Classic Peanut Butter Pie Recipe

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Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 6 people

no bake peanut butter pie pinterest image

This no-bake, old fashioned peanut butter pie recipe is a dessert that takes only 15 minutes to put together and uses simple ingredients like cream cheese, peanut butter, cool whip & store-bought pie crust!

PLAN AHEAD : Freeze/refrigerator the pie for at least 3 hours (or overnight) before serving, for best results, and soon you'll have others telling you that this is one of your best dessert recipes!

old fashioned peanut butter pie on white plate

Why this recipe is so good:

I don't know about you but in the summer, the last thing I want to do is stand in a hot kitchen, baking.

So when I need an easy dessert, cream pies are my go-to and this easy peanut butter pie recipe is ALWAYS a hit and one our favorite pies! (And if I'm being honest, it's not just a dessert that I make in the summer… I'm making it all year long.) So if you're a peanut butter lover, buckle up… cause you're going to love this one!

How do you make peanut butter pie from scratch?

You'll use ingredients such as cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar and cool whip for the "peanut butter custard" or filling. So this recipe is made from scratch, except for the crust! But if you'd like to make your own pie crust, I recommend this graham cracker crust recipe!

Ingredient Checklist:

I often recommend keeping certain ingredients on hand for staple recipes that you can make in a pinch without going to the store. This classic, old-fashioned peanut butter pie recipe is one of those recipes!

The ingredients are easy to keep on hand, they stay fresh for a while and it's a recipe that can easily be whipped up if last-minute guests arrive or if you need something to carry to a potluck!

Here's what you need for this great recipe:
(The full printable recipe card with instructions can be found at the bottom of this post!)

9-inch graham cracker crust, premade or a homemade crust
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 container Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed in the fridge overnight
If desired, toppings such as chocolate sundae sauce, mini chocolate chips, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Ingredients on white table for peanut butter pie

Step-by-Step Directions

In a stand mixer or with a hand electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth and creamy in a large bowl – scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally. (Image 1 below.)
Add the powdered sugar and beat until mixed together smoothly – again, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure it is all incorporated. (Images 2 & 3 below.)

Collage step by step peanut butter pie recipe

Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the container of Cool Whip in to the peanut butter mixture, with a spatula. (Image 4 below.)
Transfer pie filling into the graham cracker crust that's in the pie plate, and smooth out the top. (Image 5 below.)

For the top of your pie, you can do a drizzle of hot fudge or chocolate sauce, mini chocolate chips, and chopped Reese's Peanut Butter cups for the BEST pie. (Or at least we think so!)

Reeses cups on top of no bake peanut butter pie

Place the plastic lid that came with the crust (or use plastic wrap) on the top and chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 3 hours or up to overnight.
To serve from the freezer, let it thaw at least 10 minutes before trying to cut into it.

Expert Tips & FAQ's

How long will peanut butter pie last in the refrigerator?

Four days! If you have leftovers, store in the refrigerator (you can even store it in the store bought pie-crust container) for up to four days, with the lid on.

What crust is best for peanut butter pie?

Definitely a graham cracker crust! You can use a different kind (baked) if that's all you have on hand but graham cracker crust is the best for a no-bake, classic peanut butter pie!

No bake peanut butter pie recipe with bite on a fork

What to serve with this recipe

Although this old-fashioned pie is absolutely perfect to have by itself, you can serve it with some of these favorite things:

Extra whipped cream (dollops, or piped whipped cream on top can be beautiful too!)
Serve alongside a warm cup of coffee
A scoop of vanilla ice cream
Your favorite cookies, such as peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

No bake peanut butter pie in pie dish with slice missing

If you love peanut butter pie, then you may also love these other easy recipes:

No bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies
No bake peanut butter chocolate energy balls
Edible cookie dough (also a no-bake recipe!)
No bake brownie peanut butter cup trifle
Chocolate Peanut Butter Salted Caramel Toffee Cake

Old fashioned peanut butter pie on plate with bite on fork

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Pie

Prep Time 15 mins

Chill Time 3 hrs

Total Time 3 hrs 15 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 576 kcal

▢ 9 in. graham cracker crust premade
▢ 8 oz. cream cheese softened to room temperature
▢ 1 cup creamy peanut butter
▢ 3/4 cup powdered sugar
▢ 8 oz. Cool Whip whipped topping (One container), thawed
▢ Chocolate sauce optional
▢ mini chocolate chips optional
▢ Reese's Peanut Butter Cups chopped, optional

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

In an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth and creamy – scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally.
Add the powdered sugar and beat until mixed together smoothly – again, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure it is all incorporated.
Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the container of Cool Whip with a spatula.
Transfer pie filling into the graham cracker crust and smooth out the top.
Place the plastic lid that came with the crust on the top and chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 3 hours or up to overnight.
To serve from the freezer, let it thaw at least 10 minutes before trying to cut into it.
If desired, top with a drizzle of chocolate sauce, mini chocolate chips, and chopped Reese's Peanut Butter cups.

Plan on chilling the pie for at least 3 hours before serving so the filling can thicken!
How long is peanut butter pie good for?
Four days! If you have leftovers, store in the refrigerator (you can even store it in the store bought pie-crust container) for up to four days, with the lid on.
What crust is best for peanut butter pie?
Definitely a graham cracker crust! You can use a different kind (baked) if that's all you have on hand but graham cracker crust is the best for a no-bake, classic peanut butter pie!

Keywords classic peanut butter pie, no bake pie, old fashioned peanut butter pie, peanut butter pie recipe

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