If you’re looking for the best chocolate peanut butter dessert, look no further! Our peanut butter cheesecake recipe is a peanut butter lovers dream come true.
And the addition of a rich chocolate ganache takes this dessert to another level of deliciousness, making it the perfect cheesecake to for every occasion.
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Cheesecakes are a labor of love, but the reward is well worth the effort. The creamy, rich flavor of our chocolate peanut butter cheesecake is guaranteed to impress your friends and family and may end up becoming one of your signature desserts.
Is this your first time making cheesecake? Don’t let springform pans and water baths scare you away. I have step-by-step photos with detailed instructions to help you achieve the best results, whether you’ve made a cheesecake 0 or 100 times.
Chocolate and peanut butter is the perfect dessert combination, making it a safe bet for events with people with varied tastes, like holidays or potlucks.
Next time you’re in the mood for a peanut butter dessert that will blow you away, give this cheesecake a try.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Simple and easy to find ingredients like sour cream, full-fat cream cheese, and creamy peanut butter form the perfect cheesecake batter.
- It has that special touch! From the easy homemade cheesecake crust to the perfectly sweet and glossy chocolate ganache topping, your cheesecake has all the qualities of a gourmet dessert.
- Perfect for the peanut butter lover in your life when it comes to celebrating birthdays and anniversaries- or as a pleasant treat!
I love this cheesecake’s perfect peanut butter flavor, and so will you and your loved ones! I can’t wait to hear what you think.
If you love cheesecake as much as I do, you may also want to try our Chicago Style Cheesecake and Italian Ricotta Cheesecake with Berries recipes!
Ingredients to make Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our peanut butter cheesecake recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How to Make a Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Cut a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to reach the top of the pan on both sides. Fold the edges up and around the pan. This process will keep the springform pan waterproof. Repeat the process with two more sheets, starting at other spots on the pan so they overlap. Then, spray the inside of the pan with pan spray.
- Add the graham crackers, lightly salted peanuts, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse until the mixture is very finely ground.
- Add the melted unsalted butter to the mixture.
- Pulse until it has a consistency like wet sand.
- Pour the graham cracker crust into the prepared pan and press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and quarter-way up the sides.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then place the pan on a wire rack to cool. *Keep the oven on.
- Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl and electric hand mixer).
- Whip on medium speed until it’s smooth and creamy.
*Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. - Add the creamy peanut butter, sour cream, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour to the cream cheese.
- Beat until thoroughly combined.
*Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. - Add the room-temperature eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, to the mixture and beat until combined, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Do not overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles in the batter.
- Place the springform pan into a larger roasting pan, then open the oven and place it on the center rack. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the pan, then close the oven.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes at 325 degrees, or until the top looks slightly dry and while the middle is still a little wobbly. Be careful not to overbake the cheesecake. Turn the oven off and open the door about an inch. You can use a dishtowel stuck in the opening to keep it propped open.
- Remove the pan from the oven and remove the springform pan from the water bath. Run a dinner knife around the edge of the cheesecake in case it’s sticking to the pan. Place the pan on a cooling rack to let the cheesecake cool completely.
- Once cooled, refrigerate in the pan for at least 6 hours (overnight is best) to let it set. This will help with the consistency and flavor of the peanut butter cheesecake.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until it just starts to bubble (about 1 minute). Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let stand without stirring for 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
- Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the chilled cheesecake, spreading it to the edges.
As you can see, the result is a mouthwatering peanut butter cheesecake that you’ll be proud to present to any table. I know you’re going to love every bite of this super sweet dessert!
For a finishing touch, add a dollop of whipped cream to this creamy and delicious peanut butter cheesecake! For those looking for a decorative topping, sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate or peanut butter chips, or crushed Reese’s peanut butter cups.
Cheesecake is a rich and heavy dessert that works very well with light dinners such as soups or salads, though I’d never turn down a slice with any meal!
Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 5-6 days. Double wrap individual slices with plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months for an indulgent treat, anytime you want a slice of cheesecake.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes. Cheesecake needs to be refrigerated within 2 hours of preparation, and should not be left out to serve for longer than 2 hours. It will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
You will want to prepare a cheesecake at least several hours (around 6) before serving it. I recommend letting a cheesecake refrigerate overnight to let it set completely.
You can make a cheesecake in advance and freeze it if you don’t plan to serve it within 3 days of preparation. A frozen cheesecake will last around 3 months in the freezer. Label it with a “best by” date when freezing it for best results.
Here are some of the reasons why your cheesecake might be too dense:
-Using eggs that are cold and not room-temperature
-Over-mixing
-Using a recipe that doesn’t call for a water bath
-Adding too much cream cheese
While you technically can use a freezer to help a cheesecake set faster, it is not recommended. This will cause a change in texture that will make your cheesecake grainy, rather than creamy and smooth.
You can use the freezer for short periods of time without affecting the cake much. We do not recommend placing a cooling cheesecake in the freezer for more than 15 minutes before transferring it to the fridge to finish, and ideally, not at all. The best cheesecakes are a result of patience and effort, without many shortcuts!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 16 whole graham crackers
- ⅓ cup lightly salted roasted peanuts
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 oz unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Batter
- 32 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate bar chocolate is preferred but you can also use chips
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Cut a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to reach the top of the pan on both sides. Fold the edges up and around the pan, this process will keep the springform pan waterproof. Repeat the process with two more sheets, starting at other spots on the pan so they overlap.
- Spray the inside of the pan with pan spray.
Graham Craker Crust
- Add the graham crackers, lightly salted peanuts, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is very finely ground.
- Add the melted unsalted butter to the mixture and pulse until it has a consistency like wet sand.
- Pour the graham cracker crust into the prepared pan and press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and quarter-way up the sides.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then place the pan on a wire rack to cool. *Keep the oven on.
Cheesecake Batter
- Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl and electric hand mixer) and whip on medium speed until it's smooth and creamy. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the creamy peanut butter, sour cream, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour to the cream cheese and beat until fully combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the room-temperature eggs and yolk, one at a time, and beat until just combined, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Do not overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles in the batter.
- Place the springform pan into a larger roasting pan, then open the oven and place it on the center rack. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the pan, then close the oven.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes at 325 degrees, or until the top looks slightly dry and while the middle is still a little wobbly. Be careful not to overbake the cheesecake.
- Turn the oven off and open the door about an inch. You can use a dishtowel stuck in the opening to keep it propped open.
- Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until the oven is just slightly warm. This will help prevent cracks from forming.
- Remove the pan from the oven and remove the springform pan from the water bath.
- Run a dinner knife around the edge of the cheesecake in case it's sticking to the pan. Place the pan on a cooling rack to let the cheesecake cool completely.
- Once cooled, refrigerate in the pan for at least 6 hours (overnight is best) to let it set and chill completely.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until it just starts to bubble (about 1 minute). Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let stand without stirring for 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
- Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the chilled cheesecake, spreading it to the edges.
- Once the chocolate has set, remove the cheesecake from the pan and place on a serving platter. Garnish with whipped cream.
Henry T says
WOW Chef! Big peanut butter lover here, and this peanut butter cheesecake was AAAAmazing! I was a little worried I had never used a chocolate ganache and it was perfect! Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley says
You’re welcome and it is an OMG delicious cheesecake!