Peanut Butter Pie

This is an easy, homemade peanut butter pie recipe on a pretzel graham cracker crust. It comes together quickly and can be no bake.

Creamy, dreamy, peanut buttery, peanut butter pie. This one is truly for the peanut butter lovers in your life.

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You may remember that I spent my early 20’s working on cruise ships. During my sailing adventures, I spent multiple summers cruising to Alaska. The Land of the Midnight Sun will always hold a special place in my heart. There is something magical about sailing in and out of the small towns in the majestic state of Alaska.

Ketchikan was always our first port of call after departing from Vancouver, B.C. It remains one of my favorite small U.S. towns. I love the way the town sits nestled between the water and the mountains. One of my favorite memories was having lunch at Kay’s Kitchen and eating her famous peanut butter pie.

One summer I received a copy of Kay’s recipe. I have no idea if it is truly the famous recipe, but I like to think that it is. 😊 I’ve made some changes to the recipe over the years and I think you are going to love it as much as I do. The pie is thick, with a creamy and silky texture that is complimented by the crunchy peanuts and slightly salty crust.

This peanut butter pie sits on top of a pretzel graham cracker crust. I like to bake the crust as I feel like it helps keep the crust more intact. If you are looking to make this pie in the heat of the summer {like for Father’s Day; because your dad will go crazy for it!} or at Thanksgiving {when your oven is working overtime}, you can skip the baking of the crust and it will still turn out just fine! The crust will be a little more crumbly, but will still taste amazing.

HOW TO MAKE THE PRETZEL GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

First, melt the butter. Then you will want to measure out your graham crackers and pretzels. You need one cup of each. Pretzel sticks are the pretzel of choice in my house, but any type of pretzel will work. To measure, just break the pretzels into small pieces until you fill a 1 cup measure. For the graham crackers, approximately 7 full sheets will yield one cup of crumbs.

Then place the pretzels and graham crackers into the bowl of your food processor and crush until they have turned into crumbs. Next add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Finally, press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.

If baking the crust, place it in a 350 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes and then allow it to cool while you prepare the filling. If choosing not to bake the crust, place it in the freezer to firm up as you prepare the filling.

HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER PIE FILLING

Start by mixing the room temperature cream cheese with the crunchy peanut butter. You can do this with a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Once the two are fully combined and smooth, add the powdered sugar and the milk, blending until well combined. You will want to use a shelf stable peanut butter for this recipe as a natural peanut butter could separate and turn the pie into an oily mess.

HOW TO MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM

Whip the chilled heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand held mixer. It takes about 3-4 minutes to reach medium to stiff peaks.

PUTTING THE PEANUT BUTTER PIE TOGETHER

Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture using a rubber spatula. When the whipped cream is incorporated, spoon the mixture into the prepared pie crust and smooth the top. Place the peanut butter pie into the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 24 hours. After the pie is frozen, you can remove the sides of the spring form pan.

HOW TO SERVE AND STORE PEANUT BUTTER PIE

If my memory serves me correctly, Kay served this pie frozen. I like to move the pie from the freezer to the refrigerator a few hours before serving it. I often will drizzle a milk chocolate ganache over the top of the frozen pie, but the peanut butter pie is perfectly scrumptious all on it’s own too.

The peanut butter pie can be served frozen, chilled or at room temperature, but it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.

MORE PEANUT BUTTER RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY

• Chewy Peanut Buttery PB Cookies
• Addictive Peanut Butter Bars
• Chewy Plump Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Please pin this recipe for later and be sure to follow me on Pinterest to see all the foods that inspire me.

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Peanut Butter Pie with Pretzel Graham Crust

This is an easy homemade peanut butter pie recipe on a pretzel graham cracker crust. It comes together quickly and can be no bake.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword easy dessert, peanut butter pie

Servings 1 9-Inch Pie

Author Tasia ~ TwoSugarBugs

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 cup pretzels
• 1 cup graham crackers
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the filling:

• 2 cups crunchy peanut butter
• 2 cups cream cheese room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons milk I use 1%

For the whipped cream:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F, if baking the pretzel graham crust.
• In a food processor, crush pretzels and graham crackers. Add melted butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Alternately, you can place pretzels and graham crackers in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin or mallet and then mix in melted butter.
• Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes.
• While the crust cools, make the filling.
• If not baking the crust, place it in the freezer to firm up while making the filling.
• Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, mix the peanut butter and cream cheese until well blended. Slowly add the powdered sugar and milk. Mix until well combined.
• Prepare whipped cream using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand held mixer. Whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium-high until medium to stiff peaks form, approximately 3-4 minutes.
• Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter filling.
• Pour/spoon the filling into the cooled pretzel graham crust and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 24, then transfer to the refrigerator.

Notes

Serve frozen, chilled or at room temperature, but store it in the refrigerator.

If you want to do a chocolate drizzle on the top ~ bring 1 ounce of heavy cream to a simmer.  Pour the heated cream over 2 ounces of chopped milk chocolate and let sit for 30-60 seconds.  Then stir until all the chocolate is melted. I use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the top of a completely chilled pie.

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Recipe shared with Full Plate Thursday, Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday