Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
This easy chocolate peanut butter pie features a crisp, baked chocolate cookie crust and a rich, creamy filling made with peanut butter, softened cream cheese, and whipped topping. Minimal active cooking time is required, making it a convenient and decadent dessert that relies on thorough chilling to set.
Equipment
- 1 Pie Pan 9-inch
- 1 Electric Mixer (stand or hand-held)
- 2 Mixing Bowls medium to large
- 1 Food Processor (or heavy-duty zip-top bag and rolling pin)
- 1 Rubber Spatula or offset spatula
Ingredients
Main
- 25 whole chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreos
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- One 8-ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- One 8-ounce package whipped topping such as Cool Whip, thawed
Instructions
- For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Crush the cookies until they're fine crumbs. Pour the melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into a pie pan and bake until set, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- For the filling: Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed whipped topping and beat until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Pour the filling into the crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
For the crust, ensure the chocolate cookies are crushed to very fine crumbs; this creates a cohesive, less crumbly base. Avoid overbaking the crust; it should be just set, not crispy or dark, to prevent it from becoming too hard. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding the filling to prevent melting. The cream cheese for the filling must be truly softened to room temperature for a lump-free, silky smooth consistency. When incorporating the whipped topping, fold it in gently to maintain its airy volume rather than beating it aggressively. Adequate chilling time, ideally 4 hours or overnight, is crucial for the pie to set firmly, ensuring clean, appealing slices. Consider a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top to enhance the chocolate and peanut butter flavors, or a drizzle of chocolate ganache for added richness and presentation.