45 Peanut Butter Desserts That Will Have You Begging for Seconds
There are few condiments as universally beloved as peanut butter. It’s iconic in sandwiches, a killer pantry addition to savory sauces and morning smoothies and as a dip, it makes us actually want to eat our fruits and veggies. But it’s arguably most delectable in sweet treats. Here are 45 peanut butter desserts to try making at home, from cookies to pies to bars.
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1. Peanut Butter Cream Pie with Raspberry Meringue
Your grade-school PB&J, all grown up. The elegant swoops of pink, fruity meringue make the pie look like it was pulled straight out of a fairytale.
2. Fluffernutter Quesadilla
When your stomach cries “dessert, please!” but you only have ten minutes, turn to this ooey-gooey recipe. (And before you ask, yes, we always have Marshmallow Fluff in our pantry.)
3. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Not only do you likely have every ingredient you need in your kitchen right now, but these cookies also take just 20 minutes to make from start to finish.
4. Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies
The nostalgia is strong with this one. Use a piping bag or a zip-top plastic bag with the corner snipped off to pipe the raspberry jam on for a swirly finishing touch.
5. The World’s Biggest Peanut Butter Cup
Sorry, we need a minute. Our brain just exploded. We’ve now found the ultimate use for our nine-inch tart pan.
6. Peanut Butter Dip
This ten-minute spread is decadent, sweet and tangy, thanks to the additions of whipped topping and cream cheese.
7. Salted Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie
You say breakfast, we say dessert. Despite its healthy ingredients, it’s still indulgent enough for a post-dinner treat. (We won’t tell if you swap the vanilla whey protein for ice cream.)
8. No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
We’re not kidding—these bars don’t need a single second in the oven to come together. It’s as simple as layering a press-in pretzel crust, melted chocolate and peanut butter drizzle, then letting it firm up in the fridge.
9. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Brownies are tasty on their own. With chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in the mix, they’re divine. We almost can’t even handle the three-ingredient peanut butter swirl on top.
10. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies
Cookies > bread. Feel free to choose any fruit jam you’d like, but we’re partial to strawberry.
11. Peanut Butter Freezer Pie
This treat screams summer picnic to us, since it’s served cold and doesn’t require any baking. The recipe is a cinch—the only challenge will be waiting for it to solidify before digging in.
12. Ultimate PB&J S’mores
Your inner child might want to sit down for this nostalgic mashup. Instead of just plopping a piece of chocolate between two graham crackers and hoping the marshmallow is hot enough to melt it, the whole sandwich is enrobed in melted chocolate instead.
13. Healthy Peanut Butter-Yogurt Fruit Pizzas
Needless to say, your kids will have a blast decorating theirs. Now, where do we begin: strawberries and bananas or blueberries and apples?
14. Mini Jelly and Peanut Butter Pop Tarts
They’re tiny, so go ahead and treat yourself to two. Or three. Or five…
15. Baked Chocolate-Peanut Butter Donuts with Vanilla-Peanut Butter Glaze
These breakfast babes are baked on a donut pan instead of being fried. Bye, giant pot of spitting oil. (You can also bake them in a muffin tin, BTW.)
16. Peanut Butter Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
These pretty handhelds have a secret ingredient. OK, fine, we’ll tell you: It’s instant espresso powder.
17. Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Brownies
Your sweet tooth has its work cut out for it. Tell it to gear up for milk chocolate brownies topped with dollops of peanut butter and the most decadent fudge frosting of all time.
18. Salted Peanut Butter and Honey Ice Cream
Free of dairy and added sugar? Pinch us, we’re dreaming. Oh, and pass the hot fudge.
19. Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
Chocolate is always invited to breakfast at our house. The recipe calls for chunky peanut butter, which gives the soft muffins a crunchy textural element.
20. Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Isn’t she lovely? The salty-sweet homemade Oreo crust takes it way over the top.
21. Peanut Butter and Jelly Rolls
They’re just like cinnamon rolls, only the filling is swapped for a mix of peanut butter, brown sugar, butter and strawberry jam.
22. Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Make any day your birthday with the help of these simple sweets. Oil, sour cream and extra milk make them extra soft and moist.
23. Caramel Peanut Butter Dip
Vanilla yogurt + creamy PB + store-bought caramel sauce = the easiest better-for-you dessert ever.
24. Peanut Butter Cake
Warning: You’re going to want to drizzle the peanut butter glaze over everything, from ice cream to granola.
25. Soft and Crinkly Brown Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies
These chocolate-covered beauties keep in an airtight container for four days…but we doubt they’ll last a single night.
26. Peanut Butter S’mores Pizza
Think honey-wheat pizza crust loaded with PB sauce, chocolate, mini marshmallows and honey roasted peanuts. Up the summer ante by finishing the pie on the barbecue.
27. Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes
Not only is there dark cocoa powder and strong coffee in the batter, but the cupcakes also get topped off with a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
28. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
Sour cream and cream cheese in the peanut butter filling gives the bars just the right amount of tang.
29. 5-Ingredient Triple-Decked Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
“No baking required” is music to our ears. All you need to pull these off is a microwave and a fridge.
30. Vegan Apple Pie Peanut Butter Mug Cake
While melted PB is a must for the topping, the cake uses peanut butter powder (yup, the same stuff you put in your morning smoothie) and coconut flour instead of wheat flour.
31. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cream Pies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Filling
We’re *so* glad we don’t need to wait for Mom to stuff one in our lunchbox to get our oatmeal cream pie fix anymore.
32. Ultimate Triple-Layer Chocolate Bourbon Peanut Butter Buckeye Cake
Chocolate frosting, peanut butter frosting and chocolate-bourbon ganache? Pinch us, we’re dreaming. Lean on this epic recipe whenever you need to impress a crowd.
33. Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Flaxseed meal binds the dough together seamlessly, no butter or egg necessary.
34. No-Bake Butterscotch Peanut Butter Bites
If you have ten minutes, this healthy treat is within reach. The secret to its flavor? Not sugar, but a few spoons of butterscotch pudding mix.
35. Brown Butter Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Honestly, if there aren’t any PB blossoms at the cookie swap, is it even the holidays?
36. Salted Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Blondies
One-bowl recipes that leave you with minimal dirty dishes > everything.
37. Chocolate Almond Butter Cup and Almond Butter Swirl Ice Cream
If you have natural almond butter in your pantry, kudos. If you don’t, peanut butter (and mini PB cups) will work just fine.
38. Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal Bake
This gem bakes in one single skillet and is sweetened with real maple syrup and dollops of your favorite jam. Whether you see it as a delicious breakfast or a protein-packed dessert is up to you.
39. Lightened-Up Chocolate Peanut Butter Upside-Down Banana Cake
BRB, filling our bathtub with peanut butter-caramel sauce.
40. Easy Buckeyes
Six ingredients and only 20 minutes of work? You can bet we’ll be giving these to everyone on our Christmas list. And for Valentine’s Day. And Easter. And OK, any given Tuesday…
41. Flourless Peanut Butter Churro Cupcakes
You’re only a half-hour away from cinnamon-banana bliss. Swap the butter for coconut oil and the peanut butter for almond butter if you’re on Paleo.
42. Slice n’ Bake Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Cookies
Icebox cookies are timeless for a reason. The more extravagantly you decorate them, the less likely your guests will know how little effort they took to make.
43. Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Why are they better for you than the store-bought kind, you ask? They use natural creamy peanut butter, brown rice cereal and are sweetened with maple syrup.
44. 4-Ingredient Dark Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter-Stuffed Dates
Elegant enough to serve at a dinner party, simple enough to prepare for yourself on the fly.
45. 5-Minute Vegan Salted Peanut Butter Caramel
There truly is nothing peanut butter (and maple syrup) can’t do. Serve it on ice cream or with sliced apples.
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