Ingredients
For the Base
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 11-12 full sheets)
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup creamy, no-stir peanut butter
- 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 pinch of Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the Topping (Optional)
- Extra peanut butter, for drizzling
- Mini chocolate chips
- Mini peanut butter cups
Make the Base and Filling
First, line a 9×5 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving enough hanging over the sides so you can easily lift the bars out later.
If you’re making your own crumbs, pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until they’re fine. Add the cane sugar and pulse a few more times to mix. With the processor running on low, stream in the melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand.
Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared pan. You can use the back of a measuring cup to get it nice and even. Stick the pan in the fridge while you make the filling.
In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese until it’s completely smooth and fluffy. Add the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and salt, and beat on low speed at first, then turn it up to medium until everything is combined.
In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste together until stiff peaks form – this should take a minute or two.
Gently fold about half of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, then fold in the rest.
Assemble and Chill the Bars
Take your pan with the crust out of the fridge and pour the cheesecake filling on top, spreading it into a smooth, even layer.
If you want, you can drizzle a little extra peanut butter over the top and swirl it in with a knife. You can also sprinkle on some mini chocolate chips and peanut butter cups.
Get the pan back in the fridge and let it chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until the filling is firm. Once it’s set, you can slice it and serve.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars (No Bake)
Ingredients
For the Base
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs from about 11-12 full sheets
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup creamy no-stir peanut butter
- 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the Topping (Optional)
- Extra peanut butter for drizzling
- Mini chocolate chips
- Mini peanut butter cups
Instructions
- Line 9×5 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang.
- Pulse graham crackers into crumbs, mix with sugar, then blend in melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press crumb mixture firmly into pan bottom using measuring cup. Refrigerate.
- Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add peanut butter, powdered sugar, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Whip heavy cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture in two batches.
- Pour filling over crust and smooth top.
- Optional: drizzle with extra peanut butter and top with mini chocolate chips and peanut butter cups.
- Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
- Lift using parchment and slice to serve.
Notes
