Peanut Butter Pie drizzled with chocolate ganache is the ultimate peanut butter lover’s dessert. Made with a flaky pie crust and plenty of cream cheese, this easy recipe will be an instant favorite!
Is your mouth watering yet? It will be after you take a look at this Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cake. You can never have too much chocolate and peanut butter.
Table of Contents
Why this Recipe Works
You guys. This Pie. This gorgeous Peanut Butter Mousse Pie has been on my mind since I made it.
A few years back I made this Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Pie. I have had this peanut butter version in my head for years now. Years of dreaming about this very pie.
And it was even better than I’d dreamed.
- Peanut butter mousse is poured over a buttery pie crust.
- It’s chilled to perfection, then topped with homemade chocolate ganache.
- The smooth creamy mousse tastes out-of-this-world paired with the flaky crust.
- The method is less work than a typical cheesecake but just as impressive.
- This is a restaurant quality dessert that’s easier to make than you think!
Today’s sweet pie recipe is perfect after a holiday dinner of turkey and sweet potato casserole. Or enjoy after a typical weeknight dinner of meatloaf!
Ingredient Notes
- Pie crust – I start with a refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust. Easy, tasty and fool proof! Use a homeamde pie crust if you prefer.
- Gelatin – This gives the mousse pie filling its structure. Make sure to use unflavored gelatin powder, or your pie will come out tasting funky.
- Creamy peanut butter – The sweetened shelf stable kind works best here. Save the natural refrigerated peanut butters for your sandwiches!
- Cream cheese – Adds tang, creaminess and flavor. Use the full fat kind that comes in sticks, not tubs.
- Heavy cream – You’ll need it for the peanut butter pie filling and for the ganache.
- Sugar – For sweetening the peanut butter mousse.
- Milk chocolate chips – These are melted with heavy cream to make the ganache. Feel free to substitute semi-sweet if you prefer a darker cocoa flavor.
How to Make Peanut Butter Pie
- Bake crust. Whether you use a homemade crust, or store bought, bake according to instructions. Cool before adding filling.
- Bloom gelatin.
- Combine cream cheese and peanut butter.
- Make mousse filling.
- Chill pie.
- Add ganache.
Tips and Tricks
- This chocolate ganache isn’t just for peanut butter pie! We have a whole post on how to make chocolate ganache, with more great ideas for using the delicious topping.
- Use a plastic knife to loosen the pie from the edges of the spring form pan. Run it along the inside edge before releasing the spring and lifting off the sides.
- Keep this pie covered in the refrigerator when you aren’t eating it. It’s best enjoyed within 3 days.
- If you won’t be eating your pie right away, you can wait to add the chocolate ganache until just before serving. The combination of warm ganache with cold mousse pie is incredible!
Recipe FAQs
Definitely! Here’s a pie crust recipe I love for peanut butter pie (and all kinds of pies!).
Yes, you could swap the peanut butter for almond butter, cashew butter, sun flower seed butter, or any nut butter you like.
I find natural peanut butter (the kind you have to stir) changes the consistency of most desserts, including this pie. The oils separate as the peanut butter sets, creating a greasy film on top of the mousse.
If you don’t have a microwave, you can melt the chocolate and cream in a heat proof bowl held over a pot of hot water on the stove. Or use a double-boiler like this one.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Carrot Cake Recipe
- Lemon Bars
- No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
- Eclair Cake Recipe
- Pumpkin Pie
- Smores Cookie Bars
- More Pies and Tarts
Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 pie crust single pie crust only
For the mousse:
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 package cream cheese, softened 8 ounce
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
For the ganache:
- ½ cup milk chocolate
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Unroll pie crust and press into the bottom of a 9inch springform pan. Poke with a fork and bake according to package directions (for single crust recipe). Set aside to cool.
- For the mousse, pour cold water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle with gelatin. Allow to bloom (absorb water) for two minutes. Heat saucepan on low and whisk gelatin water for several minutes until completely absorbed and dissolved. Remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with peanut butter. Add gelatin mixture and beat for about 2 minutes. Set aside.
- In a clean and dry mixing bowl, beat heavy cream with sugar on high until soft peaks form (several minutes). Fold in peanut butter mixture and combine completely. Pour over cooled crust and refrigerate several hours (or overnight).
- To remove springform pan, use a plastic knife and run it along the edges. Release spring and life up. Pie should be set up nicely on the insert.
- For the ganache, combine the chocolate with the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl.
- Heat for 30 seconds. Stir and heat an additional 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over pie. Serve immediately or return to refrigerator until ready to serve. Best eaten within 3 days. ENJOY.
Notes
- Use our easy directions on how to make ganache for topping this pie.
- This chocolate ganache isn’t just for peanut butter pie! We have a whole post on how to make chocolate ganache, with more great ideas for using the delicious topping.
- Use a plastic knife to loosen the pie from the edges of the spring form pan. Run it along the inside edge before releasing the spring and lifting off the sides.
- Keep this pie covered in the refrigerator when you aren’t eating it. It’s best enjoyed within 3 days.
- If you won’t be eating your pie right away, you can wait to add the chocolate ganache until just before serving. The combination of warm ganache with cold mousse pie is incredible!
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Oh yes, I guess I should have prefaced my comment! I used an oreo crust instead of the pie crust, peanut butter belongs with chocolate right?!