If anyone says to you that vegans don't know how to party when it comes to desserts, just send them this recipe post. Or better yet, serve them up a slice of this velvet-y rich Peanut Butter Cup Pie and taste-test them into agreement. Vegan desserts rock.
This Pie. If you love peanut butter cups. (Or almond butter cups!) And really, who doesn't? Take your love one step further and turn those flavors into PIE. This Raw, Vegan, No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Pie is rich and decadent with two layers of coconut-cashew chocolate fudge and one nutty sweet peanut butter layer. Actually, I used almond butter instead of peanut butter for my pie - but either nut butter will work. You could even use cashew butter, sunflower butter or macadamia nut butter. The point is that each bite combines rich (and I mean rich!) chocolate flavor with some creamy nut butter. An easy walnut-date crumble crust completes this dessert...
Restaurant Style Dessert. This is the type of decadent dessert you might order in a restaurant and share with friends. A few bites and you are OUT. Defeated by rich chocolateness. Just a small sliver is a perfect serving size. This pie really is like biting into a peanut butter cup! So you have been warned, this pie serves a crowd. Or store in the fridge (sealed tightly) for up to about 5-7 days tops. It will dry out a bit if not eaten that first day. And it may even freeze well since it is high in fat. I have plenty of leftovers that I am going to freeze.
My advice, make this for your next pot-luck, dinner-party, bring-something-yummy event. Slice up these chocolate-nutty-filled layers and serve to friends because 1) everyone will love you for it, 2) want the recipe and 3) invite you to every single party they have, ever.
Raw. So it is very heard to find raw peanut butter. You can buy Raw Wild Jungle Peanut Butter
but it is pretty pricey. So to make this truly raw you may have to do the almond butter option like I did.
The calorie tag? If you slice 16 sliver servings - a sliver is all you need - you can enjoy this decadent dessert for around 300 calories. Not bad considering one serving of coconut milk ice cream usually clocks in at around 290 calories. (I'm not a huge fan of calorie counting, but it is nice to know what you are getting into.) So those slivers look like this..
..Yes that IS a lot of fat. But it is good fat. Nut oils galore. GOOD STUFF: omega-3-rich raw walnuts, raw antioxidant-rich/heart-healthy cacao powder, raw nut butter and organic natural raw sweeteners. Treat yourself (and maybe some lucky friends) to this one!..
Peanut Butter Cup Pie (Or Almond Butter Cup Pie!)
vegan, makes one pie
3 cups soaked/drained raw cashews, (soaked in salted water overnight - about 2 ⅓ cups pre-soaked/dry nuts)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or sub with a real vanilla bean)
⅓ - ½ cup agave syrup (organic raw blue agave used)
¼ cup coconut oil, extra virgin/raw (softened or melted)
3-4 tablespoon cacao powder (adjustable, based on how rich of a chocolate taste you'd like, I used 4 Tbsp)
½ teaspoon pink salt
3+ tablespoon warm water (if needed to loosen blend)
additional 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil for top chocolate layer
Filling: ⅓ cup (raw almond or peanut) butter + 3 tablespoon agave syrup
Crust: 2 cups raw walnuts + 2 large medjool dates (pitted) + pinch of salt
subs: You could sub the agave with real maple syrup. Sub pink salt with regular salt. And if you'd like sub the nut butter with any nut or seed butter.
Directions:
1. Soak cashews overnight, or at least 6-8 hours. They should be soft and enlarged and bendable, The halves should fall apart easily.
2. Crust: In a high speed blender or food processor, process the walnuts, salt and dates until fine and crumbly. Scoop out crust mixture into a well-greased pie dish. I grease with coconut oil. Press the mixture into the dish using your hands until a thick, smooth crust forms. Place in fridge until needed.
3. Filling: Add the cashews, water (start wit 3 Tbsp), coconut oil, agave syrup, cacao, salt and vanilla to blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. This may take some time and since the mixture will be quite thick you will need to stop and scrape the sides of the container to thoroughly blend the entire mixture. (Note: If you are having a really tough time blending, you may not have soaked your cashews long enough. You can quick fix this by adding in a bit more water or non-dairy milk -- however your pie might not firm up as much as you'd like. Add another splash of melted coconut oil may help with that.)
4. Pour ½ of the chocolate filling mixture over top the slightly chilled crust. Using a spatula, smooth out the chocolate into an even layer. Place in the freezer.
5. Warm the nut butter with the agave, you can do this in the microwave or using a small sauce pot. You want the nut butter filling to easily pour into the pie dish just enough so that you can smooth it into an even layer. Pull pie from freezer and pour nut filling over top bottom chocolate layer. Place pie back in the fridge or freezer.
6. The last step is to slightly re-blend the remaining chocolate mixture with the 1 tablespoon added oil. This basically makes that top layer a bit more sturdy upon cooling, and re-blending with this melted oil loosens the chocolate for easy pouring too. Pull your pie and pour that top chocolate layer over top, spreading with a spatula since it will still be very thick to "pour." Smooth evenly with elegant swirls.
7. Place the pie in the fridge to cool for at least 4 hours - overnight is best for a firm, easily slice-able pie.
Serve chilled - add a half of a vegan peanut butter cup on top as garnish.
Janet Winikoff says
This is one of several desserts I made for Thanksgiving and it was delicious. My husband loves peanut butter pie so I was happy to find this healthy option. Besides it not looking as beautiful as the pie in your photos (my crust didn't quit hold together) it was a fantastic dessert that I'll be making again!
Ramona says
This looks great, but I can't use any sodium at all, due to a severe inner ear issue. Is there a way to substitute something for the salt in the recipe?
