Peanut Butter Cup Mud Pie - Gluten Free!

This ice cream pie is my signature summer dessert.  Since I originally used Oreos for the crust, I was delighted to discover KinniToos, Kinnickinnick's gluten free version of Oreos.  (I've tried other GF sandwich cookies, but Kinnickinnick's are the best.)  I used to make this in a 9"x13" pan for family gatherings, but given the expense of gluten free cookies, I've scaled my recipe back to a pie size.  The portions may be smaller, but for peanut butter and chocolate lovers like me, it's a little slice of heaven!

1 box Breyer's French Vanilla ice cream (you won't use the whole box)
15 KinniToos cookies or Oreos
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/2 of an 8 oz. tub of Cool Whip (or make real whipped cream)
6 Reece's Peanut Butter Cups, each chopped into 12 chunks
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

Set out ice cream to soften a little while you make the crust.  In a mixing bowl, crumble the cookies into about 8 pieces per cookie.  Do this by hand so you have big chunks, rather than smashing them into crumbs.  (This is a good job for little kitchen helpers.)  Mix in the peanut butter, adding more if necessary, until the cookies are glued together by the peanut butter.  (I use a wooden spoon and crunch the cookies a little as I'm mixing.)  Spread mixture evenly in a pie pan until the entire bottom is covered.  The crust will not go up the side.

Using an ice cream scoop, drop 6 mounds of ice cream in a circle on top of the crust.  Drop one more mound in the center.  Using a spatula or the back of a large spoon, carefully spread the ice cream to fill in the gaps until the crust is completely covered.  Drizzle chocolate syrup over top in a spiral, covering most of the ice cream.  Sprinkle 2 chopped peanut butter cups over top, and freeze for 1 hour to harden a little.   

Using a large spoon (or the ice cream scoop filled 1/4 full), scrape small sections of ice cream from the box and lay on top of pie.  Scoop out enough small, thin sections to cover the whole pie, then carefully smooth together and press down.  Cover with a thin layer of whipped topping to give the pie a nice, finished look.  Freeze at least 2 hrs.

When ready to serve, top each slice of pie with remaining chopped peanut butter cups, about 1 peanut butter cup per 2 pieces of pie.  (I don't put these on before freezing because the peanut butter cups taste better and are softer when they're not frozen.)  For maximum flavor and presentation, drizzle each plated slice with a zigzag of chocolate syrup, extending over the edge of the pie and onto the plate.

Dairy Free Mud Pie:
To make a non-dairy mud pie, you can still use the same crust, since KinniToos are dairy free.  Use your favorite dairy free ice cream (we like So Delicious vanilla ice cream made with soy milk).  Instead of peanut butter cups, use a teaspoon to drop tiny mounds of peanut butter on the chocolate syrup layer (Hershey's syrup is dairy free).  Sprinkle with Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips (also dairy free).  Omit whipped topping and just smooth the top layer of ice cream.  When ready to serve, sprinkle with more chocolate chips (and chopped peanuts, if you'd like more peanut flavor).