Joanna Gaines's Easy Peanut Butter Pie Is the Perfect Dessert

I'm nuts for it.

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I'm always ready for fall. As soon as I spot the first technicolor leaf, the sky suddenly looks clearer, people seem friendlier, and life looks brighter (I promise it's not the caffeine in my XXL PSL talking).

I made my first adult move to New York City in the autumn when I relocated to Los Angeles one Black Friday, and once again, I'm considering a new place for a fresh start. Despite the thrill of sweater weather, even a welcome change of pace can leave you longing for something familiar.

When I first moved to L.A., I wrapped myself in a blanket of nonstop, old-school holiday music on KOST 103.5 FM. It warmed my heart to hear total strangers dedicate familiar lyrics to their beloved, playing under the heartless commands from my car navigation to "turn left" onto streets I'd never driven.

But when it comes to cuisine that serves the same Hey girl, need a hug? vibe, my emotional support food is, and always will be, peanut butter. Even better if it's in a pie form that's more socially acceptable to bring to a party than, say, a jar of Skippy—which is why I've fallen for Joanna Gaines's Peanut Butter Pie.

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Why I Love Joanna Gaines's Peanut Butter Pie

In the third edition of her Magnolia Table cookbook, Gaines writes, "I’ve never met a dessert with peanut butter and chocolate I didn’t like. And of them all, this pie is one I return to again and again."

You don't even need to be a fan of "Fixer Upper" to know what I mean when I say this: Gaines's Peanut Butter Pie is the weathered white shiplap of desserts. Resistance is futile. No matter how often it's been done, or how many times you've tasted it, if you're a peanut butter fan—and happen to love an Oreo crust—you're going to love this velvety, cloud-like confection.

How to Make This Easy Peanut Butter Pie

This pie comes together faster than the star designer whips up a modern farmhouse look. It starts with the crust. Pulse 24 whole Oreos in a food processor or break them up in a zip-top bag until they look like fine sand. Add melted butter and sugar, and mix until everything starts sticking together.

Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie tin, using a flat-bottomed cup to even out the surface, and freeze for 10 minutes. This brief chill kept the sides of the crust from sagging in the oven. Bake for 12 minutes, then pop the crust into the fridge to cool.

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Next comes the filling. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, cream the peanut butter and cream cheese, then, add powdered sugar, melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Whip until light and fluffy—and smelling like heaven. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust, and pop the pie back into the fridge.

Finally, you'll make a quick topping. Wash and dry the mixing bowl, and start the whipped cream by gradually increasing the speed on the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla mixture until it reaches soft, droopy peaks. Dollop it onto the top of the peanut butter filling, and let it set in the fridge for at least two hours.

Quick Tips

If you want, you can skip the homemade whipped cream and use Cool Whip for ease. For extra crunch, top it off with crushed peanuts, peanut brittle, or more crumbled Oreos. You really can't go wrong: It's peanut butter, and it's gonna love you no matter what.

But let's just agree—if we hear someone on the radio dedicate a love song to peanut butter, we'll pretend it's not me.

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Simply Recipes / Lauren Bair

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