Bursting with peanut butter from the crust to the filling to the toppings, these peanut butter cheesecake bars are a mouthwatering dose of peanut butter cheesecake in a fraction of the time.
It’s really hard to top a good cheesecake, though perhaps a no-fuss, no-two-hour-bake-time, in the oven and in your belly in just about two hours cheesecake would top that list! Now I have been creating quite the repertoire of cheesecakes on this site, but realized recently that we needed a variety of cheesecake bars within the same flavor genres. These peanut butter cheesecake bars are made with a super easy nutter butter crust, filled with a creamy peanut butter cheesecake, and topped with peanut butter ganache and crushed nutter butters. This is a deceptively easy recipe that comes together in just about an hour, and will wow the pb cheesecake lovers in your life. Let’s make them.
What you'll need to make these peanut butter cheesecake bars:
Nutter butter cookies
Salted butter
Cream cheese
Granulated sugar
Heavy cream
Pure vanilla extract
A large egg
Creamy unsweetened peanut butter (I love Santa Cruz Organics and Adams brands)
Peanut butter chips (the Reese’s ones are pretty easy to find at most grocery stores)
The Crust
I love a good cookie crust. This Easy Oreo Crust is a common go-to in my baked goods {including this 6-Inch Oreo cheesecake}, and this nutter butter cookie crust is a variation of that recipe.
To begin, place 28 full sized Nutter butter cookies into a food processor. If you do not have a processor, you can use a large ziplock bag and a rolling pin to crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Melt the butter either in a microwave-safe container on high for 30-45 seconds, or on the stovetop in a small pan on high heat for 5-10 minutes (or until fully melted but not bubbling).
Into your bowl of cookie crumbs (or into your food processor), add the melted butter. Gently mix with a fork to combine, or put your food processor on until the mixture is fully combined (about 20 seconds or so). Press the crust into a parchment lined 8” square baking dish. Use the bottom of a glass to press the bottom down if needed. Set aside while you make the filling.
The Filling
This creamy peanut butter cheesecake is similar to the base filling that you’ll find in many of my my cheesecake tarts {including this Caramel Cheesecake Tart and my Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tart}. It’s perfectly balanced with cream cheese, heavy cream, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, creamy peanut butter, and a large egg. It bakes up perfectly in any crust you choose, and might I also suggest the Oreo Crust (like in this Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie recipe) if you’d like a spot of chocolate with your peanut butter.
This filling is also an offshoot of many of my other full cheesecake recipes. My philosophy in recipe development is to create the best base recipe possible, and then build on that with as many flavor combinations as possible. This cheesecake takes plenty of creamy unsweetened natural peanut butter and adds it to the perfectly balanced cheesecake filling.
So why do we use room temperature ingredients? Room temperature cream cheese and eggs can allow the batter to blend earlier, resulting in a smoother cheesecake.
To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and mix another 30 seconds. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract, and mix again until incorporated. Add the egg, mixing for about thirty seconds. Do not overmix this part.
Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes.
The cheesecake bars should be mostly set and golden on the edges but slightly soft in the middle. It will set up further as it cools. Allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely (about 30-60 minutes).
The Ganache
These cheesecake bars are topped with a sultry peanut butter chip ganache and crushed Nutter Butters.
So what exactly is ganache? Essentially ganache is any ratio of chocolate and cream that results a thick and rich yet still pliable chocolate. The best ratio of ganache is two parts chips to one part heavy cream, and that is what we stuck to for this peanut butter chip ganache.
Place the Heavy cream in a small bowl and warm in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Be cautious as the cream and the bowl could be hot. Alternatively, you can heat it on the stove top in a small pan on medium heat until it becomes hot and almost starts to bubble.
Remove the bowl of cream and place the peanut butter chips into the bowl, ensuring that they are completely covered by the cream. Allow this to sit untouched for five minutes. Whisk well until completely smooth. Pour over your chilled cheesecake bars and allow it to set up in the fridge for an additional 10-20 minutes.
Dietary Substitutions
I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy,
Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change.
Miyokos also makes a wonderful cream cheese that would be an excellent dairy free base in this recipe.
Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for the cheesecake base.
These Nut Butter Stuffed Sandwich Cookies by Simple Mills are gluten free and vegan. They would be a great option in leu of the Nutter butters.
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XO,
Heather
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 28 Full-Sized Nutter Butter Cookies, crushed to fine crumbs
- ½ Cup Salted Butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- ⅔ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Creamy Unsweetened Peanut Butter
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
For the Peanut Butter Ganache:
- 1 Cup Peanut Butter Chips
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
Topping:
- 2-3 Nutter Butter Cookies, chopped into small pieces
Instructions
- For the Crust: Preheat oven to 350° . Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Melt the butter either in a microwave safe container on high for 30-45 seconds, or on the stovetop in a small pan on high heat for 5-10 minutes (or until fully melted but not bubbling). Into your bowl of cookie crumbs (or into your food processor), add the melted butter. Gently mix with a fork to combine, or set your food processor on until the mixture if fully combined (about 20 seconds or so). Press the crust into the prepared pan and set aside.
- For the Cheesecake Filling: Beat cream cheese with a hand mixer or in a standing mixer, or whisk well until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix to incorporate. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add the heavy cream annd vanilla, and mix until incorporated. Add the egg and mix until just incorporated. Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set on the outside and slightly soft in the middle. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- For the Ganache: Heat the heavy cream on high in the microwave for one minute, or warm on the stovetop in a saucepan on medium to high heat until bubbles just begin to form. Carefully remove cream. Add peanut butter chips and let it sit for 5 minutes, ensuring that all of the chips are covered by the cream. Whisk well until smooth. Pour the ganache over the cheesecake bars, and with a spatula, gently spread evenly over the top. Sprinkle with chopped nutter butters.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow the ganache to set. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Enjoy!
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