• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecakes

cake· dessert
June 17, 2019

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecakes – Peanut butter cheesecake is speckled with crushed Butterfingers and stuffed with a peanut butter cup and topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream

Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecakes topped with a piece of a peanut butter bup

I had so much fun making these mini chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecakes last month. I seem to have so much more fun making things in mini form than the regular size – I think I just enjoy how cute and adorable mini desserts look. Don’t believe me? Check out these few mini treats that I’ve made that look just as precious as they do delicious:

  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Fudge Frosting
  • Cookies & Cream Cupcakes
  • Mini Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
  • Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Ever since my first attempt of mini cheesecakes a few weeks ago, I couldn’t wait to make my next mini cheesecake recipe, which brings us to today’s recipe!

The inspiration for today’s cheesecake came from a recent trip to the Cheesecake Factory. I rarely get the same cheesecake twice – except for the peanut butter ripple cheesecake. I ordered this cheesecake again and remembered why I loved it sooo much. It’s loaded with peanut butter cups and Butterfinger pieces. So that’s exactly what I did with my interpretation. However, I wanted even more peanut butter so I added peanut butter to the cheesecake base.

I call this creation my Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecakes and that’s exactly what they are – little explosions of peanut butter!

Top view of two Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecakes Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecake with a bite to show the reeses peanut butter cup inside Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecake topped with whipped cream and a piece of a peanut butter cup

Peanut Butter Everything!

I am a peanut butter addict- there I said it! So when it came to making this recipe, I had to hold myself back from adding in too much of the stuff into the recipe, keeping only the following:

  1. Creamy peanut butter
  2. Butterfinger pieces
  3. Peanut butter cups

I almost added on peanut butter buttercream on top but that would have been way too much. I love my peanut butter but I want there to be balance in this recipe, too.

How to make these cheesecakes

Cheesecake is one of the easiest desserts you can make. For these cheesecakes, you just make the crust, mix the filling, load up the molds with the filling, bake, chill, and top them with whipped cream and garnishes. It’s really that simple, I promise!

Mixing Butterfinger pieces into the cheesecake mix Closeup of the cheesecake mix and the butterfinger pieces Muffin tin with cookie base, a piece of a peanut butter cup and topped with cheesecake mixFinished plate of Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecakes

Tips & Tricks

As always, I have a few tips to help you make these peanut butter explosion cheesecakes exactly right the first time:

  1. The recipe below is made to use this special cheesecake pan. However, if you insist on using a muffin tin instead, the recipe will yield less mini cheesecakes and take a little longer to bake.
  2. The key to making any cheesecake is to use room temperature cream cheese. This ensures that there are no lumps in the cream cheese mixture when beating with the sugar and eggs.
  3. Make sure you use regular peanut butter – not the natural kind that has no sugar. Otherwise, the cheesecake texture and flavor will be off.
  4. It’s important to remove all air bubbles from the cheesecake before baking. To do this, I smack the pan on the counter a few times. This also helps level off the cheesecake so the tops are flat.

Print Recipe

Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecakes

Peanut butter cheesecake is speckled with crushed Butterfingers and stuffed with a peanut butter cup and topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Cooling time4 hours hrs
Total Time45 minutes mins
Servings: 24 cheesecakes

Ingredients

For the mini cheesecakes:
  • 20 chocolate sandwich cookies
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted, unsalted
  • 2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup crushed Butterfingers
  • 6 regular peanut butter cups (not the mini ones!)
  • freshly whipped cream (recipe below)
  • crushed Butterfingers for garnish
  • peanut butter cups for garnish
For the fresh whipped cream:
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse chocolate cookies in food processor until they turn into crumbs. Place crumbs in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir together with a fork. 
  • Grease cups of mini cheesecake pan. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cookie crumbs into each cup. Using the bottom of a shot glass, pack down the crumbs to make a cookie crust. 
  • Cut all regular peanut butter cups into quarters. Place one quarter peanut butter cup over cookie crust of each cheesecake cup. Repeat with rest of quarters. Set aside.
  • Add sugar and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium for 3 minutes. Add peanut butter cup and beat until combined and creamy. Add eggs, beating one at a time. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Fold in crushed Butterfingers
  • Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheesecake batter into each cheesecake cup, leaving about 1/4 inch free from the top. Smack down pans to release air bubbles from the cheesecake cups. 
  • Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until edges are firm but center is still jiggly. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes before placing in refrigerator to set and cool completely for 3-4 hours, while still keeping in the pan. 
  • Once cheesecakes have set, prepare the whipped cream. Add heavy cream to a bowl of a stand mixer with sugar. Whip on medium-high until very stiff peaks form. Add whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. 
  • Remove cheesecakes from the pan by pushing up cheesecakes from the bottom. Pipe little peaks on top of each cheesecake and sprinkle with more crushed Butterfingers. Top centers of whipped cream with a slice of a peanut butter cup. 

