What could be better than this No Bake Snickers Pie in a chocolate graham cracker crust filled with caramel, a peanut butter mousse loaded with snickers pieces and topped with a whipped ganache.
To make this easy, it can be made in stages or the entire pie can be made and frozen.
When I was making this Snickers Pie for photography I totally forgot to put the caramel in. So much for not making mistakes! If this happens to you and I hope it doesn't, just scoop out the filling and add the caramel layer as I did below. No one will know if you don't tell them!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It is a really easy recipe to make.
- The caramel and ganache need to be made at least the day ahead or they can be made a week ahead.
- The crust can be pressed in ahead also.
- The ingredients are readily available.
- The pie itself needs to be made at least a day ahead and refrigerated or it can be made ahead and frozen in its entirety.
Recipe Ingredients
Whipped Ganache
LEFT TO RIGHT: Semisweet Chocolate, heavy cream
Caramel
BACK ROW: Water, granulated sugar, heavy cream
FRONT ROW: Unsalted butter, vanilla, corn syrup
Chocolate Crumb Crust
CLOCKWISE: Butter, graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and powdered sugar.
Peanut Butter Mousse
BACK ROW: Cream cheese, peanut butter, heavy cream
MIDDLE ROW: Butter, powdered sugar, vanilla
FRONT ROW: Fun size Snickers
Step by Step Instructions
Caramel
Make as called for on the Caramel - A Building Block of Pastry post. This may be made a week ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
Whipped Ganache
This was used in the fantastic Raspberries and Cream Cake. Step by step photos can be seen there. This may be made a week ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
Preparing the Snickers
Step 1. If using fun size Snickers, cut the into 4 pieces each. If using regular size, cut them legnthwise in half and then into 8 pieces each.
Step 2. Place the Snickers in a parchment lined pan and freeze them until hard.
Step 3. Place the frozen, cut Snickers in the bowl of a food processor.
Step 4. Pulse until coarsely cut with varying size pieces. Return to freezer until needed.
Chocolate Crust
Step 1. Place the powdered sugar and cocoa and graham crackers in a medium size bowl.
Step 2. Whisk the ingredients together.
Step 3. Melt the butter and add it to the crumbs.
Step 4. Incorporate the butter into the crumbs. I find this easiest to do with a fork, preferably a large fork like a meat serving fork.
Step 5. Spray a 10" pan with a removable bottom with a non-stick baking release. Pour ⅔ of the crumbs into the pan.
Step 6. Distribute the crumbs evenly along the sides of the pan.
Step 7. Press the crumbs firmly against the sides of the pan and even the top by pressing it down with the palm of your hand.
Step 8. Press the remaining ⅓ of the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the pan.
Peanut Butter Mousse Filling
Step 1. The Snickers are cut into pieces to make it easier to process them.
Step 2. Place the pieces on a parchment lined tray and freeze until hard.
Step 3. The frozen, cut up Snickers are placed in the bowl of a food processor.
Step 4. Process the Snickers by running the processor to cut into larger pieces and then pulse to reduce further. Be careful not to reduce too much. You want varying size pieces of candy. Spread out on a tray and return to the freezer.
Step 5. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Remove it from the bowl.
Step 6. Without washing the bowl, add the softened butter, cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar.
Step 7. Beat until light in texture and color.
Step 8. Pour the Snickers pieces into the mixing bowl with the mousse.
Step 9. Add the Snickers pieces into the mousse, mixing until combined.
Step 10. Fold the cream into the snickers mousse.
Finishing
Step 1. If the caramel is too firm, microwave it briefly to a spreadable consistency. Spread it evenly over the bottom of the pie. As you can see, here was my mistake when I added the mousse before the caramel. Don't do that!
Step 2. Spread the mousse over the caramel. Chill the pie to firm the mousse.
Step 3. Using an offset spatula with a pointed end, insert it into each flute.
Step 4. Place the pie on a wide can and slide the sides down. Place a flat metal spatula between the bottom of the pie and the metal bottom of the pan. Slide it under the crust to release it.
Step 5. When ready to finish the pie, pour the cold ganache into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Step 6. Whip the ganache to a piping consistency. However, be careful not to over whip or it can granulate and cannot be recovered.
Step 7. Using a large open star piping tip, pipe around the edge of the pie.
Step 8. Pipe the entire outer edge.
Step 9. Continue piping in toward the center.
Step 10. Finish piping to completely cover the top.
Recipe FAQ's
Certainly. It then becomes a Peanut Butter Caramel Pie. Or change the bar to any other candy you like.
It did. It was called the Marathon. The name was changed about 33 years ago.W
It's not a good idea. The consistency is different and would beat up differently. Stick to the commercial brands such as Jif, Pam or Skippy. Cream or crunchy is fine.
Storage
The pie can be made and frozen, then wrapped well and kept for a month in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator.
It can also be made several days ahead and refrigerated.
To speed it along, the ganache and caramel can be made a week or 10 days ahead and refrigerated. Warm the caramel in a double boiler or briefly in a microwave to a spreadable consistency.
Expert Tips
- The Snickers have to be frozen in order to process them into varying sizes for the mousse filling. Freezing is the only way to make them.
- It is important to use commercial peanut butter for the mousse to obtain the smoothness and consistency.
- The caramel recipe makes 2 cups. If you don't want to use all of it, the leftover makes a great topping for ice cream or cake. Just thin it with a bit of cream or even water.
