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Home » Recipes » Pies and Tarts

Vegan Peanut Butter Pie

Published: Mar 18, 2021 by Lexi

578 shares
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This insanely delicious vegan peanut butter pie with a chocolate cookie crust is SO easy to make in about 20 minutes with basic ingredients! It's one of my all-time favorite dessert recipes, and it's no bake. This recipe can also easily be made gluten free.

close up view of peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust on black plate.

Why we love this recipe

There's not a day that goes by when I don't eat peanut butter in at least one meal. It's in most of my breakfasts, snacks (like this PB banana bread!) and even appears frequently in my favorite savory meals. (See grilled tofu kebabs, vegan lettuce wraps and this amazing soup.)

But more often than not, peanut butter shows up in my all-time favorite dessert recipes. There's just no better combo than chocolate and peanut butter, right?

overhead view of peanut butter pie slices with chocolate cookie crust on black plate.

This vegan peanut butter pie is one of my absolute favorites. It has a creamy, luscious, light filling and the easiest two-ingredient crust imaginable. It's rich, decadent and a total crowd-pleaser.

This recipe is perfect for just about any occasion, including birthdays, holidays, dinner parties, or just a weeknight treat. It's especially great for summer since it's no bake and stays perfectly chilled in the refrigerator or freezer.

This vegan peanut butter pie is made with no cashews or tofu – it's all easy-to-find, basic ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry!

It's also super easy to make gluten free with one simple swap, so it's perfect for just about any dietary needs. We hope you love it as much as we do!

side view of peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust on black plate with fork.

Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make this vegan peanut butter pie:

overhead view of ingredients for vegan peanut butter pie.

Ingredient Notes

  • Peanut butter: be sure to use super creamy peanut butter here. We use unsweetened peanut butter. If using sweetened peanut butter, you may want to decrease the amount of powdered sugar. You can always adjust and taste as you go to decide how sweet you like it! (And remember - the crust is super sweet, too, so the filling can be a bit less sweet.)
  • Vegan cream cheese: our favorite store-bought brands for vegan cream cheese are Kite Hill and VioLife. Be sure to soften to room temperature for at least one hour before using.
  • Oreos: good news...Oreos are naturally vegan! If you're also gluten free, swap with gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies. We actually used gluten free Oreos in this – they're a brand new product and they're SO GOOD.
close up view of cross section of peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust on black plate.
  • Maple syrup & powdered sugar: we use a mix of the two sweeteners. Maple adds a lovely flavor that perfectly complements peanut butter, and it's a bit more nutritious. Powdered sugar helps lighten up the texture of the pie. You can use all of one or the other if preferred, but note that if you use all maple syrup, the filling will be more dense.
  • Whipped cream: this is technically optional as it works perfectly fine without, but it majorly lightens the pie for a more mousse-like texture. We use this Cocowhip topping from So Delicious.

Step-by-step instructions

Crust

In a food processor, pulse the cookies and melted butter until they form a fine crumb mixture.

before and after pulsing together oreos for pie crust.

Press crust mixture into a 9-inch springform pan.

Pro tip: use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or small ramekin to press the crust firmly into the bottom and sides of the pan. You don't need to go all the way up on the sides - just about 1 ½ inches.

oreo pie crust in springform pan with measuring cup on top of crust.

Place in freezer while you make the filling.

Filling

Add all filling ingredients except whipped cream to food processor and blend until smooth. Fold or mix in the whipped cream until just combined. 

before and after blending together ingredients for vegan peanut butter pie filling in food processor.

Pour on top of crust and spread evenly using a spatula. Place in freezer for 2 hours or until firm.

vegan peanut butter pie filling in chocolate cookie crust before chilling.

While the pie is chilling, you can make a half batch of this vegan chocolate frosting if you want to add some fancy decorations (and extra chocolate flavor!). Pipe the frosting on top of the pie, then top with some shaved chocolate and crushed peanuts.

Or, if you don't want to get super fancy, you can top with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate and crushed peanuts. Return to the freezer until the chocolate is set, then slice and enjoy!

overhead view of vegan peanut butter pie with chocolate frosting on top.

Expert Tips

  • Make sure to soften the vegan cream cheese! If it's not soft, you may end up with lumps in the filling which is not ideal.
    • If you need to soften it quickly, transfer the cream cheese to a bowl and microwave in 7-second intervals just until it's soft. It should only take 1-2 intervals to do the trick. DON'T leave it in too long or it will be a melty mess!
  • Don't rush the crust – you want to make sure it's firmly pressed into the pan so it doesn't crumble when sliced. Use your fingers to press in the crust, then use something with a flat surface (like the bottom of a measuring cup) to press the crust in firmly. This is the best way to make sure it's nice and compact.
close up view of peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust on black plate.
  • How to make chocolate shavings for topping: You'll need a bar of dark chocolate and a vegetable peeler. Use the vegetable peeler to shave thin curls from a room-temperature bar of chocolate. Peel directly over the pie.
  • Storage: cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months. Let defrost 20 minutes before serving.
  • This vegan peanut butter pie would also be amazing as squares/bars! Use a 9x9 square pan, follow the recipe as stated below and slice into squares.
close up view of peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust on black plate.

