Peanut Butter Cheesecake (with ganache)

This Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is a silky, peanut buttery dessert with an Oreo cookie crust and a rich chocolate ganache topping!

The Best Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe

My family is a bunch of peanut butter and chocolate lovers. But honestly – who isn’t? Especially when it’s a silky peanut butter cheesecake sandwiched between a chocolaty Oreo crust and the most decadent layer of chocolate ganache.

I used creamy peanut butter and melted peanut butter chips to give this decadent cheesecake filling the best irresistible peanut buttery flavor. The combination of peanut butter and melted chips makes for a rich, creamy filling with delicious flavor!

Enjoy this homemade cheesecake around the holidays, for potlucks, or to cool down with on a warm day!

I’ve made this several times. It’s a big hit wherever I take it. Thanks for the recipe!

– Linda

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Ingredients

• Oreo Cookies
• Salted Butter
• Salt
• Cream Cheese
• Granulated sugar
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Peanut Butter Chips
• Creamy Peanut Butter
• Large Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Heavy Cream

To elevate this dessert to its decadent status, it’s covered in a 2-ingredient homemade ganache. Some may find ganache to be a little too rich, but for me – I could eat it with a spoon straight from the bowl.

Substitutions & Variations

• Oreos – Store-bought Oreo baking crumbs can be used in place of whole Oreo cookies. To equally swap the two, measure out 320 grams of baking crumbs using a kitchen scale.
• Peanut Butter – Jif Creamy Peanut Butter works best in this recipe; however, any creamy peanut butter will do. I wouldn’t suggest using all-natural peanut butter as the excess liquid will alter this cheesecake recipe.
• Salted Butter – Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter if that’s what you have on hand. To do so, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the cookie crust mixture.
• Garnishes – Dress this peanut butter cheesecake up further by garnishing it with peanut butter cups or Reese’s Pieces!

How To Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

1. Pulse the Oreos in a food processor until fine crumbs form.

2. Add the salt and melted butter to the food processor and pulse until the crumbs have moistened.

3. Press the Oreo crust mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Make sure to press the crust about 1 inch up the sides!

4. Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer until fluffy.

5. Slowly beat the sweetened condensed milk into the sugar and cream cheese mixture. If needed, scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is incorporated.

6. Melt the peanut butter chips in the microwave until smooth. Then, stir in the creamy peanut butter until the two are combined and smooth. Add this melted peanut butter mixture to the cream cheese and beat until smooth.

7. Beat one egg at a time into the cheesecake batter by mixing for a few seconds after each addition.

8. Pour in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

9. Pour the creamy peanut butter cheesecake filling into the chocolate cookie crust. Use a rubber spatula to even it out in the pan.

10. Create the water bath by placing the springform pan into a larger baking pan. Then, fill the larger pan with water until it is halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Cheesecake Water Bath Tip

If you are not 100% confident in your springform pan’s ability to keep the water from the water bath from seeping into the cheesecake, I recommend wrapping the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil so that it comes up the sides above the water to help protect it.

11. Bake the cheesecake until the center is almost set and has a dull/matte appearance. This should take about 60 to 70 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and then immediately run a paring knife along the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan if it appears to be sticking. Afterward, transfer it to a cooling rack to allow it to cool to room temperature.

12. Prepare the ganache by microwaving the chocolate chips with heavy cream at 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. Once the chocolate is fully melted, whisk the mixture until a smooth ganache is formed with no lumps.

13. Chill the chocolate ganache in the fridge and then pour it over the top of the cheesecake. Use the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly.

14. Refrigerate the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake until it has set. Then decorate with whipped cream and peanut butter cups if desired and slice, serve, and enjoy!

How To Serve Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

Once the ganache-topped cheesecake has had time to chill in the fridge, it’s time to serve! To slice, use a chef’s knife and run it under hot water for 30 to 60 seconds to heat it up.

Then, wipe the knife dry with a towel and slice the cheesecake. Wipe the knife clean between cuts and reheat the knife with hot water.

Once each slice lands on a plate, top it with Homemade Whipped Cream and crushed peanut butter cups or your favorite peanut butter candy!

How To Store Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

Store Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake in the fridge tightly wrapped and enjoy it for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this cheesecake as a make-ahead option or to save leftovers for longer than 5 days.

To do so, freeze the cheesecake for an hour without wrapping it. Once it’s frozen, wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap and again with tin foil.

Store the frozen cheesecake for up to 6 weeks. To enjoy, thaw it in the fridge overnight.

More Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes:

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies – Gourmet-style cookies with a soft peanut butter filling!
• Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites – Chubby Hubby bites that are salty AND sweet!
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Macarons – Includes step-by-step directions to ensure success!
• Easy Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge – Melt in your mouth peanut buttery goodness!
• Bakery Peanut Butter Cookies – Made with creamy peanut butter, peanuts, and Reese’s Chips!

This recipe was originally published in December 2015 and was updated in July 2023 with fresh photos, a new crust recipe, and more peanut butter in the filling.