This Insane Candy Bar Pie Recipe Will Make You Drool

This Epic Insane Chewy Gooey Candy Bar Pies Recipe will blow you away. These Candy Bar Pies have all the flavors of your favorite candy bars, in miniature pie format.
And good news, math nerds! Pi Day, or March 14, is fast approaching. (Because March 14 is 3/14, and pi is 3.14, get it?) But let’s say you’re not a math nerd. Does Pi Day offer anything for you? Oh yes, my friend. Pi Day is the day that math nerds and baking nerds can come together in harmony over big slices of…you guessed it…pie!  I wanted to bake up a fun pie in honor of Pi Day, but because this is Oh Nuts, home of all the best candy ingredients, I knew it had to involve some seriously indulgent flavors.

Epic Chewy Gooey Candy Bar Pies

Bam! Is this indulgent enough for you? These Candy Bar Pies have all the flavors of your favorite candy bars, in miniature pie format. They start with a crust made from crushed chocolate-covered pretzels (yes, really) and are then filled with soft, chewy caramel, roasted peanuts, rich chocolate ganache, and a topping of light, creamy peanut butter frosting. They look deceptively tame from the outside, but as soon as you cut into one, and see all the soft, gooey layers of candy bar goodness, you’ll be blown away.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe

I shared these mini pies with several different friends, and multiple people told me afterwards that this might be their new favorite pie! There is nothing not to LOVE about them–they’re the perfect blend of gooey and crunchy textures, and are full of amazing caramel, peanut, and chocolate flavors. I assured my friends that, although they have a bunch of different components, they’re really easy because they use ready-made chocolate-covered pretzels and caramels. I’m no math whiz, but even I know that they’re as easy as 1, 2, 3. So let’s celebrate Pi Day in style with these Candy Bar Pies!  Here’s what you do!

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com


Candy Bar Pies

yield: 4 mini (6-inch) pies, or one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

Spray your pie tins with nonstick cooking spray, and preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the chocolate-covered pretzels in a food processor and process them until they are fine crumbs. If you don’t have a processor, place them in a large zip-top plastic bag, and roll over them with a rolling pin until they are crushed to fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and toss them together with the brown sugar.

(If you don’t want to use chocolate-covered pretzels, this recipe can also be made with regular pretzels instead. You might want to increase the brown sugar by one or two tablespoons to make up for the lack of chocolate, though!)

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

Melt 1/2 cup (4 oz) of butter in a small bowl, and pour about half of the butter over the pretzel crumbs. Stir the crumbs and butter together. You want the mixture to be moist, and hold together when pressed into a ball, but you don’t want it to be too liquidy or greasy. Continue to add the butter, a little at a time, until you get a mixture with the consistency of wet sand. You may not need to use all of the butter.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the pie tins in an even layer. Transfer the tins to a baking sheet, and bake them at 350 F for 7-8 minutes, until the crusts lose their shine and become matte and puffed.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

The crusts might puff up in the center while baking. If they do puff up, when they come out of the oven, carefully use your fingertips to press the crust down again while they are still hot and pliable. Let the crusts cool completely.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

While you wait for the crusts to cool, prepare the caramel filling. Unwrap the soft caramels, and combine them with 2 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp heavy cream in a medium bowl.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

Microwave the caramels in 30-second intervals, stirring after every 30 seconds, until the caramels are melted and smooth. You might find it easier to get the mixture perfectly smooth if you use a whisk at the end. Once the caramel is smooth, add the roasted salted peanuts and stir to coat them with the caramel.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

Divide the peanut caramel between the four pie shells, and smooth it into an even layer. Refrigerate the pies while you prepare the chocolate layer.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

Place the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips in a medium bowl, and pour 1 cup of cream into a small saucepan. Heat the cream until it is at a simmer, with bubbles appearing along the sides of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute to soften the chocolate, then whisk the chocolate and cream together until shiny and smooth.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

Pour the chocolate on top of the caramel layer in the pies, until it comes to the top of the shells. (Depending on the height of your pie shells, you might not need to use all the chocolate. Save it for a later use, or drizzle some on top of your finished pies. I trust you can find something fun to do with leftover chocolate sauce!) Refrigerate the pies to set the chocolate, for about 15-20 minutes.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

While the pies are being refrigerated, prepare the peanut butter frosting. Combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and remaining 2 tbsp butter in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until combined and the powdered sugar is moistened. Turn the speed to medium and slowly stream in the remaining 1/4 cup cream, then turn the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.

Candy Bar Pies Recipe | OhNuts.com

If you want to pop the pies out of their pie tins, make sure you do it at this point, before you’ve frosted them! Transfer the frosting mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the peanut butter frosting on top of each pie. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can spoon it on and just swirl it around with a spatula.

Epic Chewy Gooey Candy Bar Pies

Top the pies with sprinkles, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or more chocolate-covered pretzels. Or all three! These pies have the best taste and texture when served at room temperature–do not eat them cold!

As always there’s an easily printable recipe and pin-able image below. Enjoy, and Happy Pi Day!

