This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake is truly show-stopping: rich and creamy, layered with two flavors of cheesecake on a crunchy Oreo cookie crust. With all the right tips, you’ll have a bakery-quality cheesecake perfect for any celebration!

There are over 20 cheesecake recipes on Bunsen Burner Bakery, but here’s the funny truth: I don’t actually like cheesecake. But making cheesecakes? That’s a different story! Cheesecakes are one of my favorite desserts to bake. They look impressive, feel fancy, but are surprisingly simple once you’ve cracked the code. And at this point, I have every step down to a science, from mixing techniques to water baths to cooling methods, and I love sharing them with you.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about pulling a smooth, crack-free cheesecake out of the oven. It feels like magic every time. Plus, cheesecakes are perfect for celebrations — they slice beautifully, can be made ahead of time, and just look special. And if you’ve got chocolate and peanut butter lovers in your life (who doesn’t?), this one is for you.

This recipe is built on one base cheesecake batter that gets divided in half. Melted chocolate goes into one half, peanut butter into the other, and they get layered on top of a crunchy Oreo crust. The whole recipe is straightforward and easy to follow and the end result is incredible (if you’re a cheesecake fan, that is!).

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Oreos: Use classic filled Oreos (not Double Stuf) for the crust, or gluten-free Oreos to keep this cheesecake gluten-free. Peanut butter oreos or other flavors make a fun twist!
• Butter: Melted, unsalted butter is mixed with the Oreo crumbs.
• Cream Cheese: Use full-fat bricks of cream cheese, not whipped cream cheese or cream cheese spread.
• Granulated Sugar
• Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream provides the best flavor and texture. Whole milk yogurt can work in a pinch, but it really is much better with sour cream.
• Vanilla Extract
• Salt
• Eggs
• Dark Chocolate: The chocolate should be melted and cooled. Use chopped chocolate from a bar, not chocolate chips, for the cheesecake.
• Peanut Butter: Creamy, stabilized peanut butter is key. Natural peanut butter can separate and cause texture issues.

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

1. Make the Crust: Mix Oreo cookie crumbs with melted butter. Pack the crumbs down into a springform pan and bake until set.

2. Make the Cheesecake Batter: Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, the mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing gently.

3. Flavor the Batter: Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. Stir melted chocolate into one bowl and peanut butter into the other.

4. Layer the Cheesecake: Pour the peanut butter layer over the crust first, then gently spread the chocolate layer on top.

5. Bake the Cheesecake: Set up the water bath as detailed below. Bake at a low temperature until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake cool slowly. Once cooled to room temperature, refrigerate overnight.

Water Bath for the Best Texture

I’ve covered water baths in some of my other cheesecake posts, but it’s been a little while so it’s time for a refresher! Cheesecakes are essentially custards – and custards need slow, gently, even heat to set properly. That’s where the water bath comes in. Instead of exposing the cheesecake directly to dry oven heat, we surround it with a layer of hot water that moderates the baking temperature.

Kitchen Chemistry

A water bath provides thermal insulation and stabilizes oven temperature, allowing the cheesecake’s protein structure to coagulate slowly and evenly without overbaking the edges. The surrounding steam maintains a humid environment, preventing surface dehydration and reducing the risk of cracking. In other words, it creates the ideal low, moist heat conditions for a smooth, custard-like texture.

Here’s why it works: the water acts as a temperature buffer, keeping the heat more consistent. Without this insulation, the outer edges of the cheesecake would bake much faster than the center. The rapid temperature change can cause the proteins in the cheesecake to tighten and contract too quickly, leading to cracks, dry texture, and an uneven top. The water bath allows the entire cheesecake to cook slowly and gently, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture from edge to center. The humidity from the water bath also prevents the top of the cheesecake from drying out.

The traditional way of making a cheesecake in a water bath is wrapping the springform pan with several layers of aluminum foil, but I still find this sometimes leaks. Instead, what I prefer to do is a pan-in-pan method. I place the 9-inch springform pan inside a 10-inch cake pan, and then place this cake pan inside a roasting pan filled with hot water. The cake pan is sitting directly in the water, not the springform pan, which means no water can leak through the springform pan!

Tips and Tricks for the Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

1. Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring the cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream to room temperature for smooth mixing without lumps.
2. Mix on Low Speed: Overmixing adds air, which can cause cracks.
3. Melt Chocolate Slowly: Melt your chocolate in short bursts in the microwave or over a double boiler to avoiding burning or seizing. Make sure to cool the chocolate to room temperature before adding it to the batter!
4. Bake Low and Slow: Baking at a low oven temperature allows the proteins in the cheesecake to set gently without curdling or cracking.
5. Chill Overnight: Let the cheesecake rest in the refrigerator overnight to fully set.
6. Decorations: Drizzle with warm chocolate ganache or melted peanut butter, dollops of whipped cream, shaved chocolate, or crushed peanuts before serving.
7. Storage: The cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.
8. Suggested Tools: 9-inch Springform Pan | 10-inch Cake Pan | Stand Mixer | Beater Blade

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