Okay, so here’s the thing. I’ve been making this Amish peanut butter cream pie for about three years now, and I still can’t believe how ridiculously easy it is. Like, embarrassingly easy. The first time I brought it to a family gathering, my aunt Carol literally asked if I ordered it from some fancy bakery. I just smiled and didn’t correct her. (Sorry, Aunt Carol.)
But honestly? This no-bake peanut butter pie is probably one of the best things I’ve ever made, and I’ve tried A LOT of desserts. My kitchen has seen some disasters—looking at you, burnt crème brûlée incident of 2023—but this creamy peanut butter pie? Never fails.
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What Makes This Amish Peanut Butter Cream Pie So Special
Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. I stumbled across this recipe completely by accident. I was supposed to make a chocolate pie for my daughter’s birthday party, but—plot twist—I was out of cocoa powder. Panic mode activated. So I Googled “easy no-bake peanut butter dessert” at like 10 PM the night before, and this traditional Amish peanut butter pie recipe popped up.
And thank goodness it did.
What makes this pie different from other peanut butter desserts is those little peanut butter crumbles. They’re made with just peanut butter and powdered sugar, and they create this sweet, crumbly texture that’s… I don’t even know how to describe it. Magical? Is that too dramatic? Whatever, it’s magical.
The layers are simple: graham cracker crust on the bottom, peanut butter crumbles, then a creamy vanilla pudding mixture, topped with homemade whipped cream and more of those addictive crumbles. That’s it. No fancy techniques, no weird ingredients you can’t pronounce.
My First Attempt (aka The Learning Experience)
Can we talk about my first attempt though? Because it was… not pretty. I used a hand mixer instead of my stand mixer (because I was too lazy to get it out from the top shelf), and let me tell you, whipping that cream by hand took FOREVER. My arm was sore for two days. Two days! All because I didn’t want to grab a step stool.
Also—and this is important—I didn’t chill the pie long enough. The recipe said at least 4 hours, but I only gave it like 2 hours because people were coming over. Big mistake. HUGE. The pudding layer was still kinda loose and everything just… slid around when I tried to slice it. Still tasted amazing though. My neighbor Sarah ate two slices and didn’t even care that it looked like a mess.
Ingredients You’ll Need for This Easy Peanut Butter Cream Pie
Here’s what you need for this homemade peanut butter pie. And honestly, you probably have most of this stuff already:
For the Crust:
- 1 pre-made graham cracker crust (or make your own if you’re feeling ambitious, but I usually don’t)
For the Peanut Butter Crumbles:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I use Jif, but use whatever you like)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
For the Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (PLEASE let it soften. Room temperature is key here)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1½ cups cold milk
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Shopping tip: Don’t buy the natural peanut butter that separates. Trust me. The regular creamy kind works way better for this peanut butter pie recipe from scratch. I learned that one the hard way when I went through my “healthy eating” phase last year. The natural stuff made the crumbles all weird and oily. Not cute.
How to Make This No-Bake Peanut Butter Cream Pie
Step 1: Make Those Magical Peanut Butter Crumbles
In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar together with a fork. It’ll start looking like little pebbles or crumbs—kinda like wet sand at the beach. That’s exactly what you want.
Take about half of these crumbles and press them into the bottom of your graham cracker crust. Just use your hands. No one’s watching. Save the other half for topping later. Don’t eat them. Okay, you can eat like one spoonful. They’re really good.
Step 2: Make the Creamy Filling
Now here’s where it gets fun. In a large bowl (or stand mixer if you learned from my mistakes), beat the softened cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar until it’s smooth and fluffy. This takes maybe 2-3 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk. Whisk it for about 2 minutes until it starts to thicken. The pudding will thicken more as it sits, so don’t worry if it seems a little thin at first.
Fold the pudding mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Be gentle here—you want it smooth but not deflated. Set this aside for a minute.
