This no-bake Creamy Peanut Butter Pie recipe tastes like a giant peanut butter cup. Make up to 2 days in advance, cover with plastic wrap, and chill the pie in the fridge until needed.
Easy Peanut Butter Pie
If you like chocolate and peanut butter, you’re going to love this no bake peanut butter pie! The chocolate cookie pie crust is topped with dulce de leche, crunchy peanuts, peanut butter pie filling, and milk chocolate ganache. And the best part is there’s absolutely no baking required! It’s one of my favorite dessert recipes to make when it’s too hot to turn on the oven.
Easy to assemble, impressive to serve, and oh so delicious… This pie is magic ♥
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Pie:
- Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: We love using Oreo’s for the crust! But if you can’t find chocolate sandwich cookies, you could make this with a graham cracker crust or pretzel crust instead.
- Melted Butter: I also suggest using unsalted butter when possible. That’s because it allows you to control exactly how much salt gets added to the recipe. In a pinch, salted butter will work ok but might make the dessert taste slightly saltier than intended.
- Dulce de Leche: Use your favorite store-bought brand or make it homemade! I don’t suggest using salted caramel instead as it’s much thinner and will seep out of the pie.
- Chocolate: I call for creamy milk chocolate, which blends great with the peanut butter. But if you’re not a fan, feel free to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate instead. No matter what variety of chocolate you use, be sure to use a quality brand like Lindt.
- Heavy Cream: A lot of pb pies call for whipped cream or cool whip topping. But I prefer using fresh heavy cream which gives this pie a silky smooth texture and no weird artificial aftertaste. Do not skip this ingredient!
- Sour Cream: Use full-fat sour cream and be sure to mix it well before measuring. In a pinch, full-fat (5%) plain Greek yogurt will work instead.
- Peanuts: Dry roasted and unsalted peanuts add the most delightful crunch and enhance the overall peanut butter flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Brick-style cream cheese works best here. Be sure to bring the cream to room temperature so the you can easily beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Peanut Butter: Use a traditional creamy peanut butter, like JIF or Skippy. I don’t suggest using natural peanut butter or almond butter in this recipe.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Powered sugar works overtime in this recipe as a sweetener but also as a thickening agent. Do not substitute this ingredient with any other variety of sugar!
- Flaky Sea Salt: This is totally optional. But it adds a nice sweet and salty contrast to the recipe. And it looks so pretty sprinkled on top of individual pie slices.
How to Make this No-Bake Pie
- Make the Pie Crust: Grease 9-inch springform pan. In a large mixing bowl combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press the crust into the pan and freeze until needed.
- Make the Creamy Milk Chocolate Filling: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream and sour cream, then pour the hot liquid on top of the chocolate. Fold in the peanuts.
- Add the Dulce de Leche: Spread the Dulce de Leche evenly across the bottom of the frozen crust. Place the pie back in the freezer while you make the peanut butter filling.
- Make the Creamy Peanut Butter Filling: Combine the peanut butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar and beat until smooth. In a separate large bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. In two additions, add the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and beat until just combined.
- Assemble: Remove the crust from the freezer and scrape the filling into the pie crust. Place the pie in the fridge to chill.
- Make the Ganache: Combine chopped milk chocolate with hot cream and mix until well combined. Spread the milk chocolate topping over the semi-chilled peanut butter pie. Sprinkle peanuts around the edges of the pie. Chill the pie for at least 6 hours before slicing and serving!
How to Cut Clean Slices of Pie
Carefully remove the springform pan by gently running a thin knife around the crust to loosen the pie from the pan. Remove the springform ring by lifting it straight up. Then use a sharp knife to cut the pie into wedges. Wipe the knife clean between each cut.
Tools for this Recipe
- 9-Inch Springform Pan: A must-have for this pie, and for other recipes like cheesecake!
- Electric Hand Mixer: You’ll need this for multiple parts of this recipe. A stand mixer will also work great!
- Large Mixing Bowls: Every baker knows you can never have enough mixing bowls! These are our absolute favorite.
- Sharp Chef’s Knife: Get the best slices with this extra large and sharp knife.
- Serving Spatula: A sturdy and attractive pie spatula is great for removing clean and tidy slices of pie.
More No-Bake Recipes:
- No Bake-German Chocolate Pie
- No-Bake Chocolate Cream Pie
- No-Bake Mini Mint Chocolate Cream Pies
- No-Bake Oreo Pie
- No-Bake German Chocolate Cheesecake
Today’s post is sponsored by my chocolate family: Lindt! Their high-quality, super delicious chocolate makes life – and my recipes – extra delicious! I can’t recommend their products enough.
No-Bake Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookie Crust:
- 1 full-size package chocolate sandwich cookies crushed into fine crumbs (36 sandwich cookies in total)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup Dulce de Leche
- For the Creamy Milk Chocolate Filling:
- (2) 4.4 ounce Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE Milk Chocolate Bars
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup skinless dry roasted peanuts
For the Creamy Peanut Butter Filling:
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
For the Milk Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- 1 4.4 ounce Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE Milk Chocolate Bar
- 1/2 cup heavy creamy
- 1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts
- Flaky Sea Salt, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cookie Crust:
- Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a large bowl combine the crushed cookie crumbs and melted butter, mix well to combine.
- Press the crust into the prepared pan, pressing it firmly down in the middle and up the sides. Place crust in the freezer while you prepare the fillings.
- For the Creamy Milk Chocolate Filling:
- Place the chopped milk chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl; set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream and sour cream to a low simmer. Remove from heat and whisk well to combine. Pour the cream on top of the chopped chocolate and whisk well to combine. Fold in the peanuts, then set aside.
- Remove the crust from the freezer. Spread the Dulce de Leche evenly across the bottom, then pour the chocolate filling on top.
- Place the pie back in the freezer while you make the peanut butter filling.
For the Creamy Peanut Butter Filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium speed until well-combined; about 2 minutes.
- In a separate large bowl, using a handheld electric electric mixer, beat the cream until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Add half of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Add the remaining whipped cream and, using a large rubber spatula, fold until evenly combined.
- Remove the crust from the fridge and gently spoon the filling on top of the chocolate layer. Smooth the surface, then refrigerate, uncovered, for 2 hours.
For the Milk Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- Place the chopped milk chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl; set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream to a low simmer. Remove from heat. Pour the cream on top of the chopped chocolate and whisk well to combine. Cool until the mixture is barely warm.
- Spread the milk chocolate topping over the semi-chilled peanut butter pie. Sprinkle peanuts around the edges of the pie.
- Chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 6 more hours.
To serve:
- Carefully remove the rim from the pan by gently running a thin knife around the crust to loosen it, then remove the springform ring. Use a sharp knife to cut the pie into wedges. Wipe the knife clean between each cut. Serve at once.
MIlena says
Hi, looks amazing, hoping to make this next weekend! Should I crush the cookies with the filling or should I relove the feeling first?
anastasia xatzikosta says
WAS A GREAT HIT AT MY GRANDSON 16 BIRTHDAY. WAS GONE IN ONE SHOT…WAS AWESOME,YUMMY,AND DELICIOUS.<3
AR34 says
I made this for my husband’s birthday…it was out of this world!! Been eating it slowly for a few days…because it is so rich and delicious. An Amazing Recipe!
Alexis says
Hello, I was just wondering what chocolate sandwich cookies you would suggest be the best, would Oreo cookies be okay for this recipe?
Maria says
You present a great recipe! I have all the products available, but ounces are very difficult for me. I live in Europe and everything is measured in weight, so it will be very difficult for me to measure the products correctly. Some chefs indicate products in grams, which greatly facilitates the preparation of desserts. Greetings! Marcheva
Christine says
Hi! I’m just wondering if this delicious pie can be made ahead of time and then frozen?
Anna says
Hello! Your recipes look really amazing!
I’m planning of making this pie to treat my colleagues. As it will need to spend time out of the fridge when transporting it to the office I’m wondering if I can add a small quantity of gelatin to the fillings so that the pie doesn’t get runny.
I’ll be happy if you give me your advise whether this will work or not 🙂
Thank you!
LC says
What did you use to make the chocolate swirl on top to mount the piece of the chocolate bar?
bakerbynature says
It’s chocolate ganache (from the topping). I used a piping bag with a star tip 🙂
rebecca reinhold says
Any substitution for the dulce de Leche ? Or recipes if I am unable to find it in the store ?
bakerbynature says
Hi Rebecca! You can always order it online 🙂 Or there are tons of recipes online that look pretty easy. I haven’t tested this recipe with a substitute, so I can’t suggest anything confidently. However I think you could replace the dulce de leche with a chocolate ganache layer? It would change the flavor profile but still be delicious.
Jaz says
I’m wondering about replacing it with salted caramel sauce… Think it would get too firm?
Susan says
Would I be correct in assuming you mean real peanut butter since you didn’t specify a peanut butter product (Kraft, Jif….)?