Calling all the cheesecake lovers in the world! This rich and creamy, peanut buttery, chocolatey Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake recipe is a must-make and a must-share with friends and family!
1 ½cupsOreo Cookies (approximately 28)(finely crushed)
½cupRoasted Unsalted Peanuts(chopped, optional)
2tablespoonLight Brown Sugar
⅛teaspoonSalt
5tablespoonUnsalted Butter(melted)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Batter
32ozCream Cheese(softened to room temperature)
1 ½cupLight Brown Sugar(firmly packed)
½cupCreamy Peanut Butter
1teaspoonVanilla Extract
¼cupHeavy Whipping Cream
4Large Eggs(room temperature and slightly whisked)
10.5ozReese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups (1 small bag)(chopped into small pieces, plus extra for topping before/after baking, if desired)
Chocolate Ganache Topping (optional)
4ozSemi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
⅓cupHeavy Whipping Cream
Instructions
Oreo Cookie Crust
Adjust your oven rack to the center or middle position and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Using a flour-based baking spray, generously coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can also line the sides of the springform pan as well. Set to the side.
Using a food processor, pulse the Oreo sandwich cookies into fine crumbs. Add in the unsalted roasted peanuts and pulse again until they are chopped and well blended with the cookie crumbs.
1 ½ cups Oreo Cookies (approximately 28), ½ cup Roasted Unsalted Peanuts
Add in the light brown sugar, salt, and melted butter then pulse together again until completely blended.
Press the Oreo cookie crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9-inch springform pan, then place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350ºF.
Remove the baked cookie crust from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack to cool while you make the Reese's peanut butter cup cheesecake batter. Reduce the oven temperature at this time to 325ºF.
Once the cookie crust has cooled to the touch, wrap the bottom of the springform pan in 5-6 overlapping sheets of aluminum foil. The foil should come up high enough along the sides to help keep water from the water bath from getting into the cheesecake during baking. Set to the side.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Batter
Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened, room-temperature cream cheese on medium-high speed for about 4-5 minutes until it's lighter and fluffier in texture. This will help eliminate any possible lumps later.
32 oz Cream Cheese
Add in the light brown sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla extract, and continue to mix together on medium speed until well blended.
1 ½ cup Light Brown Sugar, ½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Reduce the mixer to a low speed, adding in the heavy whipping cream and slightly whisked eggs, mixing together until just combined. Do not over-mix the cheesecake batter.
¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream, 4 Large Eggs
Fold in the chopped miniature Reese's peanut butter cups using a spatula.
10.5 oz Reese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups (1 small bag)
Make sure the bottom of your springform pan is wrapped in foil before this next step. Pour the peanut butter cup cheesecake batter into the cooled cookie crust. Top with any extra pieces of Reese's peanut butter cups, if desired.
Using a large microwave-safe glass measuring cup, boil close to 4 cups of water in the microwave for 4-5 minutes on high.
Place the peanut butter cup cheesecake into a roasting pan, then place it onto the middle rack of the oven. Before closing the door, carefully fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Alternatively, you can fill the roasting pan with some of the boiling water, then place your cheesecake in the pan. Make sure the water does not go up too high or spill over.
Bake the Reese's peanut butter cup cheesecake for approximately 50-55 minutes at 325ºF. When done, turn off the oven and, withkeeping the oven door closed,allow the cheesecake to cool down in the water bath for 45 minutes.
Carefully remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan (it will still be jiggly) and remove the aluminum foil layers. Then place it on a trivet or wire cooling rack to sit at room temperature for 1-1.5 hours or until it's cooled completely.
Once cooled, loosely cover the top of the cheesecake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or, my preference, overnight.
When ready to serve, release the sides from the springform pan, slice, and enjoy! Optionally you can top this peanut butter cup cheesecake with chocolate ganache and more miniature peanut butter cups.
Chocolate Ganache Topping
Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small glass bowl. Set to the side.
4 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Heat the heavy whipping cream in the microwave using a microwave-safe glass measuring cup for 1 minute on high. Pour the warm heavy whipping cream over top of the semi-sweet chocolate chips, then loosely cover with aluminum foil for 2 minutes.
⅓ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Remove the cover, then slowly whisk the mixture together until the chocolate ganache is melted and smooth. Pour over top of the cheesecake, then spread out with an offset spatula. Optionally, top with more miniature peanut butter cups as well.
Video
Notes
Recommended baking times listed above for the recipe do not include the 8-10 minutes for baking the Oreo cookie crust, room temp cooling (60 minutes), and refrigerator chilling (4-8 hours).
1 bag of Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups equals 10.5 ounces. One bag covers the amount needed for the peanut butter cheesecake batter only. If you wish you add more peanut butter cups to the top of the cheesecake before and/or after baking, it's recommended to buy 2 bags.
In place of Oreo sandwich cookies, you can use Nabisco chocolate wafers.
After baking the crust, don't forget to reduce the oven temp to 350ºF to 325ºF.
Do not open the oven door to check on your cheesecake during baking.
After turning off your oven, do not open the oven door while the cheesecake cools down in the water bath.
Your cheesecake will be jiggly (mainly in the center). This is okay. It will set while it continues to cool and when it sets in the refrigerator during chilling.
Recipe adapted from A Taste of Bedminster Elementary Cookbook.