This No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie Proves 3 Affordable Store-Bought Ingredients Are Enough

Everyone loves a no-bake recipe. You get to avoid cranking up the oven and worrying about timings, while soaking in all the glory and avoiding some dishes. It helps that no-bake desserts are typically easy to prepare, meaning you can whip up a deliciously indulgent treat pretty much any time a craving hits. However, a no-bake recipe can be made even better when there are minimal ingredients involved — and we've got an affordable peanut butter pie that you can put together with just three of them.

That's right, you can make a full-scale, loaded pie filling using only condensed milk, Cool Whip, and everybody's favorite dessert filler: peanut butter. The combination is not only velvety and decadent, but also surprisingly light. The condensed milk creates a sweetness level that isn't over the top, while the Cool Whip adds a fluffy, cloud-like texture to cut the richness of the peanut butter. Together, it all creates a base that's perfectly customizable — you really can make this into any type of dessert you want.

Of course, you'll also need a pie crust. While making a homemade flaky pie crust can be fun, do yourself a favor and just opt for a store-bought option. Graham cracker is a classic, but Oreo adds yet another delicious element. If that suits you, we have this 2-ingredient Oreo pie crust you can try out.

Once you have your crust, simply mix some condensed milk and peanut butter together in a bowl and then fold in the Cool Whip. Add some chopped up candy, chocolate chips, or Reese's Pieces, too, if you want a little crunch. Then, load up your pie crust and place it in the fridge for at least two hours. Top as you please by using your favorite candy, some whipped cream, or even a drizzle of peanut butter or hot fudge sauce.

The only thing to really consider here is the peanut butter — the natural stuff can separate inside the pie, so the cheap, creamy options we all grew up with may work best. Additionally, you can beat some cream cheese into the filling too if you want to create a firmer texture and add some tang (just make sure it's soft before beating in), and powdered sugar can amp up the sweetness.

Meanwhile, skipping the condensed milk can cut some calories, but you'll want to go the cream cheese and powdered sugar route for this option. Feel free to experiment with it. After all, it's not like the kitchen is going to overheat.