Peanut Butter Mini-Pies

I’ve already mentioned my weakness for peanut butter and chocolate, right? Yes, I remember now, I confessed that little sin in another post. Well, guess what, folks? My mad craving recently struck again, and I was forced (forced I tell you!) to create something rich, creamy, and delicious to stave it off. And since pie season is rapidly approaching, I chose to channel my gluttony into little, bitty pies rather than dumping them all into my ice cream maker like last time — and ohmygoodness was it heavenly! Served straight out of the ice box, it’s still considered a “cool treat,” but one that is substantial enough to stand up to the heavier autumn meals that we’re starting to make. So come on, everybody, let’s make today Friday Pie-Day!

Peanut Butter Mini-Pies

Makes 6 mini-pies or 1 large pie

1½ cups chocolate cookies (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1¾ cups creamy peanut butter (which is an entire 16.3 oz. jar)
1¼ cup powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. tub of Cool Whip, thawed
1 square semi-sweet bakers chocolate, shaved (optional for topping)
6 aluminum mini pie pans (4.5-5 inches in diameter) or one 9″ round pie plate

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add cookies to a large plastic bag and seal. Using a rolling pin or meat mallet, pound cookies until crushed into the consistency of coarse sand. Add cookie crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Divide cookie crumb mixture among 6 mini pie pans (or dump the entire mixture into a 9″ pie plate), and using your fingers, press crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pans until there is a uniform thickness all over.

Place pie pans on two cookie sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is set. Transfer pans to a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat peanut butter and powdered sugar until coarse and crumbly. Add softened cream cheese, then Cool Whip blending until smooth between each addition. Once cookie crusts have cooled, divide filling between pie pans, smoothing the tops as you go.