Homemade Peanut Butter Pie Recipe

Dolly Parton is known for her fabulously sweet and simple recipes, which require little effort but deliver big on flavor. Dolly's take on a peanut butter pie, which is making the rounds at the moment, is one such recipe. Though her version only calls for 5 ingredients, we've added a couple more to augment the pie with a sweet and buttery homemade graham cracker crust that just can't be beaten by one pulled from a grocery store shelf. The simple ingredients take on a sweet caramel flavor with a toasted texture, and are transformed into a mouthwatering base for the rich and silky salty-sweet filling. The resulting pie is a creamy, dreamy slice of heaven.

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "This pie is surprisingly simple to make, and is one of those desserts that's perfect for so many occasions. Make it for a family dinner, afternoon tea, movie night, or an elegant dinner party. You can dress it up for fancier events with melted chocolate and whipped cream, or keep it smooth and simple." This pie might just become a signature dessert that will be the talk of every meal.

To make this recipe, hit up the baking aisle or your pantry for brown sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Then grab some peanut butter and graham crackers. Visit the dairy aisle for unsalted butter, cream cheese, and whipped topping. Of course, you can make your own whipped cream to keep this dessert fully homemade. If you want to add toppings, get some chocolate syrup, peanuts, and extra whipped topping.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.

Mix with a hand mixer until the texture resembles wet sand.

Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then let cool for 30 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

Add the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until fully combined and creamy.

Fold in the whipped topping until the filling is smooth and fluffy.

Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and spread it evenly. Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours or until firm.

Decorate with additional whipped topping, chocolate syrup, or crushed peanuts if desired, slice, and serve.

• Fruity and Fun Blood Orange Crush Cocktail Recipe
• Super Simple Whipped Honey Recipe
• Roasted Strawberry and Basil Lemonade Recipe
• Easy At-Home Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

Since peanut butter is the main ingredient here, it's important that you select one that is very smooth with a stable texture. Any of the natural peanut butters that require you to stir the oil into the peanut butter in the jar will make the filling loose and grainy, versus light and creamy. Best to stick with the basic type of peanut butter with no frills. Another nut butter may be used, like almond or cashew, if it is a no-stir variety.

For a chocolatey crust, feel free to substitute chocolate graham crackers instead of the classic type. To add extra flavor to the filling and give this Reese's peanut butter cup vibes, try folding in about one-quarter cup of mini chocolate chips. Another option for chocolate lovers is using about ¼ cup of Nutella or chocolate syrup in the filling before adding it to the crust. For coffee flavor, add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the filling. If you don't have brown sugar on hand, you can use coconut sugar instead. If you'd like to make the pie dairy-free, just use vegan butter in the crust, vegan cream cheese, and coconut whipped cream in the filling. 

If you want to add a fancy finish to this simple pie, you'll need a large star tip like a Wilton 1M or Ateco 846 along with a piping bag. Disposable bags are the most convenient, and 16-inch or 18-inch will be the easiest to work with. You'll also need some chocolate syrup that comes in a squeeze bottle. Start by creating a zig-zag pattern over the top of the pie with the chocolate syrup. 

Make sure the whipped cream is chilled, so pull it out of the fridge right before you're ready to use it. Snip about ½-inch off the tip of a piping bag, then insert the star tip so that the star portion is fully visible and is secure and snug. Then place the point of the bag into a glass and cuff it over the edge of the glass to keep it open. Fill the bag about halfway with whipped cream and twist the open end tight just above the filling. Give the bag a squeeze to push the whipped cream towards the tip, then squeeze gently to release some of the whipped cream until it forms a star. Lift up and then repeat to add stars around the perimeter of the pie, and then top with chopped peanuts. If you don't want to use a piping bag and tip but still want a whipped cream frosting, just spread a layer on top with a frosting spatula, and top with shaved chocolate, drizzled chocolate sauce, or chopped nuts.

• Bakery-Worthy Blueberry Pie Recipe
• Blackberry and Pine Nut Cheesecake Recipe
• Raspberry and Cream Tiramisu Recipe
• Classic Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Caramelized Walnuts Recipe