Peanut Butter Pie

By Samantha Seneviratne

Peanut Butter Pie
Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Total Time
50 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
4(1,182)
Comments
Read comments

Dead simple to make, this pie hits all the right notes. Sweet, nutty peanut butter mellows next to the tang of rich cream cheese and gets a lift from a little whipped cream. But if that doesn’t convince you, the chocolate cookie crust may. This version relies on five ingredients, instead of pre-made cookies, with the cocoa giving it a deep chocolate flavor. The crust is pressed into a well-buttered pie plate, baked, then cooled, ready to be filled and chilled. When it's time to serve, you have options: Finish it with a decorative chocolate topping or a puff of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

    For the Crust

    • 6tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
    • ¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar
    • ¾cup/75 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
    • ½cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt

    For the Filling

    • 1¼cups/300 milliliters heavy cream
    • 1½cup/405 grams smooth, sweetened peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy
    • 18-ounce/226 grams block full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
    • ⅔cup/133 grams light brown sugar
    • 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2ounces/57 grams semisweet chocolate, chopped (optional)
    • 1tablespoon/14 grams unsalted butter (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

671 calories; 50 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 37 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 282 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by
Cooking Newsletter illustration

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the crust: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Have a nonstick standard 9-inch pie plate ready, or generously butter a 9-inch standard pie plate. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt. Add butter, stirring and mashing with a fork, until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

  2. Step 2

    Transfer the crumbs to the prepared pan and press them evenly into the bottom and sides until crust is about ¼-inch thick. Bake crust until it looks dry and set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Make the filling: In a large bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks using an electric mixer at medium-high speed. Set aside. In another large bowl, beat the peanut butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and salt on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Chill uncovered for at least 4 to 6 hours, until filling is set.

  4. Step 4

    Make the topping, if using: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and the butter together in short bursts, stirring often. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a small plastic bag, and cut a ⅛-inch hole in one corner. Drizzle the chocolate over the top to make a decorative pattern. (You may have some left over depending on your taste.) Serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,182 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Perrine

Why not Dutch process cocoa? I usually find that it has a "chocolaty-er" flavor than regular. If I truly can't use it, what's the reasoning?

Ellen Brown

I developed a similar recipe about a decade ago for my "Nantucket Cuisine Cookbook" that includes a thick layer of chocolate ganache under the peanut butter mousse. I also like to use chunky peanut butter and sprinkle some chopped peanuts over the top.

Deborah

This came together very easily and was enjoyed by adults and children alike. So rich, but not overly sweet, my only problem was cutting it neatly after it had been chilled; the filling was perfect, but the crust was a bit hard and broke unevenly. So I let it sit for a few minutes on a folded dishtowel that I had warmed up in the microwave, and the crust warmed up enough to yield more easily to the knife.

natasha

echoing what others have said - the crust is extremely difficult to cut out, and the pie is super salty, past the point of delightfully salted dessert. are there any specific tips (other than obvious ones, like buttering) to make the crust more manageable? should the crumbs be on the coarser side? should it only be gently pressed into the pan? should one be careful not to bake it a minute longer than necessary? and I really really wish NYT cooking would post metric measurements, especially for dry ingredients that can make or break a recipe like kosher salt.

Krys Belc

This has a really nice flavor and my family liked the salt! The filling has a bit of a sandy texture because of the brown sugar—other similar pies seem to call for confectioners’ sugar. I am on the fence about the sandiness! I quite like this crust and will be using it in other applications.

Clarissa

Excellent! Peanut butter measures just about one small container of jiff (very slightly more) so save yourself the measuring and dishes and just add the whole container.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.