Pretzel crusted peanut butter pie is so easy and even more delicious. A creamy peanut butter mousse filling is spooned over rich caramel covered in ganache and chilled in a salty pretzel crust. A sprinkle of fleur de sel on the top keeps the salty-sweet vibe going.
For this recipe you’ll need: pretzels, unsalted butter, caramel sauce, chocolate chips, heavy cream, creamy peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar
Table of Contents
Variations on this Recipe
This recipe is absolutely amazing as it is but… there are a few little changes you can make to keep it from getting boring.
- Add chopped peanut butter cups to the top or add a layer of them between the ganache and the peanut butter mousse layers.
- Chopped salted peanuts on top
- Add the ganache to the peanut butter mousse – it’s a little more dense but more like a peanut butter truffle
- Use a chocolate cookie crust
- Use a Ritz cracker crust
- Use white chocolate ganache
- Remove the chocolate and caramel completely and just use the peanut butter – put whipped cream over the top
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Pie
This recipe is super easy – definitely easy enough for a beginner. Here are some tips to help you get it right every time!
- You can use melted caramels, commercial caramel sauce, OR you can treat yourself to the Jack Daniels caramel sauce here. You know which one I would go with, right? Yeah, I thought so.
- Save some of the pretzel crumbs and chocolate to drizzle over the top. It looks beautiful and tastes better.
- Cut this in small pieces. It is written for 10 servings but you could probably make it 12 unless your family is expert dessert consumers.
- Be sure not to overwhip the cream or you will have little granules of butter in the filling. Not pleasant.
- When you are folding the cream into the peanut butter use a rubber spatula and a gentle over and under movement.
- The cream cheese needs to be at a warm room temperature – very soft but not melted.
- Don’t put the chocolate chips in the microwave. They’ll melt in the hot cream – just keep stirring.
- Don’t try to take this to an outdoor event in hot weather… it will lose its texture completely.
- Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered for up to 3 days.
- If your refrigerator has a strong smell (onions, fish, etc) the pie WILL take on that flavor.
More Yummy Pie Recipes
Pie. It has to be one of the most popular categories of desserts ever. I love them all from fruit pies to creamy concoctions! Here are some of my favorites.
- Classic Pecan Pie is always going to be on my top 5 list. Gooey, sweet enough to make your teeth ache, and full of toasted pecans. It’s definitely the best.
- Chocolate Chess Pie is another favorite. It’s like eating brownie batter right out of a buttery pie shell. SO good.
- German Chocolate Pie has all the flavors of the cake but in a creamy no bake pie.
- Millionaire Pie is creamy, light, and full of fruity flavor – it’s probably one of the easiest no bake pies ever created.
- S’mores Pie is like the summer favorite but no need to build a campfire or even heat up the oven.
- Chocolate Dessert Nachos aren’t pie…but they’re the perfect addition to your summer menu if you’re grilling.
This no bake Butterfinger pie recipe from Plain Chicken makes me hungry every time I look at it.
You May Need
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you’ll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
If you can’t find Fleur De Sel Sea Salt locally you can get it on Amazon. I also prefer the 10-inch glass pie pans. It just seems to make a nice sized pie for my family and I like glass baking dishes better than metal ones in almost every circumstance. If you prefer 9-inch pie pans or even 8-inch pie pans you can get glass ones as well. I love this 9-inch glass pie plate with an expandable cover! The generously sized rim allows you to grab it out of the oven without tearing up the pie and having a reusable cover is great.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
This pie is totally addictive – especially if you are one of those people (like me ) that loves sweet and salty combinations. You can make it a day or two ahead of time, too.
I haven’t tried to freeze it – I’m pretty sure it would freeze well although the pretzels on top might get a little soggy. Give it a try and come back and share your images!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars!
Peanut Butter Pie with Pretzel Crust
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels, reserve some for the top
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Caramel Bottom Layer
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce, either homemade or commercial
Chocolate Bottom Layer
- 12 ounces chocolate chips, ,milk chocolate, bittersweet, semi sweet, dark, or a combination – reserve some for topping
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Peanut Butter Layer
- 1 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 8 ounce package cream cheese, , softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1/3 cup sugar
Optional
- Fleur de Sel
- Chocolate curls
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Add the melted butter to pretzel crumbs and toss with a fork.
- Press the mixture into a 10 inch pie plate, firmly.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until set.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Chocolate Layer
- Heat the 3/4 cup of heavy cream to a simmer.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips.
- Continue to stir until mixture is smooth and all of the chips are melted.
- Set aside.
Peanut Butter Layer
- Add the peanut butter and cream cheese to a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Beat until the peanut butter and cream cheese mix and soften.
- Add the 1/2 cup sugar and beat until there is no graininess.
- Set aside.
- In a clean mixer bowl, with the whip attachment whip the cream until it begins to thicken.
- Slowly add the 1/3 cup sugar as you continue to whip the cream until it is thick and fluffy.
- Do not overbeat.
- Carefully fold half of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, be sure not to deflate the cream.
- Fold in the rest of the whipped cream.
Assembly
- Add the caramel to the prepared crust.
- Chill briefly. (10 -15 minutes, just to set)
- Spoon the chocolate on top of the caramel and chill for 10 minutes or so.
