Easy peanut butter chocolate cheesecake is rich, decadent, covered in a sweet chocolate ganache, decorated with buckeyes, and is perfect for the peanut butter lover.
Grease a 9” springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse Oreo cookies until small crumbs form. Add the melted butter and pulse until mixture is evenly combined.
Press cookie crumble into the prepared springform pan and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla, sour cream, heavy cream, and flour and beat again until well combined.
By hand, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Stir gently to prevent extra air from getting into the mixture.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared crust and smooth to level it off.
Wrap the springform pan with at least two layers of aluminum foil to ensure it is fully sealed and no water will get in.
Place the wrapped pan in a larger pan and fill halfway with hot or boiling water.
Bake for 65-75 minutes. The cheesecake should appear matte across the top surface and the center should be slightly jiggly.
Turn off the oven, keeping the door closed for 20 minutes. After this 20 minutes, crack the oven door and leave the cheesecake in place for another 20 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Allow to cool the rest of the way and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 additional hours.
Ganache Instructions:
Heat the heavy cream until simmering. Pour over the chocolate chips, placing a plate or lid over the mixture to trap the heat. Let the mixture sit for several minutes, then whisk together vigorously until a silky, thick chocolate ganache comes together.
Frosting Instructions:
Beat together butter and peanut butter until smooth.
Beat in powdered sugar - mixture will be crumbly/very thick.
While beating, add in heavy cream, 1-2 tablespoons at a time until a fluffy frosting forms.
Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
Assembly Instructions:
Run a knife around the edges of the chilled cheesecake to loosen it from the springform pan. Remove the ring from the pan and transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter, if desired.
Pour the chocolate ganache over the center of the cheesecake, spreading it with an offset spatula and allowing some of the ganache to drip down the sides of the cheesecake.
Allow the ganache to set for 10-15 minutes.
Pipe swirls around the top edge of the cheesecake with the peanut butter frosting.
Decorate with buckeye balls on top of the frosting.
Notes
Storage:Keep the cheesecake refrigerated for up to 7 days for freeze for 3 months.Notes:Do not mix in the eggs with an electric mixer. Because they hold too much air, it will cause cracking. Cooking low, slow, and letting the cheesecake cool gradually (along with the water bath) keeps it nice and smooth, and reduces puffing and cracking. Microwave your ganache in 30 second increments if there are still lumps of chocolate in the sauce. Whisk until smooth. Here's the buckeye balls recipe we used.