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Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart

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Think of this chocolate peanut butter tart as a grown-up version of a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Whenever I’m in need of a decadent “wow” dessert, I make this quick-bake chocolate peanut butter tart modestly adapted from Food & Wine. With a chocolate wafer crust, rich peanut butter filling, and silky chocolate ganache topping, it tastes like a grown-up Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. To get the pretty fluted edges, you’ll need a tart pan with a removable bottom, which you can find at any kitchen store or online (my local hardware store even sells them). If you don’t have one, you can also use a springform pan.

What you’ll need to make a chocolate peanut butter tart

Tart ingredients including chocolate wafers, cream cheese, and vanilla.

How to make a chocolate peanut butter tart

Begin with the crust. Place the chocolate wafers in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.

Chocolate wafers in a food processor.

Process until the cookies are finely ground and set aside.

Food processor of wafer crumbs.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the chocolate pieces.

Bowl of melted butter and chocolate.

Stir until melted. (If necessary, place the bowl back in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.)

Melted chocolate in a bowl.

Add the cookie crumbs and stir until evenly combined.

Wafer crumbs and melted chocolate in a bowl.

Press the cookie crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the rim of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.

Tart pan with a chocolate crust.

Meanwhile, make the peanut butter filling: In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the the cream cheese with the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla extract.

Bowl of unmixed peanut butter filling ingredients.

Beat on medium speed until well-blended, a few minutes.

Electric mixer in a bowl with peanut butter filling.

In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.

Bowl of whipped cream.

Add one-third of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture.

Whipped cream in a bowl with peanut butter filling.

Beat on low speed to combine.

Bowl of cream and peanut butter mixture.

Add the remaining cream.

Large pile of whipped cream in a bowl with a peanut butter mixture.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold until evenly combined.

Spatula folding whipped cream into a peanut butter mixture.

The filling should be nice and light.

Bowl of light peanut butter filling.

Spoon the filling into the crust.

Tart pan with a chocolate crust and peanut butter filling.

Smooth the surface and refrigerate, uncovered, for about 1 hour.

Peanut butter filling in a chocolate crust.

Once the pie has cooled, make the chocolate topping. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate with the heavy cream.

Bowl of chocolate and heavy cream.

Microwave at high power in 20-second intervals until the chocolate is just melted and the cream is hot. Stir until well blended, then let cool until barely warm, stirring occasionally.

Spoon in a bowl of melted chocolate.

Spread the chocolate topping over the chilled peanut butter filling.

Chocolate topping over a peanut butter tart.

Sprinkle the chopped peanuts around the edges of the pie.

Circle of peanuts on a chocolate peanut butter tart.

Chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 3 more hours.

Chocolate peanut butter tart missing a slice.

To serve, carefully remove the rim from the pan by gently pressing upwards on the bottom while holding the rim in place. (If using a springform pan, run a thin knife around the crust to loosen it, then remove the springform ring.) Use a sharp knife to cut the pie into wedges. Wipe the knifer clean between each cut. Serve chilled.

Slices of chocolate peanut butter tart on plates.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart

Think of this chocolate peanut butter tart as a grown-up version of a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup.

Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (best quality, such as Ghirardelli)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
  • 2 cups cookie crumbs from Oreo baking crumbs, Dewey’s Brownie Crisp Cookies, Oreo Thins (no need to remove the cream), or Nabisco Chocolate Wafers

For the Peanut Butter Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter (I use Skippy Natural)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream