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Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

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close up view of peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust on black plate.

Vegan Peanut Butter Pie


★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This insanely delicious vegan peanut butter pie with a chocolate cookie crust is SO easy to make in about 20 minutes with basic ingredients! It's one of my all-time favorite dessert recipes, and it's no bake. This recipe can also easily be made gluten free. 


Ingredients

Scale

Crust:

  • 14 oz Oreos or other chocolate sandwich cookies
  • 6 tbsp melted vegan butter

Filling:

  • 12 oz vegan cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter (we use unsweetened)
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups vegan whipped cream (optional)*
  • For topping: vegan chocolate frosting (optional - recipe in notes section), chocolate shavings, peanuts

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, pulse the cookies and melted butter until they form a fine crumb mixture. Press crust mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Place in freezer while you make the filling. Pro tip: use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or small ramekin to press the crust firmly into the bottom and sides of the pan. You don't need to go all the way up on the sides - just about 1 ½ inches (see photos for reference). 
  2. Add all filling ingredients except whipped cream to food processor and blend until smooth. Fold or mix in the whipped cream until just combined. 
  3. Pour on top of crust and spread evenly. Place in freezer for 2 hours or until firm.
  4. Pipe with vegan chocolate frosting (optional - recipe below) or drizzle with dark chocolate and crushed peanuts. 

Notes

Vegan chocolate frosting: Melt 4 oz dark chocolate and set aside to let cool until cool to the touch. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream ½ cup vegan butter with ¾ cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add in melted, cooled chocolate, a pinch of salt and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip on medium-high for 30-60 seconds until super light and fluffy. Pipe onto pie. 

*Whipped cream: this is technically optional as it works perfectly fine without, but it majorly lightens the pie for a more mousse-like texture. We use this Cocowhip topping from So Delicious. 

Peanut butter: We use unsweetened peanut butter. If using sweetened peanut butter, you may want to decrease the amount of powdered sugar. You can always adjust and taste as you go.

Storage: cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months. Let defrost 20 minutes before serving. 

This vegan peanut butter pie would also be amazing as squares/bars! Use a 9x9 square pan, follow the recipe as stated below and slice into squares. 

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 558
  • Sugar: 30 g
  • Sodium: 582.4 mg
  • Fat: 42.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 41.5 g
  • Fiber: 1.6 g
  • Protein: 8 g

Keywords: vegan peanut butter pie

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #crowdedkitchen

close up view of peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust on black plate.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Rebecca

    August 30, 2021 at 9:53 am

    May I ask…are you using unsweetened natural peanut butter for this recipe or just unsweetened regular peanut butter? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Lexi

      August 30, 2021 at 10:15 am

      Hi! Either will work fine in this recipe. We have used both with successful results.

      Reply
  2. Nishanie

    March 22, 2021 at 4:32 pm

    Such a quick, easy yet DELICIOUS recipe! Was a crowd pleaser! I was told by my foodie fam that it should be on a resto menu, so bravo to an amazing recipe! I didn't add any sugar as indicated as I found the oreos already sweet enough and topped the pie with a bit more maple syrup for a that extra lucsious topping!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      March 22, 2021 at 7:34 pm

      So glad you enjoyed!! Thank you SO much for your review!!

      Reply
  3. Elle

    March 20, 2021 at 5:08 am

    This look incredible. So wish you had the option to view the recipe in either US or Metric. Is it possible to substitute vegan cream cheese with silken tofu? Many thanks!

    Reply
    • Lexi

      March 20, 2021 at 10:38 am

      Hi Elle, us too! Hoping the recipe card we use adds that as a feature in the future. As for the tofu – you technically could for texture, but it would definitely significantly change the flavor of this pie so I am not 100% certain. If you do try it, I would probably add more sugar.

      Reply
  4. blbgr

    March 21, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    It sounds and looks delicious of course, but how about some information about calories, fat, carbs, etc?

    Reply
    • Lexi

      March 21, 2019 at 3:57 pm

      Hi! Thanks for your comment. We don't typically calculate nutritional information for our recipes, as we always strive to use healthy, wholesome ingredients that we are comfortable eating on a daily basis as part of a balanced diet. However, we understand that others prefer to know that information - after a quick analysis of the ingredients, we can confirm that 1 serving has about 250 calories and 15-20 grams of fat, which is pretty typical for a vegan dessert containing nuts. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • blbgr

        March 21, 2019 at 4:00 pm

        Thank you so much both for the content and the amazing speed of your response. The info is very helpful and I really appreciate it. It definitely helps.

        Reply
        • Lexi

          March 21, 2019 at 4:05 pm

          Our pleasure! Please feel free to reach out at any time with questions/comments. We have been thinking about adding in nutritional information in the future, so we'll definitely keep this in mind!

          Reply

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Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

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