Take 5 Candy Bar Pie
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Between the homemade Snickers bars that I posted last Friday and today’s post, I’m starting to think that I have some sort of serious subconscious craving for candy on Fridays. Perhaps I should start a candy Friday ritual? I’ll have to give that some serious consideration. Candy once a week definitely could be a good thing. Now, let’s talk about this pie! This pie is everything that is right with the world of candy bars. It takes all of the awesome elements found in a Take 5 candy bar (pretzels, caramel, peanut butter, peanuts, and chocolate) and throws them all together into a pie. The result? An incredibly rich, amazingly delicious dessert that pairs wonderful flavors and textures. Creamy and crunchy. Sweet and salty. It’s all here. And it’s every kind of wonderful.
This pie starts off with a pretzel crust (drool). Ground pretzels, a little bit of sugar, and a healthy amount of melted butter are mixed together and pressed into the pie plate to form the crust, and then baked briefly.
After the crust each layer is added in succession, with a 10-minute or so trip to the fridge to set up before the next layer is added. On top of the pretzel crust we spread melted peanut butter, then homemade caramel sauce, then chopped peanuts. I could barely keep myself from taking a nibble each time I added a new layer. The fact that I didn’t is earth-shattering.
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Finally, you melt down some chocolate and pour it over the top of the pie. After a short stint in the refrigerator to let it set up, you end up with one of the prettiest pies I’ve ever seen. Sure, a sky-high meringue and lattice-top have their place, but this beauty? This one is special. Especially if you like chocolate. Or caramel. Or peanut butter. Or peanuts. Or pretzels. Or all of them, together, throwing one big happy dessert party.
That’s precisely what this pie is. One, big, happy candy bar pie party. I want to be invited to this party every.single.day.
Happy Friday! Cheers!
One year ago: Irish Brown Bread
Two years ago: Chewy Brownies
Five years ago: Mexican Rice[/donotprint]
Candy Bar Pie
Ingredients
For the Pretzel Crust:
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) pretzel sticks, finely ground in a food processor or blender
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Caramel Sauce:
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (62.5 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ¾ cup (178.5 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
For the Pie:
- ½ cup (129 g) creamy peanut butter, melted
- ⅓ cup (75.33 ml) prepared caramel sauce
- ¼ cup (36.5 g) coarsely chopped peanuts
- 10 ounces (283.5 g) semisweet chocolate, melted
Instructions
- Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together the ground pretzels, melted butter, and sugar. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and chill in the refrigerator until firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, Make the Caramel Sauce. Whisk the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium-size heavy saucepan until well combined. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the sugar mixture, without stirring, until it becomes a rich caramel color, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream until the caramel sauce is smooth, using caution as the mixture may bubble up. (If the sauce seizes, stir it over low heat until the hardened caramel is melted.) Whisk in the butter and set aside.
- Assemble the Pie: Smooth the warmed peanut butter evenly over the bottom of the pretzel crust. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Pour the caramel sauce over the peanut butter layer and gently spread with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the caramel layer. Refrigerate for another 10 minutes. Finish with a smooth layer of melted chocolate. Refrigerate the pie until the chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Pie can then remain at room temperature until serving. If you have leftovers, cover with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Made this for my daughters birthday. It’s a keeper!! I love so many of your recipes. Thank you browneyedbaker👩🏻🍳
OMG!! This looks amazing! I HAVE to make them sometime! Btw, I looooove your blog!!! <3
I pretty much doubled the pb and caramel layers and halved the chocolate layer. Awesome!!!! Thank you SO much for sharing this awesome dish.
The pie crust never stays up on the sides it al settles on the bottom while in the oven, am I missing something?
Make sure that you are actually getting the pretzels ground to fine crumbs, and not merely crushed. It makes a big difference in the texture and might be why your crust isn’t cohesive and staying up the sides of the pie plate.
Sounds delicious–thanks for sharing the recipe!
I was thinking of making these for a friend! If I were to make these into custard cups (making them into mini pies) and needed to bake the crust, how long would you suggest to bake it for?
Hi Jessica, I haven’t done it, so I’m not certain how long you’d need to bake them, but I’d start checking around 5 minutes just to be safe.
I just found what I’ll be bringing to my family’s Thanksgiving!
I made this for an event last night. Fan-freakin-tastic. Definitely a keeper recipe!
Is there an alternative to the corn syrup for those of us living outside the US?
I’d imagine honey could work, or perhaps maple syrup or molasses but that may be too rich.
Hi Shir, I have never used a substitute in caramel sauce, but maybe something like agave nectar or golden syrup could work?
Thanks! I’ll give it a try.
my caramel was too thin…any suggestions? If the heavy cream didnt thicken it enough, I was at a loss for how I could get it thicker?! It tasted great at least! :)
Delicious but the chocolate was a bit thick. I think next time I make it, I will split the chocolate into two layers and add a layer of marshmellow and/or rice crispy.