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Sweet, buttery, salty, and oh so creamy, this Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is not your average pie! The crust is a mix of salty pretzels, sweet brown sugar, and a bit of butter. The cream filling is made with plenty of chocolate, cream cheese, peanut butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and a touch of sugar. The crust is topped with a layer of chocolate fudge, then the peanut filling is spooned over the chocolate. Just before serving the pie is topped with mountains of whipped cream and a heavy dusting of cocoa powder. Trust me, this peanut butter pie is extra special. Every bite is sweet, salty, creamy, and heavy on both the chocolate and the peanut butter. The perfect pie for any time of year.
Special Tuesday pie for you guys! But don’t worry, this is an EASY pie. And yes, I know I missed pie day last week (March 14th), but hey, better late than never. And trust me, you’re going to want this pie no matter what day it is.
It’s classic, almost “retro”, and 100% feels like a pie my grandma would have made. Though without a doubt, hers would have some cool whip…mine does not. But promise it’s still as easy as can be. It’s such a great pie for Easter in less than two short weeks!
I’m going to jump right into things today because well, it’s peanut butter chocolate pie! We need the recipe, not my rambling…though I’ve got a little of that too.
The process
What I love about this pie is that it’s easy, no fuss, and anyone can make it.
The crust, it’s made with pretzels, brown sugar, and butter. Sooo, it’s salty, sweet, and buttery. It requires no rolling out or chilling of the dough. Just mix, press the dough into a pie plate, and bake it. The crust gets toasted until golden and lightly browned, giving it a bit of a nutty browned butter flavor. Meaning it is perfectly delicious.
If you have a food processor, this makes very quick work of mixing the crust. If not, no worries at all, just crush the pretzels in a bag (you can even just step on the bag). Then just mix the crust together in a mixing bowl. Do whatever option works best for you.
While the crust is baking, I like to make the chocolate fudge, which isn’t traditional in a peanut butter pie, but since my crust doesn’t use any chocolate cookies, you knew I’d have to include some chocolate somewhere. A little fudge seemed like a good idea. It’s just chocolate, coconut oil, and cream melted together. I spread the chocolate over the pretzel crust, then let it set up before adding the peanut butter filling.
Onto the peanut butter filling
I used cream cheese to keep things thick and creamy, but I wanted this peanut butter pie to be a little looser than most. To do this, I added heavy cream to create more of a whipped peanut mousse texture. So there’s thick cream on the edges, but while the pie sits on your plate, the center of the cream slowly softens into a bit more of a peanut mousse.
And it is so DELICIOUS. You get the best of both worlds. Thick and creamy edges, then a light and creamy center…with a fudgy layer of chocolate underneath!
The cream on top!!
Most peanut butter pies are topped with a chocolate drizzle, but I wanted to do something a little creamier. So, I made a simple vanilla whipped cream and dusted the top as you would a classic tiramisu…with lots of cocoa powder and chocolate shavings.
Again, not classic, but delicious.
Every bite of this pie is filled with sweet peanutty and chocolate flavors with just the right amount of saltiness throughout. And the whipped cream on top is that final extra special touch that really elevates this peanut butter pie above others. Trust me, I know this is a little different, but it’s different in a very delicious way. And it still feels like the pie grandma would make…just maybe a tiny bit better.
Looking for a sweet treat for spring or Easter? This is your pie. Honestly though…it’s really good any time of year!
Looking for other Easter dessert recipes? Here are a few to try:
Soft and Crinkly Brown Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies
Coconut Pecan Caramel Butter Cake
Lastly, if you make this Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 617 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups mini salted pretzels
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Filling
- 6 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 - 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups, plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom or use a standard pie plate. 2. To make the crust. In a food processor, pulse together the pretzels, butter, and brown sugar until the pretzels are fine crumbs. Press the mix into the prepared pie plate. Bake 8 minutes, until golden. 3. Meanwhile, combine the chocolate, 1 tablespoon cream, and the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring every 45 seconds, until melted. Carefully spread the melted chocolate onto the bottom of the crust and gently up the sides. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. 4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on high speed, until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined. Slowly add the 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla and whip on high spread until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Spoon the peanut cream into the chilled crust. Cover and chill 1 hour.5. Using an electric mixer, whip 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together until soft peaks form. Dollop cream onto the pie. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving. Pie will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
I have made this pie several times over the last year or so. A couple tricks I learned:
If using a tart pan then the two cups of pretzels is just enough to cover it. If using a traditional pie plate I add another half cup to cup of pretzels and tbsp or two of butter to the crust recipe.
For the chocolate I melt the coconut oil before heating everything up and use way more than what is called for. When the chocolate mixture is glossy and thin is the time to act. You gotta move fast. Coat the bottom of the crust but good luck with the sides, I still haven’t mastered it. Honestly the crust isn’t the star of the show on most pies so it’s fine with just the bottom coat.
Everything from there is a breeze. I top mine with swirls of chocolate sauce and serve with whipped cream on the side. The filling really tasted like the inside of a Reese’s pieces. Sooo delicious.
The best thing about this recipe is that there is always some filling left over. My husband uses it on his pancakes, in shakes or with chocolate for a sweet treat.
