Easy As (Peanut Butter Brownie) Pie!

The holidays were upon us and I knew I wanted to bring something special and tasty to the BF's Christmas dinner. I had just gotten a new pie plate as a gift from my mom so I felt a pie would be a nice dessert apart from the plates of Christmas cookies to be served post-dinner. 

After searching the interwebs for a chocolate and easy-to-make pie, I stumbled across the perfect semi-homemade recipe to tackle. The recipe for Peanut Butter Brownie pie used a simple box of brownie mix as the crust, with a few added ingredients to whip up the fluffy pie filling.

Simply start by preparing a box of brownie mix using egg, oil and water as indicated on the box.

Prepare brownie mix as indicated on package.

Pour the brownie batter into a greased 9 inch pie pan and bake for 30 minutes. You may need to leave the brownie in the oven for an additional minute or two if the center isn't completely cooked.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-32 minutes.

While your brownie is cooling, you can prepare the pie filling. Simply take a box of vanilla pudding mix and whisk with  1 1/2 cups of cold milk for two minutes. After you get a nice consistency, add 1 cup of whipped topping and a 1/3 cup peanut butter.

Whisk together milk and pudding, then add peanut butter and whipped topping.

After your brownie has completely cooled, scoop out the middle, leaving a 1/2 in thick edge around the pan and a thin layer of brownie on the bottom. Save the brownie pieces for later!

Scoop out the middle of the brownie, leaving a 1/2 inch edge and layer at
the bottom. Brownie surgery isn't pretty.

Spoon your pie filling onto your brownie and add your crumbled brownie pieces on top (I also snuck in a few chocolate chips for an added crunch!).

Spoon your pie filling evenly onto your brownie crust.

Sprinkle reserved brownie pieces on top of your pie filling (maybe add some chocolate chips!)

Sprinkle reserved brownie pieces on top of your pie filling
(maybe add some chocolate chips!)

Finally, take your remaining peanut butter and place in the microwave for about a minute in order to get it to a runny texture. Channel your inner Jackson Pollock and drizzle the peanut butter on top of your pie!

Drizzle away!

Pop your pie in the fridge for about 2 hours before serving. I can almost guarantee this pie will be a hit at just about any family gathering or holiday. The light and fluffy filling is the perfect amount of sweet when combined with the chewy brownie crust. Dig on in!

Peanut Butter Brownie Pie

Recipe from Food.com

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package brownie mix

1 egg

1/4 cup oil

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups milk, cold

1 (4 ounce) package vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:

1)      Heat oven to 350°F.

2)      Prepare brownie batter as directed on package using egg, water and oil, if that is what your brownie mix directs.

3)      Pour into greased 9" pie plate. Bake for 30 minutes.

4)      Cool completely.

5)      Scoop out center,leaving 1/2 inch thick rim around edge and a thin layer of brownie on the bottom. Reserve brownie pieces.

6)      Beat milk and pudding mix with whisk for 2 minutes.

7)      Add 1/3 cup peanut butter; mix well.

8)      Stir in Cool Whip.

9)      Spoon onto crust; top with reserved brownie pieces.

10)   Microwave remaining peanut butter 1 minute; stir. Drizzle over pie.

11)   Refrigerate 2 hours.