It shouldn’t really be a surprise that my bonus recipe for Thanksgiving 101 Week is a dessert recipe. Not any dessert recipe, I should add, but it is perhaps the most decadent, delicious pie I’ve ever had.
Sent to me by a reader (thanks, Cara!), this pie graces her family’s table every Thanksgiving. They’ve been making it for years, which speaks to it’s tried-and-true nature. The only way I can describe this piece of heaven is to have you envision a gigantic, over-the-top Reese’s peanut butter cup made with pure ingredients that results in a creamy, dense, peanut buttery, chocolate combination that is completely blissful.
A perfect ending to our Thanksgiving 101 Week…and a perfect ending to a Thanksgiving meal!
Make Ahead Tip: This pie can be completely prepared up through the mousse layer the day before and chilled in the refrigerator. Before serving, top with whipped cream and garnishes.
Click HERE for all of the Thanksgiving 101 Recipes.
Decadent Chocolate and Peanut Butter Mousse Pie
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture
INGREDIENTS:
Graham Cracker Crust:
12 to 14 whole graham crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups crumbs)
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Dark Chocolate Layer:
¾ cup heavy cream
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Peanut Butter Mousse Filling:
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups milk
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
Topping and Decoration:
Sweetened whipped cream
2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter, stir until well blended. Using the palm of your hand, press the moistened crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Bake in the center of the oven for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the crust turns lightly golden. Set the pie crust on a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the chocolate layer: In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until melted and smooth. Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust, smoothing it over the bottom and slightly up the sides. Freeze for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chocolate layer is firm.
Prepare the mousse: In a heavy medium-size saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add ½ cup milk and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining milk and the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk constantly until the custard comes to a boil. Still whisking, boil for 1 minute until very thick. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and peanut butter. Pour the mousse into the baked pie crust. Chill for 1 hour, or until firm. Before serving, decorate the pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and mini chocolate chips, if desired.
Recipe Source: a reader, Cara D.
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks deliciously decadent.
Peanut butter and chocolate are my favorite combo. Bookmarking this one in hopes I get a change to make it.
Ooh yeah! That looks good! Maybe the in-laws will let me make this this year. I don’t know if they think I can’t cook or if they think that I don’t cook well, but they never let me do anything! And believe me, I cook well (just look at my waist line).
your description of the little slice of heaven is perfect
I am most definitely bookmarking this recipe! It does look quite heavenly
Yeah! I have been searching for “THE” peanut butter pie recipe. This may be it! Can’t wait to try it!
I am making this. Not just for Thanksgiving, but for dinner. Tonight. And probably tomorrow too.
A gigantic Reese’s peanut butter cup? Oh yeah, I’m there!! Can’t wait to try this–my hubbie will be in heaven.
HellO, delicious! Gotta get me some of this! Yum.
Oh my. I don’t think I can wait till Thanksgiving to try this. Um, I mean, I’ll have to try it out first before I make it for guests.
smooth and positively luscious. i can see how this would quickly become a tradition in anyone’s spread!
oh yum, I think I must make this for thanksgiving! love the combo!
I am making this right now! Crust is done, now on to the next step. Thanks so much!
ok I am definitely going to be paying your blog a visit the week of Thanksgiving!!!…. This food looks to die for….Thanks !
haaaaaave mercy, this looks amazing!
This looks divine!!!
i’m considering making this for my family for thanksgiving. i think from the top, it looks a LOT like a pumpkin pie, so I hope we don’t get them mixed up (my aunt makes pumpkin pie every year).
I too am going to have to make this before I take it there, though, incase I just can’t make it taste good somehow.
If it turns out, it’s my comtribution for SURE. So much fancier and chocolatier than stuffed eggs!
I’m gonna make it, cut a slice out, and then pass it off to my peanutbutter loving friend so that I can know what it tastes like, but not consume the whole thing myself!
Thanks for what may be a new tradition!
Krista
I love it and I haven’t made it yet. Just printed it up and it is waiting for me to make it appear. Thanks for this.
i said earlier I was in the process of making this. I finished it last night and OMG it was soooo good! My husband and neighbors loved it! There is one piece left and it is all mine! I will be making this again very soon. THANKS!!!
I was wondering if the sweet whipping cream you use is from the can or do you make your own? Looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it. And your Thanksgiving 101 is the best idea! Thank you for doing that. I am bookmarking it for next year when I try it all on my own for the first time!
Ooh yum!!
I was already planning on making 3 pies this Thanksgiving, I wonder if 4 is over doing it…this just looks too delicious to pass up!
I am planning on making this pie for Thanksgiving!!! Oh, it sounds so good!!!
Anonymous – I was dying for someone to try this and I’m glad that you let me know how it went. Huge sigh of relief that you liked it! Thanks for letting me know.
Anonymous – I make my own sweetened whipping cream (usually about a cup of heavy whipping cream whipped with 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar).
That really does look totally decadent and your pics are perfect. I want some!
I just made this for my husband’s birthday this past weekend. Can you say crowd pleaser?! The whole family LOVED it. Definitely adding this one to the “will make again” pile of recipes
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Kara – glad this was a hit for your husband’s birthday!! And most of all, I’m glad it was good enough to go into the remake pile. Thanks for letting me know!
Made it. Love it. Tons of compliments.
Jenn – so, so, so glad. Thanks for letting me know.
I made this and it was great! Very rich and decadent. I was able to whip it up in about 45 minutes – whew!
Erin – glad you liked this! Brian was reading over my shoulder and saw your comment and said, “that must be Jed’s Erin because decadent is totally her word.” I thought that was funny.
My husband has now declared this his all-time favorite pie. Thanks so much for adding the best part to our Thanksgiving meal.
Heather – thank you for your comment! I’m so glad this pie was a hit!
Splendid Things – I’m so glad that this pie was such a hit! I bet chunky peanut butter would be awesome in this…thanks for letting me know!
made this for the extended family for Christmas and it was such a hit! it’s my new fav. pb pie recipe. i used chunky and it was such a great texture. really easy to make too~ thanks for the great recipe!
HEAVEN! That’s all I can say about this pie. And the fact that it is not going to help my waistline because I had 3 slices last night (not small ones either!) This is definitely going to be added to my recipe box and I will make it again and again. Really good for entertaining too.
The reason I was trying to find the post on your new site is because I wanted to see if anyone had commented yet about whipping cream verses heavy cream. Are they the same thing? I used a carton of “whipping cream” I had in the fridge…not whipped cream but whipping cream and my mom and I were arguing over if they are the same or not. She thinks they are, I was thinking they aren’t. Do you know the answer?
Nicole – so glad you liked this. I don’t want to get in the middle of you and your mom’s disagreement but whipping cream and heavy whipping cream are different, but just slightly. Whipping cream has a bit less fat. Heavy cream whips up and stabilizes a bit better than regular whipping cream so I use heavy cream everytime I need to whip it into soft or stiff peaks before using. But whipping cream will still whip (it just deflates easier/quicker) and the difference isn’t terribly significant.
I made this for Easter and it was a hit. My mom says that it is better than a reeses cup!!! I think so too!!! Thank you for another great recipe. I can always count on your recipes!!!
Brittany – that’s high praise from your mom. Thanks so much for letting me know!
Oh my gosh. This recipe makes me want to run into my kitchen and whip it up right now!
I made this over the weekend for my husbands birthday party and everyone loved it. My 9 year old helped me make it so it tasted even better! Thanks for another great recipe.
Hey Sonya! Thanks for your comment on this pie – I’m glad it was such a hit and I think that’s adorable that you let your 9-year old help you out…good momma!
I know this is a really old post, but I just wanted to let you know I’ve made this pie about 4 times and I LOOOOOOVE it. It was the most popular pie at our Thanksgiving table this year (out of four contenders). So thank you!! I love your blog!
Janell – that’s awesome this pie fared so well with your other Thanksgiving pies. Thanks for letting me know!
I made this yesterday and it was amazing!