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.
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
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.
Process until the cookies are finely ground and set aside.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the chocolate pieces.
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. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.
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.
Beat 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.
Beat on low speed to combine.
Add the remaining cream.
Using a large rubber spatula, fold until evenly combined.
The filling should be nice and light.
Spoon the filling into the crust.
Smooth the surface and refrigerate, uncovered, for about 1 hour.
Once the pie has cooled, make the chocolate topping. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate with the 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.
Spread the chocolate topping over the chilled peanut butter filling.
Sprinkle the chopped peanuts around the edges of the pie.
Chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 3 more hours.
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.
You may also like
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake
- Chocolate Tart
- Chocolate Cream Pie
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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.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (best quality, such as Ghirardelli)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- 8 oz Nabisco Chocolate Wafers (about 40 cookies from a 9-oz package), finely ground in a food processor to make 2 cups of crumbs
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This pie can be made a day ahead, then covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.
- 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).
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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!
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!
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!
Fabulous!
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!
Hi Jen!
Can this pie be frozen?
Thanks!
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.
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for such consistently wonderful recipes.
For this peanut butter tart, can you use almond butter instead?
Thanks!
Ellen
Hi Ellen, I’ve never tried it but it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
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.
Hi Jenn! This looks delicious, but I’m one with a peanut allergy. Do you think almond butter would substitute well here?
Sure, Kay, as long as the almond butter is smooth, it should work nicely. Enjoy!
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.
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!
Thanks Jen. Making it for Thanksgiving. Can’t wait.
Where do you find the Nabisco chocolate wafers?
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!
found them at Wegmans!
Yay!
Turned out great! It as a hit. Thank you
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!
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
Hi Carlotta, I think you can get away with it. Please LMK how it comes out!
I made it with oreos and butter which requires no baking.
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!
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!)
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.)