Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Like a gigantic tangy amazing peanut butter cup. Just incredible.
Texture: The crust is buttery yet crunchy while the filling is lusciously smooth with bites of mini Reese’s cups. The chocolate ganache and pile of mini Reese’s on top takes this cheesecake to a ridiculously awesome level.
Ease: There are three elements to this cheesecake, each of which will dirty a few dishes. SO worth it, promise!
Pros: My new favorite cheesecake ever.
Cons: Not an everyday treat.
Would I make this again? Absolutely yes for special occasions!
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This Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake is the most perfectly over-the-top dessert of all time.
There’s nothing I love more than the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, so this cheesecake is pure bliss for me.
A dream come true for any chocolate + peanut butter lover like me, this cheesecake is sure to be the hit of any party or gathering.
This cheesecake is super simple to make – you don’t even need to bake it in a water bath, because any imperfections will be covered up with a beautiful layer of ganache and a delightfully heaping pile of mini peanut butter cups.
Check out my tips + tricks below, so you can make the perfect centerpiece for your next party. No one will be able to stop raving about it!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
How to Make Creamy, Smooth Cheesecake:
- Be sure to use high-quality full-fat bricks of cream cheese.
- Do not use cream cheese that’s meant for spreading on a bagel.
- The cream cheese needs to be completely softened to room temperature. If it’s too cold, it won’t mix thoroughly and you’ll end up with little bits and pockets of unblended cream cheese throughout your Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake.
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature too.
- Beat the cream cheese well before adding any other ingredients.
- Be sure to frequently scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl, even if you’re using a paddle attachment that scrapes as it blends.
What Type of Peanut Butter is Best for Cheesecake?
Make sure to use conventional creamy peanut butter for this recipe. Conventional PB typically has an added oil in the ingredients list, which helps peanut butter emulsify. The natural stuff can separate, so I don’t recommend that here.
How to Tell When Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake is Done Baking
You want to stop baking once the Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake looks dry on top but is still gently wobbly in the very center. It will finish setting up as it cools at room temperature and then as it chills in the fridge.
How Long Does Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Last?
This cheesecake will keep for 2 days loosely covered in the fridge. Note that the longer it’s stored, the more the crust will soften. If you need to store your cheesecake for longer, check out the freezing instructions just below.
Can You Freeze Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake?
Yes! Cheesecake freezes beautifully. Here’s how to freeze Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake:
- Place the whole or sliced cheesecake on a baking sheet inside the freezer until firm.
- Once firm, wrap the cheesecake or each individual slice in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To serve, defrost a whole cheesecake in the fridge overnight. You can also defrost individual slices in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- For best results, add the ganache and mini peanut butter cups after freezing and thawing.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Ultimate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Loaded Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
- Peanut Butter Pie
Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
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Ingredients
For the crust:
- 30 (1-15.35 ounce package) Oreo cookies
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 32 ounces (907 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) lightly-packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (270 grams) creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (119 grams) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces Reese’s mini peanut butter cups
For the topping:
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (119 grams) heavy cream
- 8 ounces Reese’s mini peanut butter cups
Instructions
For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. In the bowl of a food processor, process the cookies until they are finely ground crumbs. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.
For the filling:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Add in the sugar, peanut butter, cream, and vanilla, and beat until combined. Be careful not to overmix. Stir in the mini peanut butter cups.
- Pour the batter into the cooled crust. Bake for about 1 hour, or until set and the top looks slightly dry. If the middle is slightly wobbly, that’s fine. Cool the cheesecake completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours. Release the cheesecake from the pan onto a cake stand or serving plate.
For the topping:
- Place the chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream just until simmering. Pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 3 minutes before stirring until the mixture is melted and smooth. Pour over the cheesecake, allowing to drip down the sides. Sprinkle the remaining mini peanut butter cups over the cheesecake. Serve or cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Recipe Notes
This post was originally published in 2014 and has been updated with additional baking tips.
Rich and luscious…if I made very often I wouldvut back sugar and number of Reese’s cups
I have made this cheesecake several times and it’s perfect every time! I make lots and lots of cheesecakes and almost always wind up tweaking the recipe but not this one. It’s perfect! Thank you!
What temperature do you bake the cheesecake at? Is it 325 like the crust?
I used chocolate covered peanut butter cream Graham cookies. They made a delicious addition ofvpeanutbutter taste. The cake needed a longer baking time. I always use a water-bath method and as low cake to cool in the oven slowly for an hour after removing from water-bath. My son was in love with this Reeses peanut butter cup cheesecake for his birthday. I used peanut butter chips instead of Reeses pieces in filling. I also used dark chocolate for my ganache on top. It was delicious with the minor adjustments.
Tessa, I am so excited to make this for my fiancé’s birthday! I don’t plan on doing the ganache or adding the Reese’s for the topping, just so it’s a little less rich. If I were to do a water bath should I follow the instructions from your ultimate cheesecake recipe?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Would like to make this a few days befor serving. How long can i keep it if fridg before serving?
i have made this cake twice. once in springform pan and one in water bath. the cake cooks on the outside of edges but never sets in most of the remaining filling. i have checked my oven temp and it is correct.what can i do? i love the recipe
What pan are you using?
My husband and I both love cheesecake! And, we both love peanut butter and chocolate/peanut butter cups. Just made this cheesecake again…for my husband’s birthday. Love it!
My husband and I both love cheesecake! And, we both love peanut butter and chocolate/peanut butter cups. Just made this cheesecake again…for my husbands birthday. Love it!
I made this for a friends birthday, it turned out amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
I was wondering if you can use milk chocolate for the gnash on the top instead of semi sweet?
Your cheesecake recipes are to live for, not die for!!! Thanks so much for all the cheesecake recipes as I am totally addicted to CHEESECAKE!!! YUM!!!!!!!