Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
User Reviews
4.8
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
Description
The cheesecake begins with a crust made by blending Oreo cookies, brown sugar, and roasted salted peanuts, bound by melted butter and baked briefly to set. The filling combines softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, cornstarch, sour cream, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla, whipped until smooth, with eggs added carefully to avoid overmixing. Chopped peanut butter cups fold into the batter add a chewy, candy-like surprise to the dense, creamy filling.
Once baked, the cheesecake is topped with a ganache made from heavy cream, semi-sweet chocolate, and vanilla to create a glossy, rich layer that complements the peanut flavor. Optionally, peanut butter whipped cream and extra chopped peanut butter cups can enhance the dessert further. The crust provides a slightly crunchy texture, while the filling is dense and smooth with visible bits of peanut butter cup. This cake serves well chilled, making it a deeply satisfying treat.
Care should be taken not to overmix the filling to prevent cracking. Using heavy cream with sufficient milk fat helps the ganache set properly. Variations in peanut butter brands may affect texture and flavor, and sweetness in ganache can be adjusted with powdered sugar if desired.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 20-22 Oreo cookies
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup peanuts roasted, salted
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
Filling:
- 3 packages packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup peanut butter creamy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- 3 egg large
- 10 peanut butter cups chopped, regular-sized
Ganache Topping:
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped baking chocolate
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract pure
Peanut Butter Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- ¼ cup peanut butter creamy
Optional Garnishes:
- hot fudge sauce or extra ganache for drizzling
- peanut butter cups chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Position the oven racks so one is just above the middle position and the other is in the bottom third of the oven. Lightly grease a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan.
- For the crust, add the cookies, brown sugar and peanuts to a blender or food processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the butter and blend/process until the mixture is sandy in texture and evenly coated with butter.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2-inch or so up the sides of the prepared pan.
- Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), whip the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, sour cream, peanut butter, and vanilla together until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and mix until just combined (over mixing can cause the cheesecake to crack while baking thanks to all the extra air beat into the filling). Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups with a spoon or spatula.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust and spread evenly. Place a metal 9X13-inch or similar-sized pan on the bottom rack of the oven and pour in 2-3 cups of boiling water. Immediately place the cheesecake on the upper rack and bake for 50-65 minutes until the cheesecake is set around the edges. A slight jiggle in the center of the cheesecake is fine.
- Turn the oven off and prop the oven door open a few inches. Keep the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.
- For the ganache, heat the cream until it just starts to simmer (in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove). Off the heat, stir in the chocolate and vanilla. Let sit for a few minutes. Stir to combine until it is silky and smooth. Spread evenly over the cooled cheesecake.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight (up to 24 hours).
- Prepare the peanut butter whipped cream (you can do this a couple hours in advance and refrigerate) by combining all the ingredients in a blender (or in a bowl using a handheld or stand electric mixer). Process or whip until the mixture is thick and creamy and smooth.
- To serve, run a long knife under hot water, wipe dry and cut the cheesecake into slices (repeating the water trick between cuts if you want really clean slices).
- Garnish with the peanut butter whipped cream and the hot fudge sauce and peanut butter cups, if desired.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the cheesecake batter to reduce cracking during baking.
- The ganache can be sweetened by adding powdered sugar to taste.
- Use heavy cream (at least 35% milk fat) for a properly set filling and topping.
- Choose creamy peanut butter; natural types may alter texture and flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 15Slices (9 or 10-inch cheesecake)
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Slice | |
| Calories | 656kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 45g | 15% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 50g | 77% |
| Saturated Fat | 23g | 115% |
| Cholesterol | 127mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 407mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 34g | 68% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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