Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.
Sweet, buttery, salty, and oh so creamy, this Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is not your average pie! The crust is a mix of salty pretzels, sweet brown sugar, and a bit of butter. The cream filling is made with plenty of chocolate, cream cheese, peanut butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and a touch of sugar. The crust is topped with a layer of chocolate fudge, then the peanut filling is spooned over the chocolate. Just before serving the pie is topped with mountains of whipped cream and a heavy dusting of cocoa powder. Trust me, this peanut butter pie is extra special. Every bite is sweet, salty, creamy, and heavy on both the chocolate and the peanut butter. The perfect pie for any time of year.
Special Tuesday pie for you guys! But don’t worry, this is an EASY pie. And yes, I know I missed pie day last week (March 14th), but hey, better late than never. And trust me, you’re going to want this pie no matter what day it is.
It’s classic, almost “retro”, and 100% feels like a pie my grandma would have made. Though without a doubt, hers would have some cool whip…mine does not. But promise it’s still as easy as can be. It’s such a great pie for Easter in less than two short weeks!
I’m going to jump right into things today because well, it’s peanut butter chocolate pie! We need the recipe, not my rambling…though I’ve got a little of that too.
The process
What I love about this pie is that it’s easy, no fuss, and anyone can make it.
The crust, it’s made with pretzels, brown sugar, and butter. Sooo, it’s salty, sweet, and buttery. It requires no rolling out or chilling of the dough. Just mix, press the dough into a pie plate, and bake it. The crust gets toasted until golden and lightly browned, giving it a bit of a nutty browned butter flavor. Meaning it is perfectly delicious.
If you have a food processor, this makes very quick work of mixing the crust. If not, no worries at all, just crush the pretzels in a bag (you can even just step on the bag). Then just mix the crust together in a mixing bowl. Do whatever option works best for you.
While the crust is baking, I like to make the chocolate fudge, which isn’t traditional in a peanut butter pie, but since my crust doesn’t use any chocolate cookies, you knew I’d have to include some chocolate somewhere. A little fudge seemed like a good idea. It’s just chocolate, coconut oil, and cream melted together. I spread the chocolate over the pretzel crust, then let it set up before adding the peanut butter filling.
Onto the peanut butter filling
I used cream cheese to keep things thick and creamy, but I wanted this peanut butter pie to be a little looser than most. To do this, I added heavy cream to create more of a whipped peanut mousse texture. So there’s thick cream on the edges, but while the pie sits on your plate, the center of the cream slowly softens into a bit more of a peanut mousse.
And it is so DELICIOUS. You get the best of both worlds. Thick and creamy edges, then a light and creamy center…with a fudgy layer of chocolate underneath!
The cream on top!!
Most peanut butter pies are topped with a chocolate drizzle, but I wanted to do something a little creamier. So, I made a simple vanilla whipped cream and dusted the top as you would a classic tiramisu…with lots of cocoa powder and chocolate shavings.
Again, not classic, but delicious.
Every bite of this pie is filled with sweet peanutty and chocolate flavors with just the right amount of saltiness throughout. And the whipped cream on top is that final extra special touch that really elevates this peanut butter pie above others. Trust me, I know this is a little different, but it’s different in a very delicious way. And it still feels like the pie grandma would make…just maybe a tiny bit better.
Looking for a sweet treat for spring or Easter? This is your pie. Honestly though…it’s really good any time of year!
Looking for other Easter dessert recipes? Here are a few to try:
Soft and Crinkly Brown Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies
Coconut Pecan Caramel Butter Cake
Lastly, if you make this Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Vintage Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Every bite is sweet, salty, creamy, and heavy on the chocolate and the peanut butter. Great year-round!
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups mini salted pretzels
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Filling
- 6 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 - 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups, plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom or use a standard pie plate.
2. To make the crust. In a food processor, pulse together the pretzels, butter, and brown sugar until the pretzels are fine crumbs. Press the mix into the prepared pie plate. Bake 8 minutes, until golden.
3. Meanwhile, combine the chocolate, 1 tablespoon cream, and the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring every 45 seconds, until melted. Carefully spread the melted chocolate onto the bottom of the crust and gently up the sides. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on high speed, until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined. Slowly add the 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla and whip on high spread until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Spoon the peanut cream into the chilled crust. Cover and chill 1 hour.
5. Using an electric mixer, whip 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together until soft peaks form. Dollop cream onto the pie. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving. Pie will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Our Favorite Recipes
Slow Cooker Braised Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken Tacos.
I think you forgot to include the cream cheese amount in the recipe.
Hey Issac,
Sorry for any confusion, the recipe is fixed, you will want to use 4 ounces of cream cheese. I hope you love the pie! xTieghan
I have a pre-made gluten-free graham cracker crust just begging to be filled with this pie! Would you please update recipe to include amount of cream cheese? It’s mentioned in the process steps but not in the ingredients…I plan to have this chilling by dinner time, cannot wait!
Hey Marina,
Sorry for any confusion, the recipe is fixed, you will want to use 4 ounces of cream cheese. I hope you love the pie! xTieghan
Do you think Coconut Milk or Coconut Whipping Cream would be a good substitute for the heavy cream?
Hey Courtney,
I think coconut whipping cream would work well for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Is there any substitute for cream cheese in this?. I’m not a fan, but the pie seems delicious otherwise!
Also, can I assume this recipe would need a JIF type peanut butter and not a natural one?
This sounds like a reese’s cup… with a really fun crust!
Hey there,
I think mascarpone would be a great substitute for the cream cheese and yes for this I would recommend using a classic peanut butter. I hope you love the pie, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Will this work with monkfish sugar and stevia as substitutes for the sugars in the recipe?
Hey Ronald,
So sorry, but I would not recommend using those sugar substitutes for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Oh wow,
It’s my Birthday and this is your recipe today! How did you know I love peanut butter? I actually made your healthy…ish cookie bars to share with my running buddies this morning. I subbed in peanut butter for the almond butter and they were To Die For. Anyway have a great Tuesday! So grateful for all the hard work you put into this blog, it is truly so wonderful.
Hey Kristen,
Happy Birthday!!🥳 I hope you love this pie and have the best day:) xTieghan
This sounds delicious! Will definetely make it this weekend!
Can you add the metric measurements? That would be great!
Hey Francesca,
So sorry about this, I will add the metric measurements! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
Do you crush the pretzels and then measure 2 cups? It’s kind of hard to measure 2 cups when they’re still on the big side.
Hey Amanda,
I measure the pretzels and then crush them, doesn’t have to be totally exact:) I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I’m a little bit confused about the amount of confectioners sugar. 3/4 – 1 1/2 c? Seems like quite a difference. How much did you use! Thanks in advance!
Hey Leslie,
So much really depends not he texture of your peanut butter, I would start with 3/4 cup and then slowly add until you achieve the right texture. I hope you enjoy the pie, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
thank you for inspiring me for my weekend splurge, this has everything I’d want in a calorie splurge, starting with peanut butter chocolate and the texture contrast with pretzels and the salty too, love it!
Hey Sabrina,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, this is looks absolutely delicious 🤤 can’t wait to try it out. Quick question, what can I use instead of pretzels for the crust? I don’t live in the US so pretzels are hard to come by. Thanks
Hey Kavee,
You could do a graham cracker crust, that would be great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks fantastic and will be trying this weekend! When you add little chocolate curls to the top of the pie, what chocolate do you use?
Hey Dawn,
I used Chocolove brand. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
If I don’t have coconut oil are there any substitutes? Shortening maybe?
Hey Brittany,
I would use butter in place of the coconut oil. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I love your recipes and was excited to try this one but I’m having trouble with the chocolate layer. I’ve tried twice now and it is not spreadable at all. I microwave in 30 second increments and stir between until it’s nice and smooth but then when I go to spread it it gets hard and clumps. I can’t seem to spread it at all. It gets hard before I can work it across the base. Please help!
Hey Taryn,
So sorry to hear this, I would recommend trying a different brand of chocolate, I like Chocolove. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wait… so I’m confused. Are you saying there is 423,000 calories in this whole pie? That’s a ton of calories!
Hey Shauna,
There are 423 calories per slice. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
If I make the pie at home to bring to an event, should I wait to add the whipped topping & cocoa dust until I get there so it doesn’t melt into the pie? Or will it stay firm?
Hey Gina,
I would add the whipped topping and cocoa dust at your final destination. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can’t wait to try this.
Can i use natural peanut butter? I’ve found the oil content has impacted some other baking I have tried.
Hey Carley,
Yes, that will work just fine. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this for my husband’s birthday and it was delicious! He said it was one of the best desserts he’s ever had. I love the recipe because it’s flexible and easy. I didn’t have any fancy chocolate so I just shaved some Hershey’s chocolate bar on top and it still looked fancy, so fun! It honestly tastes like a peanut butter cheesecake with a delicious salty crust and then some chocolate added in. I think next time I make it I might do a little more whipped cream on top because it is so rich, but it is delicious regardless. Thank you for the yummy recipe!
Hey Eliza,
That is so awesome this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Happy Friday! xTieghan
Hi T,
Do you think pulsing pretz in a blender would be ok? Thanks – looks delish!
-Brooke
Hey Brooke,
I would just smash them by hand in a plastic bag. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I could not get the chocolate to melt smooth. So when I added it to the crust it was destroying the crust. You didn’t pour into the pan or spread well at all. Any thoughts?
Hey Allison,
So sorry to hear this, I would try a different brand of chocolate, I like using Chocolove! I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
I don’t have a tart pan. Do you think a spring form would work ok?
Hey Steph,
Yes, I think that would work well for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Seriously simple and tastes like a rich Reese’s cup!
Hey Laura,
That is so awesome this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Happy Friday! xTieghan
Hey teagan! Will this freeze ok?
Hey Terri,
I would freeze without the whipped topping. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
I love this recipe. However, I also had trouble with the chocolate layer like someone else below. I think the issue for me was the coconut oil. I used 3 different kinds of chocolate and I had the same issue. So, on try #4, I melted the chocolate (no issue) and then stirred in the coconut oil and it got clumpy and hard. I assume the issue is the fact that I was using organic liquid coconut oil instead of the solid. Just wanted to mention it in case others are having the same issue.
•M
Hey Maddy,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
How do you make the chocolate curls?
Hey there,
I use a veggie peeler to make the chocolate curls. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hey! What do you recommend other than any sort of cheese? I need a dairy free cream cheese substitute please!
Hey Morgan,
I would recommend looking for a dairy free cream cheese, I believe most grocery stores should have one! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My chocolate also seized up, I think that the issue is actually the heavy cream and the initial 45 second microwave time. I’d stick to 20-30 seconds at a time in the future. Anyway, I added boiling water to it, a little bit at a time, until it was spreadable and smooth.
Hey Stacey,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I had trouble with the chocolate. It was not super smooth and hard to spread. I tried adding more coconut oil and it helped a little bit. I couldn’t spread it well. What can I have done differently? Otherwise, amazing pie!
Hey Michelle,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! I would try a different brand of chocolate next time! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Good Morning, quick 2 questions of the peanut butter pie. 1., do you dust with sweetened or unsweetened cocoa? 2. what type of bar did you use for the shavings! Thanks so much, I am making this and lemon bosque (spelling) for Easter.
YUM!
Hey Carla,
I like to use unsweetened, but use what you like and I use a Chocolove bar for the shavings! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
Is it okay to make this a day ahead of when planning to serve??
Hey Nicole,
I would make ahead minus the whipped topping, keep in the fridge and then add the whipped topping when you are ready to serve. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was absolutely amazing! I used gluten free pretzels and I think this crust will be my new “go to” gluten fre substitute for tarts and pies. This was the perfect deliciousl combination of sweet and salty. I used butter and guittard chocolate chips and they melted perfectly. I”m already looking forward to when I can make this again!
Hey Victoria,
I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🌷xTieghan
Can’t wait to try. Is heavy whipping cream the same as the whipping cream that’s called for in the recipe?
Hey Jennifer,
Yes that will work just the same. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Do you prefer to use the dark or semi sweet chocolate ?
Hey Meagan,
I love using dark chocolate. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Made it and the peanut butter mousse is to die for!
Hey Joan,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Easter 🌷Tieghan
Hi Tieghan!
If I put the whip cream on early (like 30min before serving) will it still hold up in the refrigerator? I plan to take this to Easter but don’t want it to look frumpy by the time we get there.
Hey Danielle,
Yes, that is perfectly fine to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
THIS WAS SUCH A HIT THIS EASTER! Thank you so much for an awesome recipe! I too, like others had the chocolate “seized” up on me. I used Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate and had this happen. I was not sure if It was waiting 45 seconds or from the heavy cream. The second time, I slowly heated the chocolate w/ the coconut oil and voided the cream and it worked out! Prepped and assembled everything the night before, minus the whipped cream which I did several minutes before serving. This was a total hit – even with gluten-free pretzels! I have already have been begged to make it again soon. Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Melissa,
Happy Monday! It’s so great that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I made this pie this weekend and it was delicious! I had trouble getting my crust to stay together. It completely fell apart when I went to serve it. It was still delicious though-any thoughts?
Hey Katy,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, so sorry to hear about your crust. Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Made this for Easter & it is absolutely delicious and easy! A keeper for sure!
Hey Cyndee,
Happy Monday! It’s so great that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xTieghan
I am torn which of your cookbooks to purchase. Is this recipe in one of them or are these new recipes that are not included in the books?
Hey Lauri,
Any of the recipes that you see online will not be in either cookbook, the recipes in the cookbooks are exclusive to the books. They both have a variety of recipes, the main difference is Super Simple is filled with super easy/quick recipes. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Really delicious.. Definite keeper! How can it miss with these favorite flavors ♥️♥️ i used the low range of sugar in the peanut butter filling and the whipped cream because i prefer less sweet.. It was perfect. . I struggled spreading the fudge layer thin enough . It simply wouldn’t liquify sufficiently for easy spreading. Still very delicious but quite a hard thick layer to cut through. Any tips? I used the microwave instead of my usual double boiler approach .. Thank you for your passion and creativity. So fun!
Hey there,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! For the fudge, I would highly recommend a different brand of chocolate, I like to use Chocolove! I hope this helps! xTieghan
This pie rocks!
Thanks so much Patti! xTieghan
Thinking of putting the crusts in mini muffin pan to make “bite-sized” version of this for a group gathering. Thoughts???
Hey Doug,
I think that would be a super fun idea! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Seriously so delicious! I was a little lazy and used a graham cracker crust because it was what I had on hand. I followed everything else in the recipe and everyone loved it. The peanut butter layer is perfect. I can’t wait to make it again!
Hey Catherine,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed!! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
This is absolutely incredible! One of by kids crushed pretzels in a bag for me, and I think because of that my crust was a little bit more delicate in places than it would have been if I had used a food processor (depriving her of the fun of smashing pretzels with a rolling pin!). I didn’t risk spreading the chocolate up the sides of the crust, but the pie is still outrageously good. Beautiful as well! Thank you!
Hey Julie,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week🌟 xTieghan
This was SO delicious and rich – it was a huge hit. We didn’t have all the appropriate ingredients so we made some modifications and it still worked great. We used cool whip instead of making our own – great substitute in a pinch – and microplaned a chocolate bar over the top instead of cocoa powder. We also were short a 1/4 cup of heavy cream for the filling, but it still tasted great. Lastly, for the crust, it wasn’t solidifying at all once it had cooked. We decided to chill it in the freezer before putting the chocolate over the top which worked wonderfully. Not sure if the pretzels weren’t ground fine enough, but it made the work easier! I’ll definitely be making this again, it was SO good.
Hey Marissa,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week🌟 xTieghan
My daughter and I made this pie this weekend and it was heavenly! We had no issues with the chocolate—we followed the recipe exactly and it melted and spread just fine. My husband is super-picky about desserts, but after a big slice of this he said “make sure you don’t lose this recipe.” So we will surely be making this again!
Hey Jessica,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week🌟 xTieghan
Delicious! Made this for my and my husband’s birthday weekend in lieu of cake. Only had peanut butter filled pretzels in the pantry so I used those instead for the crust which worked well. I planned to use expensive chocolate but had leftover Hershey’s kisses and figured I’d try them out first based on previous reviewers’ challenges. The directions to melt seemed too hot and too fast, so I melted gently at just 50% for 20 seconds at a time, and added an additional tablespoon of heavy cream. (I used solid coconut oil.) The chocolate poured out of the bowl in smooth wide ribbons to cover the crust and I didn’t try to spread it any more to cover the few tiny bare spots…no need to mess with near-perfection! Wonderful recipe and I’ll make it again!
Hey Mel,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week🌟 xTieghan
I am in love with this pie! It is so delicious. I found that the chocolate was extremely hard which made it difficult to eat. The next time I made the pie, I heated up the heavy cream (more than the recipe says) till it was simmering and then poured it over the chocolate chips. This made the chocolate soft and easy to spread. Thanks so much for this amazing recipe!
Hey Annalise,
Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xTieghan
I made this pie for my husband and it was absolutely delicious! Will definitely make again. I had a bit of an issue with the chocolate layer – I was able to spread it easily but once ready to serve, instead of it being fudgy, it was hard and made it difficult to cut through. I followed the recipe to the tee so not sure where I went wrong. Any advice?
Thanks – it tasted wonderful!
Hey Leen,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Sorry to hear about your chocolate, maybe try a different brand next time, I really like Chocolove! Happy Monday! xTieghan
This recipe is delicious! Made it for a birthday and a huge hit. My only issue was on my end, when I was mixing in the heavy cream to the PB, I looked back at the recipe and saw the 2 cups and my eyes avoided the 1 1/4 note. So my only suggestion would be to break out the ingredients in the master list to denote what is used for the filling versus the whipped topping. It still tasted great despite the very creamy PB filling, I just used canned whipped topping then to avoid it being too heavy.
Thank you!
Hey Karen,
Thanks so much! I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
I had a random pregnancy craving for peanut butter pie, and I’m so glad I used this recipe. This is one of the best desserts I have ever made. Prepared the crust ingredients in my Ninja blender and it worked well. Used a standard 9″ pie plate and I think that next time I’ll use a spring form or deeper pie plate…there was no room left for the whipped cream on top. Ended up not being a big deal because the pie was already rich enough without it. I didn’t have any issues with the chocolate layer(I used Hu gems). It was just so damn good. I just finished my last piece and am about to cry because it’s gone.
Hey Kristin,
Thanks so much! I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Delicious! I used gluten free pretzels because of a friends celiac needs and it didn’t hold together perfectly and I probably should have put it in the freezer longer to harden before adding the chocolate. But even though the chocolate didn’t spread perfectly across the crust and when I cut it it wasn’t perfect all the layers are delicious and it was still a hit! The crust crumbles ended up as a topping!
Hey Alexis,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a fantastic week! xTieghan