs with melted butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl, mixing until evenly moistened.
- Form and Bake the Crust: Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate using a measuring cup or fingers. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and slightly firm. Let it cool completely.
- Chill the Crust: Place the cooled crust in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes while preparing the filling.
- Make the Peanut Butter Filling: Beat softened cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add peanut butter and beat until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low until incorporated, scraping the bowl sides as needed.
- Incorporate Heavy Cream and Vanilla: Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until the filling becomes light and fluffy. Stir in the salt.
- Assemble the Pie: Remove the chilled crust from the refrigerator and pour the peanut butter filling into the crust, spreading it evenly. Cover with plastic wrap pressed gently onto the filling surface to prevent skin and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
- Prepare the Chocolate Ganache: Place chopped semi-sweet chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it simmers gently without boiling. Pour hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for a minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in corn syrup if using.
- Cool and Pour Ganache: Let the ganache cool 10-15 minutes, then pour it evenly over the peanut butter filling. Return pie to the refrigerator and chill at least 30 minutes until ganache is set.
- Garnish the Pie: Before serving, decorate the pie with chopped peanuts, chocolate shavings, and halved peanut butter cups.
- Serve: Use a sharp knife dipped in warm water and wiped clean between cuts to slice the pie into wedges. Serve chilled for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a firmer crust, avoid pressing the crumbs too thin on the sides.
- Use no-stir creamy peanut butter to ensure smooth filling texture.
- Chilling times are important for set and clean slice results—don’t rush.
- Corn syrup in ganache adds nice shine but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Warm the knife between cuts to get clean slices without cracking the ganache.
