This recipe produces a peanut butter pie crust that may be used with a multitude of fillings - banana pie, chocolate pie and, of course, peanut butter pie. The texture is bursting with peanut butter flavor and maintains a soft cookie-like texture after baking.
![press in peanut butter pie crust in a glass pie pan](https://dessertswithstephanie.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/peanut-butter-pie-crust-jpg.webp)
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This is a simple recipe to make - the only thing hard about it is not nibbling at the crust before you add your pie filling! Maybe double the batch and freeze one (baked or unbaked) as it will last several weeks in your freezer.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter and an egg: Bring the butter and egg to room temperature before starting on this recipe. The end product will thank you as this will achieve better aeration in the baking and a smoother textured dough.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar may be used.
- Peanut butter: Are you a chunky or smooth peanut butter person (I'm a chunky!). Use whichever type of peanut butter you prefer. If using a natural peanut butter be certain to fully incorporate any oils that may have separated in the jar.
- Flour, baking soda and salt: This recipe works with all-purpose flour or with a 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour.
Press-in crust
- This is a press-in crust. I use my hands to press the crust into the pan, but a dough tamper or flat-bottomed glass dipped in flour will work well also.
- Try to distribute the dough as evenly as possible in the pan. I recommend pressing the dough into the bottom of the pan first, then working up the sides. This dough contains baking soda and aerated butter/sugar so there will be a slight rise.
- Pierce the dough on the bottom and up the sides with a fork to alleviate too much of a rise while baking.
Baking the crust
- This crust should be baked when it is cold. I recommend assembling the crust in the pie pan, placing in the refrigerator, then turning on the oven. This will give the crust several minutes to relax before baking which will minimize shrinking.
Pie filling ideas
Need some ideas to use this peanut butter pie crust with? It works wonderfully with my peanut butter pie recipe! Or maybe try the banana cream filling from my banana chocolate tarts.
📋 Recipe
Peanut Butter Pie Crust Recipe
Equipment
- Hand Mixer or
- Pie Pan 9"
- Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- ½ Cup Peanut Butter (Chunky or Creamy)
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
- Add brown sugar and room temperature butter to a mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment cream together until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes), scraping side of bowl as needed. (note: a hand-mixer may also be used)
- Add the peanut butter to the butter/sugar and mix until combined, scraping the side of bowl as needed.
- Add a room temperature egg to butter/sugar/peanut butter and mix until combined, scraping the side of bowl as needed.
- Add flour/baking soda/salt to mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie pan. Use your hands, a dough tamper or the flat bottom of a glass dipped in flour.
- Pierce bottom and sides of pie crust with a fork about 15 times.
- Place pie crust in the refrigerator and heat oven to 350°.
- Once oven has reached 350°, bake pie crust for 12 minutes.
- Cool completely before adding pie fillings.
Dee Dee Maas says
I used this to make my tuna whip pie. Fabuloso
dessertswithstephanie says
Thanks for leaving a review. I've not heard of a tuna whip pie - will have to check it out.
Krisztina Samu says
I'm using this for an apple pie. Do I still need to bake the pie crust beforehand?
dessertswithstephanie says
I suggest you partially bake the crust. Bake it for about 7 minutes. This will help prevent the apple juices from making the crust soggy. The crust will finish baking when you bake the apple pie.
Jennifer L Prince says
Thank you for adding the tip about about getting the egg and butter to room temperature. I leave both those things in the fridge, so I'd have to plan for them to warm a little beforehand.
Kristy Bullard says
My husband loves peanut butter (especially peanut butter desserts) so this is one of his favorite pie crusts. Sometimes we put in a peanut butter mouse and sometimes we put chocolate cream in the pie. Always with a lot of whipped cream!
Linda D says
This is a great crust recipe. I've made it twice, once for a peanut butter pie and once for a chocolate pudding pie!
Andy T says
This crust is super easy to make and tastes like a big peanut butter cookie. I filled it with banana cream and peanut butter ganache.
DANNAk says
So easy to make, delicious and great tips. Glad you made a video.
Sandy H says
This crust is to die for! I used it to make a chocolate cream pie and added peanuts and peanut butter swirls.