CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE BITES

For years I’ve been making this incredible chocolate peanut butter pie to rave reviews. And it’s so delicious – that often times the entire pie gets eaten even before I’ve had the chance to enjoy a slice myself!

So I recently had the idea of turning that pie into smaller bite-sized portions to bring to a neighborhood party – that way more of the guests (including myself) would be able to enjoy this fantastic dessert!  And that was the inspiration behind today’s recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites!

This recipe is very well-suited for serving in mini or standard-size cupcake tins. We started by pressing a sweet graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner to form a crust. Then we piped in a sweet and creamy cheesecake filling made with whipped cream, peanut butter and cream cheese.

After the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites firm up a bit in the freezer, we topped it with a dollop of chocolate ganache for the perfect finishing touch!

INGREDIENTS

• For the crusts
• ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• For the filling
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• For the ganache topping
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line a muffin tin (use either a 24 min or 12 standard-sized muffin pan) with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. To prepare the crusts, blend graham cracker crumbs, 4 tablespoons sugar, brown sugar and melted butter in a bowl until fully combined. Divide mixture evenly among the muffin tins and using a small glass, your fingers or a tart tamper like this – press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom. Place the muffin tin into the freezer while preparing the filling.
3. Whip the 1½ cups heavy cream until it holds stiff peaks. Set aside in the refrigerator while preparing the rest of the filling.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until blended. Add peanut butter and vanilla, mixing well. (Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure that the ingredients are fully blended.)
5. Fold whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, blending well. Using a large pastry bag fitted with a large open tip, pipe the filling into the prepared muffin cups – evenly dividing the filling among the tins. Place the filled muffin tin back into the freezer for 30 minutes or until firm.
6. To prepare the ganache topping, in a small saucepan with a lid, slowly bring the remaining ½ cup of heavy cream to a boil (being careful not to scald the cream). Turn off the heat and add chocolate chips, pushing the chips into the cream until almost completely covered. Place the lid on the sauce pan and let sit on the stove.
7. After 10 minutes, stir until the chocolate chips are melted and fully blended into the cream. Cool the ganache to room temperature, then spoon a dollop of the ganache over each cupcake. Place in freezer for another 30 minutes to firm up the ganache.

Note: If serving these cheesecakes more than ½ an hour after final preparation, store in the freezer. Thaw for 5-10 minutes before serving. Re-freeze any leftovers for best results.

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