Recipe: Peanut Butter Pie (standard and Keto)

This pie is smooth and cool – a perfect dessert for spring and summer. If you’re watching your weight, follow the notes for the Keto version. It tastes nearly as rich as the standard version.

This recipe makes a 9” pie.

INGREDIENTS

Standard Crust

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

or Keto Crust

2 cups almond flour

1/3 cup butter (measured solid, then melted)

3 TB sweetener (granular or powdered)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature                                           

1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar or sweetener

2 TB pure vanilla extract

PREPARATION                                                          

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Crust:

Standard

In a bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake until brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

OR

Keto

Stir the almond flour, melted butter, sweetener and pure vanilla extract in a medium bowl until well combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of a greased pan. Bake for about 11 minutes, until barely golden. Let cool at least 10 minutes.

Filling:

With a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the cream at high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Transfer to a large clean bowl and set aside.

Fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment and a clean bowl. Add the cream cheese and sugar. Mix until thoroughly blended. Add the peanut butter and mix. Then blend in the vanilla. Beat at a high speed until the mixture is smooth.

Gently fold the cream cheese-peanut butter mixture into the whipped cream with a spatula until completely blended. Spoon the filling into the cooled pie shell and smooth out the top. Place the pie in the freezer for 1 hour or until ready to serve. (If you’re going to leave it in the freezer awhile, wrap it in plastic wrap so it doesn’t get freezer burn.)

Take the pie out of the freezer 15 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Filling based on: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/peanut-butter-pie-51192420?intcid=inline_amp                                                                                   Crust based on: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/low-carb-cheesecake-keto-gluten-free-sugar-free/

Notes:

If you don’t have a stand mixer with the whisk and paddle attachments, don’t fret. Use whatever mixer with whatever attachments you have.

The cream cheese should be soft but not melted. Set it out at least 30 minutes prior to get it soft enough.

For a smoother texture, blend the sugar into the cream cheese before adding any other ingredients.

Use toothpicks to keep the plastic wrap from sticking to the pie filling.

If the pie will be left in the freezer for more than three hours before serving it, allow up to 30 minutes for it to thaw before serving.

This peanut butter pie is delicious as is, but you can kick it up a notch by adding toppings – chocolate, nuts, bananas, cinnamon, whipped cream, ice cream, more chocolate….

Do you enjoy breakfast dessert? This is a great option!

For Keto:

Peanut butter – Look for all natural creamy peanut butter, which means the ingredients will be only peanuts and maybe salt.

Brown sugar – You can use a brown sugar substitute like golden monk fruit, but since this pie isn’t baked, you’ll probably end up with a gritty texture if you use a granular sweetener. For a smoother texture, use a powdered sweetener.

Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract meets Keto standards. If it’s not pure, it has other ingredients added, and they most likely are not Keto.

Bon appetit!