This rich and creamy peanut butter cheesecake is filled with mini chocolate chips and set atop a thick brownie layer. It is then topped with a layer of chocolate ganache and swirls of peanut butter frosting. Each element of this dish comes together to create an amazingly rich and elegant dessert!

If you’ve been looking for something new to bake during this time of quarantine and social distancing, look no further! I have combined two of my favorite desserts for this recipe – brownies and peanut butter cheesecake! How could you go wrong? See below for a few tips, then you can jump right in! Happy baking!

Here are a few of my cheesecake tips:

Use room temperature cream cheese & beat it well. Cold cream cheese will be harder to beat, which will leave lumps in your cheesecake. Make sure to take your cream cheese out of the fridge at least 2-3 hours before beginning baking.
Bake using a water bath. A water bath is simply a pan of hot water that is placed in the oven while baking. It adds moisture to the oven and helps to keep your cheesecake from cracking. A water bath also provides a more even bake.
Wrap the outside of your spring-form pan in aluminum foil. These pans are notorious for leaking. So avoid the smoky house and thoroughly cover the bottom and sides of your pan with aluminum foil.
Make sure that the cheesecake cools slowly. This will also help prevent cracking. I recommend turning the oven off when there is still a 2-inch jiggle in the middle of your cheesecake and then leaving the cheesecake in the oven until it reaches room temperature (at least an additional hour).

Tips for this recipe:

Remove the brownie bottom from the oven when it is 5 or so minutes from being fully baked (a toothpick should not come out with batter on it, but still with a few crumbs attached). It will bake fully when you are baking the cheesecake portion and you want to avoid over-baking it.
When heating the cream for the ganache topping, make sure to stir it every 30 seconds or so to ensure that it doesn’t curdle. Add the chocolate just before the cream starts to boil (you’ll see small bubbles on the side of the pot).

Brownie-Bottom Peanut Butter Cheesecake

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Ingredients

For the brownie bottom

½ cup unsalted butter melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup cocoa powder
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the peanut butter cheesecake

16 ounces cream cheese 2 bricks, softened
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups creamy peanut butter 12 ounces
2 eggs
¾ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the peanut butter frosting

4 ounces cream cheese ½ brick, softened
¼ cup unsalted butter softened
¾ cup creamy peanut butter 6 ounces
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache topping

⅓ cup heavy cream
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

To make the brownie bottom

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
Add in dry ingredients (cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt). Mix until combined.
Add in mini chocolate chips. Mix until combined.
Grease a 9-inch spring-form pan and cover the outside of the pan with aluminum foil.
Evenly pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out partially clean (no wet batter, but with crumbs attached).
Remove from oven, set aside to cool. Leave the oven on.

To make the peanut butter cheesecake

Add water bath to oven. *See Notes for more information.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Add in heavy cream, sugar, peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt. Mix well.
Add in eggs and mix until just combined. (Do not over beat)
Add in mini chocolate chips. Mix until combined.
Spread the batter evenly over the brownie bottom. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until there is only a 1-2 inch jiggle in the center. Turn off oven, but leave cheesecake in the oven.
Remove cheesecake from the oven after 45 minutes and let it cool to room temperature.
Place in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight to set before adding toppings.

To make the peanut butter frosting

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add peanut butter and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
Add powdered sugar, ½ to 1 cup at a time, mixing in between each addition.
Add heavy cream, ½ tablespoon at a time, until the frosting has reached the desired consistency (usually around 2 tablespoons total). Mix between each addition.
Set the frosting aside.

To make the ganache topping

Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan on low to medium heat, stirring every 30 seconds.
Heat the cream until it just starts to boil, then turn off heat and add the chocolate. Stir constantly until all of the chocolate has melted. Turn heat back on low if necessary (while constantly stirring) to ensure all of the chocolate is melted.
Let the chocolate cool for 5-10 minutes, then spread evenly over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Place cheesecake back in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or until the ganache sets.
Once the ganache has set, prepare a piping bag fitted with a star attachment and fill it with the peanut butter frosting. Pipe the frosting on the cheesecake as desired (I piped swirls that outlined where each piece would be cut – see photos above).

Notes

*A water bath is simply a pan of hot water that is placed in the oven while baking. It adds moisture to the oven and helps to keep your cheesecake from cracking. A water bath also provides a more even bake.