Amish Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Imperial October 12, 2026October 12, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Amish Peanut Butter Cream Pie combines a flaky, fully baked pastry shell, sweet-and-salty peanut butter crumbles, silky homemade vanilla pudding, and softly whipped cream. Inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch church-supper favorites, this chilled pie is wonderfully comforting and easy to make ahead.

Yield: 1 standard 9-inch pie; 8 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes, including 30 minutes of dough chilling, 50 minutes of cooling, and 4 hours of pie chilling

Quick Ingredients

Pastry: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, and 4 tablespoons ice water
Peanut butter crumbles: 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Vanilla pudding: 2 1/2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 3 large egg yolks, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped cream: 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Do This

1. Mix the pastry ingredients, form a disk, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 18 minutes with pie weights, then 12 minutes without weights. Cool for 30 minutes.
3. Mix the peanut butter and 1 cup powdered sugar into crumbles. Reserve one-quarter for the topping.
4. Whisk the cornstarch, yolks, and 1/2 cup milk. Heat the remaining milk with sugar and salt, temper the yolks, and cook until thick and gently bubbling for 1 full minute. Stir in butter and vanilla.
5. Scatter three-quarters of the crumbles into the cooled shell and spoon the pudding over them. Press food-safe plastic wrap against the pudding surface.
6. Cool the filled pie for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
7. Whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over the chilled pie, sprinkle with the reserved crumbles, and slice.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Every bite has contrast: crisp pastry, creamy vanilla filling, fluffy whipped cream, and tender, sandy peanut butter crumbles.
Sweet meets salty: lightly salted peanut butter balances the pudding and powdered sugar.
Made with everyday ingredients: no specialty mixes or unusual equipment are required.
Perfect for making ahead: the filling needs refrigerator time, making this a relaxed dessert for gatherings.

Grocery List

Produce: None needed.
Dairy: 10 tablespoons unsalted butter total, 2 1/2 cups whole milk, and 1 cup heavy whipping cream.
Eggs: 3 large eggs; use the yolks and save the whites for another recipe.
Pantry: All-purpose flour, fine salt, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract.

Full Ingredients

Flaky Pastry Shell

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 150 g, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting the work surface
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, 113 g, very cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons ice water, 60 ml

Peanut Butter Crumbles

1 cup powdered sugar, 120 g, sifted if lumpy
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 128 g; conventional, lightly salted peanut butter works best

Homemade Vanilla Pudding

2 1/2 cups whole milk, 600 ml, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar, 100 g
1/4 cup cornstarch, 32 g
3 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 28 g, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 10 ml

Whipped Cream Topping

1 cup heavy whipping cream, 240 ml, cold
2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 15 g
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2.5 ml
Reserved peanut butter crumbles from above

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make and chill the pastry

Whisk the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the cold butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Those little butter pieces help create a flaky crust.

Drizzle in the ice water, tossing with a fork until the dough forms moist clumps. Gather it together without kneading, flatten into a disk about 1 inch thick, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. If the dough seems crumbly at first, press a small handful together before adding more water; it should hold when gently squeezed.

Step 2: Roll and fully bake the pie shell

Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the lower third. Lightly dust the work surface with the extra flour. Roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick, and transfer it to a standard 9-inch pie plate. Ease it into the corners without stretching. Trim the overhang to 1 inch, fold it underneath, and crimp the edge.

Line the shell with parchment paper, then fill with pie weights or dried beans, bringing them up against the sides to support the pastry. Bake for 18 minutes. Carefully lift out the parchment and weights, prick the exposed bottom lightly with a fork, and bake for another 12 minutes, until the base is dry and the crust is golden brown. Shield the rim with foil if it darkens too quickly.

Set the pie plate on a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. The shell must be fully baked because the assembled pie will not return to the oven.

Step 3: Make the peanut butter crumbles

Combine the powdered sugar and peanut butter in a medium bowl. Work them together with a fork, then rub the mixture lightly between your fingertips until you have a mix of small, sandy crumbs and pea-size clusters. This takes about 5 minutes.