For the Topping

  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (best quality, such as Ghirardelli)
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Make the chocolate crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. (If necessary, place the bowl back in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.) Add the cookie crumbs and stir until evenly combined. Press the cookie crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the rim of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (see note below). Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.
  2. Meanwhile, make the peanut butter filling: In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until well-blended, a few minutes. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and beat on low speed to combine. Add the remaining cream and, using a large rubber spatula, fold until evenly combined. Spoon the filling into the crust, smoothing the surface. Refrigerate, uncovered, for about 1 hour.
  3. Make the chocolate topping: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate with the heavy cream and microwave at high power in 20-second intervals until the chocolate is just melted and the cream is hot. Stir until well blended, then let cool to barely warm, stirring occasionally. Spread the chocolate topping over the chilled peanut butter filling and sprinkle the chopped peanuts around the edges of the pie. Chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 3 more hours.
  4. To serve: Carefully remove the rim from the pan by gently pressing upwards on the bottom while holding the rim in place. (If using a springform pan, run a thin knife around the crust to loosen it, then remove the springform ring.) Use a sharp knife to cut the pie into wedges. Wipe the knife clean between each cut. Serve chilled.
  5. Make-Ahead Instructions: This pie can be made a day ahead, then covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.
  6. Note: You can find a tart pan with a removable bottom at any kitchen shop or online. However, if you can’t your hands on one, you can also use a 10-inch springform pan and bring the crust about 1 inch up the rim (or for a 9-inch springform pan, bring the crust about 1-½ inches up the rim). 

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (10 servings)
  • Calories: 703
  • Fat: 50 g
  • Saturated fat: 24 g
  • Carbohydrates: 60 g
  • Sugar: 46 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 12 g
  • Sodium: 221 mg
  • Cholesterol: 76 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Hi! Soooo good!! Could I get away with using bittersweet chocolate instead of the semi-sweet in the crust or/and the chocolate topping? Thanks!!

    • — Samantha on January 24, 2024
    • Reply
    • Glad you like it! Yes, you can get away with using bittersweet chocolate here.

      • — Jenn on January 25, 2024
      • Reply
  • Help! They discontinued the chocolate wafers. Would you substitute Oreos?

    • — Deb Powell on December 14, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Deb, I would use 2 cups of cookie crumbs from any of these: Oreo baking crumbs, Dewey’s Brownie Crisp Cookies, or Oreo Thins (no need to remove the cream). Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on December 14, 2023
      • Reply
  • Fabulous and easy. I used 18 – 20 regular Oreos, including the filling, in my crust. Nabisco no longer makes their chocolate wafers.

    • — Becky on November 24, 2023
    • Reply
    • I used chocolate animal cookies that I found at Walmart for the base. It’s in the cookie section near regular animal cookies.

      • — Virginia Lehner on March 13, 2024
      • Reply
  • I made this chocolate peanut butter tart to bring for Thanksgiving dinner. It was fairly easy to make and only required 10 minutes in the oven. The guests enjoyed it very much, so I am sure I will make it often in the future. I would consider it a showstopper.

    • — DeeG on November 23, 2023
    • Reply
    • I made this pie yesterday.it came out beautifully. It was so rich I think I took too big of a piece. But I enjoyed it so much. Thanks again Jenn for another great dessert recipe.

      • — Virginia Lehner on March 13, 2024
      • Reply
  • Good morning,

    Could this be made in a regular, glass pie plate?

    • — Elizabeth on July 25, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Elizabeth, I think it would work but it wouldn’t have the same pretty finished product and would need to be served out of the pie plate. That said, it will still be delicious.

      • — Jenn on July 25, 2023
      • Reply
  • This came out amazing!
    I wonder if you could use the peanut butter filling as a filling between 2 chocolate cakes and top with the chocolate topping!?! Sounds so good

    • — Alyssa on June 4, 2023
    • Reply
  • Can you make this with gluten free Oreos for the crust? I wondered if someone had tried that & how the texture turned out. I’ve made this a ton of times with regular Oreos.

    • — Heather on May 5, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Heather, I’ll let others weigh in if they’ve tried it, but I feel pretty confident that you’d get a good result with gluten-free Oreos. 🙂

      • — Jenn on May 7, 2023
      • Reply
      • I tried it with gluten free Oreos & it was just as delicious!! We couldn’t tell the difference. Such an easy swap for those who want gluten free! I did scrape the white filling out.

        • — Heather on May 12, 2023
        • Reply
  • Hi, I’ve made this a few times and love it so much! Unfortunately, the Nabisco Wafers have been discontinued, can you please post the measurement for the cookie crumbs needed for the crust, so that we can substitute something else? Thanks!

