Try this Butterfinger Pie recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 c (58g) butter (room temperature)
- 1/2 c (115g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1 c (128g) all-purpose flour
- 4 mini butterfinger bars (chopped)
- 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1/3 c (88g) creamy peanut butter
- 8 oz whipped topping
- 1 c chopped butterfinger pieces (reserve some for top
- Carbohydrate 3.54220564352333 g
- Cholesterol 21.545637556 mg
- Fat 6.29933194948667 g
- Fiber 0.000552083333333333 g
- Protein 0.9074128642 g
- Saturated Fat 3.92104295662767 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (43g)
- Sodium 36.8552966966667 mg
- Sugar 3.54165356019 g
- Trans Fat 0.324888451392666 g
- Calories 73 calories
Step-by-step
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 c (58g) butter (room temperature)
- 1/2 c (115g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1 c (128g) all-purpose flour
- 4 mini butterfinger bars (chopped)
- 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1/3 c (88g) creamy peanut butter
- 8 oz whipped topping
- 1 c chopped butterfinger pieces (reserve some for top)
Incorporating crisp sugar-crisp candy into a dairy-heavy dessert requires careful handling of moisture levels to prevent the chocolate coating and peanut butter center from dissolving into a dense paste. Confectionery bars like Butterfingers rely on lamination, folding sugar candy sheets into peanut butter layers, which creates a brittle internal matrix. Introducing this candy into soft fillings demands that components remain dry until assembly. When modifying the fat base, swapping standard dairy butter for plant-based margarine introduces excess water content, which alters the setting capabilities of cream cheese and whipped toppings. Maintaining ingredients at precisely twenty-one degrees Celsius ensures proper emulsification during mixing, preventing curdling in the fat phase.
Substituting regular granulated sugar with liquid sweeteners such as honey or agave introduces unwanted hydration, breaking down the emulsion built by the cream cheese and peanut butter proteins. If replacing all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend, add xanthan gum at a ratio of one-half teaspoon per cup to restore structural integrity to the crust. Preserved toppings like commercial whipped topping offer structural stability through chemical stabilizers, whereas freshly whipped heavy cream lacks these gums and will weep liquid after four hours in refrigeration. Fat globules in fresh cream are delicate and break down rapidly if overworked during the whipping stage, resulting in a grainy texture.
Working with peanut butter also demands attention to the type utilized in preparation; natural styles containing separated oil will destabilize the pie filling. Homogenized commercial peanut butter contains hydrogenated vegetable oils that act as stabilizing agents, keeping the emulsion intact when combined with soft cheeses and sugar. Stir the mixture until smooth without incorporating excess air pockets, which disrupts the density needed for slicing cleanly. Chilling the assembled dessert for a minimum of four hours allows the lipids in the butter and cream cheese to solidify fully, yielding a firm slice.
Historical dessert formulations utilizing candy bars gained popularity through mid-century brand promotions, adapting commercial sweets into household baking traditions. These recipes evolved to leverage pre-made processed elements, shifting labor from candy-making to assembly-based kitchen techniques. Modern adaptations frequently substitute processed whipped toppings for dairy derivatives, shifting the final mouthfeel from heavy richness to airy lightness. Storage requires airtight coverage to prevent moisture absorption from the refrigerator environment, which softens the crunchy candy pieces prematurely.