Epic Chewy Gooey Candy Bar Pies

 

Candy Bar Pies
yield: 4 mini (6-inch) pies, or one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Spray your pie tins with nonstick cooking spray, and preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the chocolate-covered pretzels in a food processor and process them until they are fine crumbs. If you don’t have a processor, place them in a large zip-top plastic bag, and roll over them with a rolling pin until they are crushed to fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and toss them together with the brown sugar.
  2. Melt 1/2 cup (4 oz) of butter in a small bowl, and pour about half of the butter over the pretzel crumbs. Use a fork to stir the crumbs and butter together. You want the mixture to be moist, and hold together when pressed into a ball, but you don’t want it to be too liquidy or greasy. Continue to add the butter, a little at a time, until you get a mixture with the consistency of wet sand. You may not need to use all of the butter.
  3. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the pie tins in an even layer. Transfer the tins to a baking sheet, and bake them for 7-8 minutes, until the crusts lose their shine and become matte and puffed. When they come out of the oven, if they have puffed up in the center, carefully use your fingertips to press the crust down again. Let cool completely.
  4. While you wait for the crusts to cool, prepare the caramel filling. Unwrap the soft caramels, and combine them with 2 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp heavy cream in a medium bowl. Microwave the caramels in 30-second intervals, stirring after every 30 seconds, until the caramels are melted and smooth. Add the peanuts and stir to coat them with the caramel.
  5. Divide the peanut caramel between the four pie shells, and refrigerate while you prepare the chocolate layer.
  6. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl, and pour 1 cup of cream into a small saucepan. Heat the cream until it is at a simmer, with bubbles appearing along the sides of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute to soften the chocolate, then whisk the chocolate and cream together until shiny and smooth.
  7. Pour the chocolate on top of the caramel layer in the pies, until it comes to the top of the shells. (Depending on the height of your pie shells, you might not need to use all the chocolate. Save it for a later use, or drizzle some on top of your finished pies.) Refrigerate the pies to set the chocolate, for about 20 minutes.
  8. While the pies are being refrigerated, prepare the peanut butter frosting. Combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and remaining 2 tbsp butter in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until combined and the powdered sugar is moistened. Turn the speed to medium and slowly stream in the remaining 1/4 cup cream, then turn the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. If you want to pop the pies out of their pie tins, make sure you do it at this point, before you’ve frosted them! Transfer the frosting mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the peanut butter frosting on top of each pie.
  9. Top the pies with sprinkles, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or more chocolate-covered pretzels. These pies have the best taste and texture when served at room temperature–do not eat them cold!

Epic Chewy Gooey Candy Bar Pies

 

Insane Candy Bar Pies Recipe
 
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 4 mini
Ingredients
  • 8 oz chocolate-covered pretzels
  • ¾ cup butter, divided use
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1¼ cup +3 tbsp heavy cream, divided use
  • 8 oz soft caramels
  • ⅓ cup roasted salted peanuts
  • 8 oz finely chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (about 1⅓ cups)
  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Spray your pie tins with nonstick cooking spray, and preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the chocolate-covered pretzels in a food processor and process them until they are fine crumbs. If you don't have a processor, place them in a large zip-top plastic bag, and roll over them with a rolling pin until they are crushed to fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and toss them together with the brown sugar.
  2. Melt ½ cup (4 oz) of butter in a small bowl, and pour about half of the butter over the pretzel crumbs. Use a fork to stir the crumbs and butter together. You want the mixture to be moist, and hold together when pressed into a ball, but you don't want it to be too liquidy or greasy. Continue to add the butter, a little at a time, until you get a mixture with the consistency of wet sand. You may not need to use all of the butter.
  3. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the pie tins in an even layer. Transfer the tins to a baking sheet, and bake them for 7-8 minutes, until the crusts lose their shine and become matte and puffed. When they come out of the oven, if they have puffed up in the center, carefully use your fingertips to press the crust down again. Let cool completely.
  4. While you wait for the crusts to cool, prepare the caramel filling. Unwrap the soft caramels, and combine them with 2 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp heavy cream in a medium bowl. Microwave the caramels in 30-second intervals, stirring after every 30 seconds, until the caramels are melted and smooth. Add the peanuts and stir to coat them with the caramel.
  5. Divide the peanut caramel between the four pie shells, and refrigerate while you prepare the chocolate layer.
  6. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl, and pour 1 cup of cream into a small saucepan. Heat the cream until it is at a simmer, with bubbles appearing along the sides of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute to soften the chocolate, then whisk the chocolate and cream together until shiny and smooth.
  7. Pour the chocolate on top of the caramel layer in the pies, until it comes to the top of the shells. (Depending on the height of your pie shells, you might not need to use all the chocolate. Save it for a later use, or drizzle some on top of your finished pies.) Refrigerate the pies to set the chocolate, for about 20 minutes.
  8. While the pies are being refrigerated, prepare the peanut butter frosting. Combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and remaining 2 tbsp butter in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until combined and the powdered sugar is moistened. Turn the speed to medium and slowly stream in the remaining ¼ cup cream, then turn the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. If you want to pop the pies out of their pie tins, make sure you do it at this point, before you've frosted them! Transfer the frosting mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the peanut butter frosting on top of each pie.
  9. Top the pies with sprinkles, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or more chocolate-covered pretzels. These pies have the best taste and texture when served at room temperature--do not eat them cold!

 

 

All text and images (c) 2014 Elizabeth LaBau

 

Comments are closed.