If you're a fan of chocolate and peanut butter, this pie is your dream dessert. It’s designed to be both indulgent and balanced, so you get all the creamy, rich flavors you love without it being overwhelmingly sweet. Starting with a chocolate crust, this chocolate peanut butter pie layers homemade chocolate pudding with a light peanut butter mousse, creating a delightful contrast in textures and flavors. Perfect for potlucks, special occasions, or just because you deserve a treat!
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place 25 chocolate sandwich cookies into a food processor and pulse until they turn into fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a mixing bowl and pour in 5 tablespoons of melted butter. Stir until the mixture is evenly coated with the butter.
Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass to press it down evenly. Bake the crust for about 7 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt.
Gradually whisk in whole milk, making sure there are no lumps.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and comes to a gentle boil. This will take about 10 minutes. Once thickened, remove from heat.
Stir in chopped dark chocolate until melted and smooth. Slowly whisk in beaten egg yolks. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Pour the pudding into the cooled crust, spreading it out evenly. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
In a large mixing bowl, beat creamy peanut butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
Gradually mix in powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, whip heavy whipping cream with vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until well combined.
Spread the peanut butter mousse evenly over the set chocolate pudding layer. Smooth the top with a spatula. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to let the layers firm up.
In a mixing bowl, whip heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled peanut butter mousse layer.
Sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups over the whipped cream.
Slice the pie and serve chilled. Enjoy the layers of rich chocolate pudding, creamy peanut butter mousse, and light whipped cream.
Have Fun Baking!