Pin for later:

Mini Peanut Butter Explosion Cheesecakes photo collage

More recipe’s you’ll love:

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecakes

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake topped with whipped cream and a cookie dough bite

Snickers Cheesecake

Piece of Snickers Cheesecake topped with pieces of a snickers

Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream Whoopie Pies

Stack of Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream Whoopie Pies

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

23 Comments

« Cucumber Pineapple Gin Refresher
Fried Chicken Breakfast Burritos »

Comments

  1. Sheney says

    November 15, 2019 at 7:28 pm

    Wow these dessert are so delicious !!!if can can you do it and sales for us! Or u make a restaurant that good !

    But this let me hungry and wanna eat now

    Reply
  2. Amanda Mason says

    June 30, 2019 at 6:09 pm

    Yummy! I’ve never made my own cheesecake before but now I want to! You make these sound so easy. Have you ever made a gluten free crust with this recipe? I’m going to give it a try!

    Reply
  3. Analida Braeger says

    June 30, 2019 at 5:34 pm

    These look like a ticket to a delicious food coma 🙂 I love anything peanut butter so this i need! This reminds me of a resees cup inside an ores then dipped in chocolate. Which is called a ” hockey puck”

    Reply
  4. Kelly Anthony says

    June 30, 2019 at 4:20 pm

    My husband is also a peanut butter addict and he is going to love this recipe. I love that these are mini that way I can’t eat the whole thing at once.

    Reply
  5. Veronika's Kitchen says

    June 30, 2019 at 1:16 pm

    I love the idea of mini cheesecakes! I think it’s a great portion control and look so adorable! My hubby is a huge fan of peanut butter, so he will love this recipe!

    Reply
  6. Marisa F. Stewart says

    June 30, 2019 at 8:08 am

    The idea of mini desserts is really genius. Talk about portion control and the servings are always so much neater. Your combination of peanut butter and chocolate is making my mouth water. And the addition of the cream cheese to make them into cheesecakes is taking several favorite dessert ingredients and making them into one. This dessert would go over huge at our family gatherings.

    Reply
  7. Kathryn says

    June 29, 2019 at 10:39 am

    I’m such a fan of mini desserts and this is the perfect use for my mini cheesecake pan! You can’t beat the flavor combo either!

    Reply
  8. Rebecca Blackwell says

    June 28, 2019 at 5:45 pm

    I am practically drooling all over my keyboard looking at the photos for these little cheesecakes. They look sooooo delicious! And, I love that they come in little individual size portions. Although, let’s be honest. I would eat three. Maybe four. Thank you for this recipe! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  9. Alisha Rodrigues says

    June 28, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    Never tried adding peanut butter in cheesecakes but this looks absolutely delicious … Need to make a few of these

    Reply
  10. Eva says

    June 26, 2019 at 4:16 pm

    My husband is a peanut butter on everything person and he’d love those! I’m always on the lookout for PB desserts to make, especially since his birthday is coming soon. Thank you!

    Reply
  11. Leslie says

    June 26, 2019 at 10:36 am

    I kind of want to make this RIGHT NOW! I love cheesecake factory but the cheesecake is so darn expensive! This recipe looks just as delicious as theirs!

    Reply
  12. Veena Azmanov says

    June 25, 2019 at 10:27 pm

    Cheese cake and Peanut Butter, something surely different. I love it.

    Reply
  13. Patricia says

    June 25, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    Whoa. My husband would absolutely flip for these!!!! YUM!!

    Reply
  14. Jessica Hughes says

    June 25, 2019 at 11:26 am

    Wishing I coukd eat these for lunch right now! My dad would go crazy over them!

    Reply
  15. Elaine Benoit says

    June 25, 2019 at 10:54 am

    These mini cheesecakes look so scrumptious! I’m a big fan of everything in these, from the chocolate cookies, butterfingers and peanut butter cups! YUM! I can’t wait to make this for our next family potluck!