- It is important when whipping the ganache to just take it to the point it can be piped or spread over the mousse filling. If it is over whipped, it can become granular and unusable.
If you love this No Bake Snickers Caramel Pie or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating in the recipe card and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
No Bake Snickers Caramel Pie
Equipment
- 1 9 to 10" deep dish pie or tart pan
Ingredients
Caramel
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup clear corn syrup
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar (250 grams or 8 ¾ ounces)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (56 grams, ½ 2 ounces, ½ stick)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Whipped Ganache
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (170 grams)
Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ⅔ cups graham crackers or crumbs (210 grams or 7 ounces)
- ⅓ cup cocoa, Dutch or regular (45 grams or 1 ½ ouces)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (65 grams or about 2 ounces)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted (140 grams or 5 ounces)
Peanut Butter Mousse Filling
- 8 ounces Snickers (225 grams or 8 ounces))
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup smooth peanut butter (225 grams or 8 ounces)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (225 grams or 8 ounces))
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (58 grams or 2 ounces)
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar (85 grams or 3 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Preparing the Snickers
- If using fun size Snickers, cut them across into 4 peices. Place them on in a parchment lined pan and freeze them in a single layer,
- When frozen, place them in the bowl of a processor and process them with pulses to make varying size pieces. Keep frozen until needed.
Caramel
- Place water, sugar and corn syrup in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir over heat until the sugar is dissolved completely. Bring to a boil; wash sides of pan down with a natural bristle pastry brush dipped in cold water, then boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a medium golden color.
- Off heat, immediately add the butter and stir until it is melted
- Pour the cream and vanilla in all at once and stir. If some of the cream lumps up don’t worry.
- Return to medium high heat and bring to a boil. Boil to 232 degrees on a candy thermometer
- Pour into a storage container. Do not stir at this point.
- Cool to room temperature. It may be stored at room temperature for several days or refrigerated indefinitely.
- Yield: 2 cups
Whipped Ganache
- Heat the cream until steaming hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat.
- Submerge the chocolate under the cream and let it sit for several minutes to melt the chocolate.
- Whisk together. It is easiest to do this by starting in the middle making small circles and moving out toward the edges making ever bigger circles. Do not be too enthusiastic or air bubbles will form.
- Use immediately or, place film directly on top of the ganache, bring to room temperature and store in the refrigerator for a week or two. Freeze for longer storage. To use, bring it back to room temperature, heat over a double boiler or microwave briefly to bring it to the consistency you want.
Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
- Sift the cocoa and powdered sugar together.
- Add to the graham cracker crumbs. Whisk to mix.
- Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and mix with a fork until the crumbs are evenly and completely coated.
- Spray a deep dish pie or tart pan with a non-stick baking release. Press ⅔ of the crumbs firmly and evenly into the sides of the pan.
- Press the remaining crumbs into the bottom of the pan.
- Warm the caramel to spreading consistency if necessary and spread it on the bottom of the crust. Set aside.
Peanut Butter Mousse Filling
- Beat the cream until stiff. Set aside or hold in the refrigerator.
- Without cleaning the bowl, add the peanut butter, cream cheese butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth on medium. Raise the speed dto high and beat until light in color and increased in volume.
- Add the snicker pieces and beat to incorporate.
- Fold the cream in and pour into the crust, spreading it evenly. It should be firm enough to finish with the ganache, but if it isn't, refrigerate until it firms up.
Releasing the Pie
- If using a tart pan with fluted edges, insert a small, flexible, pointed spatula into each flute.
- Place the pan on a 28 ounce can and slide the side down.
- Insert a metal spatula between the bottom crust and the bottom of the pan. Go around the bottom with the pressure on the metal bottom. Transfer to a cake board or serving plate.
Finishing
- Place the cold ganache in a clean mixing bowl. Beat on medium until lightened in color and thick enough to pipe. Do no over beat or it can granulate and become unusable.
- Fit a piping bag with a #8 open star tip. Place half of the ganache in the bag and pipe stars around the outer edge of the pie. Continue piping in towards the center until the top is complete.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours or more to set up. Ideally, refrigerate overnight.
Notes
- The Snickers have to be frozen in order to process them into varying sizes for the mousse filling. Freezing is the only way to make them.
- It is important to use commercial peanut butter for the mousse to obtain the smoothness and consistency.
- The caramel recipe makes 2 cups. If you don't want to use all of it, the leftover makes a great topping for ice cream or cake. Just thin it with a bit of cream or even water.
- It is important when whipping the ganache to just take it to the point it can be piped or spread over the mousse filling. If it is over whipped, it can become granular and unusable.
- The caramel and ganache can be made up to 10 days ahead.
- The pie itself needs to be made at least a day ahead and refrigerated or it can be made ahead and frozen in its entirety. Freeze the pie unwrapped, wrap it and store it in the freezer up to a month.
Nutrition
hfletcher says
Thanks Lindy: Ganache is simple - just don't overheat it. You just want to be able to pipe it, like stiff whipped cream. As to caramel, you have to use a thermometer to get the temperature right. Other than that, it's really easy. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
[email protected] says
Helen, this recipe truly IS a super-treat. Perfect for hot summer days when the thought of turning on the oven isn't so appealing.
hfletcher says
You must be from a warm summer area as am I. Thanks for tuning in Mary.
hfletcher says
Thanks Mary - you must be from a hot weather summer area as am I.