Baked Peanut Butter Pie

This is a baked peanut butter pie in the Southern tradition, closer to a pecan pie in structure but with creamy peanut butter standing in for the nuts. Dark corn syrup, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter blend into a custard that bakes up gooey in the center and firm at the edges.

The two-temperature bake is key. Starting hot sets the crust and gets the edges of the filling going, then dropping the heat lets the center cook through gently without cracking the top. When it comes out of the oven, the center should still look wobbly. That’s not underdone; it’s exactly right. The filling firms up completely as it cools to room temperature.

Six ingredients, one bowl, no fuss. The simplicity is what makes this pie so good.

Pro Tips

• Use creamy peanut butter, not natural. Natural peanut butter separates during baking and leaves an oily layer on top.
• Beat the eggs only slightly. Over-beating traps air that puffs up during baking, then collapses and cracks the surface.
• Let the pie cool completely at room temperature before slicing. Cutting it warm gives you a runny mess instead of a clean, fudgy slice.
• A dollop of fresh whipped cream cuts the sweetness and adds a nice contrast to the dense filling.

Variations

• Use chunky peanut butter for bits of peanut texture throughout the filling.
• Drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled pie for a peanut butter cup effect.
• Swap the regular pie crust for a chocolate cookie crust to go all in on the richness.