Who doesn’t love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate? This gluten-free peanut butter pie pairs a silky, peanut-buttery filling with a crunchy chocolate cookie crust for an irresistible dessert.
Peanut butter and chocolate rank among my favorite flavor pairings. A Reese’s peanut butter cup is my guilty pleasure — I could easily eat one every day. Because I’m not always disciplined, I prefer to keep treats like this in pie form so everyone else helps me finish it.
I first noticed this pie when I saw Ree Drummond make it on The Pioneer Woman. I enjoy her show because she comes across as authentic and down-to-earth, and many of her desserts are simple and crowd-pleasing — this pie included.
The Ingredients in Gluten Free Peanut Butter Pie
This pie is straightforward to make and requires only a few ingredients:
- Peanut butter — creamy works best for a smooth filling
- Cream cheese — softens and stabilizes the filling for a velvety texture
- Powdered sugar — adds sweetness and helps thicken the filling
- Whipped topping — a thawed whipped topping like Cool Whip keeps the filling light; you can substitute freshly whipped cream if preferred
- Gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies — these form the crunchy chocolate crust
- Butter — melted, to bind the cookie crumbs into a crust
Making the Gluten Free Chocolate Crust
The crust needs just two components: gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies and melted butter. Pulse the cookies in a food processor until they become fine crumbs, or place them in a sturdy zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 350°F for 5–7 minutes to set the crust so it holds together when sliced. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding the filling.
Whipping up the Filling
The peanut butter filling is rich and creamy — tempting enough to eat by the spoonful. To make it, beat together the peanut butter and softened cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and blend until fully incorporated. Finally, fold in the thawed whipped topping (or freshly whipped cream) until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Spoon the filling into the cooled chocolate crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Chill the pie in the refrigerator until set; an hour is usually sufficient, though chilling longer (a few hours) will make it firmer and easier to slice.
If you love the classic peanut butter and chocolate duo, this pie delivers. The crunchy chocolate crust contrasts beautifully with the smooth peanut butter filling, making each slice satisfyingly decadent.
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 25 whole gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies
- 4 tbsp (56 g) butter, melted
Filling
- 1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter
- 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1¼ cups (156 g) powdered sugar
- 8 ounce (226 g) frozen non dairy whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, thawed (freshly whipped cream in equal amounts can be substituted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Crust
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Preheat the oven to 350° F.
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Pulse chocolate sandwich cookies into crumbs using a food processor, or crush them in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin. Toss crumbs with the melted butter until evenly coated.
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Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 5–7 minutes, until the crust is set. Let cool completely.
Make the Filling
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In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter and softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing until combined. Scrape the bowl as needed, then fold in the whipped topping until the mixture is light and fluffy.
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Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate at least one hour, or longer for a firmer pie, before serving.
Adapted from the Pioneer Woman’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie