Mini peanut butter cheesecake with a pretzel-graham cracker crust topped with melted dark chocolate and chopped peanut butter cups.
The mini versions are always cuter! Same goes for dessert.
Would rather have a slice of cheesecake? Or would you like this little bite-sized mini peanut butter cheesecakes?
Mini sized desserts are great during the holiday season. From Halloween through New Year’s Eve, it seems like a endless eat-a-thon marathon of delicious foods.
No one *needs* a big slice of cheesecake. An appropriate sized mini cheesecake will do just fine!
Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Melted Chocolate
Rich, creamy, sweet yet salty. It’s a dessert that’s hard to tire of!
This dessert is comprised of a pretzel-graham cracker crust bottom and a creamy peanut butter cheesecake filling. For the finishing touch, it is topped with melted dark chocolate and chopped peanut butter cups.
One 9-inch cheesecake is good, 20 mini cheesecakes are better! I love mini desserts not only because they’re super cute, but it’s a great way to portion control.
Best of all, these mini desserts don’t require utensils or plate. Simply pick them up with your fingers and pop them in your mouth!
How to fill mini cheesecake pan
Used this 12-cavity mini cheesecake pan. It has a removable bottom that makes unmolding a breeze.
I find that the easiest way to press the crust into the pan is using a cocktail muddler or tamper. (Who knew a cocktail muddler could do more than make a mojito?!)
Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to easily easily divide cheesecake batter among the pan.
If you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, you may use a standard 12-cup muffin tin. The portions will be a bit larger than the one shown here.
Notes on baking
During baking, the cheesecakes may rise and puff a little bit. Once they cool, they’ll shrink back down.
Don’t worry if the tops of the cheesecakes has wrinkles. You’ll cover that up with delicious melted dark chocolate.
Assembling Cheesecake for Serving:
Cool the mini cheesecakes in the mold at room temperature. Once cool, cover the cheesecakes with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until cheesecake is cold.
Make and prepare the cheesecake up to 2 days in advance. Store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to finish assembling.
Once you’re ready to assembly, unmold the cheesecakes from the pan. Set the cheesecake over a wire rack with parchment underneath and have all your toppings ready.
Spoon melted chocolate over each cheesecake. This will cover up any wrinkling or bubbling that may happened to the surface of the cheesecake.
Sprinkle any leftover pretzel-graham cracker crust mixture over the melted chocolate. For the finishing touch, top with chopped mini peanut cup candies.
Serving Suggestions
Assembling the cheesecakes right before serving. If you place the cheesecakes back in the fridge with the melted chocolate, the chocolate will harden.
I like to serve the chocolate while it’s still all ooey-gooey.
The cheesecake is difficult to eat with a hard chocolate shell on top.
Mini Cheesecake Mold:
I used this nonstick mini mold that I purchased from Amazon.
Use this mini cheesecake pan to make these other recipes:
Mini Peanut Butter Pretzel Cheesecakes
Equipment
- mini cheesecake mold pan
Ingredients
Pretzel-Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 cup roughly ground salted mini pretzels
- 1 cup ground graham crackers
- 1 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temp
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter*
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Toppings:
- 4 oz dark chocolate, chopped, melted
- leftover pretzel-graham cracker crust
- mini peanut butter cups, as needed
Instructions
- Pretzel-Graham Cracker Crust: In a food processor, pulse together pretzels and graham cracker until ground. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add sugar and melted butter. Fold to combine until cracker crumbs are moistened. Divide among mini cheesecake molds, using a rounded tablespoon of crust for each cheesecake. Use a tamper or cocktail muddler to pack crust into mold. Reserve any leftover crust. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sour cream on low speed until smooth. Slowly add sugar while the machine is running on low. Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing. Add vanilla, peanut butter, and heavy cream. Mix until smooth and well combined. Evenly divide cheesecake filling among molds. Smooth tops.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cheesecake may puff up slightly during baking, but will flatten once cooled. Let baked cheesecake cool to room temperature in pan. Transfer to fridge and let chill for at least 1 hour.
- Assembly: Once cheesecakes are chilled throughout, remove mini cheesecakes from mold. Spoon about 1 ½ Tbsp of melted chocolate over cheesecake. Sprinkle leftover crust over chocolate. Top cheesecake with chopped mini peanut butter cups. Serve immediately.
Notes
Ingredient Notes:
- I used standard store-bought no-stir peanut butter. (example: Jif, Skippy)
- Use full-fat American cream cheese. Do not use reduced fat cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese.
Storage and Leftovers:
- Bake cheesecake up two days in advance. Store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to finish assembly.
- I suggest assembling the cheesecakes right before serving to keep the chocolate melted.
- Store leftover assembled cheesecakes in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, keep in mind that the chocolate will harden in the fridge.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
These look magical! I just discovered your blog and i LOVE it!
These are just adorable. I love sweet and salty desserts – so can’t wait to try these. Beautiful photos, too. Regarding your question about eating anything you want – it would be one of two things – grilled cheese sandwiches or pizza :).
Great recipe, Thanks.
These cheese cake looks incredible. . I love the the fact that these are bite size. Yumm!!
Wish I had a couple of these cheesecakes to devour right now – they look great!
Thanks Thalia! I had to give most of them away because they’re too addicting!
I may just have to get myself a mini cheesecake pan! These little devils are to die for. Pinning!
Get it! It’s also great for making mini brownies :)
These are just GORGEOUS Maryanne! Salty, creamy, sweet, and chocolatey? You really can’t ask for more. Oh wait. Mini. It’s too good to be true.
Thanks Sarah! lol, mini for the win!
These cheesecakes were cute and delicious as is, and then you topped them with that glistening chocolate and chopped peanut butter cups. I swear your desserts look effortlessly magazine-worthy. Also, where’s my invitation to your family’s yearly gathering??
What can I say? I’m a sucker for melted chocolate.
What?! You didn’t get the invitation? I must have the wrong mailing address. ;)
These are so cute! My mom loves cheesecake and peanut butter, so this sounds like the perfect dessert to make for her this holiday season. Thanks for the tip about the mini cheesecake pan too – it’s so cute.
Thanks Sarah! I hope you make them for your mom! :)
These just might be the cutest things I’ve ever seen! It’s all about the cheesecake this Thanksgiving! I also love your mini cheesecake pan–yet another kitchen gadget I think I suddenly need!
Thanks Elizabeth! You won’t regret the mini cheesecake pan. I love it! And seriously, when is not a good time to make cheesecake? NEVER! :)