Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes with Reese's Crust

These Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes are made with a Reese's peanut butter cup crust and creamy chocolate topping. A swirl of whipped topping and a mini peanut butter cup adds the perfect touch. Mini Reese's cheesecakes are the perfect dessert for the peanut butter lovers in your life.

If you are looking for more easy Reese's desserts, check out these peanut butter rice krispie treats and this Reese's ice cream cake.

Mini cheesecakes are a fun dessert to make and serve for any occasion. Since I puffy heart love cheesecake AND Reese's peanut butter cups, I mashed my two favorites into one glorious mini dessert. 

These mini peanut butter cheesecakes are made with a peanut butter cup crust and topped with a creamy chocolate ganache. They are the perfect size to share, but we totally won't judge if you just want to keep them all to yourself.

Why You Will Love These

These little desserts are the perfect size for parties, gatherings, or just to enjoy yourself when no one is looking. And they taste amazing! The creamy peanut butter filling is balanced perfectly by the candy crust and chocolate topping.  Guest will fall in love after just one bite!

Plus, making mini cheesecakes are so much easier than making a full sized cheesecake. They bake in a short amount of time and chill quickly. And there is no need to use a steam or water bath when baking them. Check out these mini blueberry lemon cheesecakes and see how easy they are to make!

Run to the store to buy the ingredients you need to make a batch of these mini peanut butter cup cheesecakes right away! I just know that after you try one of these sweet little treats, you won't be able to stop at just one.

Ingredients Needed

You can bake up a batch of these mini cheesecakes with just a handful of ingredients. 

• Cream Cheese - Set two blocks of full fat cream cheese out ahead of time, so it can soften. Cold cream cheese is really hard to mix into the sugar and will leave you with lumps in your filling.
• Granulated Sugar - Sweetens the filling and also helps to break the cream cheese down into a light and creamy filling.
• Honey - Adds a unique and delicious flavor to these peanut butter treats.
• Sour Cream - Helps to soften the cream cheese and also adds a nice tang.
• Peanut Butter - We always use creamy peanut butter for cheesecake recipes, but you can use a crunchy peanut butter if that's what you have or if you want a crunch in the cheesecakes.
• Eggs - Binds the ingredients together and adds moisture.
• Peanut Butter Cups - You will need two different sizes for these mini cheesecake cups. Use full sized peanut butter cups for the crust and miniatures for the garnish. Do not buy the snack sized ones because they are smaller and will not fill the bottom of the muffin liners.
• Heavy Cream & Chocolate Chips - Heated together to make a smooth and creamy chocolate ganache for the cheesecake topping.
• Cool Whip - Add a swirl to the top of each one before serving. You can also make and use this easy whipped cream recipe, if you prefer that instead.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cheesecakes

You won't believe how easy these mini peanut butter cheesecakes are to make with our step by step instructions. With just a few minutes of prep time and under 30 minutes in the oven, you can enjoy mini baked cheesecakes any night of the week.

Step One: Make the Cheesecake Batter

1. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the creamy peanut butter, honey, and sour cream and mix again.
3. Stir in the eggs one a time just until they are mixed in. Do not over beat the batter once you add the eggs.

Step Two: Fill the Pan

1. Unwrap the regular sized Reese's peanut butter cups and place one in the bottom of 16 cupcake liners.
2. Spoon the peanut butter cheesecake filling evenly into the prepared muffin pan.

Step Three: Bake and Cool

1. Bake the cheesecake cupcakes in a preheated oven for 22-25 minutes. The tops will start to puff up and crack on the sides letting you know they are done.
2. Remove from the oven and place muffin tin an a wire rack. Let the mini cheesecakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
3. Gently remove each one from the pan and set back on the wire rack. Cool one hour, then place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Step Four: Decorate and Serve

1. Stir together heavy cream and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Heat for 1 minutes. Stir until melted and creamy.
3. Top each mini Reese's cheesecake with a spoonful of the chocolate ganache topping. Let the chocolate set.
4. Use a piping bag fitted with icing tip 1M to add a swirl of Cool Whip.
5. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles and another mini Reese's peanut butter cup right before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before making the batter. 
• Use Reese's peanut butter for a delicious taste.
• Beat the mixture on low speed to avoid adding too much air into the batter.
• Use a standard muffin tin for these cheesecake cupcakes. 
• Line the pan with cupcake liners, so you can easily remove the cheesecakes after baking.

Storage Recommendations

Refrigerator: Keep the cheesecake cupcakes in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. 

Freezer: Place the cooled and undecorated cheesecakes on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Place the cheesecakes in a freezer bag or container with a layer of parchment paper between them. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Add the chocolate and Cool Whip before serving.

FAQ's

Why did my cheesecakes sink in the middle?

This can happen when you beat the cheesecake batter too much. Over beating adds extra air into the batter causing cheesecake to puff like a soufflé as it bakes. As the cheesecakes cool, they will sink. 

Can you freeze mini cheesecakes?

Yes, these cheesecake cupcakes are freezer friendly. They will keep 2-3 months if placed in freezer safe bags or containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

More Reese's Recipes

• Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
• Reese's Cookie recipe
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cupcakes
• Reese's Popcorn
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

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(original photo from October 2011)

*The post for Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes was first published October 2011. The post and photos were updated and republished November 2021.

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