Description
Indulgent Reeses Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake blends rich chocolate layers with creamy peanut butter cheesecake. Chocolate and peanut butter lovers will savor this ultimate dessert that promises pure bliss in each decadent slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 packages (8 oz or 226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cups (300 g) peanut butter, creamy
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar, granulated
- 3 eggs, large, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 cups (200 g) chocolate graham cracker crumbs or crushed chocolate cookies
- ½ cup (115 g) butter, unsalted, melted
- 2 tbsps sugar, granulated
- 15–20 mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, chopped
- 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips, semi-sweet
- ½ cup (120 ml) cream, heavy
- 5–6 mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, halved
- ¼ cup (60 ml) peanut butter, melted (optional, for drizzle)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Workspace: Preheat oven to 325F (160C) and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Create Chocolate Crust: Blend chocolate crumbs, melted butter, and sugar into a uniform mixture, then press firmly and evenly into the pan’s bottom. Briefly bake for 10 minutes and cool completely.
- Develop Cheesecake Batter: In a large bowl, cream cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Integrate peanut butter, sour cream, and vanilla extract, then gently fold in eggs one at a time at low speed to maintain a delicate texture.
- Incorporate Reeses: Fold chopped Reeses Peanut Butter Cups throughout the cheesecake mixture, ensuring even distribution.
- Baking Process: Pour batter into the prepared crust, creating an even surface. Place the springform pan in a water bath and bake for 60-70 minutes until edges stabilize and center remains slightly wobbly.
- Cooling and Chilling: Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly open, and let the cheesecake rest for one hour. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
- Finish and Decorate: Prepare chocolate ganache by heating cream and combining with chocolate chips until glossy. Once chilled, pour ganache over the cheesecake and garnish with halved Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and optional peanut butter drizzle.
Notes
- Manage Water Bath Carefully: Wrap springform pan’s exterior with aluminum foil to prevent water seepage, ensuring a perfectly dry crust and preventing potential soggy bottom.
- Control Mixing Speed: Beat cream cheese mixture at low to medium speed to avoid incorporating excess air, which could cause cracking during baking and compromise smooth texture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature before mixing, promoting even blending and preventing lumpy cheesecake batter.
- Gentle Cooling Strategy: Allow cheesecake to cool gradually inside oven with door slightly open to prevent sudden temperature shifts that might cause surface cracking, maintaining a pristine appearance.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 496
- Sugar: 40 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg