Jennifer Hanes MS, RDN, LD
Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cups are a decadent and delicious treat that combines the rich flavors of chocolate and peanut butter with the creamy texture of cheesecake. The individual servings make them perfect for parties or a sweet indulgence after dinner.
In this recipe, adding peanut butter and chocolate takes this classic dessert to a whole new level. Join me as we explore the ingredients, directions, and serving suggestions for these Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cups.
To up the ante just a bit, I added a “made to impress” version to the simpler recipe I originally posted a few years ago. So this is chocolate peanut butter cheesecake, 2 ways!
Grab your apron, and let’s get baking!
Ingredients
While this post originally had one super easy recipe, I decided the revamp needed a more decadent version as well, so now we have 2 options!
The ingredients used in these recipes are the usual suspects for a cheesecake, plus a few bonuses.
We’re using cream cheese, sour cream, butter, sugar, an egg, vanilla, and graham crackers.
The simple version will include all of the above plus some chocolate peanut butter candy. That’s it!
For the more impressive version, we will switch from regular graham crackers to chocolate graham crackers (or chocolate sandwich cookies), add some smooth peanut butter, and make a chocolate ganache to put on top. It’s gonna be so good, y’all!
A Note on Cream Cheese
Make sure to buy full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. The lower-fat versions lack flavor and have more moisture not accounted for in this recipe. You’ll end up with a final product that has a weird texture and could taste so much better!
Also, this cake will come together much more quickly if all ingredients are brought to room temperature before you start. So try to plan ahead, if possible.
Substitutions or Modifications
There are so many different things you can do to customize this recipe. You can choose a different candy to put in the cheesecake itself. Cookies n’ Cream bars might be good with an Oreo crust.
Roughly chopped heath bars, butterfingers, or kit kats could work as well.
You could amp up the peanut butter flavor by adding some to the ganache.
Someone with a peanut allergy may opt to use almond, cashew, or sunflower butter instead.
Please note that while vegan cheesecakes do exist, simply substituting dairy and eggs with a vegan version will likely not yield the results you want.
Directions
Cheesecake seems daunting when you first look at it but is actually quite simple after you’ve made it once.
I’ve added some details to help ease your mind about the process.
Making the Crust
- Crush graham crackers. You can do this in a food processor, mortar and pestle, or a sealable bag with a rolling pin. Any way is fine, though the bag will create the fewest items for you to clean later. Get the crackers as fine and as uniform as possible.
- Mix in melted butter
You want to ensure the graham cracker crumbs are completely wet and sticky. You should be able to mold them in your hand.
- Press mixture into cupcake liners
I like to use the liners for easy clean-up and the cute little ridges they create in the cake.
If you don’t want to use a cupcake liner or have difficulty finding the mini cupcake liners, then grease your mini muffin tin well with baking spray. I like the kind with flour in it for baking.
Make sure to press the crumb into the muffin tin so that it forms a crust.
Making the Cheesecake Filling
- Mix cream cheese, creamy peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. I used a hand mixer for this—life is just easier that way. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can do this by hand. Just appreciate the upper-body workout!
When making the filling, you don’t want to overmix the batter. If you do, you’ll incorporate too much air, and the cheesecake will be more prone to crack or sink in the middle.
Instead, beat the ingredients together until they are completely incorporated, and then leave them alone.
This may not be a problem for these little guys, especially if you plan to cover them in ganache. However, this is much more important if you make 1 big cheesecake instead.
- Fold in your candy
Put down the mixer, add the chopped candy, and use a silicone spatula to gently fold it into the filling mix.
- Spoon mixture into cupcake liners
These won’t rise too much, so fill the muffins pretty close to the top.
Tap the pan lightly on the counter once or twice to remove air bubbles.
Making the Ganache
Ganache is actually pretty easy to make. You just have to be careful not to let the chocolate seize.
Place cream in a small pan and bring to a simmer. Do not boil!
Once at a light simmer, pour the cream over semi-sweet chocolate and sit for 2 minutes.
Gently stir until you have a smooth ganache!
Baking and Cooling
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let the cake sit on the counter for ~15 minutes so the temperature inside your fridge doesn’t rise too much.
Then allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours
Tips and Tricks
This recipe is pretty explanatory. But just like anything else, there may be some tips or tricks that can make life easier or elevate the recipe.
Some Allergy Friendly Options
If you are making these for someone that is allergic to peanuts, there are a couple of things you can do.
If making the decadent option, replace the peanut butter with almond or cashew butter. If making the easy option, choose a different candy. Mini M&M’s, toffee, or even chopped pistachios or sunflower seeds could work.
For those allergic to eggs, whisk together 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to make a flurry. Use this in place of the egg. You could also use a “flax egg.”
Tips for Using the Mini Muffin Tin
I strongly recommend using mini muffin tin liners when using a mini muffin tin. Those little cups can be so hard to clean otherwise.
However, if you can’t find any, make sure to use a good baking spray that includes flour to get the cheesecakes out in one piece and make cleaning up easier.
Ideas for Decorating
No one’s going to complain if you don’t decorate these little guys, but it’s nice to make them look pretty too!
Super easy options include drizzling chocolate sauce, melted peanut butter, or chocolate hazelnut spread over the mini cakes.
The magic shell topping that hardens on ice cream could be really fun, too.
