Peanut Butter Tart

This Peanut Butter Tart layers a homemade graham cracker crust with rich chocolate ganache and a fluffy peanut butter cream cheese filling. So decadent!

Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart

I adapted this Peanut Butter Tart recipe from Martha Stewart, but it’s more accurately described as a Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart because there’s a layer of fudgy ganache spread over the crust. Peanut butter is always good, but we all know that peanut butter and chocolate is even better!

Atop that layer of ganache is the creamiest, dreamiest layer of peanut butter filling you’ll ever taste. It’s made with peanut butter and cream cheese, so it’s a little bit reminiscent of no-bake cheesecake, but smoother and more airy because the filling is combined with whipped cream.

If, like me, you have a weakness for that classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, this Peanut Butter Tart is a must-try recipe. (And then make sure you also try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies and Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake!)

What You’ll Need

The ingredient list for this recipe is surprisingly short! Here’s what you’ll need.

For the crust:

• Graham cracker crumbs – You can purchase these or make your own by pulsing graham crackers in your food processor.
• Unsalted butter

For the filling:

• Milk chocolate – You can substitute dark chocolate, but I like the way milk chocolate complements the peanut butter without dominating it.
• Heavy cream
• Creamy peanut butter
• Cream cheese – Use a full-fat variety that comes in a bar, not the whipped kind in a tub.
• Sweetened condensed milk – This isn’t the same as evaporated milk!

How to Make a Peanut Butter Tart

When planning for this recipe, remember to allow time for the tart to chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving!

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Make the crust. Combine the graham crackers and butter in a small bowl and stir to combine. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom. Place this in the refrigerator. (See my note in the tips section for using a different pan.)

Prepare.  Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and water, then chop the chocolate and place it in a medium glass or metal bowl.

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Start the ganache. Place a half cup of the cream in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, immediately pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes. Whisk to combine.

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Finish the ganache. Set the bowl with the ganache in the bowl with the ice water and whisk until it cools. Once cooled, remove the bowl from the ice bath and continue to whisk until the ganache thickens. Spread the ganache onto the crust, then return the tart pan to the refrigerator.

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Start the peanut butter filling. Combine the peanut butter, cream cheese, and condensed milk in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer this to a mixing bowl. Alternatively, you can mix these ingredients in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.

Make the whipped cream. In another mixing bowl, whip 3/4 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. 

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Finish the peanut butter filling. Fold a third of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, followed by another third, and then the final third. Spread this over the ganache in the prepared crust.

Chill. Return the tart to the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight. 

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Serve. Let the tart sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. While the tart sits, whip the remaining cream to garnish the tart. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, if desired.

How to Make Chocolate Curls and Shavings

While you can use chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips for this Peanut Butter Tart, chocolate curls and shavings will elevate any dessert! Here’s how to make them:

Chocolate curls require your chocolate to be softened first. Place a thick chocolate bar in the microwave and heat it at 50 percent power a few seconds at a time until it’s ever-so-slightly soft. Scrape a vegetable peeler along the sides to form the curls. Once you’re finished, refrigerate the curls so they firm up.

Chocolate shavings are made the same way, without the microwaving! Use a vegetable peeler to scrape along the sides of a room temperature chocolate bar.

Tips for Success

Here are some hints and tips I’ve picked up from making this Peanut Butter Tart recipe!

• Whisk the ganache—a lot! When making the ganache, keep whisking it in the ice bath until it thickens a good bit. Then, take it out and whisk it vigorously to incorporate enough air to stiffen the mixture. 
• Don’t add the whipped cream too fast. I know it’s tempting to dump all the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture at once rather than adding it in portions, but don’t do it! The first addition helps loosen the peanut butter mixture so the remaining whipped cream can be more easily folded into it without deflating too much and losing that fluffy texture.
• Using an electric mixer. If you prefer, you can skip the food processor and use a stand mixer or hand mixer to combine the peanut butter, cream cheese, and condensed milk.
• Don’t have a rectangular tart pan? You can use a 9-inch round tart pan or pie pan. The layers just won’t be quite as thick.

How to Store

This Peanut Butter Tart needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Cover it loosely to keep the peanut butter filling from sticking; it will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze this Peanut Butter Tart for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing it uncovered on a baking sheet until the filling solidifies, then wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap. This guarantees maximum freshness while also protecting the peanut butter layer from sticking to the wrap.

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