Don’t let some of the stuffy reviews deter you – this pie is delicious and worth the effort.
Hey Laura,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe is always enjoyed, thanks so much for making it so often! Thanks for sharing what works best for you! xT
Very easy solution to the chocolate issues. Use hot fudge sauce. DON’T heat it up. Simply spoon it on the crust and put in freezer to set it
Thanks for sharing Katie!!
Do you think it’s possible to make this recipe in a bar format with the pretzel crust as a base and doubling the recipe? I need to make this for 16.
Hey Betsy,
Sure, I don’t see why that wouldn’t work for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Is it 2 cups of pretzels AFTER they’re crushed or before? I originally did before but then it wasn’t enough crust to go up the edges of my pie plate so I did more. I had the same problem with the chocolate not being truly melted and spreadable but the filling is divine! I didn’t think the crust was gonna hold but once it was chilled it was perfectly firm.
Hey Elizabeth,
I measured the pretzels before being crushed:) Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Let me know if you make any adjustments if you make it again! xT
So delicious, this was a hit with the whole family! Perfect mix of salty and sweet and fairly easy to make. Chocolate was a little difficult to get just right but I ended up alternating adding a little more cream and heating until it was easy to stir and finally got creamy!
Hey Lauren,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! ?Tieghan
I only have natural peanut butter. Will that work?
Hi Samantha,
Yes, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I read the comments that many folks had trouble with melting the chocolate. My microwave is unreliable. I put the cream, chocolate, and coconut oil in a small saucepot and melt it very carefully, stirring every 10 seconds on the lowest flame. It works, and it doesn’t dirty more dishes like using a double boiler (which is what you’re “supposed” to do). Other than that change, this recipe wasn’t complicated.
Great recipe if you love cream pies. Unfortunately, this was not a winner in my house because 3/4 members of the family realized they don’t like whip cream. Only my husband loved it. I thought the peanut butter filling was going to be more solid. My favorite part was the chocolate-pretzel crust. It brought creamy and crunchy together very nicely.
Hi there,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. xTieghan
Can you make this 1-2 days early and store in the fridge? Thanks!
Hi Kate,
Yes, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you! xx
This is my go-to for my birthday dessert. I am no longer able to buy my favourite peanut butter pie, so I was searching for an at-home substitute. This knocked it out of the park, and it’s so simple to make! Amazing.
Hey Darcie,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
I made this last thanksgiving and am back again getting ready for this year! This was so perfectly delicious everyone that i served it to loved it. Cant wait to make it again
Love to hear this Amanda!! I hope it’s just as delicious as last year:)
I read through a lot of the comments on this pie, and so many people had the same issues, yes you responded with basically no help or solutions. You either completely ignored the comment or asked the person if maybe they did something wrong. Can you really not offer any ways to fix the problems with this pie?? I’d love to make this pie but I probably won’t due to the fact that I don’t want to waste ingredients when you could have just offered some help!
Hi Jessica,
Did you try making the pie? Did you have issues with it? Sorry I am not sure what you are asking me. I would love to help! Let me know if you need specific instructions for something. It’s really hard to help someone when they don’t tell me exact details about their recipe and I can’t see their pie, so I really need so much info about how that person made the recipe for me to figure out what went wrong. If they don’t provide that info then I can’t just take a guess on what happened. xTieghan
Can I make the whipped topping earlier and add the dollops and keep in fridge until I serve it
Hey Laurie,
Yes, that will work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Could I use coconut cream to make this recipe? My sister in law has a dairy allergy and I wanted to try and accommodate that!
Hey Samantha,
Sure, that should work well for you! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Wow! I made this last week for Pi Day and my family raved about it. My husband keeps asking if there is any left (funny because he ate most of it) which I think is his way of asking me to make another! Definitely a keeper recipe.
Hey Lindsay,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xx
This is one of the best pies I’ve ever made! I made it for my boyfriend’s birthday, and it turned out way better than I anticipated. We agreed it tastes almost like a peanut butter s’more but better! The fluffiness of the filling with the combination of the pretzel chocolate crust makes this dish 10/10 for us. Thank you!
Hi Bonnie,
Fantastic! Love hearing that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. xTieghan
I was so excited to make this pie for Christmas Eve, but unfortunately I just did not find the fudge recipe accurate. I wasted 12oz (from 2 different attempts) of high quality chocolate trying to bring it back from its seized state and it completely destroyed my pie crust trying to spread it out. That being said, the pie sounds so delicious and I did see someone else’s comment that doubling the coconut oil alleviated the chocolate goop mess, I’m going to give it another try. Fingers crossed that tweak makes the chocolate spreadable and gives me success!
I had this same issue. It worked after multiple attempts switching to milk chocolate and adding a lot more butter to the crust.
Hi Kelly,
So sorry to hear this, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Making this for my husbands birthday. I agree with the comments on the chocolate mix.
I made it exactly as recipe states and found it seized up a bit. It was more of a paste. I was able to ultimately spread it but it was slow going.
Would you advise adding more oil or cream next time to avoid this and if so how much?
Thanks!
Hi Erin,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, so sorry to hear you had some issues! Sorry what seized up? If you could give me a little more info that would be super helpful!! xTieghan