Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for swirl)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (for swirl)
  • 24 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (for filling)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (for filling)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • Melted dark chocolate, for drizzling (Optional)
  • Chopped roasted peanuts (Optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Pulse chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Mix crumbs with melted butter; press mixture firmly into the bottom of each liner to form the crust.
  2. Bake the crusts for 8 minutes; remove from oven and allow them to cool slightly.
  3. Make the Peanut Butter Swirl: In a small bowl, whisk together creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth and combined. Set aside.
  4. Prepare the Cheesecake Filling Base: Beat softened cream cheese in a large bowl until completely smooth, scraping down the sides. Gradually beat in the remaining ¾ cup sugar until fluffy, ensuring no lumps remain.
  5. Gently beat in the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing only until just combined after each addition. Gently stir in the vanilla extract, heavy cream, and salt.
  6. Assemble: Spoon the cheesecake batter evenly over the partially baked crusts, filling the liners about ¾ full.
  7. Swirl: Drop small dollops of the reserved peanut butter mixture over the top of the batter in each cup. Use a toothpick or skewer to gently drag through the dollops, creating a marbled swirl effect.
  8. Bake for 18–22 minutes. The centers should look mostly set with a slight jiggle remaining.
  9. Cooling Process: Turn the oven off; crack the door open slightly (propping it with a wooden spoon). Let the cheesecakes cool gradually inside the oven for 1 hour.
  10. Chill: Remove cheesecakes, let them cool fully at room temperature, then cover and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight before serving.
  11. Garnish and Serve: Drizzle with melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts just before serving.