- Add the peanut butter mixture.
- Top with the reserved chocolate and pretzel crumbs
- Just before serving top with a sprinkle of Fleur de Sel if desired.
Jenny
This was good and fun to make. Next time I’ll use half the amount of chocolate tho, it overpowered everything else. I bought the salted caramel sauce from Trader Joe’s and it was a nice addition., so think I’ll use more of that and less chocolate. Thx for the recipe!
Marye Audet
I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
Debra
Love this recipe especially the fresh whipped cream! I made my crust out of crushed peanut butter stuffed pretzels from Trader Joes :)…I also added more peanut butter since my dad loves his peanut butter! Replaced the sugar with confectioners sugar because I actually ran out of white sugar, but it did not make a difference . I took a lovely picture of mine, but am unable to post it.
Marye Audet
aww Debra can you post it in the Restless Chipotle Facebook page? I’d love to see it!
Jacqueline
My mom made this in a 9×13 pan and it worked out perfectly. I’m in love!
Marye Audet
Thanks for letting me know! I never thought about making it that way!
Karen
Do you think this pie would travel for an hour? I can make it and refrigerate for awhile before taking to the party.
Marye Audet
Yes, I’m sure it would be fine unless you are traveling in Texas or Arizona in an unair-conditioned truck when it’s `105 degrees. 🙂
Karen
Ha! Thank you!
Tam
Marye, love your blog, I look forward to reading it every morning with my cup of tea!! This peanut butter pie makes my mouth water! I can’t wait to surprise my husband with this recipe! Omgoosh he’s gonna LOVE it!! On a side note concerning another recipe you’ve posted, candied jalapeños, I made them on Father’s Day and everyone loved them! Even my super picky (adult) children 🙂 Thank you for sharing your recipes and you’re stories, they always brighten up my day!
Marye Audet
Tam – thank you SO much! You’ve definitely made my day. <3
Erika
Hello! I’m excited to make this, but in the ingredients list it says to use 3/4 cup heavy cream for the chocolate layer & in the instructions it’s only 1/3 cup. Which should be used?
Marye Audet
it’s 12 oz chocolate to 3/4 cup cream. I’ve fixed it … thanks!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
I can just IMAGINE what this tastes like! So wonderful! Your photos bring this to life!
Marye Audet
Thank you so much!
Laura
Mary could I use a spring foam pan or nine inch glass pie plate???? Please let me know.
Marye Audet
Yes… I think you could use a springform… or carefully stack it up in a 9 inch pie plate. 🙂
Taylor Kiser
Your pie looks so delicious! I sure could go for a slice right now!
Marye Audet
Thank you, Taylor!
laura@motherwouldknow
My husband would eat half this pie at a sitting if I let him. But he’d have to fight me for the crumbs as I would already have finished the other half:) What a great combination of savory and sweet! If the crust didn’t have to be baked, I’d make it this instant, but right now temps are hovering at about 100 degrees, so I’ll wait until it gets below 90 to try this.
Marye Audet
WOW! Thats hot for you. We’re at a chilly 85… I swear my kids are wearing hoodies.
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Hi Marye! This looks so decadent and delicious! A perfect weekend treat! Happy Friday!
Marye Audet
Thanks! It really is.
Michelle
Math is definitely not my thing either, but this peanut butter pie is! Just looking at it is making me hungry! I think I’d have a hard time stopping at just one slice! Definitely a treat I need to make — SOON!
Marye Audet
🙂 You’ll love it. This is amazing.
Laurie
Thanks so much for this recipe! I made it for our company picnic todayand won the 2nd place ribbon! I used more butter in the crust and more cream to make the chocolate ganache — but overall it worked well. Folks loved it!
Marye Audet
That’s awesome!!
Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella)
This pie looks amazing. My family would totally go crazy for it.
Marye Audet
Thank you! We love it. 🙂
Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen)
DANG! I am now craving these perfectly paired flavors. And while I didn’t see the old pictures, the description alone would have drawn me in. Amazing!
Marye Audet
🙂 the old pictures are here at the bottom… the combo really is awesome.
Lauren
Ummm, peanut butter, pretzels, and CHOCOLATE?! What could be better? This looks deliciously sinful!
Marye Audet
Totally. 😉
Sabrina
My husband loves peanut butter desserts! This looks like one he would really enjoy!
Marye Audet
🙂 let me know what he thinks.
Kim Beaulieu
I just love pretzel crusts. They rank up there with animal cookie crusts. SO good. I love that you did a peanut butter pie. It’s such a classic flavour. My brother is a huge peanut butter fanatic so I’ll be passing this recipe on to him. He’ll love it.
Marye Audet
Thanks Kim!
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life
That looks like one scrumptious pie! I have some of those awful pins hanging around too. I don’t know what your old pics looked like, but these look quite yummy! I definitely want to try this!
Marye Audet
🙂 Thanks! Yeah… my images go back almost 10 years… :::shudder:::
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats
Who doesn’t love the peanut butter and chocolate combo? I love the twist of the pretzel crust!
Marye Audet
Yep. I love that sweet-salty combo!
Adriana Lopez-Martin
yummy all of my favorite ingredients in one scrumptious pie I want a slice =)
Marye Audet
It’s so good! And so easy to make.