    Reply
  16. Mommy Peach says

    June 25, 2019 at 10:06 am

    These peanutbutter cheesecakes looks addicting!

    Reply
  17. Katherine says

    June 25, 2019 at 8:42 am

    I’m OBSESSED with peanut butter so these look so divine! Between these and the cookie dough ones, I need to go to the gym now just so I can make these later haha

    Reply
  18. veena Azmanov says

    June 24, 2019 at 11:01 pm

    I love Peanut Butter and making cheese cakes sounds interesting and unique. A must try party dessert option.

    Reply
  19. Jen says

    June 24, 2019 at 10:27 pm

    These are dangerously amazing! So tempted to eat them all myself, haha!

    Reply
  20. Diana Reis says

    June 24, 2019 at 9:48 pm

    Oh My! These look so amazing. It is the perfect combo and all of my favorite things in a bite-sized package.

    Reply
  21. jenna | the urben life says

    June 24, 2019 at 9:24 pm

    They look so dense and yummy and rich, oooh I want one now!

    Reply
  22. Elaine says

    June 24, 2019 at 8:51 pm

    I am ready to explode… with excitement! I am so excited to try these explosion cheesecakes – they look so much fun and absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  23. Emily says

    June 24, 2019 at 8:40 pm

    I too am a peanut butter addict, so these mini cheesecakes look amazing. Great recipe!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

a cinnamon stick being dipped into a mug of mulled wine with another mug of mulled wine and a glass dish of mulled spices in the background, shot from a side angle

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

zoomed in shot of a plate of stacked chocolate gingerbread truffles with one with a bite out of it, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles

overhead shot of partially eaten baked carrot cake oatmeal in casserole dish with serving spoon

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

overhead shot of Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin in a baking dish

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

slice of pistachio loaf on a cutting board with the rest of the loaf in the background

Pistachio Loaf

stacked maple walnut cookies on a red orange napkin and one cookie with a bite removed

Maple Walnut Cookies

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

holiday favorite

Pumpkin Tres Leches

nutella pastry rolls on a sheet of parchment paper with a spoonful of nutella next to them

Nutella Pastry Rolls

sweet potato biscuits on parchment paper with butter to the side and a cast iron pan of more biscuits in it, shot from a side angle

Sweet Potato Biscuits

plate of bananas foster french toast casserole on a plate with a bottle of syrup and a baking dish with casserole in the background, shot from the front

Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole

a hand holding a cinnamon roll doughnut showing off the glazed topping

Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts

 

Fluffy, buttery sweet rolls covered in powder suga Fluffy, buttery sweet rolls covered in powder sugar. Perfect with a morning coffee!

To find this recipe, search for 'Mallorca Sweet Bread' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#sweetbread #sweetbreadrecipe #mallorcafoodie  #breadrolls #foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Thick rice noodles are stir-fried with egg, chicke Thick rice noodles are stir-fried with egg, chicken, broccoli, and a savory and slightly sweet sauce.

To find this recipe, search for 'Pad See Ew' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#padseeew #pastadish #pastarecipe  #ricenoodles  #foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Homemade, chewy dough is twisted in a pretzel shap Homemade, chewy dough is twisted in a pretzel shape, dipped in a soda bath, and baked until deep golden brown.

To find this recipe, search for 'Soft Pretzels' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#homemadedough #pretzlesrecipe #homemadepretzels #homemadesnacks 
#puffpastry  #foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Jumbo elbow macaroni and beef is tossed with a cre Jumbo elbow macaroni and beef is tossed with a creamy tomato sauce. It’s a perfect meal for weeknight dinners!

To find this recipe, search for 'Creamy Tomato Macaroni Beef' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#pastarecipe #macaronibeef #creamymacaroni #macaronirecipies 
#foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream are sandwich Raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream are sandwiched between two vanilla sponge cakes and dusted with powdered sugar. A British classic dessert perfect for dessert or afternoon tea.

To find this recipe, search for 'Victoria Sandwich Cake' on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#victoriacake #victoriasandwichcake  #vvictoriaspongecake
#puffpastry #puffpastrydessert #foodphotography #foodpics #marthafood #food #instafood #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #beautifulcuisine #foodgasm #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats

Copyright © 2025 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.