Peanut Butter Cheesecake (with Chocolate Ganache)
This Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is a silky, peanut buttery dessert with an Oreo cookie crust and a rich chocolate ganache topping!
The Best Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe
My family is a bunch of peanut butter and chocolate lovers. But honestly – who isn’t? Especially when it’s a silky peanut butter cheesecake sandwiched between a chocolaty Oreo crust and the most decadent layer of chocolate ganache.
I used creamy peanut butter and melted peanut butter chips to give this decadent cheesecake filling the best irresistible peanut buttery flavor. The combination of peanut butter and melted chips makes for a rich, creamy filling with delicious flavor!
Enjoy this homemade cheesecake around the holidays, for potlucks, or to cool down with on a warm day!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Ingredients
- Oreo Cookies
- Salted Butter
- Salt
- Cream Cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Peanut Butter Chips
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Large Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Heavy Cream
High-quality full-fat cream cheese is paired with the two peanut butter ingredients to deliver a delicious cheesecake. These three ingredients alone will make or break the flavor of this cheesecake!
To elevate this dessert to its decadent status, it’s covered in a 2-ingredient homemade ganache. Some may find ganache to be a little too rich, but for me – I could eat it with a spoon straight from the bowl.
Ganache is really all about the chocolate you use to make it. I use Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels since I grew up with them and can trust that they’ll result in a great ganache every time!
Substitutions & Variations
- Oreos – Store-bought Oreo baking crumbs can be used in place of whole Oreo cookies. To equally swap the two, measure out 320 grams of baking crumbs using a kitchen scale.
- Peanut Butter – Jif Creamy Peanut Butter works best in this recipe; however, any creamy peanut butter will do. I wouldn’t suggest using all-natural peanut butter as the excess liquid will alter this cheesecake recipe.
- Salted Butter – Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter if that’s what you have on hand. To do so, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the cookie crust mixture.
- Garnishes – Dress this peanut butter cheesecake up further by garnishing it with peanut butter cups or Reese’s Pieces!
How To Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake
Step 1: Pulse the Oreos in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
Step 2: Add the salt and melted butter to the food processor and pulse until the crumbs have moistened.
Step 3: Press the Oreo crust mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Make sure to press the crust about 1 inch up the sides!
Step 4: Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer until fluffy.
Step 5: Slowly beat the sweetened condensed milk into the sugar and cream cheese mixture. If needed, scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is incorporated.
Step 6: Melt the peanut butter chips in the microwave until smooth. Then, stir in the creamy peanut butter until the two are combined and smooth. Add this melted peanut butter mixture to the cream cheese and beat until smooth.
Step 7: Beat one egg at a time into the cheesecake batter by mixing for a few seconds after each addition.
Step 8: Pour in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Step 9: Pour the creamy peanut butter cheesecake filling into the chocolate cookie crust. Use a rubber spatula to even it out in the pan.
Step 10: Create the water bath by placing the springform pan into a larger baking pan. Then, fill the larger pan with water until it is halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
If you are not 100% confident in your springform pan’s ability to keep the water from the water bath from seeping into the cheesecake, I recommend wrapping the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil so that it comes up the sides above the water to help protect it.
Step 11: Bake the cheesecake until the center is almost set and has a dull/matte appearance. This should take about 60 to 70 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and then immediately run a paring knife along the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan if it appears to be sticking. Afterward, transfer it to a cooling rack to allow it to cool to room temperature.
Step 12: Prepare the ganache by microwaving the chocolate chips with heavy cream at 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. Once the chocolate is fully melted, whisk the mixture until a smooth ganache is formed with no lumps.
Step 13: Chill the chocolate ganache in the fridge and then pour it over the top of the cheesecake. Use the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly.
Step 14: Refrigerate the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake until it has set. Then decorate with whipped cream and peanut butter cups if desired and slice, serve, and enjoy!
How To Serve Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake
Once the ganache-topped cheesecake has had time to chill in the fridge, it’s time to serve! To slice, use a chef’s knife and run it under hot water for 30 to 60 seconds to heat it up.
Then, wipe the knife dry with a towel and slice the cheesecake. Wipe the knife clean between cuts and reheat the knife with hot water.
