Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake (Printable)

Creamy chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake topped with rich ganache — an irresistible make-ahead dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Chocolate Cookie Crust

01 - 7 oz chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos), finely crushed
02 - 2 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Peanut Butter Chocolate Filling

03 - 17.6 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
04 - 7 oz creamy peanut butter
05 - 5.3 oz granulated sugar
06 - ½ cup sour cream
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
09 - 5.3 oz dark chocolate, melted and cooled

→ Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

10 - 4.2 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
11 - scant ½ cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter

# How-To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - Combine the crushed chocolate sandwich cookies with melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the base of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
03 - Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar together until completely smooth and free of lumps. Add the creamy peanut butter and sour cream, blending until fully incorporated.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each is incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract. Avoid overmixing to prevent excess air in the batter.
05 - Pour half of the filling over the cooled crust. Drizzle half of the melted dark chocolate over the batter and gently swirl with a butter knife. Add the remaining batter and repeat with the remaining melted chocolate, creating decorative swirls throughout.
06 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and allow the cheesecake to cool gradually inside for 1 hour.
07 - Remove the cheesecake from the oven and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to allow full setting.
08 - Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. Pour over the finely chopped dark chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Stir until glossy and smooth, then blend in the peanut butter.
09 - Spread the ganache evenly over the chilled cheesecake. Allow the topping to set for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The swirl technique makes every slice look like it came from a bakery, even if your knife work is messy.
  • That ganache topping is basically a warm hug for your taste buds, and it hides any cracks in the surface.
  • You can make it a day ahead, which means zero stress when guests arrive.
02 -
  • Overmixing the eggs is the fastest way to get cracks, so stop mixing the second each egg is incorporated.
  • The cheesecake will look underdone when you pull it out, but it continues cooking as it cools, so trust the jiggle.
03 -
  • Let every ingredient come to room temperature before you begin because even slightly cold cream cheese or eggs will ruin the smooth texture you are after.
  • The slow cool down in the oven with the door cracked is the single most important step for preventing those dreaded surface cracks.

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