Connie Smith’s Peanut Butter Pie

Here’s a fun twist on your typical boring (albeit yummy) cream pie. In high school, my best friend’s mom and my mom started a catering business called “Simple Beginnings & Elegant Endings”. They specialized in appetizers and desserts. While I am not sure whether this was on their menu or not, I do know that it was a favorite with Connie’s own boys and has been a hit with everyone in my family as well. Enjoy it with a cold glass of milk.

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 cups milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
9-inch baked pastry shell
whipped topping

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until crumbly; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, granulated sugar and salt. Stir in the egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to boil; boil for 1 minute them remove from heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla. Place plastic wrap on the surface of the cream filling and set aside to cool. Spread 2/3 cup of the peanut butter crumbs in the baked and cooled pie shell covering the bottom and sides of the shell. Pour the cream filling over the crumbs and chill thoroughly. Spread on the whipped topping and sprinkle with the remaining peanut butter crumbs. Refrigerate until serving. Yields one pie.

I doubled the recipe to make two pies. The leftovers kept well in the fridge for a couple of days.