    • — Liz on March 27, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Liz, Oh no, I hadn’t heard that! Oreo thins work really well, too – and you don’t need to bother removing the filling. Hope that helps!

      • — Jenn on March 28, 2023
      • Reply
  • So decadent and delicious! i made this for my friend’s bday who loves reese’s pb cups. I use oreos as base, but next time i don’t think i need to bake it. It was a hit!

    • — Jaclyn on February 10, 2023
    • Reply
  • Fabulous!

    • — Liz on January 24, 2023
    • Reply
  • Totally delicious! Everyone loved this. I could not find the chocolate wafers, so ended up using an oreo crust that we found at Publix, then mixed that with the chocolate and butter, then baking the crust. Thank you!

    • — Beth on December 25, 2022
    • Reply
  • Hi Jen!
    Can this pie be frozen?
    Thanks!

    • — Trudy on November 26, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Trudy, I’ve never frozen it/them before and not confident about how it would freeze. That said, a few readers have commented that they’ve frozen leftovers and have been happy with how it was once thawed.

      • — Jenn on November 27, 2022
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,
    Thank you for such consistently wonderful recipes.

    For this peanut butter tart, can you use almond butter instead?

    Thanks!
    Ellen

    • — Ellen on November 21, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Ellen, I’ve never tried it but it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

      • — Jenn on November 21, 2022
      • Reply
      • I made it 50-50 with almond butter and peanut butter. It was SOOO GOOD …

        The almond butter I had is the kind with the oil on the top that needs to be stirred in. I was afraid it would be too much oil for the recipe if I used 100% almond butter. Plus, even though I like almond butter, jar I had (Kirkland brand) wasn’t as tasty as peanut butter. Less salty perhaps? The 50-50 split worked great.

        FYI I used “light” cream cheese with no loss of flavor or creaminess.

        • — Ellen on November 25, 2022
        • Reply
  • Hi Jenn! This looks delicious, but I’m one with a peanut allergy. Do you think almond butter would substitute well here?

    • — Kay on November 17, 2022
    • Reply
    • Sure, Kay, as long as the almond butter is smooth, it should work nicely. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on November 18, 2022
      • Reply
  • I have both a springform pan and a tart pan. Is it a pretty good assumption that it is a lot easier and better guaranteed to come out of the springform than the tart pan. I would love to make it in the tart pan but since I’m bringing this for my Thanksgiving Dinner contribution, I hate to have it come out in pieces. Any thoughts?

    Oh, is the timing the same for the springform? I might have missed that, as I read it. Thank you.

    • — Macky Miller on November 14, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Macky, I make it in a tart pan and never have any problem serving it, so I think it’s perfectly safe to go that route. Hope everyone enjoys!

      • — Jenn on November 15, 2022
      • Reply
      • Thanks Jen. Making it for Thanksgiving. Can’t wait.

        • — Macky Miller on November 20, 2022
        • Reply
  • Where do you find the Nabisco chocolate wafers?

    • — Laura on November 12, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Laura, they’ve become really hard to find! You can use Oreos here but scrape the filling out. You’ll need about 32 cookies (or 8 ounces). Hope that helps!

      • — Jenn on November 13, 2022
      • Reply
      • found them at Wegmans!

        • — Laura on November 14, 2022
        • Reply
        • Yay!

          • — Jenn on November 15, 2022
          • Reply
  • Turned out great! It as a hit. Thank you

    • — Sarina on September 3, 2022
    • Reply
  • I made this and it came out delicious. But…. I made an oreo crust instead just because I didn’t want to bake anything hehe. Thanks for the recipe! It is so rich and exactly how I imagined it to taste!

    • — Susan on August 16, 2022
    • Reply
  • Is it possible to make a version of this cake that requires no baking ? I’m currently living without an oven but I really wanted to try this cake!
    Thank you

    • — Carlotta on June 10, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Carlotta, I think you can get away with it. Please LMK how it comes out!