Step 3: Whip That Cream
In another clean bowl (I know, lots of dishes, but it’s worth it), beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. This is where a stand mixer is your best friend. Takes like 5 minutes tops. You want it thick enough that it holds its shape when you pull the beaters out.
Now—and pay attention here because this is important—fold about half of the whipped cream into your peanut butter pudding mixture. This makes the filling light and fluffy. Save the rest of the whipped cream for topping.
Step 4: Assemble Your Peanut Butter Cream Pie With Whipped Topping
Pour the pudding filling over those peanut butter crumbles in your crust. Use a spatula to smooth it out nice and even. Then spread (or pipe, if you’re fancy) the remaining whipped cream on top.
Sprinkle the rest of those peanut butter crumbles over the whipped cream. Don’t be shy about it. More is more when it comes to this old-fashioned peanut butter pie.
Step 5: The Hardest Part (Waiting)
Cover your pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for AT LEAST 4 hours. I usually make mine the night before I need it, which is way less stressful. Remember my sliding pie disaster? Yeah. Learn from my mistakes.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
Use cold milk for the pudding. Room temperature milk won’t set up right. Ask me how I know. (I don’t want to talk about it.)
Don’t skip softening the cream cheese. Cold cream cheese will be lumpy and no amount of mixing will fix it. I usually take mine out like an hour before I start baking. Or you can microwave it for like 10 seconds. Just don’t melt it.
If you want to get fancy, drizzle some melted chocolate over the top. I did this once for a dinner party and people lost their minds. Just melt some chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle away.
This peanut butter pie with cream cheese can be made a day ahead. Actually, I think it tastes even better the next day after everything has had time to set and the flavors meld together.
Want it even more peanut buttery? Add an extra ¼ cup of peanut butter to the filling. Some people (like my husband) think the original recipe isn’t peanut butter-y enough. Those people are wrong, but I love them anyway.
Why This Creamy Peanut Butter Pie Recipe Works Every Time
I think the secret to this homemade peanut butter cream filling is the combination of cream cheese and pudding mix. The cream cheese makes it rich and tangy, while the pudding adds that classic vanilla sweetness and helps everything set up perfectly. And those peanut butter crumbles? They add texture and extra peanut butter flavor without making the pie too heavy.
It’s also a no-bake peanut butter cream pie, which means it’s perfect for summer when you don’t want to turn on your oven. Although, let’s be real, I make this year-round. Christmas dinner? Yep. Random Tuesday in March? Why not?
My kids request this for every single celebration now. Birthdays, holidays, end of the school year… Last month my son asked if we could have it for breakfast. The answer was no, but I respected the ambition.
Serving This Easy No-Bake Peanut Butter Dessert
Slice this pie with a sharp knife (dip it in hot water and wipe it clean between slices for the prettiest cuts). Serve it cold, straight from the fridge.
You can top each slice with extra whipped cream if you want, but honestly, it’s already pretty rich. Maybe some chocolate shavings? Or just eat it as-is. That’s what I usually do.
This recipe makes 8 decent-sized slices, but between you and me, I’ve seen my brother-in-law eat like three pieces in one sitting. No judgment though. It’s that good.
Final Thoughts on This Traditional Amish Peanut Butter Pie
If you love peanut butter—and I mean REALLY love it—you need to make this peanut butter pie filling recipe. It’s creamy, sweet, rich, and has the perfect balance of textures with those crumbly peanut butter bits throughout.
And if you’re intimidated by making pies, don’t be. This is seriously the easiest pie I’ve ever made. No rolling dough, no blind baking (unless you make your crust from scratch, but again, store-bought is totally fine), no complicated steps. Just mix, layer, chill, and eat.
I’ve made this pie probably 30 times now, and it’s never let me down. Well, except for that one time I didn’t chill it long enough, but we’ve already discussed that trauma.
So yeah. Make this pie. Bring it to your next gathering and watch people’s faces light up. Then act all humble when they ask for the recipe. That’s what I do, anyway.
Happy baking! (Well, non-baking technically, since this is no-bake. You know what I mean.)