Once each slice lands on a plate, top it with Homemade Whipped Cream and crushed peanut butter cups or your favorite peanut butter candy!
How To Store Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake
Store Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake in the fridge tightly wrapped and enjoy it for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this cheesecake as a make-ahead option or to save leftovers for longer than 5 days.
To do so, freeze the cheesecake for an hour without wrapping it. Once it’s frozen, wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap and again with tin foil.
Store the frozen cheesecake for up to 6 weeks. To enjoy, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake FAQs
Yes, to make it without a food processor, you’ll need to crush the cookies by hand. To do so, place them in a gallon Ziploc bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until fine crumbs form.
Baking cheesecake in a water bath gives the dessert a much more even bake with less risk of burning. The steam rises from the water bath to give the cheesecake a slow, even bake that will also prevent it from cracking.
Water getting into your cheesecake pan is an unfortunate possibility. The result would be a soggy crust or a watery cheesecake.
Therefore, to prevent that from happening, I’d suggest wrapping the outside of your pan tightly in aluminum foil.
If your cheesecake is gooey, it needs to bake longer. Just be careful not to overbake it, or it will dry out. I’d suggest baking the cheesecake for 3 to 5 minutes at a time until it’s finished.
Yes, you can still make this cheesecake without a springform pan. Instead, you can use a cake pan or a deep-dish pie plate. You’ll just need to carefully monitor the baking time to ensure it doesn’t overbake.
Let’s Connect!
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!
Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!
This recipe was originally published in December 2015 and was updated in July 2023 with fresh photos, a new crust recipe, and more peanut butter in the filling.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake (with ganache)
Equipment
- Food processor
- 9-inch springform pan
- Stand mixer
- Rubber Spatula
- glass bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 28 Oreos 320g
- 6 tablespoons salted butter 80g, melted
- ½ teaspoon salt
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar 110g
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 396g
- 10 ounces peanut butter chips 283g, melted
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter 60g
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 282g
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Crust
- Add 28 Oreos to a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form.
- Add the melted 6 tablespoons salted butter and ½ teaspoon salt to the Oreo crumbs and pulse until evenly moistened.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 24 ounces cream cheese and ½ cup granulated sugar until fluffy.
- Gradually beat in 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk.
- Melt 10 ounces peanut butter chips in a microwave-safe bowl at 30-second intervals, stirring between each addition, until smooth. Stir in ¼ cup creamy peanut butter until smooth. Add the melted peanut butter mixture to the cream cheese and beat until smooth.
- Beat in 4 large eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few seconds after each addition.
- Add in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix until fully combines
- Pour into the prepared crust, using a rubber spatula to even out.
- Place the springform pan in a larger baking pan and fill the larger pan with water until it's about halfway up the sides of the springform pan to create the water bath. This helps prevent your cheesecake from cracking. You can wrap the bottom of your springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent any water from leaking in.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the center is almost set and has a matte/dull appearance.
- Remove from the oven and immediately run a pairing knife along the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the side of the pan. This will help prevent cracks in the top of the cheesecake.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature for about 2 hours.
Ganache
- Add 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips and ¾ cup heavy cream to a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring between each one, until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Whisk until a rich chocolate ganache starts to form.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then pour over the cheesecake and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly over the top.
- Refrigerate until set. At least 6 hours, preferrably overnight.
- Remove from the refrigerator and top with whipped cream, peanut butter cups, and other toppings if desired before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For easier cuts, run a chef’s knife under hot water for 30 to 60 seconds to heat the blade, then slice the cheesecake. Wipe off and repeat for each slice.
- Enjoy within 5 days.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram @sugarandsoulco and follow on Tiktok @sugarandsoulco and Pinterest @sugarandsoulco for more!
I’ve made this several times. It’s a big hit where ever I take it. Thanks for the recipe!
Easy recipe, delicious results. Question- when cooling on the rack, would you remove the spring foam pan and just keep it on bottoms tray, or keep it enclosed? I fee like the crust was a little hard and wonder if removing the outside pan would yield better results
Hi Jess, I normally let it cool with the sides on to ensure the stability of the cheesecake.