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Sweet, buttery, salty, and oh so creamy, this is not your average pie! The pie crust is a mix of salty pretzels, sweet brown sugar, and a bit of butter. The cream filling is made with plenty of chocolate, including chocolate chips, cream cheese, peanut butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and a touch of sugar. The crust is topped with a layer of chocolate fudge, then the peanut filling is spooned over the chocolate. Just before serving the pie is topped with mountains of whipped cream and a heavy dusting of cocoa powder. Trust me, this peanut butter pie is extra special.ย Every bite is sweet, salty, creamy, and heavy on both the chocolate and the peanut butter. The perfect pie for any time of year.
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Ingredients for the most delicious peanut butter pie recipe:
- mini salted pretzels
- salted butter (or unsalted butter, but I prefer salted)
- brown sugar
- semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- coconut oil
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar / confectioners sugar
- heavy cream
- creamy peanut butter
- vanilla extract
- cocoa butter
Kitchen supplies needed:
- 8 or 9 inch pie pan or tart pan with a removable botttom or standard pie plate
- electric stand mixer
- bowl of a stand mixer
- medium-sized mixing bowl
- microwave safe bowl
Special Tuesday pie for you guys! But donโt worry, this is an EASY pie. And yes, I know I missed pie day last week (March 14th), but hey, better late than never. And trust me, youโre going to want this pie no matter what day it is.
Itโs classic, almost โretroโ, and 100% feels like a pie my grandma would have made. Though without a doubt, hers would have some cool whipโฆmine does not. But promise itโs still as easy as can be. Itโs such a great pie for Easter in less than two short weeks!
Iโm going to jump right into things today because well, itโs peanut butter chocolate pie! We need the recipe, not my ramblingโฆthough Iโve got a little of that too.
The process
What I love about this pie is that itโs easy, no fuss, and anyone can make it.
The crust, itโs made with pretzels, brown sugar, and butter. Sooo, itโs salty, sweet, and buttery. It requires no rolling out or chilling of the dough. Just mix, press the dough into a pie plate, and bake it. The crust gets toasted until golden and lightly browned, giving it a bit of a nutty browned butter flavor. Meaning it is perfectly delicious.
If you have a food processor, this makes very quick work of mixing the crust. If not, no worries at all, just crush the pretzels in a bag (you can even just step on the bag). Then just mix the crust together in a mixing bowl. Do whatever option works best for you.
While the crust is baking, I like to make the chocolate fudge, which isnโt traditional in a peanut butter pie, but since my crust doesnโt use any chocolate cookies, you knew Iโd have to include some chocolate somewhere. A little fudge seemed like a good idea. Itโs just chocolate, coconut oil, and cream melted together. I spread the chocolate over the pretzel crust, then let it set up before adding the peanut butter filling.
Onto the peanut butter filling
I used cream cheese to keep things thick and creamy, but I wanted this peanut butter pie to be a little looser than most. To do this, I added heavy cream to create more of a whipped peanut mousse texture. So thereโs thick cream on the edges, but while the pie sits on your plate, the center of the cream slowly softens into a bit more of a peanut mousse.
And it is so DELICIOUS. You get the best of both worlds. Thick and creamy edges, then a light and creamy centerโฆwith a fudgy layer of chocolate underneath!
The cream on top!!
Most peanut butter pies are topped with a chocolate drizzle, but I wanted to do something a little creamier. So, I made a simple vanilla whipped cream and dusted the top as you would a classic tiramisuโฆwith lots of cocoa powder and chocolate shavings.
Again, not classic, but delicious.
Every bite of this pie is filled with sweet peanutty and chocolate flavors with just the right amount of saltiness throughout. And the whipped cream on top is that final extra special touch that really elevates this peanut butter pie above others. Trust me, I know this is a little different, but itโs different in a very delicious way. And it still feels like the pie grandma would makeโฆjust maybe a tiny bit better.
Looking for a sweet treat for spring or Easter? This is your pie. Honestly thoughโฆitโs really good any time of year!
FAQ:
Can I use natural peanut butter?
Yesโstir it very well first. The filling may set a touch softer; chill longer before slicing for clean cuts.
What cookies make the best crust?
Chocolate wafers or chocolate sandwich cookies both work; process very fine so the crust packs tight and slices clean.
