Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars – stuffing peanut butter cups into peanut butter cheesecake bars layered on a cookie crust and then drizzling them with chocolate is always a good idea! There’s no water bath involved or even the need for a springform pan which means even beginner bakers can handle this one with amazing results.

Coming from someone who isn’t a fan of cheesecake, I must say, these are pretty unforgettable!

However, I do love Reese’s peanut butter cups and the chocolate and peanut butter combination which is why I also love a slice of Brownie Bottom Peanut Butter Cheesecake!

There are distinct layers of a cookie crust and peanut butter, chocolate, and cheesecake in every bite. It’s a creamy peanut butter cheesecake with a surprise peanut butter cup in every slice. Although they’re pretty indulgent, they’re super easy to make. This is especially helpful when the holidays roll around!

Serve it warm and gooey or chilled and slightly firm. Enjoy it as a handheld portable cheesecake bar or get fancy and use a fork.

Either way, you’re going to find this cheesecake dessert as irresistible as I do!

Equipment you’ll need

• 9 x 13 baking dish – I love that this one has a lid.
• Food processor – for crushing the cookies. I have this mini one.
• Pretty spatulas – for smoothing out the batter.

Ingredients

• For The Crust – Nutter Butter Cookies and Unsalted Butter. Once the cookies are processed into a fine crumb, either by placing them in a zip-top bag and crushing them with a rolling pin, or using a food processor, the melted butter holds them together to bind the crust.
• Cream Cheese – Bring it to room temperature ahead of time so that it’s soft enough to cream easily. Use cream cheese from a block, not the tub of spreadable stuff, which contains more water.
• Granulated White Sugar – Since cream cheese is quite tart and peanut butter can be a bit salty, we need the sugar to balance it out and make it all kinds of dessert-y!
• Peanut Butter – Use commercial smooth peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) and not natural peanut butter. The natural stuff tends to separate and is much thinner which will change the consistency of the cheesecake.
• All Purpose Flour & Large Eggs – This is a baked cheesecake, so we need flour and eggs to create structure and to make it light and fluffy.
• Milk – This will help to thin out the thick cream cheese into a pourable batter. I use 2% milk.
• Peanut Butter Cups – Full size, no skimping here!
• Chocolate Drizzle – Chocolate Chips and Creamy Peanut Butter.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

1. Step One: Combine the crushed cookies and melted butter and mix until it looks like wet sand. Then use your hands or a spatula to press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a prepared 9 x 13 baking dish. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to smooth and level it out.

2. Step Two: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and flour on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Then, add the eggs one at a time, while continuing to beat. Stir in the milk.

3. Step Three: Pour the batter onto the prepared crust and spread it out evenly. Gently press the peanut butter cups into the batter, making sure to evenly space them out. You want every bar to have one. Press them far enough in so that they are hidden. Use a spatula to smooth the batter evenly across the top.

4. Step Four: Bake the peanut butter cheesecake bars for 10 minutes in a preheated 325° F and then reduce the heat to 250° F and bake for another 40 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool on the counter for 30 minutes before moving it to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours.
   
5. Step Five: To make the drizzle, microwave the chocolate chips and peanut butter for 10 seconds at a time, stirring in between each interval. Use a plastic baggie with the tip snipped, a fork, or a spoon to drizzle it on top of the bars. Place them back into the fridge to set before slicing.

What to Serve with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

These don’t need much as they are decadent! However, I don’t know anyone that would decline a scoop of chocolate or vanilla ice cream on the side.

This is the kind of chilled bar that would also go great with a hot cup of coffee for brunch or a Drunk Rudolph Milkshake for dessert!

How to Store Reese’s Cheesecake Bars

How to store leftovers

Once completely cooled, you can store these peanut butter cup cheesecake bars in an airtight container.

How long will they last in the fridge?

They have quite a bit of dairy in them, so as soon as they’re cooled, you want to keep them in the fridge. They will keep fresh for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze homemade Reese’s cheesecake bars?

Sure you can! Once completely chilled, wrap them well with plastic wrap and then foil. I like to wrap the bars individually so that I only need to thaw what I will be eating.

Transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and keep them frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

FAQs

Need More Cheesecakes & Bars? Try These:

Red Velvet Cheesecake Swirl

Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Click here for my entire collection of Dessert Recipes

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars – stuffing peanut butter cups into cheesecake bars then drizzling them with chocolate is always a good idea!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Chill Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 15 bars

Calories 458 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

For the crust

• 16 Nutter Butter cookies
• ¼ cup unsalted butter melted

For the peanut butter cheesecake

• 16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup milk I used 2%
• 15 full size peanut butter cups

For the chocolate drizzle

• ½ cup chocolate chips I use Ghirardelli
• 1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Instructions

 

• Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and lightly spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.

To make the crust

• Place the Nutter Butter cookies into a large zip top bag and crush into fine crumbs with a rolling pin (or crush the cookies in a food processor). Pour into a large bowl and add the melted butter. Mix until fully combined.
• Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set aside.

To make the cheesecake

• Preheat the oven to 325° F.
• In a large bowl, on medium speed, beat together the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and flour until smooth and creamy.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Stir in the milk.
• Pour the batter onto the prepared crust and gently spread it out evenly.
• Unwrap the peanut butter cups and gently press them into the batter, evenly spaced, so when the bars are cut, each gets one. They should be fully covered with the batter – use a spatula to smooth it evenly across the top.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 325° F.
• After 10 minutes, reduce heat to 250 and bake for 40 minutes or until the center is just slightly jiggly.
• Remove from the oven and cool on the counter for 30 minutes. Once cooled, move the entire pan to the refrigerator to cool for another 4+ hours (up to overnight).

To make the drizzle

• Place the chocolate chips and tablespoon of peanut butter into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth.
• Pour the melted chocolate into a plastic baggie, snip the tip, and drizzle over the top. Place back into the fridge to let the chocolate set.
• Cut into bars so that each bar gets a Reese’s cup.

Notes

These make are very generous sized bars. You could cut them in half (making 30 bars) and they will still be good sized.

Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Use a creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy), not a natural peanut butter. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 458kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 9gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 277mgPotassium: 186mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 609IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Originally published January 15, 2013