I’m partial to the ganache used in the decadent version of the recipe, though. It really isn’t that much harder than the above options. It also does a fantastic job of hiding any imperfections on the top of the mini cheesecake bites.
To make a pretty garnish, you could chop up more of the candy on the inside or chop up peanuts and sprinkle them on top.
Whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream piped into a pretty design would be super cute, too!
If you prefer a Full-Sized Cheesecake
To fill the larger pan, triple the recipe and use a springform pan.
Cook in the oven for 90 minutes, then turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave for 1 hour.
This will prevent cracking, but it is not necessary for mini cheesecake bites. You could also put the springform pan in a water bath to help prevent cracking and sinking.
This likely won’t make much of a difference in the mini version, though.
Room Temp Ingredients
Ensure that all the cheesecake ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. This will allow the ingredients to come together more easily and smoothly.
Leave all of the ingredients on the counter for about an hour. Just don’t forget about them!
Don’t Overmix
Use your electric mixer to combine all the ingredients into a consistent batter. After that, leave it alone. The more you mix it, the more air will be incorporated into the batter, leading to either a cracked or a sunken cake.
Tap Filled Pan Lightly on the Counter
Do this whether or not you think you overmixed the batter, just in case. This will release any trapped air bubbles that can crack your cake.
Storage
These mini cheesecake bites will stay in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
But go ahead and share them!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
Crust
- ¼ cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1.5 Tbsp Melted Butter unsalted
- 2.5 tsp Sugar
Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 oz mini chocolate peanut butter candy plus more for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients, measured and ready to go. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. I used a food processor, but this could be done by hand. Press a small amount of graham cracker crust into each portion of a mini muffin
- Roughly chop chocolate-peanut butter candy.
- Combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. I strongly recommend using an electric mixer for this.When ingredients are thoroughly combined and fluffy, use a spatula to fold in the chopped candy.
- Spoon batter over graham cracker crust and bake at 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on the counter for about 20 minutes. Place in fridge and cool for at least 4 hours, but overnight would be better.
*We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through links on our site. These commissions help support our work in providing valuable content to our readers. Thank you for your support!
Made to Impress Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
For the Crust
- ¼ cup Chocolate Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1-2 Tbsp Melted Butter salted
- 2.5 tsp Sugar
For the Filling
- 8 oz Cream Cheese not low fat
- 1 large Egg
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Sour Cream
- ¼ cup Peanut Butter Creamy
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Ganache
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients, measured, and at room temperature. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 3 tbsp sugar. Press a small amount of graham cracker crust into each portion of a mini muffin
- Combine cream cheese, egg, sugar, sour cream, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. I strongly recommend using an electric mixer for this.
- Spoon batter over graham cracker crust and bake at 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. Place in fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight would be better.
For the Ganache
- Put the heavy cream in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Don't boil it!
- Place the chocolate chips in a bowl and pour cream over them.
- Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, then gently stir until smooth.
- Pour over chilled cheesecake bites and serve. Enjoy!
*We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through links on our site. These commissions help support our work in providing valuable content to our readers. Thank you for your support!
Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecakes are an indulgent and delicious dessert that combines some of our favorite flavors into one delightful treat.
The creamy and rich filling, the chocolatey crust, and the added crunch of the peanuts make these cups the perfect dessert for any occasion. Whether you’re hosting a party or just want to treat yourself, these mini cheesecake cups are sure to impress.
With these recipes, you can enjoy the taste of cheesecake with a twist and experience the deliciousness of chocolate and peanut butter in every bite. So, what are you waiting for? Give this recipe a try and let us know how it turns out!
Bonus: Pics from the previous version of this recipe post!
This post was originally written well before I learned anything about blogging. As a result, I rambled on and on about how busy my week was, Roman’s Tae Kwon Do tournament, and Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week.
We made these cheesecake bites and passed them out to the neighbors for our RAK. So even though these pictures have very little to do with making cheesecake bites, I thought I’d leave them here for the memories! And we sure do miss Floxie-girl.
For another easy dessert recipe
Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Coins
Semi-sweet chocolate seems to make the best ganache. I used semi-sweet mini chocolate chips so they would melt easier, but regular-sized chips should work fine.
So would using a chocolate bar and chopping it up.
Using milk chocolate would make these cheesecake bites way too sweet.
These cheesecake bites, made in a mini cupcake pan, shouldn’t crack because of their small size.
If you are making a full-sized cheesecake or you are having problems with these small cheesecake cups, try to place your pan in a water bath, with the water level about halfway up the pan.
You can also try to turn the oven off and open the door a bit for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
If all else fails, just cover it in ganache or other pretty decorations and no one will know!
Absolutely! Use a whisk and go to town.
You should have already made sure your ingredients were at room temperature, but you’ll definitely want to make sure of it if you’re mixing this recipe by hand.
Jennifer Hanes MS, RDN, LD is a registered dietitian, mom, wife, and vegetarian in North Texas. She has dedicated Dietitian Jenn to be a source of information, ideas, and inspiration for people like her, vegetarians that live with people with different dietary beliefs and/or needs in a multivore household.
How cute are those little cheesecakes!? and that cat!
Love the idea of passing out treats to the neighbors.
The recipe is so simple for a cheesecake. There’s no way to mess it up!