Layer after layer of chocolatey-nut butter goodness makes this frozen treat so hard to resist, and honestly, so hard to name!
The base layer is everyone’s favorite scrumptious homemade gluten free graham cracker pie crust pressed into muffin cups to make this treat into mini pies that are portable and easy to eat.
The next layer is a creamy, light and airy peanut butter pie filling that actually works as well with a non-nut butter if you’re avoiding nuts. Sunflower seed butter is a great choice here, as it’s so flavorful and has the perfect texture! But peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter … your choice of nut butter will do. Note that “natural” or thinner nut butters may require some modification, but I make those notes in the recipe for you!
Top it with a dreamy chocolate ganache that is easily made vegan as well, and is so rich that the thin layer on top is just right!
Then top it again with chopped caramel-chocolate-nut candy bars like Snickers or No Whey!® vegan candy bars instead if you need to avoid peanuts or dairy; Vega® Protein Snack Bars — chocolate-caramel flavor — aren’t nut-free, but they are vegan and gluten-free, plus they are high protein and don’t have any processed candy “junk,” so that’s yet another option for you!
Drizzle with more of that yummy nut butter and of course, a healthy portion of chocolate chips.
Pop it into the freezer and the hardest part will be just waiting for these beauties to set up.
Then you’ll be grateful for the portion control, as these frozen peanut butter pie cups are as good as it gets! You might want to tuck a couple into the corner of your freezer so only you know where to find them later, if you know what I mean.
If you’re in the mood for a WHOLE pie version, you’ll love this gluten free frozen Peanut Butter Cookie Pie recipe!
Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Cups
Layer after layer of chocolatey-nut butter goodness makes these frozen treats so hard to resist.
Ingredients
Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 cup finely chopped homemade gluten free graham crackers -- gfJules® Gluten Free Graham Cracker Mix
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons butter or non-dairy alternative (like Earth Balance®), melted
Nut Butter Pie Filling
- ¾ cup cream cheese, dairy or non-dairy, room temperature (like Follow Your Heart®, Go Veggie®, Kite Hill®, Miyoko's Creamery®, Daiya® ...)
- 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter or other seed or nut butter of choice
- ½ cup vegan creamer (soy, almond, or coconut – Silk® or So Delicious®) or half and half
- 9 ounces whipped topping (like So Delicious® CocoWhip) or homemade coconut whipped cream
- ½ cup chopped Snickers or other favorite chocolate-caramel bars (like No Whey!)
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, dairy or non-dairy (Enjoy Life® or Pascha®)
- ½ cup vegan creamer (soy, almond, or coconut – Silk® or So Delicious®) or half and half
Topping
- ¼ - ½ cup chopped Snickers or other favorite chocolate-caramel bars (like No Whey!)
- 2 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter or other seed or nut butter of choice
- 1/8 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips, dairy or non-dairy (like Enjoy Life® or Pascha® Organic)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, stir to combine crushed gluten free graham crackers, sugar and butter, stirring with a fork until uniform. Squeeze some mixture between your fingers to see if it holds its shape; if it’s too crumbly, add more melted butter until the mixture holds together.
Portion crust mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups (approximately one large tablespoon each) and press into the bottom of the liners. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove to cool while preparing filling.
In a large mixing bowl, beat confectioner’s sugar and cream cheese until light and smooth. Stir in peanut butter. Add the creamer or half-and-half. (If using a thin “natural” peanut butter, you may need to add an extra ¼ cup of confectioner’s sugar to make the filling thicker.) Fold in the whipped topping and chopped candy until uniformly mixed and smooth.
Spoon filling into muffin tins up to the top. Freeze until firm, at least one hour.
Prepare the Chocolate Ganache by combining chocolate and creamer in a double boiler over medium-high heat, stirring just until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then spoon over each frozen nut butter treat. Return to the freezer until the ganache is cold and set.
Chop more candy for the topping, then set aside. Gently melt nut butter then transfer to a pastry bag or small plastic bag with a tiny corner cut out. Squeeze to drizzle over the frozen treats, then sprinkle with chopped candy and chocolate chips.
Freeze for at least 4 hours more before serving.
Notes
From the No Whey! website: Candy Bars are Vegan, All Natural, Dairy Free, Milk Free, Lactose Free, Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Wheat Free, Gluten Free.
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Your frozen chocolate peanut butter pie cups look beyond delicious!
Why thank you, Diane!! It truly is amazing! I hope you get to try it soon!
~jules
Not being vegan, I would like to know if the artificial goo of “whipped topping” can be replaced with whipped cream, or does it separate in freezing?
Hi Aslan, are you talking about Cool Whip type topping? If so, that’s totally ok to use here!
~jules
Do your products still have corn ingredients? I’m highly sensitive to corn gluten.
TYIA
Sue Seward
Gluten Free Lady
Hi Sue, my gfJules Bread Mix is corn-free, but other products do contain corn. You can see all the ingredients in each product under the ingredients tab on each product page in the shop. I am also adding new products later this year with no corn, so stay tuned!
~jules
These were a huge hit! I used dairy products instead of vegan and substituted mini peanut butter cups for the caramel candies. I would suggest that you not bake the crust. I have never baked my graham cracker crusts, but did this time since the recipe called for it. The result was a very hard crust that was nearly impossible to cut into. I had extra filling and crumbs, so made a few more and skipped that step. They were much better.
Hi Jane, SO glad to hear these were delish, and thanks for adding your recipe notes about not baking the crust first! Always worth experimenting; the dairy might make a difference in the crust baking before hand … hard to tell … but good that you tried it both ways and had delicious success!!!!
~jules