Earlier this week, I hosted a little birthday gathering for a beautiful friend who recently moved to England but is back home (yay for us!) for a few weeks. And when I asked her what might “happen” to be one of her favorite desserts, she responded that she always loves cheesecakes, but then also really loves peanut butter and chocolate. So I decided to bring together the best of both worlds and make these Reese’s mini cheesecakes!
It was also a chance to use a new little kitchen purchase that I finally caved in to buy — this mini cheesecake pan. Sure, you can make little cheesecakes in mini baking cups, but I had long admired the sleek vertical lines of this pan, so may have squealed in delight just a tad when I finally purchased one of my own.
But I was even more excited when the birthday girl and my friends gave these little cheesecakes rave reviews. And then my Hallmark coworkers promptly finished off the leftovers and an additional batch of them today in a flash. The feedback was unanimous — everyone loved them! They are definitely on the decadent side, filled with the rich peanut butter cheesecake and topped with a simple dark chocolate ganache. So trust that even one “mini” cheesecake is more than enough for a single serving. But if your family and friends are like mine, they will happily do the hard work of polishing them off. ;)
Also, if you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, you can make these in regular-sized or mini-baking cups, or the recipe will translate to an 8-inch springform pan. However you make these little Reese’s cheesecakes, I hope you enjoy them!
Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini cheesecakes 1x
Description
Peanut Butter + Chocolate + Cheesecake = What could be better?!?
Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust Ingredients:
- 1 cup finely-crumbled Oreo cookies
- 2 Tbsp. melted butter
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Ingredients:
- 16 oz. (2 bricks) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar (or more)
Topping:
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, crumbled
Instructions
To Make The Oreo Cookie Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the finely-crumbled Oreo cookies and melted butter until blended. Press the mixture into your mini cheesecake pan (or other baking pan) in your desired thickness, press until flat, then bake for 5 minutes and remove. (**I placed 1/2 tablespoon of the crust into each mini cheesecake, and then patted it down with my spoon.**)
To Make The Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
- In an electric mixer, add the cream cheese and peanut butter and beat on medium-speed until smooth. Add the sugar and continue mixing until combined. Blend in the eggs one at a time, then the cream and vanilla, using a spatula to scrape down the bowl between additions, and beat until just combined.
- Use a spoon or cookie scoop to transfer the batter to your pan with the pre-baked crusts. Fill each mini cheesecake container to the brim, evening out the tops with a spoon. Then bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheesecakes are just set and no longer move when you jiggle the pan. Turn the oven off and crack open the door and let the cheesecakes cool off for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit until they reach room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Top with ganache and the crumbled Reese’s.
To Make The Chocolate Ganache:
- In a heatproof bowl, add the chocolate chips and cream. Heat over a bowl of simmering water, stirring until combined and the chocolate is melted. Or heat in the microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until the chocolate is melted. Add in a tablespoon of powdered sugar, or more to reach your desired consistency. Then spoon the ganache over the mini cheesecakes.
Notes
*If you make this in an 8-inch springform pan, you may want to double the crust recipe. Up to you!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
Hi Ali,
We have a family dinner tomorrow night and we are bringing the dessert. I have chosen to make the peanut butter chocolate cheesecakes. I can hardly wait to make them as they look so yummy and decadent. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Can these mini cheesecakes be make in cupcake wrappers or cupcake pans? Do you have to have a spring-form pan? Thanks!
Yes, you could make them in cupcake wrappers. And cupcake pans, if they are sprayed very well. The springform pans just make it easier to get them out of the pan. :)
~Ali
I just put these in the oven to bake and oh my, I know they’re going to turn out great! The cheesecake mix (before baking) is deeeelicious! Can’t wait to taste the finished product!! Thanks for the recipe!
These look delicious and I have chosen to make them for my boyfriend’s upcoming birthday. They’re just perfect: he loves peanut butter, Reese’s are his favorite candy, he loves cheesecake, and he especially loves mini desserts because he can just pop them down the hatchet! I have a couple questions about the recipe though:
1. For making the Oreo crust: did you finely crumbled just the cookie part of the Oreo, or the whole oreo including the cream? If you did use the cream filling too, were they regular Oreos, double stuf, or something else? I’ve made a variety of truffles before using different kinds of oreos (mint, peanut butter, even sherbert flavored!), so I’m wondering if the type of oreo modifies the crust at all.
2. I have never attempted cheesecake before. Are there any need to know tips of the trade?
3. Neither my BF nor I are fans of dark chocolate – if I used milk chocolate chips instead, would that ruin the consistency of the ganache?
4. Once you made these, how did you go about storing them? Did you just keep them in the refrigerator in tupperware? I can certainly imagine they’ll go quick enough that there is nothing left to store, but I’m trying to plan for how to keep them until its time to “cut the cake”!
Thanks for this awesome recipe – I can’t wait to try it!
I’m very impressed with the peanut butter cheesecake puffs. If you have any more suggestions on different receipts phrase let me know.I’m always giving a party or gathering. Please forward more party delights like this one it if delightful!!!!!!
I made these in mini muffin pans and they were delicious, but HOW do you get your melted chocolate to look so silky smooth? Mine ends up looking granular – tastes fine but not pretty!
https://savorysweetlife.com/2009/08/simply-glorious-chocolate-ganache-recipe-3-ways/
This website shows how to make a chocolate ganache glaze!
I just wanted to say that I made this recipe at the beginning of the week and LOVED IT!!!! It was perfect and decadent but not too much peanut butter taste it was just right. I unfortunately didnt have mini cheesecake pans (but I will be investing because they are perfect for parties) so I used a 9 inch springform pan and I baked for 40 minutes (30 just wasnt enough so i added ten more, oven temps may vary for others.) This was easy enought to make and so worth it, I reccomend to anyone looking for a tasty dessert.
My Dad Made these And They Were So Good… Thanks For The recipe.
I just made this, it is still in the oven but the batter tasted awesome! I wanted to say that if you are planning on using a mini muffin pan, make more crust! The recipe made 24 crusts but 36 cheesecakes for me. I used a rounded teaspoon for each crust. Just thought that might help those of us who don’t have fancy mini cheesecake pans :)
Hi Ashely, I plan on making these today and I as well have mini muffin pans.. I was just wondering how yours came out? I wasnt sure if you put crust on the sides as well or just on the very bottom and also if you used mini cupcake liners.. I cant decide how i want to go about these, I want then to come out nice like the pictures
oh my…these look so good! I love anything chocolate. =)