No bake desserts are essential for summer potlucks and picnics! This easy pie recipe with its creamy peanut butter filling will have your friends and family drooling!
Next time try the millionaire pie and the s'mores pie, too. They're both no bake!
Table of Contents
Reader Review: "Thanks so much for this recipe! I made it for our company picnic today and won the 2nd place ribbon! 🏆 " ~Laurie
🗝️ Key takeaways
Skip the line at your local restaurant and make this fried shrimp po boy sandwich recipe is the ultimate casual dining or game-day food! It's sure to make any party complete.
- Great make ahead recipe - it's perfect for summer get-togethers and potlucks.
- Who doesn't love a salty-sweet-crunchy-creamy combo?
- Quick and easy to make.
This is the most decadent dessert you ever put in your mouth! Layers of caramel, chocolate ganache, and rich peanut butter filling are spooned into a salty pretzel crust and chilled until it's creamy perfection.
It will have any peanut butter lover drooling!
Prefer your chocolate solo? Check out this old fashioned chocolate pie recipe!
🥘 Ingredients
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Nothing weird here - just simple ingredients!
- Pretzels for the crust. You could also use an Oreo crust.
- Butter - I like to use unsalted since there's so much salt in the other ingredienets.
- Caramel sauce - I use my homemade Jack Daniels caramel sauce but you can use any kind you like.
- Chocolate chips - bittersweet are my favorite for this pie recipe but use what you like.
- Heavy cream - also called heavy whipping cream.
- Creamy peanut butter - or use crunchy if you like more texture. I don't think natural peanut butter works well in this.
- Cream cheese - full fat, NOT low fat or reduced fat. Don't get whipped, either - it has to be the full fat cream cheese to work.
- Sugar I use all white sugar but you could use ½ brown sugar if you prefer. It will be more sweet.
🔪 Instructions
This simple chocolate peanut butter pie has a few more steps than some but the results are worth it!
Step one
- Make the crust by mixing the butter and pretzel crumbs in a medium mixing bowl.
- Firmly press into a pie plate.
- Bake and cool. (this is the only "baked" component of the pie.) You can also skip the baking and give it an extra hour of chill time.
Step two
- Heat the cream to a simmer and add the chocolate chips.
- Stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Beat the peanut butter and cream cheese until well blended and smooth.
- Beat in the sugar.
- Fold in the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture.
Step three
- Add the caramel to the cooled crust.
- Chill for 10 minutes or so.
- Add the chocolate ganache layer.
- Chill until firm.
- Spoon on the peanut butter mousse and add the toppings.
- Chill thoroughly before serving.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: Don't try to take this chocolate peanut butter pie recipe to an outdoor event in hot weather... it will lose its texture completely in a short period of time. Keep in mind I'm from Texas so I consider 115F hot weather. 75F and below will be fine.
- You can skip baking the crust. It won't be as firm but it will still be delicious.
- You can use melted caramels, commercial caramel sauce, OR you can treat yourself to the Jack Daniels caramel sauce here.
- 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 over-whip 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.
- 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.
📖 Variations
This recipe is absolutely amazing as it is but... there are a few little changes you can make to keep it from getting boring.
This recipe is super easy - definitely easy enough for a beginner. Here are some tips to help you get it right every time!
- Add chopped Reese's 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 mousse - it's a little more dense but more like a 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 mixture - put whipped cream over the top
📚 Related recipes
If you love peanut butter as much as I do you'll love these peanut butter pots de creme.
Here are some more pies that you'll love!
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!
📞 The last word
This peanut butter 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. If you're going to freeze it leave the pretzels off the top until it's time to serve.
It's the perfect pie for a special occasion but easy enough to be just a delicious dessert to finish a family meal.
If you have a bit more time give this Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake a try.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with Pretzel Crust
Print Pin Recipe Save RecipeIngredients
Crust
- 2 cups pretzels, coarsely crushed. Reserve some for the top
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
Caramel Bottom Layer
- ½ 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
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Peanut Butter Layer
- 1 ¼ cup peanut butter, creamy
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to a warm, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 pint heavy cream
- ⅓ cup sugar
Optional
- Fleur de Sel
- Chocolate curls
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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 ¾ 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 ½ 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 ⅓ 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
- Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Just before serving top with a sprinkle of Fleur de Sel if desired.
Notes
- If you don't want to bake the crust you can skip that part. It won't be as firm but it will still be delicious.
- You can use melted caramels, commercial caramel sauce, OR you can treat yourself to the Jack Daniels caramel sauce here.
- Save some of the pretzel crumbs and chocolate to drizzle for 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 over-whip the cream or you will have little granules of butter in the filling.
- When you are folding the cream into the peanut butter use a rubber spatula and a gentle over and under movement.
- 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.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
First publish March 14, 2012. Last updated June 20, 2021 to add a clickable ingredients list.
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.
Citra Kale @Citra's Home Diary
This is absolutely will be on my new list to make, looks delicious!
Marye Audet
Thank you!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass
Dear Marye, I share in your math hatred. Anything but math. LOVE this peanut butter pie. So decadent and delicious!
Theresa
I made this dessert for my mom's 75th birthday. She LOVES peanut butter. My whole family (even my husband who doesn't like peanut butter) went crazy over this dessert! DELICIOUS!! Make it now : )
Jameson Fink
I love this: "...math, swaddled in chocolate and sugar, is much more appealing than math, naked on a paper."
Lynsee
Made this for my husband's birthday (he's a big pb/chocolate fan). BIG HIT! Made your whiskey caramel sauce and it was too 'whiskeyish' for me but still loved it. Making it for a pregnant friend as I type but making plain caramel sauce. Made with low-fat cream cheese and yielded a lot of leftover pb fluff, so cutting the pb fluff mixture in half this time. Thanks for a great recipe!
Adrienne
Oh my, I just found this via Pinterest and I am drooling over this recipe!!! It sounds absolutely deliiicious!
I will make this on Saturday for afternoon tea!
Hoping and guessing from this recipe, that there will be other equally delicious recipes on your website, I will be snooping and drooling around a bit more and putting you on my list of blogs to keep! 🙂
Monica
Large family get-together, so I doubled and made it in a 9x13!!! Was well-liked. (I had a lot of peanut butter mixture leftover though - - good for a "pretzel dip")
Katie Kearns
Made this twice to some of the ravest reviews i have ever heard! Renamed it orgasm pie because it is that good! Referred to it as such and a friend who tried my first attempt knew exactly what dessert I was referring to.
Manda
Hoping to make this today .. "add the caramel" means what exactly? Drizzle it over the crust or create another layer?
marye
It is a thin layer.
beth
What is fleuer de sel??
marye
an imported French sea salt that is very flaky
Amy
How does this recipe do if made the night before and kept in the fridge? Any thoughts?
marye
It is fine overnight... Just make sure it is air tight because it will pick up flavors very easily - and let it sit out for 30 minutes before serving.
Kristin
The peanut butter filling part of the recipe ended up being awesome but the crust was a little less then desirable. 2/3c. butter is WAY to much for only 1 1/2c. crushed pretzel. It was basically a butter pretzel soup. I had to add at least 1c. more of crushed pretzels to get the consistency correct. And in the end I pitched it and used an Oreo crust because it tasted very bland.
marye
I'm sorry Kristin. It did work fine for me. I wonder if it was the difference in brand of pretzels? Mine were quite salty and I left the crumbs pretty coarse. For us a chocolate crust would have been too sweet. I am glad you were able to adjust it to your tastes.
Nicole @ Scrap Me Baby
Made this today, used gluten free pretzels! Delish;)
Everyone loved it, thanks for sharing!