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Sweet, buttery, salty, and oh so creamy, this Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is not your average pie! The pie crust is a mix of salty pretzels, sweet brown sugar, and a bit of butter. The cream filling is made with plenty of chocolate, including chocolate chips, cream cheese, peanut butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and a touch of sugar. The crust is topped with a layer of chocolate fudge, then the peanut filling is spooned over the chocolate. Just before serving the pie is topped with mountains of whipped cream and a heavy dusting of cocoa powder. Trust me, this peanut butter pie is extra special. Every bite is sweet, salty, creamy, and heavy on both the chocolate and the peanut butter. The perfect pie for any time of year.
Ingredients for the most delicious peanut butter pie recipe:
- mini salted pretzels
- salted butter (or unsalted butter, but I prefer salted)
- brown sugar
- semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- coconut oil
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar / confectioners sugar
- heavy cream
- creamy peanut butter
- vanilla extract
- cocoa butter
Kitchen supplies needed:
- 8 or 9 inch pie pan or tart pan with a removable botttom or standard pie plate
- electric stand mixer
- bowl of a stand mixer
- medium-sized mixing bowl
- microwave safe bowl
Special Tuesday pie for you guys! But don’t worry, this is an EASY pie. And yes, I know I missed pie day last week (March 14th), but hey, better late than never. And trust me, you’re going to want this pie no matter what day it is.
It’s classic, almost “retro”, and 100% feels like a pie my grandma would have made. Though without a doubt, hers would have some cool whip…mine does not. But promise it’s still as easy as can be. It’s such a great pie for Easter in less than two short weeks!
I’m going to jump right into things today because well, it’s peanut butter chocolate pie! We need the recipe, not my rambling…though I’ve got a little of that too.
The process
What I love about this pie is that it’s easy, no fuss, and anyone can make it.
The crust, it’s made with pretzels, brown sugar, and butter. Sooo, it’s salty, sweet, and buttery. It requires no rolling out or chilling of the dough. Just mix, press the dough into a pie plate, and bake it. The crust gets toasted until golden and lightly browned, giving it a bit of a nutty browned butter flavor. Meaning it is perfectly delicious.
If you have a food processor, this makes very quick work of mixing the crust. If not, no worries at all, just crush the pretzels in a bag (you can even just step on the bag). Then just mix the crust together in a mixing bowl. Do whatever option works best for you.
While the crust is baking, I like to make the chocolate fudge, which isn’t traditional in a peanut butter pie, but since my crust doesn’t use any chocolate cookies, you knew I’d have to include some chocolate somewhere. A little fudge seemed like a good idea. It’s just chocolate, coconut oil, and cream melted together. I spread the chocolate over the pretzel crust, then let it set up before adding the peanut butter filling.
Onto the peanut butter filling
I used cream cheese to keep things thick and creamy, but I wanted this peanut butter pie to be a little looser than most. To do this, I added heavy cream to create more of a whipped peanut mousse texture. So there’s thick cream on the edges, but while the pie sits on your plate, the center of the cream slowly softens into a bit more of a peanut mousse.
And it is so DELICIOUS. You get the best of both worlds. Thick and creamy edges, then a light and creamy center…with a fudgy layer of chocolate underneath!
The cream on top!!
Most peanut butter pies are topped with a chocolate drizzle, but I wanted to do something a little creamier. So, I made a simple vanilla whipped cream and dusted the top as you would a classic tiramisu…with lots of cocoa powder and chocolate shavings.
Again, not classic, but delicious.
Every bite of this pie is filled with sweet peanutty and chocolate flavors with just the right amount of saltiness throughout. And the whipped cream on top is that final extra special touch that really elevates this peanut butter pie above others. Trust me, I know this is a little different, but it’s different in a very delicious way. And it still feels like the pie grandma would make…just maybe a tiny bit better.
Looking for a sweet treat for spring or Easter? This is your pie. Honestly though…it’s really good any time of year!
How long will peanut butter pie last in the refrigerator?
This peanut butter pie recipe should last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Do I need to use a specific type of peanut butter?
Up to you! You can use a classic brand like JIF or an organic peanut butter brand of your choice.
Looking for other Easter dessert recipes? Here are a few to try:
Soft and Crinkly Brown Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies
Coconut Pecan Caramel Butter Cake
Lastly, if you make this Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 617 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups mini salted pretzels
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Filling
- 6 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 – 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups, plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom or use a standard pie plate. 2. To make the crust. In a food processor, pulse together the pretzels, butter, and brown sugar until the pretzels are fine crumbs. Press the mix into the prepared pie plate. Bake 8 minutes, until golden. 3. Meanwhile, combine the chocolate, 1 tablespoon cream, and the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring every 45 seconds, until melted. Carefully spread the melted chocolate onto the bottom of the crust and gently up the sides. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. 4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on high speed, until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined. Slowly add the 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla and whip on high spread until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Spoon the peanut cream into the chilled crust. Cover and chill 1 hour.5. Using an electric mixer, whip 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together until soft peaks form. Dollop cream onto the pie. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving. Pie will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
I made this recipe for Mothers Day. It is so sweet and rich that we took a few bites and couldn’t eat it anymore. This is an expensive pie to make, only to have to throw it out. If the richness was reduced by at least half, it might be a better pie. Years ago I tried a different peanut butter pie recipe and it was the same issue of being too sweet and rich.
Hi Tommy,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. So sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. It is definitely a decadent dessert:) xx
Try using a peanut butter mousse recipe and use less powdered sugar. You can make it the sweetness you want.
Hi! I’m planning to make this for a low-key family get together. I have pre-made pie crusts — do I bake those until golden brown and follow the instructions as follows? Do you think it will make a huge difference? Trying to use what’s on hand 🙂 Thanks for sharing your creativity and beauty with us!
Hi Emily,
That should be just fine for you to do! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it turns out well for you! xx
I’m confused on how much confectioners sugar to use. Is it 3/4 cup or 1 1/4 cup?
Hi Angela,
Start with 3/4 cup, if you would like it to be sweeter then you can add more:) Let me know how this recipe turns out for you! xx
I had a couple challenges but the results were so tasty! I used a pie plate and the 2 cups of pretzels was not enough to get up to the edges. Also, my chocolate wasn’t spreadable. It didn’t get glossy with the microwave and checking every 15 seconds. I ended up adding more cream to it and heating on the stove. Despite those issues, the pie is fantastic! It reminds me of a Take5 candy bar. I’ll definitely make it again but increase the crust recipe and read through the comments for solutions to the chocolate.
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try Liz! xT
We love love this recipe! I’ve made this several times and it’s always a crowd pleaser. However I find the chocolate layer very hard and difficult to eat. How do I get that layer to be a little softer?
Hi Lily,
Happy Monday!!☀️🌊 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear that it was a hit! Sorry to hear about the chocolate layer, what kind of chocolate are you using? You could also chill for less time in the freezer, but it’s meant to be hard. I hope this helps! xT
Hi! This recipe sounds amazing and I plan on making it for Easter. Does it work well with milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate or semi-sweet? Thanks!
Hey Kimberly,
Totally, whatever you like! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT