Peanut Butter Cheesecake
A decadent peanut butter cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust layered with dark chocolate ganache and chopped peanut butter cups. Then this luxuriously creamy peanut butter cheesecake is topped with dark chocolate ganache, peanut butter frosting and peanut butter cups. Too much? Not one single bite!
Servings: 1 9" Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9" Springform Pan
Ingredients
Crust:
- 32 chocolate sandwich cookies
- ⅓ Cup unsalted butter melted
- pinch salt
Ganache and PB Cups:
- 8 ounces dark quality chocolate or chocolate chips roughly chopped if needed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 20 miniature peanut butter cup candies unwrapped and roughly chopped
PB Cheesecake Batter:
- 2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup (157.5g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (22.5g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs room temperature
Ganache Topping:
- 8 ounces dark quality chocolate or chocolate chips roughly chopped if needed
- ½ cup heavy cream
PB Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 5 Tablespoons milk
Garnish:
- 12 miniature peanut butter cup candies unwrapped
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly spray a 9” springform pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- With food processor, crush chocolate sandwich cookies to finely ground texture. Add melted butter and pinch of salt. Continue to process until fully incorporated. Alternatively, place cookies in Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add other ingredients in a bowl and mix until fully incorporated.
- Press crust mixture evenly into bottom and not more than halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Using a measuring cup or a glass to press the crumbs, which allows even distribution and also looks good in the end. (see note)
- Freeze crust for 10 minutes. Then bake at 325° F for 5 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Ganache and PB Cups:
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream for 45 seconds and then pour it over the measured and chopped chocolate to melt.
- Stir until the mixture is smooth. If needed, heat the mixture for another 20-30 seconds and stir until the chips are melted.
- Pour ganache evenly over the base of the chocolate cookie crust. Spread with knife as necessary.
- Evenly distribute the chopped peanut butter cup candies on top of the ganache. Set aside.
Cheesecake Batter:
- Combine room temperature cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or electric mixer and bowl) on medium speed until completely mixed and fluffy. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl.
- Add flour and vanilla. Mix at medium speed until well blended. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl.
- Add eggs on low speed, one at a time, scraping sides and bottom of bowl after each egg.
- Cover bottom of cooled spring form pan with tin foil and place on a baking sheet. (This is just in case the oil from the peanut butter cups seeps out while baking.)
- Pour batter over crust-ganache-chopped peanut butter cups. Be sure batter covers the edges of the entire cookie crust, so the crust does not burn.
- Bake at 450° F (232° C) for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250° F (121° C), continue baking for 30-36 minutes. Bake until the center is not jelly-like, but firm to light touch.
- Remove from oven, remove the foil, and cool at room temperature until spring form pan is cool to the touch.
- Place in refrigerator to chill, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Ganache Topping:
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream for 45 seconds and then pour it over the measured and chopped chocolate to melt.
- Stir until the mixture is smooth. If needed, heat the mixture for another 20-30 seconds and stir until the chips are melted.
- Let cool for a few minutes, then pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Push to edges and smooth with knife or spatula.
- Return to the fridge until the ganache is set and hardened—about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
PB Frosting:
- With mixer, whip butter and peanut butter together until fluffy and lighter in color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar with mixer on low speed. Continue to mix for about 1 minute until powdered sugar combines with the butter mixture. Scrape down edges and bottom of bowl.
- Add milk and continue to mix until incorporated. Scrape down edges and bottom of bowl. Then whip mixture for 3-5 minutes until fluffy and lighter in color.
Topping:
- With the peanut butter frosting and a 1M tip in a decorating bag, create a swirl design on top of ganache-topped peanut butter cheesecake.
- Embed mini peanut butter cups in the frosting.
Notes
Crust: Make sure the crust is only halfway up the sides or less so the cheesecake batter can slightly cover the crust so it doesn’t burn while baking.