Peanut butter pretzel pie has a salted pretzel crust and a rich homemade peanut butter filling. Serve it chilled or frozen. It’s an easy make ahead dessert recipe that everyone will love!
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This peanut butter pie is guaranteed to be a big hit at any gathering! It has a delicious pretzel crust and luscious peanut butter filling. Serve it chilled or frozen!
Decorate this pie with any or all of your favorite toppings. I love this recipe for holidays. It can be made ahead of time just like these chocolate mousse bars and pumpkin and chocolate pie!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Pretzel crust: A salted pretzel crust is the perfect base for this peanut butter pretzel dessert. It balances out the richness and sweetness of the filling.
- Creamy texture: Whipped cream gives this pie a creamy texture that everyone will love! I like to top the pie with some peanut butter cups to make them extra delicious to bite into just like these Reeses peanut butter cup brownies!
- Perfect flavor: This recipe is made with over a cup of peanut butter. It’s a peanut butter lover’s dream dessert just like my peanut butter butterscotch bars and Oreo peanut butter cheesecake!
- Make ahead: The pie is chilled before serving. You can make it in advance and pull it out to serve the next day just like these Nutter Butter cookie bars and chocolate mini cheesecakes.
Ingredients
Below are useful notes about some of the ingredients needed to make this peanut butter pie recipe.
- Pretzel: Use salted pretzels (either sticks or twists are fine). You’ll need 1 and 1/2 cups of pretzel crumbs or about 5.3 ounces. It’s important that the pretzels are very finely crushed, so it’s best to crush them in the food processor. Make sure your pretzels are fresh. If the pretzels taste stale, the crust will taste stale as well.
- Butter: We’re using melted butter for the crust.
- Peanut butter: Use creamy peanut butter such as Skippy or JIF. I wouldn’t recommend baking with natural peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter for this recipe. Peanut butter fans will also love this peanut butter jelly ice cream and chocolate covered peanut butter balls!
- Heavy cream: Make sure to use cold heavy cream. Cold heavy cream whips best. Whipped heavy cream gives the peanut butter layer its fluffy texture.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat, room temperature, brick style cream cheese. Room temperature cream cheese will give you a smooth filling! Take cream cheese out of the fridge 2 hours before making this pie. Cream cheese keeps the peanut butter filling thick and stable.
- Powdered sugar: Sift your powdered sugar to remove lumps.
- Mini Reeses peanut butter cups (optional): I like to top the pie with Peanut butter cups, but you can top it with your favorite toppings.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and their mesaurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Make a graham cracker or Oreo crust in place of a pretzel crust. You can also use a store bought Oreo or graham cracker crust.
- Homemade or store bought pie dough also works!
- Drizzle some chocolate ganache or melted peanut butter over the pie to make it extra decadent.
- Add some chopped roasted peanuts or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top!
- Top the pie with whipped cream before serving.
How to Make Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie
Quick Video Recap
Instructions
Step 1: (Photo 1 above) In a food processor, pulse pretzels til very fine crumbs. Combine the pretzel crumbs, sugar in a bowl. Add the melted butter. Stir til crumbs are coated with butter. Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Cool completely.
Step 2: (Photo 2 above) Beat the heavy cream with a mixer til cream has started to thicken. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. Beat til stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Step 3: (Photo 3 above) In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Add the ¾ cup of powdered sugar and mix til smooth.
Step 4: (Photo 4 above) Gently fold half the whipped cream into the peanut butter.
Step 5: (Photo 5 above) Add the rest of the whipped cream and fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
Step 6: (Photo 6 above) Spoon or spread the peanut butter filling into the cooled crust. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Serve chilled or frozen. Decorate as you like!
Expert Tips
- Process the pretzels til they are very finely ground. This will give the crust an even texture and help make sure it holds together once baked.
- Be gentle when you fold in the whipped cream. If you’re not gentle, the whipped cream will deflate too much. If this happens, the pie will not set.
- Plan ahead to give the pie time to chill. It needs a long chill time for it to set.
- Serve chilled or frozen! Both ways are delicious.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This pie can be made gluten free by using gluten free pretzels or another type of gluten free crust. Also, be sure to double check that the rest of your ingredients are gluten free.
A standard 9 inch pie dish works great. It can be glass, metal, or ceramic.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
- 1½ cups (150 g) pretzel crumbs very finely crushed
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
Peanut Butter Filling
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) heavy cream cold
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (90 g) powdered sugar, divided
- 1½ teaspoon (1½ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1 pinch (1 pinch) salt
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese full fat, brick style, room temperature
- 1¼ cup (322.5 g) peanut butter creamy peanut butter
Decoration
- Reeses peanut butter cups large or small, chopped or halved
- pretzel twists optional
Instructions
Pretzel Crust
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a food processor, pulse the pretzels til they are fine crumbs. (It's very important that the prezels are finely crushed finely. If they aren't, the crust won’t hold together as well).
- Pour the pretzel crumbs into a medium mixing bow. Stir in the granulated sugar and cinnamon (if using). Add the melted butter and stir together until crumbs are well coated with butter and the mixture comes together (it should feel like wet sand). Pour the mixture into a 9 inch pie plate.
- Use medium pressure with your hand to pat the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides to compact the crust. Press down til mixture is no longer crumbly. If you like you can use a flat bottomed ½-cup measuring cup to help press down the crust and to make the surface smooth. Run the tip of a spoon around the bottom edge of the pan. This will help the crust stay together when you slice it.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Set on a wire rack to cool completely before filling. Cool for at least 20 minutes.
Peanut Butter Filling
- When the crust has almost cooled, get started on the filling.
- Pour the cold heavy cream into a medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer til medium peaks or til cream has started to thicken. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. Beat til stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Add the ¾ cup of powdered sugar and mix til smooth.
- Add half of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture. Use a spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture til almost combined then add the rest of the whipped cream and fold it in. Be careful not to overmix or to mix too hard or quickly.
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Chill in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
Decoration
- Top with chopped Reeses peanut butter cups, pretzels, flaky sea salt or any of your favorite toppings! Serve chilled or frozen, depending on your preference.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Sylvia T
Amazing recipe! Made it this past Weekend, turned out delicious and very enjoyable with a cup of coffee.
Natalie
Hey Sylvia, I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for making it! Have a great day 🙂