Monica says
i substituted dates with dried cranberries and it came out delish! i suppose basically any dried fruit can work!!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thank you so much Anne! So glad you enjoy the recipes 🙂
Anne Griffin says
Looks good. I've never commented here before, but I have been using your recipes for about a year now and I've been meaning to thank you. I so enjoy your writing, your photos, and how accessible all your recipes are.
kopns says
The cocoa powder made the difference. Unsweetened cocoa powder would need extra sweetener to be palatable. Cacao powder on it's own is like a dark chocolate flavor, not completely unsweet. If I need a chocolate fix, I can just dip my finger in the bag a couple times 😛
Chandler says
Should this be pretty sweet? I made this last night and noticed the middle layer is the only sweet layer. I subbed regular syrup for the agave and also cocoa powder instead of cacao. Could these two make a big difference? My 19 month old vegan son can't get enough of it so I'm happy!
Kathy Patalsky says
Aw thank you! 🙂 so sweet of you to say that!
Calibugs123 says
I love all your recipes SO MUCH so easy and sooo goood! I have never made so many from one person, but I find myself making all of yours like the day after they come out! I usually have the ingredients! Its fantastic, LOVE YOUR WORK!
Z.I. Jones says
Mmmmmm, can't wait to try! Just wondering, why pink salt? Is this the same as black salt, which I have and is actually pink?
Peggy says
This looks so good! I have a question though- can you check the sodium content? With half a tsp of salt, there should be more than 9mg per slice. I have to watch my sodium carefully so I always look at this. I may try with half or none of the salt. Thank you!
pat says
Hi! Can we change the dates for something else? Thanks! Looking forward to bake this soon 🙂
Abby @ Heart of a Baker says
This looks so good! I love that you put peanut butter cups on the pie, favorite!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks B! I will add that right now! 🙂
I worked sooooo hard on those books but when the competitive children's book publishers didn't pick them up I became so discouraged. I'm so thankful to my readers like you who have given me praise for the books 🙂
brittany says
thanks so much Kathy! I have bookmarked the Lulu link (i couldn't get the lunchboxbunch dot com one to work). Have you noticed that the little veggie photo on the blog just takes you to the blog homepage? There should be a link on the blog to the books, they are so sweet!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks B! I will add that right now! 🙂
I worked sooooo hard on those books but when the competitive children's book publishers didn't pick them up I became so discouraged. I'm so thankful to my readers like you who have given me praise for the books 🙂
Kathy Patalsky says
You can buy! Lunchboxbunch dot com (slash) bookstore - or go to lulu dot com slash kathypatalsky
... Let me know if you need more help!
I wish a REAL publisher had picked them up, but I wrote them over 6 years ago and decided to just self publish all three of them 🙂
Thanks for your interest!! I live those books.
brittany says
Kathy, this pie looks AWESOME! I'm going to have to make this. Can i ask a quick question? Are you not still selling LunchBoxBunch books? I was hoping to get one for my nephews for Christmas and I can't find any links on the blog to buy them....am i missing it? 🙁
RockMyVeganSocks says
OMG YUMMY. Oh man, I was hoping I would have all of the ingredients so I could make this today. Alas, I'm missing a couple. But that is for the better considering I do not have a group to share it with haha ;p I am having a get together Friday though and will probably try this out. Awesome!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks! I am still figuring out the lighting in our new apartment so photo shoots are taking longer and more unpredictable than normal, but I have faith that they will get easier as I figure out the best times to shoot! Your photos are always gorgeous!
Kathy Patalsky says
I'm sure she will love it Heather!
Kathy Patalsky says
This is a 9 inch pie dish
Melissa says
Thank you Kathy!
Kathy Patalsky says
🙂
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks Crystal! Yes I get a lot of calorie counters asking for more nutritional info in my posts so I like to deliver in those requests! 🙂
Crystal Elston says
Thank you so much for all the work you do to bring us this free information and inspiring recipe collection. I DO count calories! So your site has become a go-to for me. When eating raw desserts, the calories can ratchet up quickly due to the nuts and since I am a sweet addict, I can get in trouble quickly (where did that 5 pounds come from?). SO thanks very much for working out the math each time. LOVE your blog.
John Hartil says
That is just so delicious looking, I am drooling at the mouth. Can almost taste it!!!
Melissa says
What size pan??
Heather McClees says
Incredible! I adore all the ingredients and this looks so tasty! My mom's favorite dessert is PB pie and I would love to make this for her next time she gets a hankering:) Thanks Kathy!!
Kathy Patalsky says
Yes with the cashew blend
Ashleigh Phillips says
Question: should the cacao powder be in the recipe with the cashew butter? I don't see where it's listed... 🙂
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks Janae! 🙂
Kathy Patalsky says
Awesome to hear Anna!
Kathy Patalsky says
Font: I used pic monkey! It's one of their fonts... 🙂 enjoy the pie!
blueplasticstraw says
I am totally making this. It looks great and I've been craving peanut butter cups lately. P.S. what is that awesome font you used in the photos?
Christine (Run Plant Based) says
This pie looks amazing, I need this soon!
Janae @ Bring-Joy says
I had some pumpkin pecan cheesecake at a local vegan restaurant & I nearly died it was so decadently delicious & rich--this looks even better. You always do an amazing job at capturing how beautiful & delicious your recipes are with your photos.
Anna says
Yes, please, I need this pie in my life! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂 Oh, and BTW, LOVE your oatmeal pumpkin loaf recipe! Best pumpkin loaf I've ever had. Made it 2x already and thinking of making it again soon!