Peanut butter pie is the ultimate dessert, harmoniously blending rich flavors with indulgent slices of Baby Ruth bars, making it a must-try for any occasion. Its sweet and salty pretzel crust paired with a creamy peanut butter filling creates a decadent treat that will satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth, ensuring your guests enjoy every last bite.
A Pie Worthy of a Celebration
This peanut butter pie has a lot going for it! It has a sweet and salty pretzel crust, a layer of Baby Ruth chocolate bar slices, peanut butter cheesecake filling, a topping of peanut butter chocolate ganache, chopped peanuts, and a sprinkling of sea salt. The great thing about this pie is that it is perfect for a crowd because a slender slice is very filling. It is a great dessert to serve to peanut butter lovers on birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions.
Pretzel Crust for Peanut Butter Pie
The crust has three ingredients: crushed pretzels, brown sugar, and butter. Be sure to crush the pretzels very finely to make the crust easier to eat. Larger pretzel pieces can make the crust hard. Place them in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you don’t have an electric chopper, place the pretzels in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Remove the air and then use a rolling pin to break and crush the pretzels.
Tamp the Crust
After mixing the crust, place it into the pie dish. Use a tamper or flat-bottomed cup (or heavy glass) to press the crumbs into a flat crust. Start on the bottom of the pie dish and tamp the crumbs firmly, working your way to the sides. Then press the excess crumbs on the side of the pie dish. Bake the crust at 350°F for 10 minutes to set it.
Chocolate Bar Slices for Peanut Butter Pie
Let the crust cool after baking, and then reset the oven to 325°F. Slice the Baby Ruth bars and place them evenly over the bottom of the crust in a single layer. There is no need to layer chocolate bar slices on the pie dish slides, as the filling will occupy the entire space.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Filling
The cheesecake-like filling is flavored with peanut butter and contains sour cream. Mix the ingredients together using a mixer, then pour the mixture into the pie dish.
Baking the Pie with a Pie Crust Shield
Place aluminum foil or a pie shield over the outer crust to prevent over-browning while baking the cheesecake filling. A simple way to do this is to use a sheet of aluminum that fits over the pie. Fold it in half. Use scissors to cut out a half-circle shape. Be careful not to cut your half-circle too large, or it will not cover the crust.
After it is cut, open the aluminum sheet and place it over the pie to shield the crust.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ganache Topping
Place the chocolate, peanut butter, and cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds and then stir. Heat for 15 more seconds. Mix again until the chocolate is melted. Do not keep heating the chocolate, or it can harden and become unusable. Spread this chocolate mixture over the top of the cooled pie.
Chopped Peanuts
Roughly chop the peanuts and sprinkle them over the pie. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of chopped peanuts, but you can add a little more or a little less, depending on your taste preference.
Sea Salt for Peanut Butter Pie
Finally, this pie is finished with a sprinkling of sea salt. This is an optional step; however, the salt complements the pie’s sweetness nicely. Be careful not to use too much salt. It is best to start with a pinch of salt and sprinkle it, adding extra salt if needed. Enjoy!
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Peanut Butter Candy Bar Pie
Equipment
- a food processor or mini chopper to crust pretzels
- 9-inch pie dish
- a mixer
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups pretzels, crushed- measure after crushing (use gluten-free pretzels for gluten-free pie crust)
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
Pie
- 10 fun-size Baby Ruth bars (about 7.5 ounces)
- 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Toppings
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons cream
- ¼ cup peanuts, chopped
- sea salt
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Finely crush the pretzels with a food processor and measure out two cups. Place crumbs into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and whisk until well mixed. Then add the melted butter. Stir until all the crumbs are coated.
- Press the pretzel mixture into and up the sides of a 9-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Pie
- Reset the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Cut the candy bars into thin slices, approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place them into the bottom of the prepared crust.
- Use a mixer to beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter until fluffy and well mixed. Add the sour cream and beat until incorporated into the cream cheese mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat just until the yellow disappears.
- Place the filling on top of the crust over the candy bars. Measure out a sheet of aluminum foil to cover the pie. Fold the aluminum foil in half. Then cut a half-circle shape from the middle of the sheet, being careful not to make it too large. Open the aluminum foil and place it over the pie to shield the crust from further browning. Bake for 35 minutes or until the center is set. It will be jiggly but should not be liquid. Let the pie cool.
Toppings
- Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat for 15 more seconds. Stir until melted. Spread the topping over the top of the pie. Evenly sprinkle chopped peanuts over the pie. Then sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Chill for at least 3 to 4 hours.
Notes
Substitutions
Gluten-Free
This pie can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pretzels in the crust.Candy Bars
You can substitute Snickers bars for Baby Ruth. You can also omit the candy bars from this recipe and still have a delicious pie.Crust Thickness
There are two types of crust lovers. Thick crust lovers and thin crust lovers. This recipe makes a thicker crust. If you like a thinner crust, change the ingredient amounts for the crust to:- 1 3/4 cups pretzels, crushed–measure after crushing
- 10 tablespoons butter, melted