Joy to the world, peanut butter enthusiasts! This Peanut Butter Cheesecake recipe is sure to satiate your craving for something sweet because it is both delicious and indulgent. This dessert is the stuff of fantasies for the peanut butter enthusiast in your life. It consists of a cookie crust that has been loaded with a delicious peanut butter cheesecake filling and finished off with a layer of chocolate ganache.
If you are a fan of peanut butter, you just must have this cheesecake made with peanut butter. It is a flavor combination that has stood the test of time, with the nutty flavor of the peanuts standing out against the semi-sweet chocolate ganache.
The filling has a texture similar to that of silk and is quite tasty. To make things even better, I sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups on top of my cheesecake so that every mouthful is packed with of the deliciousness that comes from the peanut butter.
It takes a few steps and a few ingredients to make this cheesecake, but the end result is well worth the effort. Give yourself plenty of lead time because baking a cheesecake takes time and you can’t rush the process.
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR THE RECIPE
- The crust is made with chocolate sandwich cookies; specifically, one Oreos container that is 15.35 ounces in size is utilized. It is acceptable to use Oreos with either one or two fillings. Graham crackers are an excellent option to take their place if you aren’t a fan of chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Butter: the crust will be more stable if you use butter that has been melted. Use butter that has not been salted if you do not want the crust to have a strong salt flavor.
- When making cheesecake, the batter should be made using full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor. Do not buy the tub variety that can be broken up into smaller portions. If you want a smooth batter, you should never use cream cheese that has been refrigerated; instead, you should let it soften at room temperature first.
- To achieve a texture that is soft, moist, and tender, the cheesecake filling must be made with full-fat sour cream. The cheesecake is enhanced with a tangy flavor as a result of its addition.
- When you go to the store to buy peanut butter, seek for types that are smooth rather than ones that are chunky. Please do not use natural peanut butter because it will cause the filling to be very liquid and it is not recommended.
- Eggs: The use of eggs in the filling gives it a silky consistency and helps smooth out any rough patches that may be present.
- The cheesecake needs cream that is dense enough to be whipped so that it can retain its moisture and achieve a smooth texture. This will be the beginning of the ganache.
- If you are creating chocolate ganache, you should consider using high-quality pure chocolate baking bars rather than chocolate chips because they melt much more smoothly.
MEASUREMENTS FOR INGREDIENTS
For the Crust:
- 30 chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreo’s)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (75ml)
For the Filling:
- 4 (8-ounce/227g) packages cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature (120g)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (259g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream (160ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Ganache Topping:
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped (85g)
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream (80ml)
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
- Calories: 646kcal
- Carbohydrates: 61g
- Protein: 12g
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Cholesterol: 124mg
- Sodium: 350mg
- Potassium: 346mg
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 45g
- Vitamin A: 715IU
- Vitamin C: 0.2mg
- Calcium: 66mg
- Iron: 6mg
OTHER DETAILS
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cool Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 646kcal
Equipment
- 9″ Springform pan
- Foil
- Roasting pan
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Mixing Bowls
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- For about 30 seconds in a food processor, grind the sandwich cookies and sugar into a fine powder.
2. Put in a basin of suitable size, and then mix in the melted butter. Fill a 9-inch springform pan lined with aluminum foil, pressing mixture into bottom and up sides for about 112 inches. Put in the fridge while you make the filling, or for at least 30 minutes beforehand.
3. Cream cheese and sour cream should be mixed together in the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. Add the peanut butter and continue beating until a creamy consistency is reached.
4. Sugar and salt should be added next. Blend together by beating.
5. Slowly add the eggs while beating vigorously after each addition.
6. Add the cream and vanilla extract gradually, mixing well after each addition. Spread the filling evenly over the cold crust and pour it in.
7. Put it in a large roasting pan and put it in the oven on the rack that is the lowest possible position. Carefully add enough boiling water to the roasting pan to cover the bottom by about an inch. Cook for an hour and a half to two hours. The oven should be turned off and the door slightly ajar. Wait an hour before removing the cheesecake from the oven. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and throw away the aluminum foil. Cover and chill the cheesecake in the fridge for 4-24 hours.
- Transfer the chocolate chunks to a mixing basin of suitable size. Heat the cream for 1 minute on HIGH in a microwave-safe bowl, or until it begins to boil. When the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 10 minutes before stirring. Slowly stir in a circular motion until all of the chocolate has melted and the ganache is completely smooth.
9. Gently distribute the ganache to the cheesecake’s edges and let it trickle down the sides as you pour it over the chilled cheesecake.
10. Reese’s peanut butter cups should be diced and used as a garnish for the peanut butter cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve, or serve right away.
PROFESSIONAL GUIDE TO MAKING THIS RECIPE
- If an excessive amount of air is incorporated into the peanut butter cheesecake recipe, the finished product may not have the same silky smooth texture. Because there is air in the batter, the cheesecake rises excessively in the oven and then sinks in the middle after it has baked.
- It is possible to prevent overmixing by bringing cold ingredients to room temperature before using them. Some examples of such ingredients include eggs, sour cream, and cream cheese. Because of this, they will be able to be added to the batter without the need for the batter to be overmixed first.
- The batter for cheesecake frequently has air bubbles, which can be readily eliminated by pounding the pan on the counter after the batter has been poured into the pan.
- Wrap the outside of the pan completely with aluminum foil to prevent any water from the water bath from seeping into the cheesecake while it is baking.
- Because I didn’t feel like unwrapping each individual peanut butter cup, I used an unwrapped Reese’s mini and sprinkled it on top of the dessert. Alternately, you may omit them altogether and top the cheesecake with whipped topping or roasted peanuts instead.
FAQs
Why do I have to use a water bath?
The water in the pan will never grow hotter than 212 degrees, so the cheesecake may bake gently, slowly, and evenly without worrying about cracks forming on the surface. It also guarantees a velvety, uniform consistency.
WHAT IF MY ROASTING PAN IS TOO SMALL?
You can use my alternative approach if you don’t have a big roasting pan or a baking dish big enough to contain the wrapped pan and water. Don’t bother with foil and instead put a rack in the bottom and a rack in the center of your oven. Put a casserole dish half full of water on the lowest oven rack when you’re ready to bake. The cheesecake dish should go on the middle rack, just above the casserole. Do as the recipe says. Without submerging the cheesecake in water, this method still produces a steamy environment. Don’t worry if your cheesecake cracks while baking. Even if you cover it in ganache, the flavor won’t change.
When baking cheesecake, how can I prevent the top from cracking?
Overmixing or mixing at too high of a speed will cause cracks in your peanut butter cheesecake, so be careful. If the cheesecake batter is overmixed, air bubbles will form and rise to the surface during baking, eventually cracking the surface. If you want your components to mix easily without overmixing, make sure they are at room temperature. Once everything is combined, you can stop mixing. Also, wait a little while before taking the cheesecake out of the oven. The cheesecake will shatter because of the sudden drop in temperature. The cheesecake needs to cool in the oven before you take it out. If your cheesecake does happen to crack, don’t fret; the ganache will hide the flaw!
SO, HOW DO I KEEP THE CHEESECAKE?
The peanut butter cheesecake will keep well in the fridge under a cake dome. You may store the cheesecake in the fridge for up to 5 days if you wrap it loosely with plastic.
THE CHEESECAKE: MAY I FREEZE IT?
Sure, you can! The cheesecake can be frozen either whole or cut into slices when it has cooled. Before placing the cheesecake in a freezer-safe bag or container, cover it in several layers of plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.
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