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This easy chocolate peanut butter tart is made with a cookie crust and no bake fillings. It's layered with silky chocolate ganache, creamy peanut butter frosting, fluffy whipped cream, and topped with peanuts and flaky sea salt.
Published 7/15/2020; Republished 3/21/22
If we're talking rich desserts, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart should be your new go-to. Only a small slice is needed to satisfy that sweet tooth, and it's oh so good!
The tart hosts a crunchy Oreo crust (though chocolate graham crackers can also be used) that gets filled with a creamy dark chocolate ganache. Add on the fluffy peanut butter layer and airy whipped cream and you've got yourself the best layers ever!
I like to top mine with roasted peanuts (the salted kind) and flaky sea salt, too. It helps to cut the richness of the dessert and I love the extra texture!
This tart lasts stores super well in the fridge, so it's a great option to make a day ahead of time and just add the final toppings before serving.
If you're looking for more peanut butter ideas, try my Edible Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites, Peanut Butter & Jelly Oat Bars, or Fluffernutter Cookies!
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Ingredient Notes
- Oreos or chocolate graham crackers. Pulverized into a fine crumb! Use the listed amount in weight.
- Unsalted butter. Melted for the crust, room temperature for the buttercream.
- Sugars. Granulated for the crust and powdered sugar for the peanut butter frosting and whipped cream.
- Good quality chocolate (60-70% cacao). A baking bar is best, but chunks or chips can be used as a last resort.
- Heavy whipping cream. Milk can be used for the buttercream, but heavy whipping cream must be used for the ganache. This is also used to make the whipped cream layer.
- Creamy peanut butter. I have only ever used Jif or Skippy brands for this, I cannot speak to using a natural peanut butter.
- Roasted peanuts and flaky sea salt. For topping, and I don't suggest skipping! The peanuts add texture and the salt really helps to cut the richness.
How to make the Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
STEP 1: Pulverize the Oreos into fine crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, crush them in a ziplock bag until they're as sandy as possible.
Transfer to a bowl, then add the sugar, salt and melted butter and use a fork to mix it together until all crumbs are moistened.
STEP 2: Distribute the crumbs evenly across the tart pan and use a ⅓ measuring cup or straight sided drinking glass to push the crumbs into the bottom and sides. Compact it as much as possible without breaking pieces off or mashing through to the bottom.
Bake the tart shell at 350℉/180℃ for 10 minutes, then cool.
*If the tart slouches during baking, use a measuring cup to gently and carefully re-shape it.
Fun tip! Turn these into chocolate peanut butter mini tarts by using smaller tart pans. Follow the same baking instructions.
Making the chocolate ganache
STEP 3: Heat the heavy cream until it lightly simmers. Finely chop the chocolate and place it into a heat proof, glass or metal bowl. Pour the simmering heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and allow it to sit for 1 minute.
Using a spoon or rubber spatula (not a whisk, it incorporates too much air), stir the mixture from the center, slowly moving outward until the mixture comes together.
Pour the ganache into the crust, then smooth it out. Chill the tart in the fridge for one hour, or until the ganache layer is fully set.
Pour the hot heavy cream over the chopped chocolate. Mix the ganache together until smooth. Pour the ganache into the tart shell.
Peanut Butter Frosting
STEP 4: To make the buttercream, beat together the butter and peanut butter, then add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and one tablespoon of heavy cream at at time until it's a smooth and spreadable consistency.
Spread the peanut butter buttercream onto the cooled ganache layer.
Cream the butter and peanut butter, then add the powdered sugar. Texture after adding the powdered sugar. Final texture after adding the heavy cream. Add the peanut butter layer to the cooled and set ganache.
Whipped Cream & Toppings
STEP 5: Make the whipped cream layer by adding heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip with the whisk attachment on high speed until stiff peaks form.
STEP 6: Add the whipped cream to the top of the tart, then sprinkle on the peanuts and flaky salt.
Eating tip: Allow the tart to stand at room temperature for about two hours prior to serving. Add the whipped cream and toppings before slicing and enjoying.
