Buckeye Cheesecake Bars

5 from 6 votes

Peanut butter cheesecake bars with an Oreo cookie crust, and topped with chocolate ganache. These taste just like a Buckeye ball!

Prep Time30

Cook Time49

Chilling time4

Total Time5 19

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 600kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the crust:

18 Oreo cookies
5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter, melted
Pinch salt

For the buckeye cheesecake bars:

16 ounces (2 packages, 454g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream, oom temperature
3 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup (270 g) creamy peanut butter

For the chocolate topping:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

Instructions

Make cookie crust:

Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Line a 8x8-inch square baking pan with tin foil or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a food processor, crush Oreo cookies into crumbs. Place crumbs into a small mixing bowl. Stir in melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms.
Press the oreo crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside.

Make buckeye cheesecake bars:

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or you can do this in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) beat the cream cheese and sugar together on medium speed until smooth.
Add in the heavy cream and beat until smooth.
Add in the eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated.
Beat in the vanilla extract, pinch of salt and peanut butter and beat on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour filling on top of the crust. Bake in the preheated 325°F oven, for 40-45 minutes, until the edges are set but the middle of the bars are still soft in the center. The bars will continue to firm up as they cool.
Remove the bars from the oven, and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Once cheesecake bars have cooled, top with chocolate ganache.

Make chocolate ganache:

Chop chocolate into fine pieces and place into a heatproof bowl.
Heat cream in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering, but not boiling. Pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, do not stir.
After 5 minutes, whisk until smooth.
Pour over cooled cheesecake bars before serving. Smooth with spatula if necessary. Transfer to the refrigerator until set, about 15 minutes.
Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

How to store peanut butter buckeye cheesecake?

Transfer the cheesecake to an airtight container. It will be easier to store them if they are already cut into bars. To ensure they don't stick together, place a parchment paper before placing another layer of peanut butter cheesecake bars.

It can last for 5 to 7 days in the fridge.

What can I use as an Oreos substitute?

If you don't have Oreos or want to try something new, you can use graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or chocolate cookie crumbs to make the crust.

Can I freeze this buckeye cheesecake?

Yes, you can freeze the whole cheesecake pan or individual bars. Just make sure they are cool completely before freezing.

To freeze the cheesecake bars, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and then place it inside a sealed freezer bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent drying and freezer burns. It can last up to 3 months in your freezer.

And when you are ready to serve, transfer to your fridge and leave it overnight to thaw.

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