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This Peanut Butter Cheesecake is a peanut butter and chocolate lover’s dream dessert! Rich, creamy peanut butter cheesecake is baked over a chocolate crust, topped with chocolate ganache, peanut butter whipped cream, and peanut butter cups. This is a restaurant-worthy dessert that’s actually surprisingly easy to make at home!
Why you’ll love this Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
- Creamy Peanut Butter Cheesecake – I tested this recipe many times, trying to get the amount of peanut butter just right. Too much, and the texture became unpleasant. Too little, and the flavor wasn’t strong enough. I finally landed on just the right amount and it is perfectly peanut buttery, with a delightfully creamy texture!
- Crisp Chocolate Crust – A crisp chocolate crust is the perfect compliment to the pb filling!
- Fun Toppings – Top your masterpiece with chocolate ganache (just 2 ingredients!), peanut butter whipped cream, and peanut butter cups!
- Fancy yet Achievable Dessert – This dessert looks impressive, but I can assure you, it looks like something that takes way more effort than it really does. If you want a more in-depth tutorial on the basics of cheesecake, check out my post on Classic New York Style Cheesecake (but rest assured, this post has everything you need to successfully make this recipe!).
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Cream Cheese – Use full fat cream cheese, in the block style. This needs to come to room temperature before you bake.
- Peanut Butter – Use regular (not natural) creamy peanut butter for the best results.
- Granulated Sugar – We’re using just enough sugar to sweeten the cheesecake, while still keeping the classic, slightly tangy, cream cheese flavor at the forefront.
- Eggs – Use large eggs, at room temperature.
- Sour Cream – Use full fat sour cream, at room temperature.
- Corn Starch – Just a hint of corn starch helps the cheesecake hold its shape, while staying super creamy.
- Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
- Salt – A bit of salt really enhances the peanut butter flavor!
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-free – Make the crust with a trusted brand of gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Peanut Butter – I already know someone is going to ask how to make this without the PB. You may like my Nutella Cheesecake, or you could theoretically try using another nut butter or sunflower seed butter in place of the peanut butter, but I have not tried these substitutions myself, so the best bet would be finding a recipe tailored to one of those particular ingredients.
How to Make this Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe:
Step 1: Make the Crust. Stir together melted butter & oreo crumbs. Press into a 9-inch springform pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Make the Filling. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy. (You can also do this in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment.) Beat in the peanut butter.
Then, mix in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, corn starch, salt, and sour cream.
Step 3: Bake Cheesecake. Pour batter into the prepared crust and spread it evenly. Bake in a water bath as directed in the recipe card below.
Step 4: Cool & Chill the Cheesecake. Let cheesecake cool in the now off oven, with the door cracked, for 1 hour. Then, let it cool on the counter for 1-2 hours, before refrigerating for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
Step 5: Make Chocolate Ganache. Heat heavy cream until simmering, then pour over finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Stir until you have a silky ganache, then pour over the chilled cheesecake.
Step 6: Make Whipped Cream. Beat together heavy cream, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. I recommend stabilizing the cream if you want to pipe it as pictured. Read my post on How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream to learn all about stabilizing.
Serving + Storing:
Once the cheesecake has chilled, top with the ganache and pipe on the whipped cream. Decorate with mini peanut butter cups and chopped peanuts, if desired. Slice and enjoy immediately!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
Yes! That’s the nature of cheesecake. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temp after it’s baked, and then transfer to the fridge to chill at least 6 hours or up to 1 day before serving.
The hot water produces steam that fills the oven, which helps the cheesecake cook evenly and remain nice and creamy, without cracking. It also helps prevent the edges from cooking at a faster rate than the center.
It’s okay to fill the pan very full for cheesecake – it’s not a cake, where it’s going to expand while baking and overflow. However, if you didn’t follow directions and really beat the eggs into the batter for a long time, the cheesecake may puff up quite a bit during baking (like a soufflé) and it may even overflow. If you just barely mix in the eggs as directed, this will not happen. It has NEVER happened to me in 10+ years of making cheesecakes.
Special Tools:
- Springform Pan – This recipe uses a 9-inch springform pan.
- Roasting Pan – You’ll need a roasting pan (with the rack removed) for the water bath.
- 10-Inch Cake Pan – A 10-inch cake pan creates a no fail barrier between the cheesecake and water bath. If you don’t want to purchase this, you can wrap the cheesecake very well in aluminum foil, but it will take many layers – most people say 8 to 10 to ensure no water gets through. When I used to do 2 layers in the past, water always got in. You can also use any pan you already own that fits around the 9-inch springform, and fits inside the roasting pan.