Add the whipped cream. Spread the whipped cream evenly. Top with peanuts, salt and chocolate shavings.
Tart variations
Switch up this chocolate peanut butter tart by swapping out the chocolate crust for a pretzel crust! If you love sweet and salty, you'll die over this!
Use my Caramel Brownie Pie recipe for guidance - follow the crust recipe exactly through the baking of the crust.
This recipe could also be made into mini tarts, or you can simply make it in a pie dish if you don't have a tart pan.
Storing and Freezing
Store the full assembled tart uncovered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tart without the whipped cream can store for one week in the fridge.
To freeze the tart, wrap the filled tart (and peanut butter layer, if you'd like) in plastic wrap, foil, then seal in a zip top bag. It should be fully chilled before wrapping and freezing.
Thaw the tart at room temperature (plan for about 4 hours), then add the whipped cream and top with peanuts and flaky salt.
FAQs & Tips
While ganache sounds very fancy, it is simply chocolate and heavy whipping cream combined. Typically, a 1:1 ratio is used, but depending on the consistency desired, the cream will increase or decrease. Ganache textures can range from drippy, to set yet creamy, to a rollable texture for truffles.
Yes! You can wrap the entire tart in plastic wrap, foil, then place in a zip top bag. It's best to only do this with the chocolate ganache layer, but could also be done with the peanut butter layer also assembled, as well.
Yes, it does. As the mixture cools off, the chocolate also returns to its solid state, but is offset by the cream. The ganache will "harden" but will still remain soft enough to bite through.
This means the emulsion of the two ingredients has broken. Be sure the cream measurement was correct, and also that it wasn't fully boiling, but only simmering around the very edges. Too high of heat can split the fats and cause the grainy separation.
More Tart Recipes
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📖Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
Equipment
- 8 or 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom
- Food processor or blender
- Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachment (or hand mixer)
Materials
Chocolate Crust
- 200 grams oreos or chocolate graham crackers finely ground (20 oreos or 14 graham crackers)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, 85g
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25g
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- 12 oz bittersweet chocolate 60-70% cacao
- 1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream 300ml
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature, 28g
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter 135g
- 1 cup powdered sugar 120g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 30-60ml
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream 240ml
- ¼ cup powdered sugar 30g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- roasted peanuts for garnish
- flaky sea salt for garnish
- chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
Chocolate Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃. Pulse the cookies or crackers in a food processor until finely ground then transfer to a bowl. Add the sugar, salt, and melted butter and use a fork to mix together until all crumbs are moistened.
- Distribute evenly in the tart pan and press the crumbs firmly into sides (use a straight sized drinking glass or bottom of a ⅓ cup measure).
- Bake for 8 minutes in the center rack, then remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- If the tart slouches during baking, use a measuring cup to gently and carefully re-shape it.
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- While the tart shell is cooling, roughly chop the chocolate and place into a heat proof bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a low simmer, then pour it over the chopped chocolate.
- Let stand for one full minute, then stir until smooth and glossy, starting in the center and slowly moving outward to bring the mixture together.
- Pour the ganache into the crust and smooth it out. Allow the tart to set in the fridge for at least one hour before topping it with the peanut butter buttercream.
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream together the butter and peanut butter for about one minute on medium speed.
- Switch the mixer to low and spoon in the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until a thick, but spreadable consistency forms.
- Spread the buttercream on top of the chilled ganache until it almost meets the edges.
Whipped Cream & Assembly
- Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream over top of the peanut butter layer. Top with roasted peanuts and flaky salt.
Kaitlyn
Absolutely delicious! Directions are so easy to follow along with, it makes it so easy to make something so fabulous! We will definitely be making this one again!
The Cozy Plum
So happy to hear this! Glad you enjoyed it.
Hannah
So simple, but absolutely delicious! The perfect dessert for when you want something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen making it, but really only spent about an hour!
Megan
Incredible recipe!! So rich and delicious but, not overly sweet.
The Cozy Plum
Thanks so much, Megan! Totally agree.