      • — Jenn on June 14, 2022
      • Reply
    • I made it with oreos and butter which requires no baking.

      • — Susan on August 16, 2022
      • Reply
    • I made this without baking the crust and it came out well.

      • — Virginia Lehner on March 13, 2024
      • Reply
  • WOW! What a hit! Made it exactly as written and it was absolutely delicious! I did use a 10″ springform pan as that was all I had and it worked perfectly. This one is a keeper!

    • — Wendy on May 9, 2022
    • Reply
  • Fantastic recipe!
    I had made some 4′ fluted tartlet shells with cocoa nib pâte sucrée, and was looking for the perfect filling.
    This was it! The buttery crunch and deeply toasted flavour of the nibs in the pastry with the creaminess of the filling and the sweetness of the ganache was such a perfect balance of complement and contrast, that I will make it this way every time.
    Absolutely loved it!
    Oh, and I didn’t have any salted peanuts, so added a sprinkle of Maldon’s flaky salt on the top. Between that and the crunchiness of the cocoa nibs, it hit all the points.
    (Highly recommend trying this with the cocoa nib pâte sucrée!)

    • — Rebecca on April 3, 2022
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn! Once again you have knocked it out the park. My husband and son both say that this is the BEST DESSERT EVER! Made this for hubby’s birthday because he wanted a “peanut butter dessert” and now this is going into the legendary recipe category. I made it and I’m not a big peanut butter dessert fan but I love it too. Thank you for such an awesome recipe.

  • This dessert was deliciously decadent! It was fun watching folks’ eyes bug out at first bite.
    This was so easy to make. I used the Oreo cookie crust shortcut and Skippy Natural peanut butter with honey, so cut back the sugar to 1/2 cup for the filling. Quick note — be sure to use heavy cream/heavy whipping cream in the recipe as noted here. I used ‘table cream’ and spent 15 minutes attempting to beat this stuff until stiff peaks formed. Never happened.
    Thanks so much for this recipe, Jenn!

  • My husband and I have made this exact recipe at least a dozen times since discovering your website! And every time family and friends rave about it. It’s our go-to “bring a dessert” recipe. Wouldn’t change a thing! Thanks, Jen!!

  • Made this for Christmas Day & it was a 10/10! Great recipe & will definitely make again. If you are in Australia, Arnotts Chocolate Ripple Buscuits work perfectly.

  • Delicious dessert, but is there a trick to getting the crust batter even on the bottom? Mine was obviously too thick as I had trouble getting the batter to come up an inch on the sides, even when I switched from a 10″ springform to a 9″. I’ve only used that springform pan for a cheesecake recipe where you bake part of the batter on the bottom before attaching sides, so in that situation I was able to use a rolling pin to get the bottom crust thin and even. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!

    • Hi Laurie, glad you liked it but sorry you had a problem with the crust. To make sure the bottom crust is an even thickness, you could use something like a dry measuring cup or the bottom of a drinking glass. Although it won’t come all the way up the sides as it would in a tart pan, you should not have a problem getting the crust to come up about an inch or so.

      • Thanks, Jenn. That dessert was amazingly delicious and so pretty! I can see why it’s one of your favorites. The crust turned out fine. It was just a bit thicker in some spots on the bottom, but everyone licked their plates clean!

        • Glad it came out nicely!

  • Unfortunately I only have 11 inch and 9 inch tart pan. If I make it in the 9 inch, do I just cut everything down by 1/10th? Thanks,. Can’t wait to make this.

    • Hi Lynn, If you can figure out the math, yes. I would probably just make the full recipe and use only as much filling and topping as the pan allows.

      • I made this as you suggested and it was a huge hit on my Thanksgiving table. My sister who is an excellent baker was especially effusive. The leftover filling I used as a topping for a banana snack 😀. (The only change I made was that I had to buy Trader Joe’s chocolate sandwich cookies and scrape out the cream filling to make the crust as my local stores didn’t have plain chocolate cookies.)

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