Vanilla Peanut Butter Pie

This no-bake pie builds its flavor from one genius combination: peanut butter mixed with powdered sugar and crumbled into sandy, sweet nuggets. Most of those crumbles go on the bottom of a baked pie shell, vanilla instant pudding fills the middle, whipped topping covers everything, and a final sprinkle of crumbles on top finishes it off.

The peanut butter crumble is what makes this more than just a vanilla pudding pie. Every forkful scoops up a bit of that salty-sweet, slightly gritty peanut butter layer underneath the smooth pudding. It’s the contrast between creamy and crumbly that keeps you going back for another bite.

One hour of chilling sets the pudding and firms everything up enough to slice. Longer is better if you have the patience, but an hour gets the job done.

Kitchen Tips

• Mix the peanut butter and powdered sugar until it forms dry, loose crumbles. If it’s clumping into a paste, add a touch more powdered sugar
• Save enough crumble for the top garnish before spreading the rest on the crust
• Prepare the instant pudding according to the box directions and pour it in while it’s still liquid so it settles into the crumble layer
• Chill for at least an hour. Cutting too early and the pudding layer will ooze

Variations

• Use chocolate instant pudding instead of vanilla for a peanut butter cup-style pie
• Swap the baked pie shell for a graham cracker crust for extra sweetness
• Fold a few tablespoons of peanut butter directly into the whipped topping layer for a double peanut butter hit