More Peanut Butter Recipes to Love:
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blondies
- Peanut Butter Tart
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- No-Chill Peanut Butter Cookies
- Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
- Buckeye Brownies
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 35 whole oreo cookies
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted, 55 grams
For the Cheesecake:
- 32 ounces full fat cream cheese, at room temperature , use the block style – 904 grams
- 1 and 3/4 cups peanut butter, 438 grams
- 1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar , 280 grams
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 180 grams
- 1 and 1/2 tsp corn starch
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
For the Ganache:
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 5 ounces heavy cream
For the Peanut Butter Whipped Cream:
- 1 tsp plain, powdered gelatin
- 4 tsp water
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
For Decorating:
- mini peanut butter cups, optional
- chopped peanuts, optional
Instructions
- Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and make sure the bottom is securely fastened. Pulse oreos in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Stir together crumbs and melted butter. Press into prepared pan and up the sides a bit (see photos above). Bake this for 10 minutes. Set aside. Keep the oven on at 350. Fill a large pot with water and set it on your stove, and get out a large roasting pan – you'll need this for your water bath later.1/4 cup salted butter, melted, 35 whole oreo cookies
- Make the Cheesecake Filling: Remember that your cold ingredients need to come to room temp before you start or the filling won't turn out. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with electric mixer until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in the peanut butter, until completely combined and creamy. Add the sugar & mix until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed after each until just incorporated – if you over-mix, the cheesecake can inflate and overflow in the oven. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl between each egg addition, as little lumps of cream cheese will hide down there. Add the vanilla, sour cream, corn starch, and salt and mix until just combined.32 ounces full fat cream cheese, at room temperature , 1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar , 4 large eggs, at room temperature , 3/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 1 and 1/2 tsp corn starch, 2 tsp vanilla extract , 1/8 tsp salt, 1 and 3/4 cups peanut butter
- Prepare the Water Bath: Bring the large pot of water to a boil. Set your springform pan on a rack positioned in the center of the oven, and place the roasting pan on the rack below, or wrap the base of the cheesecake pan in foil and place it inside a 10-inch cake pan inside the roasting dish. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan. Both of these methods ensure no leaks.
- Assemble & Bake Cheesecake: Pour the batter over your prepared curst.Bake the cheesecake for 74 to 85 minutes. When done, the cheesecake will have only a slight wobble in the center, and a knife inserted into the center will have just a small bit of thick batter. An instant read thermometer inserted into the center should read about 156℉ to 160℉ (avoid poking the bottom of the pan as this will give you a false reading).Turn off the oven and crack the oven door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour before removing it.
- Cheesecake Cooling: Once the hour is up, remove the pan from the oven. It should be cool enough to handle. Remove the foil and set the springform pan on a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour more, then cover with foil and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 1 day before removing from the pan and serving.
- Make the Ganache: Add finely chopped chocolate to a small bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium high heat until simmering. Pour over the chocolate, let sit for 4 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. Pour over the center of the cheesecake, spreading it to and over the edges with an offset spatula. Pop in the fridge for a few minutes to let the ganache set before adding whipped cream.5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped, 5 ounces heavy cream
- Make the Peanut Butter Whipped Cream: Make the whipped cream just before you're ready to serve the cheesecake. If you plan to pipe on the whipped cream, I recommend stabilizing it. Add the water to a small bowl and sprinkle the powdered gelatin on top. Let stand for 3 minutes. Then, microwave for 4-5 seconds, just to re-liquify the mixture. Set aside while you begin the cream.Add whipped cream ingredients to a medium bowl and beat on high speed until it begins to thicken. Stream in the liquid gelatin mixture while you mix on low in either method. Keep mixing/pulsing until cream is thick but still smooth. Add cream to a piping bag (I used a Wilton 4B tip) and pipe on the cheesecake as desired.1 tsp plain, powdered gelatin, 4 tsp water, 1/4 cup powdered sugar , 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter, 1 cup cold heavy cream
- Serve + Store: Add mini peanut butter cups and chopped peanuts if desired. Once decorated, slice, and serve! Store leftovers, in an airtight container, in the fridge for 3-4 days.mini peanut butter cups, chopped peanuts
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi I have a quick question, is there any alternatives to the Oreo cookies? We don’t eat Oreos but I really want to try this recipe!
Hi Neftaly! You could just make a traditional graham cracker crust like in my other cheesecake recipes – https://bluebowlrecipes.com/perfect-classic-cheesecake-recipe-new-york-style/. Let me know how you like the recipe!
Delicious. The peanut butter whip cream is a favorite. I didn’t have luck with the gelatin, but guessing user error. 😂
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Raquel!
AMAZING! Made this for a small Thanksgiving of ~8 of us and we somehow demolished over half of it at once. 😳
It looks like the final photos show this, but adding flaked sea salt at the end is divine for salty/sweet lovers.
I love your recipes! Makes me feel like I can make something impressive even as a complete novice baker! ❤️
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Delaney! And thanks for your kind words. Please be sure to leave reviews on the other recipes you’ve tried! 🙂
Can this be made as a no bake if I skip the eggs?
Hi Sharon! Unfortunately no, as there would be nothing in the recipe to make the cheesecake set up. You’ll need to find a recipe for a no bake peanut butter cheesecake. No bake cheesecakes typically have whipped cream folded in to give the cheesecake setting power. Happy baking!
Are you supposed to remove the filling from the cookie or use cookie whole and turn into crumbs
Hi Barnaby! You use the whole cookies. Let me know how you like the recipe!
When do you remove from the spring form pan? Recipe doesn’t say
Hi Bree! You remove it from the pan after it has chilled in the fridge at least 6 hours or overnight, and right before you decorate it with the ganache and whipped cream. Let me know how you like the recipe!
This turned out fantastic. Made as written, only change is I didn’t bother with the whip cream, it didn’t need it really. Was a huge hit.
Glad to hear this was a hit, Jk!