How do I know the pie is set?
The top should look matte and the center should give only a slight wobble when you gently shake the pan; a knife should glide through without dragging.
Can I make this ahead for a holiday?
Absolutely. Assemble and chill until serving; the flavor deepens and the slices hold better after an overnight rest.ย
Looking for other Easter dessert recipes? Here are a few to try:
Soft and Crinkly Brown Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies
Coconut Pecan Caramel Butter Cake
Lastly, if you make this Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredientsย
Crust
- 2 cups mini salted pretzels
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Filling
- 6 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 โ 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups, plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- cocoa powder, for dusting , (optional)
Instructionsย
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐ F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom or use a standard pie plate.ย 2. To make the crust. In a food processor, pulse together the pretzels, butter, and brown sugar until the pretzels are fine crumbs. Press the mix into the prepared pie plate.ย Bake 8 minutes, until golden. 3. Meanwhile, combine the chocolate, 1 tablespoon cream, and the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring every 45 seconds, until melted. Carefully spread the melted chocolate onto the bottom of the crust and gently up the sides. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. 4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on high speed, until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined. Slowly add the 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla and whip on high spread until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Spoon the peanut cream into the chilled crust. Cover and chill 1 hour.5. Using an electric mixer,ย whip 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together until soft peaks form. Dollop cream onto the pie. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving. Pie will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I liked the end result but this recipe has a timing issue! The chocolate should not be melted until the crust is out of the oven. I followed the instructions and melted the chocolate while the pie crust was IN the oven, but it cooled down and when I tried to reheat it so I could pour it on the pie crust it seized up and ended up in big thick clumps instead of a nice thin layer. I think the crust could have used a little longer in the oven too with maybe some more butter as it was super crumbly and didn’t hold up when cut into slices.
Hey Lucas,
Awesome! So glad this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Sorry for the issue with the chocolate. Happy Monday!
Do you think it would be okay if I used a pre-made graham cracker crust from the store? Looks delicious!
Hi Liv,
Sure, that should be just fine for you to do. I hope you love this recipe!
I made this recipe for Mothers Day. It is so sweet and rich that we took a few bites and couldn’t eat it anymore. This is an expensive pie to make, only to have to throw it out. If the richness was reduced by at least half, it might be a better pie. Years ago I tried a different peanut butter pie recipe and it was the same issue of being too sweet and rich.
Hi Tommy,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. So sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. It is definitely a decadent dessert:) xx
Try using a peanut butter mousse recipe and use less powdered sugar. You can make it the sweetness you want.
Hi! Iโm planning to make this for a low-key family get together. I have pre-made pie crusts โ do I bake those until golden brown and follow the instructions as follows? Do you think it will make a huge difference? Trying to use whatโs on hand ๐ Thanks for sharing your creativity and beauty with us!
Hi Emily,
That should be just fine for you to do! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it turns out well for you! xx
Iโm confused on how much confectioners sugar to use. Is it 3/4 cup or 1 1/4 cup?
Hi Angela,
Start with 3/4 cup, if you would like it to be sweeter then you can add more:) Let me know how this recipe turns out for you! xx
I had a couple challenges but the results were so tasty! I used a pie plate and the 2 cups of pretzels was not enough to get up to the edges. Also, my chocolate wasnโt spreadable. It didnโt get glossy with the microwave and checking every 15 seconds. I ended up adding more cream to it and heating on the stove. Despite those issues, the pie is fantastic! It reminds me of a Take5 candy bar. Iโll definitely make it again but increase the crust recipe and read through the comments for solutions to the chocolate.
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try Liz! xT
We love love this recipe! Iโve made this several times and itโs always a crowd pleaser. However I find the chocolate layer very hard and difficult to eat. How do I get that layer to be a little softer?
Hi Lily,
Happy Monday!!โ๏ธ๐ I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear that it was a hit! Sorry to hear about the chocolate layer, what kind of chocolate are you using? You could also chill for less time in the freezer, but it’s meant to be hard. I hope this helps! xT
Hi! This recipe sounds amazing and I plan on making it for Easter. Does it work well with milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate or semi-sweet? Thanks!
Hey Kimberly,
Totally, whatever you like! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT