Peanut Butter Cheesecake will be your favorite cheesecake! Perfect for chocolate & peanut butter lovers, plus it’s easy to make. Try it soon!
This delicious Cheesecake Recipe takes creamy New York-Style Cheesecake from a classic cheesecake to a decadent dessert with just a few extra ingredients! Make sure to check out Turtle Cheesecake for more unique ways to make this favorite dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Cheescake?
- Easy to make even if it’s your first time making a cheesecake.
- It’s the perfect comnination of chocolate and peanut butter in one tasty dish!
Sabrina’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe
Chocolate and peanut butter are delicious on their own, but combine them and you get one of the most loved flavor combinations. Any truly decadent, classic cheesecake is a labor of love but one bite of this cheesecake makes it all worth it. Whether you are a chocolate lover, a cheesecake lover, or a peanut butter lover, this dessert has something crave-able for everyone!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs , (12 full crackers)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 32 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar , packed
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Topping
- 2 cups Chocolate Ganache , (recipe)
- 1 cup peanut butter cups , chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Wrap a 9-inch springform pan in a large piece of foil to protect from the water bath and a large pan of water you can set the springform pan in to bake.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup sugar, and 6 tablespoons melted butter.
- Press crust into the bottom of the springform pan and 1 inch up the sides.
Cheesecake
- Make sure your cream cheese is very soft, if not soft enough, warm in microwave on half power until easily mixed with fork.
- In your stand mixer, mix the cream cheese until very smooth.
- Add in the peanut butter and mix until completely smooth.
- Add in the eggs and brown sugar until just combined.
- Add in the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Pour over crust and bake for 60-65 minutes.
- If using a water bath remove the cheesecake from the water bath gently and let cool in the oven.
- If not using a water bath, do not touch the cheesecake at all.
- Turn off oven and open door a couple of inches (to where it naturally stays open a crack) and let cool in there completely.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Topping
- Top with chocolate ganache and chopped peanut butter cups, if desired.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tips
As with most baking recipes, you should not use natural peanut butter. The oils separate easily in natural peanut butter and will ruin the filling. Use the creamy peanut butter that doesn’t need to be stirred.
Table of Contents
About this Recipe
A fancy cheesecake recipe isn’t actually any harder than a regular cheesecake recipe! Add in a creamy cheesecake and that’s where the real magic begins. Plan about 6 hours from start to finish for a perfectly firm yet creamy cheesecake. If this is your first time making a cheesecake, or have had some struggles before, you may be hesitant to tackle a flavored cheesecake. Save yourself the stress and worry about the cheesecake layer setting by preparing this dessert the night before an event.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cheesecake up to 2-3 days before you plan to serve it. After baking, let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. When you are ready to serve it add the chocolate toppings and mini peanut butter cups and enjoy!
Baking Tips & Tricks
- The number one tip for cheesecake is not to rush it. If you need a fast cheesecake, check out these Mini Cheesecakes, the Bars Variation, or a no bake recipe. An old school cheesecake recipe is going to take patience and time!
- Start with all room temperature ingredients, including the dairy and especially the cream cheese. This will allow you to combine everything easily without over-mixing.
- You don’t want to over-mix the cheesecake layer so beat on low-medium speed. Over-mixing cheesecakes creates more air and causes the filling to puff up when cooking. Then as it cools, the air releases and your cheesecake collapses.
- Be careful not to over-cook your cheesecake. Unlike a regular cake, a cheesecake is meant to be a little jiggly in the middle. Cooking your cheesecake longer will not make it set, only chilling can do that.
- Using a water bath method cooks the cheesecake evenly. You don’t need fancy equipment, just a springform pan wrapped in aluminum foil and a deep pan. Make sure the pan is deep enough for the spring form pan to rest in flat and water can go up the sides about halfway.
Serving Ideas
With the Chocolate Ganache and peanut butter cup topping, this cheesecake is a stunning dessert. You can always serve it with Whipped Cream pipped on the edges or give an extra layer of sweetness with a Salted Caramel Sauce drizzle. Get really decadent and add a layer of caramel sauce, freeze for an hour to set, and then top with the ganache.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
- Serve a crowd by making Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 13×9 baking dish.
- Double the graham cracker crust recipe and press into the baking dish.
- Prepare the cheesecake layer per recipe card, do not double ingredients.
- Spread cheesecake filling over crust and bake 40-45 minutes, until set and firm.
- Cool completely and top with ganache and peanut butter cups before cutting into squares.
How to Store
- Serve: Chill for at least 4 hours before serving cold. Cheesecake can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Store: Cover your cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze cheesecake for up to 3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequent Questions
There are two ways to test your cheesecake to make sure it’s done cooking. The first is to jiggle the pan (carefully so no water splashes up into the batter) and if only a small bit in the center slightly jiggles, it is done. The other is to use an instant read thermometer and if the internal temperature is at 150 degrees, the cheesecake is done.
To bake a cheesecake in a water bath, you are going to need a 9-inch springform pan, a large roasting pan, and aluminum foil. A turkey roaster works well because it’s large enough that the sides of the cake pan don’t touch the sides of the roaster. Wrap the outside of the spring-form pan with aluminum foil around the bottom and up the sides. If you are worried about leaks, you can cover the sides of the foil lined pan with a slow-cooker liner or a turkey roaster bag.
Variations
- Oreo Crust: Make a chocolate crust with Oreo cookie crumbs. Just use butter and 20 Oreos, no need for extra sugar.
- Peanut Butter Crust: Try this with Nutter Butter Cookies for a peanut butter crust!
- Pretzel Crust: A salty, sweet pretzel crust can be made with 2 cups pretzel crumbs instead of the graham crackers. Use the same amount of butter and sugar.
- Peanut Butter Ganache: Melt in a medium sauce pan 1 cup peanut butter chips and ½ cup heavy cream to make a Peanut Butter Ganache instead of chocolate.
- Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in ½ cup dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips for more chocolate-peanut butter flavor. For extra peanut butter, use peanut butter chips.
- Topping: Top with other peanut butter flavored candies, like Reeses Pieces or Peanut Butter M&Ms. Or you can sprinkle crushed salted peanuts over the ganache before it sets.
Related Recipes
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Photos used in previous version of this post
Made for a dinner party and it was loved by all. Did an Oreo crust, well, because who doesn’t love chocolate and peanut butter?
The thing I did run into was that right after baking and after being in the fridge for a few days, the oil from the peanut butter would separate from the rest of the cake. Any ideas on why this happened? Or how to prevent it?
Hmm, what kind of peanut butter did you use? I haven’t experienced this.
Making this for the first time. Seems pretty easy and straight forward. Added more peanut butter than it called for. Cheesecake is cooling now.
Assume it must cool completely before releasing the spring form?
Looks amazing– however, I can’t have sour cream (can’t have yogurt either, nuts, evaporated milk) due to intense migraines. In the past I usually do the sour cream substitute of 3/4 cup buttermilk + 1/3 cup butter for baked goods.
I was wondering is there a way to opt out of the sour cream in the ingredients (I understand it softens the cheesecake) or what other alternative do I have that you may suggest?
Thanks!
Are you able to use heavy cream instead?
Amazing! Delicious cheesecake recipe!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Melissa.
This is one of the easiest cheesecake recipes I’ve ever seen. Also…..peanut butter – yum!! TOTALLY making this.
Enjoy!
When i want to induldge in cheesecake, this is the recipe I use. I could literally eat the whole thing! One time I over mixed it, so thanks for that time about NOT overmixing.
You’re welcome, Erin.
you have my address. please send ASAP.