Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

This is one of the 3 pies along with Sweet Potato Pecan Pie that I made at the pie making class last month. The crust here is super simple, it's just crumbled cookies mixed with some melted butter. I guess the chef wanted to teach us a very easy crust along with the ones that are a bit more elaborate.
The filling is the highlight of this pie. I wasn't sure if I would like the peanut butter in the filling, but when I tasted it -- it was a dynamite. Peanut butter taste is not too assertive, but plays a nice balance to the cream cheese and brown sugar.

Adding frozen whipped topping like Coolwhip is vital instead of using fresh whipped cream because the frozen ones have stabilizers that will keep the fluffiness even after adding all the other ingredients. All in all, a beautiful pie that is sure to please a crowd.

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
Crushed Vanilla or Chocolate Cookies or Graham Crackers - 1 cup (from about 20 cookies)

Brown Sugar - ⅓cup packed 

Unsalted Butter - 2½tbsp, melted

For the Filling:
Cream Cheese - ½cup (1 brick), softened
Brown Sugar - ¾cup, packed
Peanut Butter - ½cup
Vanilla Extract - ½tsp
Frozen Whipped Topping - 1 8oz. container, thawed
Sliced Banana - 1½cup (about 2)
Chocolate syrup - as needed for drizzle

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Make the Crust: Place cookies in a food processor and process until finely ground. Alternately use store bought graham cracker crumbs :-)
• Add ⅓cup brown sugar  and butter, pulse 2~3 times or just until combined.
• Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie plate coated with cooking spray.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make the Filling: Place ¾cup of brown sugar, cream cheese, peanut butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth.
• Fold in the whipped topping.
• Arrange the bananas on the bottom of the pie crust. Spread peanut butter mixture over banana. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Cover and freeze for 8 hours; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing and serving!!!

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: December -- Week 3'.