Peanut Butter Cream Pie is a step aside from the traditional pies served this time of year, but there’s no reason not to include it. It’s fluffy and creamy with a graham cracker crust, easy and quick to make, and delicious to eat.

So if you’re looking for a less common pie for the holidays this year, this one is a simple, easy, quick, and delicious option.

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

1 cup finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter and stir to combine. Pour into a 9-inch pie plate and gently press up the sides and on the bottom. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar and peanut butter. Beat until smooth.
Gradually add milk; set aside.
In another large bowl, whip cream until it begins to thicken. Add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks.
Fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture.
Spoon into crust and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
Chill 4 hours or overnight.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

This Swiss Rice Tart is traditionally served only at Easter time in Switzerland. It has a custard filling with rice pudding, ground almonds, and a sweet and buttery crust. It is pretty labor intensive, but don’t let that discourage you. The end result is well worth the time and effort.

Swiss Rice Tart

Sweet Pastry Crust

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, a little extra on the side for dusting
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons cold water

Rice pudding custard

½ cup rice
1½ cups water
2 cups evaporated milk
1 cup skim milk
1 Tablespoon cold unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup amaretto liqueur
½ cup raisins
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ cup almond meal flour
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
¼ cup sliced almonds
⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine 1 ½ cups flour, 1 Tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and the baking powder in food processor. Pulse to blend.
Add 10 Tablespoons butter and pulse 3 to 4 times, until butter is in pea-size pieces. Sprinkle in 3 Tablespoons cold water. Pulse 4 times. Dough will not come together.
Turn dough out on lightly floured work surface and knead gently a few times to form a disk.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Add ½ cup amaretto liqueur & ½ cup raisins, in a small bowl. Let the raisins soak until you are ready to add to the rice pudding custard.
Meanwhile, half fill a 3-quart saucepan with 1½ cups water, bring to a boil. Stir in rice, lower heat to medium and cook until rice is soft – about 15 minutes or longer until the water almost evaporates completely.
Add evaporated milk & skim milk, 1 Tablespoon butter, ½ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat to low and add the amaretto liqueur. Leave the raisin aside.
Simmer until mixture has thickened almost to a risotto consistency, about 20 minutes.
Place saucepan in a large bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to cool mixture.
When cooled, purée mixture in food processor. Then pour into a bowl and add lemon zest and raisins.
Mix ground almonds with 1 Tablespoon flour and add to bowl. Stir in eggs one at a time.
Place oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove pastry from refrigerator and place on lightly floured surface.
Lightly dust top with flour. Use a rolling pin to press down on dough to soften it.
Roll out disk to 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
Press dough evenly into pan. Trim edges flush with pan. Pour filling into pastry dough.
Bake about 35 minutes, until filling is set and golden.
Cool on a rack. Dust with sifted confectioners’ sugar before serving.

I make a lot of pies this time of year because it’s fun and it’s pie season. I like to explore the world of pies and finding some that aren’t classics. This one is not a classic, but it sure is tasty. This honey cream pie is a no bake pie with a graham cracker crust. It uses gelatin to set it and the texture is smooth and creamy. It’s kind of along the same lines as a panna cotta, but in pie form.