Peanut Butter Cheesecake is a smooth and creamy cheesecake made with peanut butter and a homemade peanut butter cookie crust. Try my Reese’s Cheesecake Pie for another rich, peanut buttery dessert.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
If you love peanut butter, you will love this cheesecake! It starts with a homemade cookie crust that is only three ingredients. Then, it’s topped with creamy, peanut butter cheesecake, a layer of sour cream, and more peanut butter that is melted and drizzled over the top.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Ingredients
Peanut Butter: For the cookie crust, you could use crunchy or creamy peanut butter. For the cheesecake and melted drizzle, I would recommend creamy peanut butter.
Sour Cream: If you look at the recipe, you will know that sour cream is both in the cheesecake filling and on top. The amount of sour cream used in the filling is just enough to give the cheesecake a creamier texture, but not too much to be noticeable. The topping will add just a hint of tartness.
Heavy Cream: The cream is used to make whipping cream that you will add to the cheesecake filling. Just like the sour cream, this will also help the dessert have a more luxurious feel. If no additional dairy is used in a cheesecake, you will have a cheesecake that has the same texture as eating cream cheese right out of the wrapper. Look for a cream that contains 36% or more milk fat.
How to Store Cheesecake
Cheesecakes are rich and filling, so even though you may want to eat the entire cheesecake in one sitting, it’s not always (if ever) possible. So, how do you store it to eat when you are craving a bite later? One easy way is to cover the cheesecake and store it in the refrigerator for one or two days. If you tightly wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container, it will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
How to Freeze a Cheesecake
To freeze a cheesecake:
- Let the cheesecake cool completely.
- Place the cheesecake (uncovered) in the freezer for about an hour. I suggest that if you are keeping the cheesecake pie in the springform pan, remove the sides of the pan.
- After the hour in the freezer, take the cheesecake off the pan (you may have to pry it off with a knife), and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped cheesecake into a zipped freezer bag or wrap it in aluminum foil. Be sure to label and date the cheesecake. It will last up to 2 months (at the most) in the freezer.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cookie Crust
- 1 cup (258 g) peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Cheesecake Filling
- 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1¼ cups (322.5 g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (57.5 g) sour cream
- 1¼ cups (297.5 g) heavy cream, cold
- ¾ cup (94 g) confectioners' sugar
Sour Cream Topping
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Topping
- ¼ cup (60 g) creamy peanut butter, melted
Instructions
Peanut Butter Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter, sugar, and egg until combined.
- Press the cookie batter into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes or until slightly crisp and no longer shiny. Allow the crust to cool completely before continuing with the recipe.
Cheesecake Filling
- Use an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Beat in sour cream on low speed. Set this cheesecake mixture aside as you prepare the whipped cream that you will add to it.
- To make the whipped cream, in a separate bowl, add heavy cream. Start mixing at the lowest speed, and then gradually increase speed to medium until the cream starts to get thicker. (The gradual progression prevents you from spraying yourself with cream.)
- When the cream starts to thicken, stop the mixer. Slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and then resume mixing again, starting with low speed and increasing to medium speed and eventually moving to a high speed. The cream will thicken and start to peak. Mix on high until the cream is thick and stiff.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until completely combined.
- Pour the filling into the cooled peanut butter cookie crust and spread into an even layer.
Sour Cream Topping
- Combine sour cream and confectioners' sugar; spread in a thin layer over cheesecake.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. I recommend letting it chill overnight.
- After the cheesecake has set, drizzle with melted peanut butter and serve.
Notes
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Ellen V.
18% cream is not heavy cream. Heavy cream is either 36% or 40%.
Hi!! The recipe looks delicious. I am making for my friends bday. My question is, could mutter butter cookies and butter be used for the crust? Also, I don’t own a spring form pan. Could another pan be used?
You can use cookies for the crust and yes, you can use a round cake pan, it will just be a bit more difficult to remove the pieces.
I put almost 3 cups of PB in it, but I couldn’t even taste it after baking. VERY bland. Will Not be making again.
So you changed the recipe significantly and couldn’t taste the peanut butter? Do you maybe have covid or have lost your ability to taste? This dessert is loaded with peanut butter, in every layer. (And has gotten rave reviews) 🙂
I have just made the Peanutbutter cheesecake! Question can it be frozen?
Oops just saw where you explained how to freeze it! Thank you!
Hi… I just made this and it’s in the refrigerator. My question is, when I add the melted peanut butter tomorrow, can I add melted drizzled chocolate on top as well? I think that would be yummy!!!
Yes!
Do I need to grease or spray the Springform pan before baking the crust? Thanks for the recipe!
Making the filling tomorrow for a party on Tuesday.
Does sour cream have to be included? Can we substitute sour cream for more heavy whipping cream or just eliminate that ingredient altogether?
Can I put peanut butter chips in the cheesecake
I mixed them with the crust. I don’t see why you can’t, it’s not going in the oven.
Should I spray the spring form pan or put parchment paper in first before the crust
Hi Amanda…..
Sorry to sound confused but I do not see any basis for the cookie crust with no flour or cookies …..does the PB, sugar and egg make the cookie crust then? Thanks !!
I’m with Pam…are there no cookies or graham crackers added to this mixture for the crust?
I talk about it in the post. This is a 3-ingredient PB cookie which is very common. I would try making it because passing judgement.
Not passing judgement just confused that there are no other ingredients to make the cookie crust and wanting to clarify the ingredients before making it myself.
I came up on this recipe and got excited because of the cookie crust …..it’s the same recipe I use to make my peanut butter cookies. 3 ingredients, no more, no less. Perfect cookie! Trust the process. Plus these cookies are very popular.
Amanda, I just wanted to know if I can use a Graham cracker crust? I don’t have that much time to make the crust
Sure