This recipe creates a luscious No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie featuring a unique and flavorful Nutter Butter cookie crust. This pie is a dream for peanut butter lovers, offering a creamy, rich, and intensely peanut buttery filling nestled in a sweet and slightly crumbly crust made from crushed Nutter Butter cookies. The no-bake aspect makes it a convenient and easy dessert, perfect for warm weather or when you want a delicious treat without turning on the oven. The crust is formed by crushing Nutter Butter cookies (the peanut-shaped sandwich cookies) and binding them together with melted butter, creating a base that amplifies the peanut butter flavor of the pie. The filling is typically made with cream cheese for a smooth and tangy foundation, creamy peanut butter for that signature nutty taste, powdered sugar for sweetness, vanilla extract for flavor enhancement, and whipped topping (such as Cool Whip or freshly whipped cream) to create a light and airy texture. The combination of cream cheese and whipped topping results in a filling that is rich yet not overly heavy. The pie is assembled by pressing the Nutter Butter crust into a pie plate, spreading the creamy peanut butter filling over the crust, and then chilling it in the refrigerator until firm. Before serving, the pie is often topped with more whipped topping, a drizzle of melted peanut butter or caramel sauce, and crushed Nutter Butter cookies for an extra layer of peanut butter goodness and visual appeal. This No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie with Nutter Butter Crust is a simple yet decadent dessert that requires minimal effort and delivers maximum peanut butter flavor.
The texture of this No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie is a delightful combination of a slightly crumbly and cookie-like Nutter Butter crust, a smooth, creamy, and light peanut butter filling, and a soft, airy whipped topping. The drizzle of melted peanut butter or caramel adds a touch of gooeyness, and the crushed Nutter Butter cookies provide a bit of crunch.
The flavor profile is intensely peanut buttery, with the sweet and nutty taste of the Nutter Butter crust perfectly complementing the rich and creamy peanut butter filling. The cream cheese adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness, and the vanilla enhances the overall flavor. The optional caramel drizzle adds a buttery sweetness that pairs wonderfully with peanut butter.
This No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie with Nutter Butter Crust is a simple yet decadent dessert that delivers a powerful peanut butter flavor experience with a delightful no-bake convenience.
The preparation involves crushing Nutter Butter cookies for the crust, making a creamy peanut butter filling with cream cheese and whipped topping, assembling the pie, chilling it to set, and then topping it with more whipped cream, caramel or peanut butter drizzle, and crushed cookies.
Ingredients:
For the Nutter Butter Crust:
- 1 ½ cups crushed Nutter Butter cookies (about 24-26 cookies)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Peanut Butter Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping, thawed (such as Cool Whip)
For Topping (Optional):
- Additional whipped topping
- ¼ cup melted peanut butter or caramel sauce
- ½ cup crushed Nutter Butter cookies
Equipment:
- 9-inch pie plate
- Food processor (for crushing cookies) or zip-top bag and rolling pin
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small microwave-safe bowl (for melting peanut butter or caramel)
Instructions:
- Make the Nutter Butter Crust: Place the Nutter Butter cookies in a food processor and pulse until they are finely crushed. Alternatively, place the cookies in a zip-top bag, seal it, and crush them with a rolling pin. In a medium bowl, combine the crushed Nutter Butter cookies and the melted butter. Stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Press Crust into Pie Plate: Press the Nutter Butter crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. You can use the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup to help press the crumbs firmly.
- Prepare the Peanut Butter Filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and peanut butter together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Fold in Whipped Topping: Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping into the peanut butter mixture until it is fully incorporated and the filling is smooth and airy.
- Fill the Pie Crust: Pour the peanut butter filling evenly into the prepared Nutter Butter cookie crust.
- Chill the Pie: Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the filling to firm up completely.
- Add Toppings (Optional): Before serving, you can add optional toppings. Spread or pipe additional whipped topping over the pie. Drizzle melted peanut butter or caramel sauce over the whipped topping. Sprinkle crushed Nutter Butter cookies around the edge or over the top for extra decoration and flavor. To melt peanut butter, microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
- Serve: Slice the chilled No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie and serve. Keep any leftovers refrigerated.
Enjoy this incredibly easy and intensely peanut buttery No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie with its delightful Nutter Butter cookie crust! It’s a perfect dessert for any peanut butter enthusiast.