Recipes

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Minis

Small in size, big in flavor. The only thing better than Peanut Butter Cheesecake is mini peanut butter cheesecake with chocolate ganache and peanut butter cups!

I’ve never been one turndown cheesecake! Salted Caramel Cheesecake, Brownie Cherry Cheesecake and Peanut Butter Snickers Cheesecake Brownies are a few more of our cheesecake favorites.

mini cheese cake with bite taken

 

Why We Love Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Minis are rich, decadent, and perfect for any chocolate-peanut butter lover.

Mini peanut butter cheesecakes are easy to make in a muffin pan! This cheesecake recipe calls for a 3 ingredient crust and an easy-to-make cheesecake filling. No water bath or special tools needed, plus they bake faster than regular cheesecake.

These little gems are rich, luscious, and oh so decadent. One peanut butter cheesecake mini is plenty for one serving, but they will definitely tempt your taste buds towards having seconds.

They are really easy to make, so you’ll have no excuse not to make these little chocolate peanut butter cheesecakes.

mini cheese cake with peanut butter cups on top

What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake 

For the Crust:

  • Graham cracker crumbs – You can buy the premade crumbs or place regular graham crackers in a food processor until finely chopped. 
  • Sugar – also known as white sugar, or “regular” sugar
  • Butter – Either salted or unsalted 
  • Peanut butter cups – we love the Reeses cups, but any brand will work

Filling:

  • Cream cheese – softened to room temperature 
  • Peanut butter – I always use creamy, but you can also use chunky for more crunch 
  • Sugar 
  • Flour – all-purpose flour is the best, but you can also use whole wheat if preferred 
  • Vanilla extract – pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation vanilla will also work as a cheaper alternative. 
  • Eggs – large eggs are best for baking, other egg sizes will throw off the consistency

Ganache:

  • Chocolate – A higher quality chocolate, like Ghirardelli
  • Heavy cream – also known as “whipping cream” 
  • Butter 
  • Peanut butter cups – we like Reese’s

steps showing how to make peanut butter cheesecake

How to Make the Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Minis 

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

While homemade cheesecake recipes aren’t the quickest or necessarily the easiest recipes, they are worth every minute of work you put into it once you get to dive into this incredible dessert. 

Once you’ve read through the whole recipe, preheat the oven to 350° F and line a muffin/cupcake pan with cupcake papers.

While that’s heating up, make the crust and combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press crust into the bottom of each muffin cup. 

Set aside the cups of prepped crust and prep the filling. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and peanut butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Spoon cream cheese mixture over peanut butter cups and graham cracker crusts. Bake until just set. 

Once removed from the oven, and cooled, top with your desired toppings. 

steps showing how to make mini cheesecakes

Tips for the Perfect Homemade Cheesecake 

  • Make sure all of your ingredients for the filling are at room temperature. This will ensure a smoother and creamier cheesecake filling!
  • For this mini cheesecake recipe, you will need a standard muffin pan not a mini muffin pan.
  • I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for a richer texture and flavor.
  • Keep the oven door shut until fully cooked: As much as we want to open the door to check on our beautiful creation, that burst of air will cause a greater chance of the cheesecakes sinking in the middle when removed from the oven. 
  • Don’t be afraid of a little bit of jiggle: A perfectly baked mini cheesecake will jiggle slightly and continue to set up as it cools. 
  • Read over the recipe: Make sure to carefully read through the whole recipe BEFORE you begin prepping any ingredients. Cheesecake recipes of any kind are not something you want to rush through. Each step is crucial to follow to a T so make sure you know what you need to do before you begin. 

mini cheesecakes on plates

Storing & Freeze Mini Cheesecakes 

How long will mini cheesecakes stay fresh? Cheesecake is a highly perishable dessert, meaning you will need to keep them refrigerated unless serving. To preserve freshness while storing, place all the cheesecake minis in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. 

Can I freeze peanut butter cheesecake minis? When stored in an airtight container you can freeze these mini cheesecakes for p to one month. I highly suggest freezing the cheesecakes without the toppings as you will have better results if the toppings are applied shortly before serving. 

close up of mini cheesecakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Variations: 

Once you try the original recipe, try getting creative with a few other flavor variations! One of my favorite ways to switch things up and save some time is to skip the ganache and finish with some whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Either way, they are impressive and can be made ahead of time. Perfect for holiday entertaining. 

Can I make this as a regular cheesecake? If you’d rather have one large cheesecake instead of individual cheesecakes, you can use a 9 inch round springform pan to assemble the whole recipe as one. Adjust the oven temperature and cooking time to the following:

  • Bake at 300°F 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. 
  • Turn oven off; open door 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in the oven for 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes.
  • Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before assembling the toppings. 

Like This Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe? Pin It!

close up of peanut butter mini cheesecake

pinterest-image

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Originally posted in November 2014. UPDATED February 2021. We spiffed up this post with more info and better pictures! No changes to the original recipe.

mini cheese cake with bite taken

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Minis

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Small in size, big in flavor. The only thing better than peanut butter cheesecake is mini peanut butter cheesecake with chocolate ganache and peanut butter cups!

Ingredients

CRUST:

  • 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 12 bite-size peanut butter cups

Filling:

  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or almond extract
  • 2 eggs

Ganache:

  • 8 ounces chocolate
  • 8 ounces heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • peanut butter cups, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F and line a muffin pan with cupcake papers.
  2. To make the crust, in a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until crumbs are moistened. Press crust into the bottom of each muffin cup (I used the bottom of a glass to press the crust). Put 1 peanut butter cup into the center of each crust.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and peanut butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Spoon cream cheese mixture over peanut butter cups and graham cracker crusts. Bake until just set and they no longer jiggle when you move the pan, about 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the oven door a crack, and let the cheesecakes cool off for 15 minutes in the oven.  Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and let sit to cool completely then chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  4. While the cheesecakes are cooling, make the chocolate ganache.
  5. Place chocolate chips, butter, and cream in a medium glass bowl.  Heat in microwave on high for 45 seconds.  Stir and heat for another 30 seconds.  Remove from the microwave and stir with a spatula until chocolate is melted and smooth. It will look like it's not coming together, but just keep stirring (this may take several minutes)
  6. Pour the ganache over the cold cheesecakes, and top with chopped peanut butter cups.  Refrigerate at least another 2 hours before serving.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 512Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 233mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 2gSugar: 42gProtein: 8g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.

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© TidyMom
Cuisine American / Category: Desserts

close up of mini cheesecake with chocolate

Categories: Desserts, Recipes
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