As friends and family of Jennie Perillo gather to remember her husband today, our family sends love and support from far away. Many of us asked what we could do to help, and Jennie being the incredible, strong woman she is only asked for one thing: that we make a peanut butter pie, her Mikey’s favorite, in his memory. So if you read food blogs, Twitter, and other social media sites today, you’ll find hundreds of people supporting Jennie and her girls with the simple gift of a peanut butter pie that we will share with our loved ones. My own Mikey and my boys love peanut butter and bananas, so my version is a peanut butter banana pie with Nutella, their favorite chocolate hazelnut spread.

So hug the people you love today and enjoy some food with them, because in Jennie’s words, “…today is the only guarantee we can count on.”

[Update Oct. 15, 2012: When I originally wrote this post, I did not include the recipe because Jennie is a friend and I felt that it was important for people to read her post and see the original recipe written in her own words. That heartfelt post was recently removed from her site, so in light of this I am including the recipe with my variations here. Thanks for understanding.]

Recipe Notes

Jennie’s pie is delicious and so easy to make, a no-bake refrigerator/freezer pie, perfect for a hot summer day. Because my family loves peanut butter with bananas and/or Nutella, I spread a layer of Nutella on the chocolate crumb crust (instead of the melted chocolate chips) and added a layer of sliced bananas between the Nutella, chopped nuts, and the creamy peanut butter filling. The filling is loose in hot weather, and mine started running while photographing, so just make sure you let it get very very cold.

Print Pin Peanut Butter Banana Pie with Nutella Adapted from Jennifer Perillo. Prep Time 20 mins Chilling Time 6 hrs Total Time 6 hrs 20 mins Servings: 8 servings Calories: 947 kcal Author: Andrea Meyers Equipment 9-inch springform pan

small glass bowl

small mixing bowl

stand mixer with paddle attachment, or hand mixer and large bowl Ingredients 8 ounces gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies (or regular chocolate sandwich cookies)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

4 ounces Nutella

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

14 ounces canned sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 large banana

1/4 cup Nutella (melted) Preparation Crust Process the cookies in the food processor until you have fine crumbs. Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl and stir with a fork to mix well. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan.

In the glass bowl, warm the Nutella in the microwave, then pour it over the bottom of the cookie crust and spread to the edges. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the Nutella, then place the pan in the fridge to chill. Filling Pour the heavy cream into the stand mixer bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer to the small mixing bowl and store in the fridge until ready to use. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in the mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until everything is combined and the filling is smooth.

Using a large spatula, stir 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Slice the banana and arrange the slices on top of the Nutella and chopped peanuts, Pour the filling into the pan, spreading it neatly, and drizzle the melted Nutella on top. Freeze for six hours or overnight before serving. Nutrition Calories: 947 kcal | Carbohydrates: 91 g | Protein: 18 g | Fat: 60 g | Saturated Fat: 29 g | Cholesterol: 93 mg | Sodium: 407 mg | Potassium: 449 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 73 g | Vitamin A: 1126 IU | Vitamin C: 2 mg | Calcium: 215 mg | Iron: 3 mg Tried this recipe? Share in the comments!

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