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This no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is a decadently delicious dessert that everyone loves!
Whenever I make this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, the following scenario typically plays out: As everyone starts to eat this luscious dessert, the room falls silent. Then someone – usually with their mouth still full of pie – mutters, “Oh. My. GAWD! This pie is amazing!!”
And it is a really, REALLY good Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie! A light and creamy peanut butter filling made with creamy peanut butter, cream cheese and whipped cream is spooned into a sweet, buttery graham cracker crumb crust. Then, the pie is topped with a rich chocolate ganache. No matter how many times I’ve made (and eaten) this pie – it makes me swoon!
I first had this amazing Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie at the East Coast Grill in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the now-closed but once-legendary barbecue and seafood restaurant owned by grilling expert Chris Schlesinger. When he published his cookbook, The Thrill of the Grill
, I myself was thrilled to discover that the recipe for this pie was included.
Over the years, I’ve made this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie so often that I know the recipe by heart. And every time I make this pie, I get asked for the recipe! My nephew Ryan loves this pie so much that every year for his birthday, he requests this dessert instead of a birthday cake.
(It’s seriously good…especially if you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter together!)
We’ve gently adapted this pie recipe from the original found in the cookbook. At the restaurant, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie was served just slightly chilled so the filling was soft and creamy. But, we actually prefer this pie served slightly frozen with a firmer, almost ice cream-like consistency. Either way you eat it, this is one very memorable dessert!
You may also like these other decadent desserts:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites
- Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
- White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie
- No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Pie
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Pops
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
An amazingly good chocolate peanut butter pie! Graham cracker crumb crust, filled with a creamy peanut butter filling and topped with chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
For the filling
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
For the ganache topping
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- To prepare the crust, blend graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and melted butter in a bowl until fully combined. Press mixture into a 9″ pie plate, covering bottom completely and pushing the crumbs about 1-2 inches up the side of the pie plate. Put the pie crust into the freezer while preparing the filling.
- Whip the 1 1/2 cups heavy cream until it holds peaks. Set aside in refrigerator while preparing the rest of the filling.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until blended. Add peanut butter and vanilla, mixing well. (Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure that the ingredients are fully blended.)
- Fold whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, blending well. Pour filling into the prepared pie crust. Place filled pie into the freezer.
- To prepare the ganache, in a small saucepan (use one with a lid), slowly bring the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream to a boil (be careful not to scald the cream). Turn off the heat and add chocolate chips, pushing the chips into the cream until almost completely covered. Put the lid on the pan and let sit on the stove.
- After 10 minutes, stir until the chocolate chips are melted and fully blended into the cream. Cool to room temperature, then pour sauce over pie. Place in freezer for 30 minutes before serving.
- Note: If serving pie more than 1/2 an hour after final preparation, store in the freezer. Thaw for 20 minutes before serving for a frozen, ice cream-like consistency. (If you are having difficulty cleanly removing the pie crust from your pie plate, submerge the very bottom of the dish in some hot tap water – about 1/2 inch water in your kitchen sink – to loosen the crust being careful not to get water in the pie itself.) Or thaw for longer in the refrigerator for a gooey, soft pie.
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I have a question. Can we line the crust with a thin smear of ganache? Will is make the crust to hard?
Hi Alison – You can – although with a crumb crust, you might want to drizzle it all over and then gently spread. I don’t think it will make the crust too hard. The ganache on top in the recipe is a softer ganache – but even if yours is a firmer ganache, I think it would be totally fine.
When I add whipped cream to the filling it turns out soupy and I refrigerate for 4 hours . Any suggestions as to why and how to fix is appreciated.
Thank you
Hi Anita – The filling will soft but shouldn’t be soupy – you could try freezing the pie as well to firm it up. But in terms of seeing a soupy filling…First – I’d check all of your measurements and make sure that you are using chilled heavy cream/whipping cream – and beating to stiff peaks. (A chilled bowl when whipping cream is a good idea too). Also – check that your peanut butter isn’t super oily. Beyond that – I’m not sure. But freezing this pie is an option if you want a firmer texture. Hope that helps!
My husband found this recipe and ask if I would make it for him. I followed the recipe exactly except he requested the ganache at the bottom next to the crust. LOL. He loved the pie.
So glad the pie was a hit Pamela!
Made this for a party. Served it frozen and it was amazing!! I added some powered peanut butter to the ganache for extra peanut butter flavor. This is a keeper, thank you for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed the pie Michelle! (Great idea!)
Better frozen, but amazing either way. I always impress when I use this remarkably easy recipe.
Thanks Jessica! (I agree…it is best served frozen!)
I’m planning to make this for hubby this weekend and based on reviews I know it will be great! I’m just wondering whether you’ve ever played around with the ganache at all? I’d love to make it really shiny but am not sure how to do that. Any ideas?
Hi Karen – We froze the pie so that’s why it doesn’t look super shiny in the photos. At room temp it will be shinier (but not super shiny…) Hope that helps! We hope you enjoy the pie!
I have made a few Peanut Butter pies trying to find the perfect Recipe…. I no longer have to search. This is amazing!! Not sickly sweet, the Peanut-butter is not overpowering and it is light and fluffy. Everyone, including my father who is not a fan of Peanut-butter, loved it. Truly a great recipe. Thank you for sharing it 🙂
You’re very welcome Shannon! (FYI – We recently made a version of this pie with chocolate chips – you might enjoy that too!) https://www.afamilyfeast.com/chocolate-chip-peanut-butter-pie/
Definitely a keeper. I baked the crust for 8 minutes in a 375 oven and it added some great crunch.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
made it for a birthday dessert, very successful. It really does taste great slightly frozen like ice cream cake. I wouldn’t make this if I didn’t have a hand mixer. I’m definitely saving the recipe
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Lycaeides!
My brother-in-law has been in search for the perfect chocolate peanut butter pie. Whenever we go to are restaurant with one on the menu, he orders and rates. He says he is done with restaurants. This is the BEST peanut butter pie he has ever tasted. Grand prize winner in his book. It is very easy to make and quite elegant to serve with the ganache topping it of. Yummy!!!
Wow Mary – that is quite the compliment! So glad your brother-in-law enjoys the pie as much as we do!