Set aside one-quarter of the mixture for the topping. Keep the remaining three-quarters for the bottom of the pie. The crumbles should look like a peanut butter streusel, not a smooth frosting.

Step 4: Prepare the pudding mixture

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of the milk until completely smooth. Add the egg yolks and whisk again until evenly combined. Scrape the corners of the bowl so no dry cornstarch remains.

Pour the remaining 2 cups milk into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the granulated sugar and salt.

Step 5: Cook the vanilla pudding

Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming and small bubbles appear around the edge, about 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg-yolk mixture. Pour the warmed yolk mixture back into the saucepan while whisking constantly.

Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking across the bottom and into the corners, until the pudding thickens and slow bubbles break through the surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed to maintain gentle bubbling and cook, still whisking, for 1 full minute. This final minute cooks the cornstarch thoroughly and helps the filling set.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla until smooth. If you see any lumps, pass the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve before assembling the pie. Allow about 10 minutes total for heating and cooking the pudding.

Step 6: Layer the pie and chill

Scatter the larger portion of peanut butter crumbles evenly across the bottom of the cooled pastry shell. Spoon the freshly cooked pudding gently over the crumbles, then smooth the top with a spatula. Avoid stirring the layers together.

Press food-safe plastic wrap directly onto the pudding surface to prevent a skin. Let the filled pie cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until thoroughly cold and set. Do not leave it at room temperature until completely cool; the refrigerator should do most of the cooling.

Step 7: Whip the cream

Once the pie is chilled, place the cold cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 4 minutes, until medium-firm peaks form. The cream should hold soft ridges and a peak whose tip bends slightly, rather than looking grainy or stiff.

A chilled bowl and beaters make whipping easier, especially in a warm kitchen.

Step 8: Finish and serve

Remove the plastic wrap from the pudding. Spread the whipped cream over the pie in generous, soft swoops, leaving the flaky pastry rim visible. Sprinkle the reserved peanut butter crumbles evenly over the cream.

Cut into 8 slices with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts. Slide a thin pie server beneath each slice to support the bottom crust. Serve cold for the best contrast between the creamy filling and crumbly peanut butter topping.

Pro Tips

Choose the right peanut butter: conventional creamy peanut butter gives the most reliable crumbles. Stirred natural peanut butter can produce a softer, oilier mixture.
Keep the pastry cold: if the dough becomes soft while rolling, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before continuing. Add that extra chilling time to your schedule.
Bake the shell until genuinely golden: a pale pastry base softens more quickly under the pudding. Look for a dry, lightly browned bottom before removing it from the oven.
Let the pudding bubble: do not stop cooking as soon as it thickens. The full minute of gentle bubbling is important for a stable filling.
Give the pie its full chill: four hours is the minimum; chilling overnight makes especially tidy slices. Add the cream and reserved crumbles closer to serving for the freshest finish.

Variations

Graham cracker crust: replace the pastry with 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 150 g, mixed with 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 85 g, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 25 g. Press into a 9-inch pie plate, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes, and cool for 30 minutes before filling. The total preparation time will be shorter.
Chocolate peanut butter finish: melt 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, 28 g, let it cool until barely warm, and drizzle lightly over the whipped cream before adding the reserved crumbles.
Extra sweet-and-salty topping: sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt over the finished pie, especially if your peanut butter is only lightly salted.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerator: cover the pie without pressing against the topping and refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below for up to 3 days. The pastry and crumbles gradually soften, so the pie is best within the first 24 to 48 hours. Keep the pie refrigerated until serving, and do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make ahead: prepare the pastry dough up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it tightly wrapped. The empty baked shell can be cooled completely, covered, and kept at room temperature for 1 day. Assemble the pudding-filled pie up to 1 day before serving; store the reserved crumbles separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Add freshly whipped cream and the remaining crumbles on serving day.

Freezing: freezing the assembled pie is not recommended because the pudding may release moisture and the whipped cream can lose its texture.

Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated for 1 of 8 slices using the homemade pastry and all of the topping. Optional variations and extra dusting flour are not included; values vary by ingredient brand.