Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes are cupcake-sized cheesecakes made with a chocolate graham cracker crust, peanut butter filling, and chocolate topping. These individually sized cheesecakes are rich, decadent, and perfect for any peanut butter lover.
Mini cheesecakes are the perfect dessert for holidays, parties, and birthdays. They’re individually portioned and easy to serve. Plus, cheesecakes are well loved and always crowd-pleasing!
Chocolate and peanut butter are the perfect combination. The thick chocolate crust is the perfect base for a peanut buttery and tangy cheesecake filling.
Then, these mini cheesecakes are topped with a chocolate peanut butter candy coating. I use the same recipe to top my ice cream sundaes – Chocolate Peanut Butter Shell Ice Cream Topping. When cold, it hardens into a thin chocolate coating – the perfect topping for these cheesecakes.
Cheesecake isn’t a very sweet dessert, but can be rich and heavy. Mini cheesecakes are the perfect size to keep your portions in control!
How to Make Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes
First, gather your ingredients. You’ll also need a standard-sized cupcake pan (NOT a mini cupcake pan!). This is the cupcake pan I use – it is a Wilton 24 cupcake pan.
Let’s start with your graham cracker crust and cheesecake filling.
For the graham cracker crust, you’ll need chocolate graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter.
For the cheesecake filling, you’ll need two 8 ounce bricks of cream cheese (room temperature), eggs (room temperature), peanut butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
First, add your graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar to a bowl and mix to combine.
Then, add your melted butter and stir until evenly incorporated.
Next, divide the graham cracker crumb mixture between 18 lined cupcake liners. This should come out to about one tablespoon per cupcake.
Next, using your hands or something flat like a measuring cup, press down firmly to compact the crust into the bottom of each cup.
Set this aside for now. Next, you’ll mix your cheesecake filling.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Filling
In a large bowl, add your bricks of cream cheese and beat until creamy. Next, you’ll add each of your ingredients, one at a time, to prevent a lumpy batter.
First, add your granulated sugar and mix until incorporated. Then, add your eggs and mix until incorporated. Now add your peanut butter and mix. 
Last, add your vanilla extract and mix just until incorporated. Each step should only take a short amount of time to mix, so there’s no need to over-mix your batter.
Over-mixing can add air to your batter, causing your cheesecake to rise in the oven, then sink in the middles while cooling. Although there is some sinking when making mini cheesecakes, yours may sink more dramatically if your batter is over-mixed. 
Next, evenly portion your batter between the 18 cupcakes. This should be about 3 tablespoons for each cup. A large cookie scoop is the correct size needed if you’d like to portion your batter exactly.
Before placing in the oven, I like to gently tap my pan on the counter top a few times to remove any excess air bubbles.
Next, bake as directed. Your cheesecakes will be done when they’re no longer jiggly in the middle. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely before adding any toppings.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Coating
Next, you’ll make your chocolate peanut butter candy shell topping.
You’ll need semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut oil.
Add your ingredients to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until your chocolate is fully melted. 
Next, top each cooled cupcake with a spoonful of your chocolate coating. Try tilting your cupcakes from side to side to cover the entire top.
The best part about this chocolate topping? Not only is it delicious, but it helps cover any imperfections (cracks or sinking) on top of your cheesecakes.
Once all of your cheesecakes have been topped with chocolate, refrigerate until chocolate has hardened.
Store cheesecakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Tips For Making Successful Mini Cheesecakes
- Use a regular sized cupcake pan (NOT a mini cupcake pan). The term ‘mini’ refers to the size of these cheesecakes when compared to a regular whole cheesecake.
- Line your cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners for easy removal from the pan.
- Use regular cream cheese, not low-fat or fat-free. I have not tested this recipe with a low or fat-free cream cheese, and cannot guarantee they will turn out otherwise.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and eggs. Your batter will get lumpy if you try to mix cold cream cheese with other ingredients.
- Chocolate graham crackers can be substituted with chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreo) instead.
Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes VS Peanut Butter Cups
These peanut butter cup cheesecakes are going to taste more like cheesecake than a peanut butter cup. Looking at the photos, they may look just like giant peanut butter cups.
But, they have a tangy and rich cheesecake flavor. They’ll also be less sweet than the popular manufactured candy.
Think of them like a mix between a cheesecake and a peanut butter cup – they’re the best of both worlds!
Looking for a traditional mini cheesecake? Try my Easy Mini Cheesecakes recipe!
Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Peanut Butter Topping
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar. Stir to combine. Add melted butter and stir until fully incorporated. Spoon 1 tablespoon of crust into each muffin liner. Using the back of a measuring cup, press graham cracker mixture firmly into the bottom of each cup. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Add granulated sugar, then mix until smooth. Next, add eggs and mix until incorporated. Add peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Last, add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Be sure not to over-mix, just mix until each ingredient is incorporated into the batter.
- Distribute batter evenly between your cups (about 3 tablespoons of filling should go into each cup). After filling all cups, gently tap pan onto counter top to level filling and remove any excess air bubbles.
- Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until cheesecake is no longer jiggly in the center. Tops may crack slightly, this is normal. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing cheesecakes from the pan. Your cheesecakes may sink in the middle slightly when cooling.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Topping
- In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut oil. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted and combined. If preferred, you can melt over a double boiler on the stove top as well.
- Add a spoonful of chocolate topping to the tops of each mini cheesecake. Tilt from side to side until entire top is coated.
- Refrigerate mini cheeseccakes until chocolate topping has hardened. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Equipment
Notes
- This recipe makes 18 cupcake/muffin sized cheesecakes. "Mini" refers to the size compared to a regular cheesecake, and does not refer to a mini muffin tin.
- Room temperature ingredients are important for making a creamy cheesecake filling. If one, or all, of your ingredients are cold, this will cause your batter to be lumpy.
- If you have a lumpy batter, try pressing it through a fine mesh sieve to remove the lumps.
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