This salty, crunchy pretzel crust is the perfect base for this peanut butter cheesecake with chocolate ganache. These are a lot easier to make than they look and are the perfect treat for any party!
Servings: 16 squares
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 4+ hours
Ingredients:
For the pretzel crust:
3 cups mini pretzel twists
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
For the cheesecake:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
For the ganache:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
Directions:
For the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
In a food processor or in a ziploc bag, crush the pretzels into very fine even crumbs (the texture of coarse sand). It should be about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.
In a small bowl, stir together the pretzel crumbs, melted butter and brown sugar.
Lightly press in the bottom of the prepared pan until you get a flat, even surface. I recommend just doing it with your hands. You want it to be flat and even, but don't pack it in too tightly or it will be too crumbly.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Put the crust back into the oven for 3-5 minutes until the chocolate chips are melted. Use a spoon to spread the chocolate evenly across the pretzel crust.
Let cool completely.
For the cheesecake:
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and brown sugar. Add in the eggs one at a time, followed by the peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt.
Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the cooled crust and bake for 30 minutes. The edges should be completely set and starting to brown while the center is bouncy to the touch.
Cool completely, cover with foil and then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours. I prefer to chill it overnight as it will keep for at least 2 days.
For the ganache:
In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the chocolate chips and peanut butter and let sit for 2 minutes.
Stir the ganache until fully smooth and pour into a ziploc bag.
To assemble:
Pull out the cheesecake using the parchment paper and set on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the cheesecake into 16 even squares.
Move the squares to a platter, saving the pretzel crumbs left behind on the parchment paper.
Cut a very small corner of the ganache bag and drizzle the chocolate on each square.
Sprinkle the pretzel crumbs on top and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
Notes:
The pretzel crust is a little crumbly, but shouldn't make it difficult to eat. You can try packing it less in the pan, adding more butter or adjusting the cooking time.
Love this recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment or messaging me on Instagram! I'd love to hear what you think.
This recipe was adapted from Handle The Heat.