Easy Peanut Butter Pie Recipe

If you're a fan of peanut butter desserts — and you like a little bit of chocolate to go along with it — then this pie is for you. Recipe developer Jessica Morone assures us it's "really delicious," with a "filling [that] is silky and light and filled with peanut butter flavor" and a crunchy, chocolatey crumb crust. There's also an extra ingredient: chocolate peanut butter cups. According to Morone, these not only bring a little more of that match-made-in-heaven flavor, but also "add a bit of texture to an otherwise very smooth, fluffy filling."

One of the best things about this pie, she says, is its simplicity and the ability to make it in advance. You can throw the whole thing together in about 15 minutes (and that includes baking the crust). There is one time-consuming (though entirely effort-free) part of the process: The pie will need to chill for a few hours before it is ready to eat.

To make the crust, you'll need chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos or similar) and butter, while the filling is made from cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, whipping cream, and peanut butter cups. While Morone uses the mini peanut butter cups, you could use full-size versions (even the really big ones) since you'll just be chopping them up, anyway. You'll also melt some chocolate chips to use as a drizzle, which will make the pie look extra fancy.

When it comes to the peanut butter, Morone doesn't recommend using a chunky variety, as it won't have the right texture. She also says not to use the all-natural kind "because the oils in that will make the filling too loose."

Preheat the oven to 350 F, then grease up a pie pan (the standard 9-inch size). Now crush up the sandwich cookies in a food processor or blender, then stir in the melted butter. Press the crumb mixture on the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan, then bake the crust for 7 to 10 minutes until it sets up. Let it cool completely before you proceed.

Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and peanut butter. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it's forming stiff peaks, then fold it into the peanut butter mixture. Stir in the chopped peanut butter cups, then spoon this filling into the pie crust. You might want to take a spoon or spatula to smooth out the top for an extra clean presentation.

Melt the chocolate chips; Morone does this in the microwave in 15-second bursts, but you can also melt them on the stove with a double boiler. Whichever method you choose, once they are sufficiently melted, drizzle them over the top of the pie. After you've done so, stick the pie in the fridge and let it chill out for at least 4 hours. You need that lengthy cooling time so that the pie will hold its shape when you cut yourself a slice.

Morone advises to eat this pie when it's cold. While you can top it with whipped cream or ice cream, it's also quite delicious all on its own.