Guest Post: Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe

You can always tell that it is almost Easter when eggs and cream cheese start going on sale. Last week Safeway/Vons had an awesome BOGO free sale on the new Kraft cream cheese spread. The sale combined with the 1.50 off 2 coupons as well as the Catalina make for a very inexpensive cheesecake! That combined with the awesome finding of Nutter Butter pieces and eggs from the 99cents Only stores creates a decadent cheesecake that will serve at least 12 people for under $7.00!!!! For a cheesecake…that is a steal!! Here is a peanut butter cheesecake recipe

Ingredients for the peanut butter cheesecake recipe – sugar, flour, butter, cocoa powder, and peanut butter.

Crumb Crust

16 ounces nutter butter pieces or 1 package nutter butter

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted (if using nutter butter with filling, use 1 stick of butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

4 (8-ounce) packages chocolate cream cheese, softened (if you cannot find the chocolate cream cheese scroll down for adjustments)

3/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9in round springform pan with nonstick spray. Finely pulse cookies in a food processor, add sugar, salt, and melted butter and mix well. Press crumb mixture into the pan on the bottom and on the sides. Put in the freezer while you make the filling.

Prepare the filling: beat the cream cheese on high for 2 minutes. Add sugar, cocoa, powder, and flour and beat on medium for another 2 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition to avoid unmixed strips of cream cheese. Pour filling into pan. Cover bottom and sides of cheesecake pan with foil (to prevent water from seeping in) and set in a larger roasting pan. Pour boiling water in a roasting pan so that it reaches approx. halfway up cheesecake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. When cheesecake is done, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake for another 2 hours. Then remove and allow to thoroughly cool.

* If you are not using the chocolate cream cheese spread, substitute 4 packages regular cream cheese and 1/2 of melted chocolate.

Ganache

12 ounces of chocolate chips

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 c heavy cream

On low heat, add all ingredients and mix until melted and smooth. Pour over cheesecake and lick the spoon. Melt 2 tablespoons of peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon dollops onto ganache and swirl with a knife.

Refrigerate overnight, and then enjoy with a large glass of milk!

This peanut butter cheesecake is very large and tall. It will serve at least 12 people.

Jackie is the blogger over at theseasidebaker.com and is a full-time student and mother of three from Solana Beach, Ca, making the most out of living life on a budget!