The funny thing about New Year’s resolutions is they tend to be forgotten by mid-January. The standard “I’m going to stop eating sugar and desserts” resolution (God bless you if you actually stick to it) is worth breaking for this peanut butter cup cheesecake. My brother’s birthday was last week and he requested a cheesecake instead of a traditional cake.

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is perfectly decadent for a special occasion. Since my little bro is only going to turn 20 once, I decided to go all out with this cheesecake. In addition to the peanut butter cheesecake filling, there is an additional layer of peanut butter on top of the crust. A chocolate ganache and more peanut butter cups finish it off.

This cheesecake may take a bit more time than other desserts, but it’s completely worth it.

The pros: it is a perfectly rich, peanut butter-y dessert that tastes exactly like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in cheesecake form. It may be one of my favorite cheesecakes I’ve ever had.

The cons: unfortunately not diet friendly. But everyone has those cheat days or special occasions which call for a gorgeous dessert and this is it.

My brother enjoyed this and I guarantee you will too! Enjoy!

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Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

For the crust:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup crushed Oreos

6 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

For the filling:

3 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten

8 oz mini peanut butter cups

For the ganache:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

Mini peanut butter cups for garnish

 

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a bowl, combine the graham cracker and Oreo crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Place the pan on a cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven 8-10 minutes, or until set. Let cool.

Put the one cup of peanut butter in a saucepan and heat over low heat until melted. Pour over the crust and spread to within 1 inch of the edges. Let cool.

For the filling:

In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter with a paddle attachment until creamy. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Stir in the peanut butter cups.

Pour the filling over the crust and spread with a spatula so the top is smooth. Place the pan back on the cookie sheet and bake in the 350 F oven 55-65 minutes, or until the center is almost set when gently shaken.

Let cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen. Let cool completely before removing the ring of the springform pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours, or overnight.

For the ganache:

In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium-low heat until it is simmering. Add in the chocolate chips and let sit for 3 minutes before stirring until smooth. Pour over the cheesecake and spread over the top, allowing the ganache to drip down the sides. Garnish with the additional peanut butter cups.

Makes: one 9-inch cheesecake