Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Pie

Three weeks ago, I brought a dessert to our neighborhood potluck without high hopes - just something quick I threw together during liam's nap time. Within twenty minutes, three people asked for the recipe, and someone's husband actually came back for thirds. That's when I knew this peanut butter pie was something special. The best part? It takes maybe fifteen minutes of actual work, needs zero oven time, and uses ingredients I always keep around.

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Why This Peanut Butter Pie Works

I've made dozens of peanut butter pies over the years, and most recipes either turn out too heavy or weirdly fluffy with no real peanut butter flavor. This one nails it because we're using actual peanut butter instead of trying to make pudding taste like peanuts. The cream cheese adds tang that balances the sweetness, and whipped cream keeps everything light enough that you don't feel like you need a nap afterward. The graham cracker crust holds up perfectly without getting soggy, even when the pie sits in the fridge overnight. No fancy techniques, no tempering chocolate, no stress - just mix everything together and let the fridge do the work while you do literally anything else.

Jump to:

• Why This Peanut Butter Pie Works
• Peanut Butter Pie Ingredients
• Step by Step Method
• Substitutions
• Tasty Twists on Classic Peanut Butter Pie
• Equipment
• Storage Tips
• Why You'll Love This No Bake Dessert
• Top Tip
• Our Peanut Butter Discovery
• FAQ
• Time to Make Magic!
• Related
• Pairing
• Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup melted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt

For the Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups heavy whipping cream

For the Topping:

• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Crushed peanuts
• Whipped cream

Step by Step Method

Create the Graham Cracker Crust

• Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, sugar, and salt until mixture looks like wet sand
• Press firmly into bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie pan using measuring cup
• Make sure crust is packed tight with no gaps or it will crumble when sliced
• Refrigerate while you make filling so it firms up and holds together better

Whip the Creamy Filling

• Beat softened cream cheese and peanut butter together until completely smooth with no lumps
• Add powdered sugar and vanilla, mix until fluffy and light in color
• In separate bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks that hold their shape
• Gently fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture in three additions to keep it airy

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Assemble and Chill

• Spread filling evenly into chilled crust, smoothing top with spatula
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until filling is completely set and firm
• Don't skip the chill time or pie will be too soft to slice cleanly
• Patience pays off with perfect slices that hold their shape on the plate

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Add Chocolate Drizzle

• Melt chocolate chips with heavy cream in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth
• Let chocolate cool slightly so it doesn't melt the filling when drizzled
• Drizzle over chilled pie in decorative pattern or spread evenly across top
• Sprinkle with crushed peanuts if desired and chill another 15 minutes to set chocolate

Substitutions

Crust Options:

• Graham crackers → Oreo cookies
• Regular → Gluten-free graham crackers
• Classic → Pretzel crust
• Standard → Nilla wafer crust

Peanut Butter Choices:

• Creamy → Crunchy peanut butter
• Regular → Almond butter
• Standard → Sunflower seed butter
• Traditional → Cookie butter

Dairy Swaps:

• Cream cheese → Vegan cream cheese
• Heavy cream → Coconut cream
• Regular → Dairy-free whipped topping
• Standard → Greek yogurt

Sweetener Options:

• Powdered sugar → Honey (reduce amount)
• Regular → Monk fruit sweetener
• Standard → Coconut sugar
• Traditional → Maple syrup

Tasty Twists on Classic Peanut Butter Pie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

• Use Oreo cookie crust instead of graham crackers for double chocolate flavor
• Add ¼ cup cocoa powder to the peanut butter filling for chocolate throughout
• Layer chocolate pudding between crust and peanut butter filling for extra richness
• Top with chocolate ganache and peanut butter cups for true candy bar experience

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

• Make recipe exactly as written without any ingredient changes needed
• Freeze for 4 hours instead of refrigerating for ice cream texture
• Let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before slicing for easier cutting
• Perfect summer dessert that stays cold at outdoor parties and picnics

Banana Peanut Butter Pie

• Layer sliced bananas over graham cracker crust before adding filling
• Mix mashed banana into peanut butter mixture for banana flavor throughout
• Top with caramelized bananas and drizzle of caramel sauce
• Tastes like Elvis's favorite sandwich turned into fancy dessert

Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Pie

• Drizzle salted caramel sauce over crust before adding filling
• Swirl caramel through peanut butter filling for marbled effect
• Top with more caramel drizzle and flaky sea salt
• Sweet and salty combination that makes people go back for seconds

Equipment

• 9-inch pie pan
• Electric mixer or whisk
• Mixing bowls
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups

Storage Tips

Fridge Storage (5 days):

Cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent drying out. Keep away from strong smelling foods since the filling absorbs odors easily. Slice and serve straight from the fridge when filling is firm and holds shape perfectly.

Freezer Method (2 months):

Wrap entire pie tightly in plastic wrap then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze up to 2 months for emergency dessert stash. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before serving or slice frozen pieces and let sit 15 minutes for softer texture.

Make Ahead Strategy:

Prepare complete pie up to 3 days before serving for stress-free entertaining. Add chocolate drizzle and toppings day of serving for freshest appearance. Crust stays crispy and filling stays perfectly set when made ahead, actually getting better as flavors develop together.

Why You'll Love This No Bake Dessert

This classic peanut butter pie recipe has saved me more times than I can count when I needed dessert fast. There's no baking involved, which means my kitchen stays cool during summer and I'm not tied to the oven waiting for something to finish. liam can help with almost every step, from crushing graham crackers to spreading the filling. The pie feeds a crowd easily, costs way less than buying dessert from a bakery, and honestly tastes better than most restaurant versions I've tried. Plus it sits happily in the fridge for days, getting even better as the flavors blend together.

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Our Peanut Butter Discovery

liam and I stumbled onto our favorite twist during one of those weeks when I'd bought way too many Reese's cups on sale. Instead of eating them all (okay, we ate some), I chopped up a handful and folded them into the peanut butter filling right before spreading it in the crust. The chunks of candy stayed soft and chewy in the cold filling, creating these amazing pockets of extra peanut butter chocolate flavor throughout every slice.

Now it's become our thing - we call it "surprise pie" because you never know when you'll hit a chunk of Reese's. liam loves helping chop the candy cups with a butter knife, and honestly the combination of homemade filling with those little candy pieces takes this pie from really good to absolutely unforgettable. Sometimes the simplest additions make the biggest impact, and this one costs maybe two dollars extra but feels special every single time.

FAQ

Time to Make Magic!

Now you have everything needed for perfect peanut butter pie - from basic ingredients to our candy-studded secret. This no-bake dessert proves you don't need fancy skills or hours of work to create something people remember.

Need more easy desserts? Try our Easy Christmas Red Velvet Cake Roll for stunning holiday treats, whip up our Easy Shortbread Cookies with just 3 ingredients for simple sweetness, or bake our Healthy Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donut Holes that taste indulgent while staying nutritious!

Share your pie creations! Tag @EmilyAndliamKitchen and #NoBakeDesserts. We love seeing your chocolate drizzle designs!

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Peanut Butter Pie