Peanut Butter Pie

February 3, 2010 (updated Jun 12, 2024) by Jennifer McHenry //

With a rich, creamy peanut butter filling, chocolate crust, and hot fudge sauce on top, this no-bake peanut butter pie might just remind you of a peanut butter cup in sliceable form!

Slice of peanut butter pie on plate with chopped peanuts for garnish

I’ve had peanut butter pies in the past, but they were just that—peanut butter. When I saw this pie, I was excited about putting all that peanut butter goodness into a chocolate cookie pie crust. Then, I saw that it didn’t just stop there. No, between the chocolate cookie pie crust and all that peanut butter goodness is a thin layer of chocolate. And if you think it stops there, you’re wrong, because there’s a hot fudge sauce to top it off.

Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Pie Recipe

The best combination. It might not be as fancy as caramel and sea salt, but chocolate and peanut butter are an irresistible duo. If you love it in peanut butter cups (or chocolate peanut butter thumbprint cookies), you’ll love this peanut butter pie, too!
Great for any occasion. Whether you’re making it for a family get-together or just because you’re craving something sweet, this peanut butter pie is a guaranteed hit.
No-bake recipe. You don’t need to turn on your oven for this delicious dessert—not even for the crust! Just mix, chill, and enjoy. (For more no-bake recipes, see these 9 simple summertime no-bake desserts.)

Overhead view of ingredients for peanut butter pie

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Crust:

Chocolate wafer cookies – Nabisco’s chocolate wafers have sadly been discontinued. You can substitute Oreos (as noted at the bottom of the recipe) or make your own chocolate wafers (as seen in these photos).
Granulated sugar
Unsalted butter – Melt the butter in the microwave or a small pan on the stovetop.

Filling:

Semisweet chocolate chips
Light corn syrup
Cream cheese – Let this come to room temperature; it will mix into the other ingredients more smoothly.
Creamy peanut butter – Don’t use natural peanut butter here. It varies too much from one brand to the next and even from the top of the jar to the bottom.
Vanilla extract – I use my homemade vanilla extract.
Dark brown sugar
Heavy cream – Substituting a lower fat option like half-and-half or whole milk simply won’t work. You need heavy cream to nail the perfect fluffy consistency.

Hot Fudge Sauce:

Chocolate – You’ll need a combination of milk chocolate and dark chocolate.
Heavy cream
Light corn syrup

What Is Light Corn Syrup?

Light corn syrup is a type of sweetener made from the starch of corn. Unlike dark corn syrup, which has a more robust caramel-like flavor, light corn syrup is clear and has a mild vanilla taste. In this peanut butter pie recipe, light corn syrup helps to create the perfect consistency in both the chocolate ganache filling and the hot fudge sauce.

How to Make Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients for chocolate cookie crust in mixing bowl — Stir together the crust ingredients.

Chocolate cookie crust in pie pan — Stir together the crust ingredients.

Make the crust. Grind the cookies in your food processor to form fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, then stir in the sugar followed by the melted butter. Press into a pie pan and refrigerate.
Make the chocolate layer. Melt the chocolate chips, then stir in the corn syrup. Spread into the bottom of the crust.
Start the filling. Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed.

Overhead view of whipped cream added to peanut butter filling ingredients — Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture.

Overhead view of peanut butter pie before chilling — Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture.

Beat the cream. Use the whisk attachment to beat the cream into soft peaks. Fold this into the peanut butter mixture.
Chill. Pour the filing into the crust and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Make the sauce. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat, then stir in the corn syrup and pour it over the chocolate. After 2 minutes, whisk to combine.
Serve. Cut the pie and serve with the fudge sauce drizzled over the top.

Overhead view of peanut butter pie in pan with 2 slices cut

Tips for Success

Know when soft peaks have formed. Soft peaks are formed when the peaks of whipped cream are just starting to hold their shape. When you lift the beaters out of the cream, a peak will form and then droop down.
Chill completely. The pie needs at least 4 hours in the freezer to set up properly. Cut it any sooner and it won’t slice nicely.
Let it sit on the countertop, if needed. Depending on the temperature of your freezer, this peanut butter pie might not be sliceable straight out of the freezer. If it’s too hard to cut, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.

Peanut butter pie in pie dish, sliced to show thick, fluffy filling

Serving Suggestions

Top with whipped cream. Add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream to each slice after plating.
Sprinkle with candy. Chopped Butterfinger bars, Reese’s Cups, or Reese’s Pieces would be a fun topping for this peanut butter pie.
Add a salty contrast. Sprinkle crushed pretzels over the top of the pie to add some crunch and salty flavor.
Make it nutty. Garnish each slice with chopped roasted peanuts.

Overhead view of peanut butter pie slice on plate with chopped peanuts

How to Store

After the sauce cools to room temperature, it can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Warm it up in the microwave on medium heat for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until warm.

The frozen peanut butter pie can be covered with aluminum foil and stored in the freezer for up to 3 days.

Slice of peanut butter pie on plate with tip eaten

More Peanut Butter and Chocolate Recipes

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