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Ultimate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

If you like peanut butter, you will LOVE this cheesecake! It has a peanut butter cookie crust, creamy peanut butter cheesecake base and has a layer of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the center. Then it is topped with chocolate ganache and more chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter ~3 ounces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
For the cheesecake
  • 32 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter 8 ounces
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 16-18 Full-sized Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for the center filling
For the topping
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 4-6 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups chopped, for sprinkling over the ganache

Method
 

To make the crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9" spring form pan and set aside.
  3. Add butter, brown sugar and peanut butter to a medium-sized bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until combined.
  4. Add flour and salt. Mix until combined. Use your hands to work the dough if it seems dry and crumbly.
  5. Use your fingertips or the back of a measuring cup to evenly press the dough throughout the bottom of the pan.
  6. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown.
To make the cheesecake
  1. Lower oven temp to 325 degrees.
  2. Add 1-2 inches of warm water to a roasting pan or large rimmed cookie sheet and place on the bottom oven rack. Allow it to heat up for 5-10 minutes before baking your cheesecake.
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
  4. Add sugar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, flour and salt. Beat on high until smooth. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
  5. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating on low after each addition until combined. Do not over beat.
  6. Pour HALF of the filling over the cookie crust. Use a spatula to gently smooth it out.
  7. Evenly place full-sized Reese's Peanut Butter Cups throughout the pan (16-18 will likely fit).
  8. Pour the remaining cheesecake batter over the top of the peanut butter cups. Carefully spread the batter so that it evenly covers them.
  9. Cover the bottom of the outside of the spring-form pan with aluminum foil in case of leaks.
  10. Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until there is a 3-4 inch jiggle in the center. Then turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 1-2 hours or until the oven has cooled to room temperature.
  11. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature (another 1-2 hours), then place it in the refrigerator overnight to set.
  12. Remove the spring form once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature or after chilling overnight. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen it first.
To top the cheesecake
  1. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan on the stove or in the microwave until almost boiling, mixing often.
  2. Pour in chocolate chips and remove from heat, stirring continuously until the mixture is smooth and all of the chocolate is melted.
  3. Pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake, using the back of a spoon to gently push the ganache over the edges of the cheesecake for the drip effect.
  4. Coarsely chop remaining peanut butter cups and sprinkle them over the top of the ganache while it is still warm.
  5. Place the cheesecake back in the fridge to set the ganache. Serve chilled.