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
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
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
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Oh my gosh these look fantastic! Beautiful and scrumptious – my two favorite things in a recipe.
Question: Did you refrigerate the cheesecake with or without the ganache already on top?
I love your receipe. However, my kids have allergy to peanut. What can I use instead of Reese peanut
Butterfinger bars would work real well, Twix… or whatever your kids favorite one is.
How long do you bake one in the 8″ springform pan?
I *just* used a 9″ springform pan this morning. I doubled the crust recipe and baked the cheesecake for 33 minutes.
I lived for two years in a country that didn’t sell Reese’s peanut butter cups. I’m not sure how I survived. These look gorgeous. I can’t wait to try them.
OK, i think you have convinced me that i need to buy this pan. These look to die for!
Howwww is this even real life, Ali?! These are gorgeous. And I need seven.
does anyone know if you can use a mini cupcake pan or a regular cupcake that holds 12?
FUN! These are beautiful as can be and I LOVE mini desserts that you can just pop right in your mouth. I’d like to say mini cheesecake bites would be helpful for portion control, but with the peanut butter and chocolate combo, I’d just have to go to town on these guys ;)
these are so cute and sinful! mmmm!!!