Description
Buckeye cheesecake bars blend Ohio’s favorite peanut butter and chocolate treat with creamy cheesecake perfection. Rich layers promise indulgent dessert magic for chocolate and peanut butter fans seeking sweet satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz (454 g) full-fat cream cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (177 ml) smooth peanut butter
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) chocolate-hazelnut spread
- 8 oz (226 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp flaky salt
- 20 Oreo cookies
- 5 tbsps (71 g) unsalted butter
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare Crust: Pulverize Oreo cookies with salt in a food processor. Integrate melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly into parchment-lined 9×9-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then cool slightly.
- Create Cheesecake Filling: Whip cream cheese and sugar until silky smooth. Blend in sour cream, peanut butter, hazelnut spread, vanilla extract, and salt until uniform. Gradually incorporate eggs, mixing thoroughly and scraping bowl sides to ensure even distribution.
- Bake Cheesecake: Pour filling over prepared crust, spreading evenly to eliminate air pockets. Bake 22-26 minutes until edges set and center slightly wobbles. Cool at room temperature for one hour, then refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Prepare Ganache Topping: Gently heat heavy cream to simmering point. Pour over dark chocolate chips and let rest 2-3 minutes. Whisk until glossy and smooth. Cool to pourable consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Drizzle ganache over chilled cheesecake, tilting to ensure complete coverage. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top. Refrigerate 15-20 minutes to set ganache. Remove from pan using parchment overhang, slice into 16 squares, and serve chilled.
Notes
- Chill for Perfection: Refrigerate the cheesecake for 4-6 hours or overnight to ensure a firm, smooth texture that cuts cleanly and holds its shape.
- Prevent Cracking Technique: Beat cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth, and add eggs one at a time to create a silky, crack-free cheesecake surface.
- Room Temperature Magic: Let ingredients like cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream sit at room temperature before mixing to create a more uniform, lump-free batter.
- Ganache Wisdom: Allow ganache to cool slightly before pouring to achieve the ideal pourable consistency that spreads evenly without overwhelming the cheesecake.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 17
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg