I’ll never forget my first encounter with Afternoon Delight’s famous peanut butter pie in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After a leisurely lunch at this beloved local restaurant, my friend insisted we save room for “the best dessert in town.” When the waitress placed that perfect slice in front of me—a cloud-like peanut butter filling nestled in a chocolate cookie crust—I was skeptical that anything could live up to such hype.
One bite was all it took to convert me into a peanut butter pie evangelist. The contrast of the silky, mousse-like filling against the crisp chocolate crust created a perfect balance of textures, while the peanut butter flavor was pronounced without being overwhelmingly sweet. It was the kind of dessert that makes conversation stop mid-sentence as everyone at the table savors each bite in blissful silence.
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Why This No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie Recipe Will Become Your Go-To Dessert
- Quick Preparation: Just 10 minutes of active time to create an impressive dessert
- No Oven Required: Perfect for hot summer days when you don’t want to generate extra heat
- Simple Ingredients: Uses common pantry staples you likely already have on hand
- Impressive Results: Looks and tastes like it came from a high-end bakery
- Versatile Base: Easy to customize with various toppings and mix-ins
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Actually improves with chilling time, making it perfect for entertaining
Ingredients
- Cream cheese – Provides the rich, tangy foundation and creamy texture that holds the pie together
- Confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) – Sweetens without the grittiness of granulated sugar and dissolves perfectly into the filling
- Half and half – Adds richness while thinning the mixture to the perfect consistency
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the overall flavor profile with its warm, aromatic notes
- Peanut butter – The star ingredient that delivers that signature nutty flavor (use creamy for the smoothest texture)
- Whipping cream – Creates the light, mousse-like texture that makes this pie so luxurious
- Chocolate cookie crust or graham cracker crust – Provides the perfect crunchy contrast to the creamy filling
How to Make Peanut Butter Pie
Combine cream cheese, sugar, half and half, peanut butter, and vanilla using an electric mixer.
In a separate bowl, whip cream in a chilled bowl until stiff.
Fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture.
Place filling into the pie crust.
Refrigerate until serving.
Slice and enjoy a creamy and fluffy peanut butter pie.
Famous Afternoon Delight Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
- 1/3 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 Chocolate cookie crust or graham cracker crust – use the already prepared 9-inch pie shell
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, cream, vanilla, and peanut butter. Chill a small bowl and beaters in the freezer. Whip the cream until very stiff in the chilled bowl. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and fold into remaining whipped cream. Spoon into the chocolate pie crust or graham cracker crust. Keep the pie refrigerated until you are ready to serve, and store the pie in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Do you love pie? Check out these recipes
- Toll House Pie Recipe
- Chocolate Pie Recipe
- Ann Landers Pecan Pie
- No Bake Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Buttermilk Pie Recipe
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Hawaiian Pineapple Pie
- Easy Strawberry Pie Recipe
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
More Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes
Check out my easy pies and homemade dessert recipes.
Is it possible to use a frozen whipped topping (i.e. Cool Whip) in place of whipping cream? If so, how much – would an 8 oz. tub be enough?
Well if you used straight cool whip, it may be a bit sweeter than originally intended.
I just discovered you! I read through the top 100 and said to myself, “I think she’s in the Houston area.” Read you bio and was thrilled that you are! After many years in Houston we moved to Colorado (Texas in another life). Have you ever eaten at Kasra, a Persian restaurant? They have a garlic hummus that is to die for. Also a basmati rice with Sour cherries, cranberries, almonds and pistachios that are excellent. Everything there is delicious and the flavors are well balanced. I think you would enjoy it immensely. I used to get their hummus and serve it at holidays, too. Everyone loved it especially those who think they don’t like hummus! Enjoying your blog. Thank you.
I am in Houston. I haven’t heard of Kasra, but I will be on the lookout for it.
I used a Chocolate pie crust, it was so easy to make and tasted like it took hours to make.