Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch pie plate
• •Food processor or rolling pin
• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Offset spatula
• •Small saucepan

Instructions

1. 1

   Crush the cookies

   Place all 36 Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until they become fine, uniform crumbs. You want powder, not chunks. This takes about thirty seconds of pulsing. If you lack a food processor, seal the cookies in a sturdy plastic bag and attack them with a rolling pin until thoroughly crushed. Every last piece must be small enough to press into a cohesive crust.

   Keep the cream filling in the cookies. It adds moisture that helps bind the crust, and the extra sweetness belongs here.
2. 2

   Build the crust

   Pour the cookie crumbs into a large bowl and add the melted butter. Stir with a fork until every crumb is coated and the mixture holds together when pressed. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and press firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to compact the base and your fingers to build the walls. The crust should extend just to the rim but not over it. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.

3. 3

   Whip the cream

   Pour one cup of the cold heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a large bowl and hand mixer. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about three minutes. The cream should hold its shape when you lift the whisk. Transfer to a separate bowl and set aside. No need to wash the mixing bowl.

4. 4

   Create the filling base

   In the same mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth and free of lumps, scraping down the sides twice. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined. Add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed first to prevent a sugar cloud, then increase to medium and beat until fluffy and uniform, about two minutes.

   Cold cream cheese creates lumps that never fully smooth out. Let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour before starting.
5. 5

   Fold in whipped cream

   Add about one-third of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and stir vigorously to lighten it. This sacrificial portion makes the base more receptive. Now add the remaining whipped cream and fold gently with a large rubber spatula, cutting down through the center, sweeping along the bottom, and folding over. Rotate the bowl and repeat until no white streaks remain. The filling should be light and mousse-like.

6. 6

   Fill the crust

   Retrieve the chilled crust. Mound the peanut butter filling into the center and spread it evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, creating a slight dome in the center that tapers toward the edges. The surface doesn't need to be perfectly smooth since the ganache will cover it, but eliminate any air pockets. Return to the refrigerator while you make the ganache.

7. 7

   Make the ganache

   Place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the remaining half cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer and small bubbles form at the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for two minutes. Add the corn syrup and whisk from the center outward in slow circles until completely smooth and glossy. The corn syrup adds shine and prevents cracking.

   If the ganache seems too thick to pour, add another tablespoon of warm cream and whisk again. It should flow like warm honey.
8. 8

   Top with ganache

   Let the ganache cool for five minutes, stirring occasionally. It should still be pourable but not so hot that it melts the filling beneath. Pour the ganache over the center of the pie filling. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it gently toward the edges, leaving about a quarter-inch border of peanut butter filling visible around the rim, mimicking the signature look of buckeye candies.

9. 9

   Garnish and chill

   Scatter the chopped peanuts over the ganache while it's still tacky. They'll set into the chocolate as it firms. Refrigerate the pie uncovered for at least three hours, or until the ganache is completely set and the filling is firm enough to slice cleanly. For the cleanest slices, chill overnight.

10. 10

    Slice and serve

    Remove the pie from the refrigerator ten minutes before serving. Run a thin knife under hot water, wipe dry, and use it to cut clean slices, heating and wiping between each cut. The warmth melts through the ganache without dragging. Serve cold, each slice revealing the layered cross-section of dark chocolate, golden peanut butter, and chocolate cookie crust.

    In Ohio, this pie is often served at tailgates alongside scarlet and gray decorations. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is traditional but not required.

Chef Tips

• •Standard commercial peanut butter like Jif or Skippy works better here than natural peanut butter. The stabilizers create a smoother, more stable filling that holds its shape. This is not the place for artisanal peanut butter, and I say that without apology.
• •For a more dramatic presentation, reserve a few whole Oreos before crushing and arrange them around the edge of the finished pie, pressing them halfway into the ganache before it sets.
• •The pie can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Frozen slices make an excellent warm-weather treat eaten straight from the freezer.
• •If you want to gild the lily, drizzle melted peanut butter thinned with a little vegetable oil over the set ganache in artistic swirls. Use a fork dipped in the mixture and wave it back and forth across the surface.

Advance Preparation

• •The crust can be made and pressed into the pan up to two days ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• •The complete pie keeps refrigerated for up to five days, though the crust softens slightly after the second day.
• •For make-ahead convenience, freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic and then foil. They thaw in about twenty minutes at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 180g)