Recipe with step-by-step photos for a delicious no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, using a chocolate biscuit base and an easy filling with crunchy peanut butter.
I was recently watching an episode of Nigella’s Kitchen where Nigella was making a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, a calorie-laden recipe which is quite true to her kitsch junkie style, not to mention that she made the whole thing whilst wearing a black satin nightrobe, all the while miraculously managing to avoid spilling anything on herself.
Perhaps if I, too, donned a silk nightrobe instead of a frilly apron everytime I entered the kitchen, I might make less of a mess??
I was all inspired to recreate the same Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, up until the moment when Nigella popped the cheesecake into the oven. I realised then, disappointedly, that I would never attempt this recipe.
Despite Nigella’s confident instructions to bake the cheesecake until there is still a hint of “inner-thigh wibble”, baked cheesecakes have never worked for me, sadly.
These days, when the craving for a baked cheesecake ensues, I head down to my local Starbucks and order a serve of their baked New York cheesecake; I think it’s the perfect cheesecake and am happy to concede that some (ok, many) shop-bought cakes cannot be improved upon.
But if I were to make a cheesecake at home, I always turn to the no-bake variety. Not only do they taste delicious but there is no pfaffing about with water baths and oven temperatures – you can rarely find a more stress-free recipe than a no-bake cheesecake.
So it was a coincidence that I was flicking through Margaret Fulton’s latest baking compendium, aptly titled Baking, that I stumbled across a recipe for a no-bake chocolate peanut butter cheesecake. I hardly needed any encouragement to make it promptly, although I did have difficulties finding willing volunteers to share in this high-calorie dessert.
Thankfully, the combination of chocolate and peanut butter is quite exotic in Switzerland and I was able to lure my neighbours over for a sampling before sending them off for a jog in the nearby forest.
As you will see from the recipe below, this no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake is a breeze to make. I love how, in Margaret Fulton’s introduction to this recipe, she states that the recipe originated in the US where peanut butter is very popular, but that she had adapted the recipe to suit Australian palates. By that, I presume she means that her version is less sweet and decadent than its American counterpart.
Although the peanut butter has a subtle presence, you can definitely taste it. The chocolate biscuit base and peanut butter are certainly a novel pairing for a cheesecake, but somehow it really works. You could use any chocolate biscuit for the biscuit base, although chocolate wheaten biscuits might fool you into thinking that the cake is healthier for it.
All in all, a lovely, simple no-bake cheesecake recipe which I would love to make again.
For a printable recipe, please scroll down.
Other No-Bake Cheesecake Recipes You Might Also Like
Chocolate lovers will swoon over this incredibly easy, but totally delicious, Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.
Making cheesecake in individual portions are a great idea when entertaining, and my go-to recipe are these Mini Cheesecake with Raspberries & Passionfruit.
I also love Ottolenghi’s recipe for Cheesecake Pots with Plum Compote with its totally addictive hazelnut crumble.
PrintChocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Recipe with step-by-step photos for a delicious no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, using a chocolate biscuit base and an easy filling with crunchy peanut butter. Recipe adapted from Baking by Margaret Fulton.
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RateIngredients
For the cheesecake base
- 200 g (7 oz) chocolate digestive biscuits (see Kitchen Notes)
- 60 g (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon milk
For the cheesecake filling
- 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) milk
- 250 g (9 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 110 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 30 g (1 oz) dark (bittersweet) chocolate, chopped
Instructions
To make the cheesecake base
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) (see Kitchen Notes for a no-bake option).
- Place the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until you have fine crumbs.
- Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of milk. Blitz again until everything is well-combined.
- Press the mixture into the base of a 20cm (8 inch) loose-bottom flan tin or tart tin.
- Use your fingers to gently push the mixture up the sides of the tin, leaving a sufficiently thick border so that the tart will have some stability when unmoulded.
- Bake the biscuit base for 15 minutes.
- Place the tart tin on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
To make the cheesecake filling
- In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter and 1/2 cup of milk.
- Heat gently over very low heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
- Beat the cream cheese together with the sugar until smooth. You can either do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or simply with a bowl and wooden spoon.
- Stir the peanut butter mixture through the cream cheese mixture.
To assemble the cheesecake
- Spoon the filling into the cooled biscuit base and spread evenly.
- Cover the tin loosely with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for a few hours until the filling is firm.
- Melt the chocolate, either in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water, or carefully in the microwave.
- Pour the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag and snip off a corner. Alternatively, use a small piping bag.
- Slowly drizzle the melted chocolate over the cheesecake.
- Return the cheesecake to the fridge for about 15 minutes to set before serving.
Kitchen Notes
You can use chocolate digestive biscuits or plain digestive biscuits for the cheesecake base. Speculoos biscuits are also delicious in this recipe.
Baking the cheesecake base gives makes it more firm and stable. You can skip the baking step if you chill the cheesecake base in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before adding the filling.
OVEN TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this website state temperatures for a regular oven (i.e. a conventional oven without fan). If you have a convection oven with a fan, please consult the manufacturer’s handbook on how to adjust the temperature and baking time accordingly.
CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Per slice
- Calories: 512
- Sugar: 28.6g
- Sodium: 177.4mg
- Fat: 36.8g
- Carbohydrates: 40.3g
- Fiber: 2.8g
- Protein: 9.6g
- Cholesterol: 48.5mg
Update
This recipe was first published on 4 September 2012. It has been updated with more comprehensive recipe notes.
My my, look at that, how indulging! …. the last photo takes my breath away! However calorie rich it may be, who can say no to this divine treat? I am sure your volunteers would not have regretted the sampling.
Can’t praise you enough for your neat step by step photos. The chocolate wheaten biscuits looks delicious too 🙂
Thank you! When you think about it, I don’t think it was indulgent as it seems … there’s only 3/4 cup of peanut butter in this cheesecake. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself! And the natural version of these biscuits are really delicious. This was the first time I had tried the chocolate version which are pretty good as well 🙂
I’m the same! Cheesecakes are just better when prepared in the oven, don’t know what that is;) But your version looks so gorgeous and indulgent!
Looks divine!
This looks soooo tasty! YUM!
I totally agree… the no bake cheesecake is the way to go! Plus, I love peanut butter and chocolate. What an impressive dessert!
Thanks, Jen! Glad to know of another no-bake cheesecake fan 🙂
Gran Cereale, what a great idea!!!!
Your cake looks stunning!
Have a nice day
Gran Cereale were the closest I could find to chocolate wheaten biscuits, and I think they were perfect in this recipe. I often eat the natural version and this was my first time trying the chocolate ones. I think you can get them too in Italy?
Yes, here there are several versions of them! Actually I don’t like them a lot but I’m going to give it a go as a base for a cheese cake!
Looking also for no bake cheesecakes, but not for the same reason : I don’t have any oven ! If I dont’t add milk and use the dought in a classical-cheesecake way, I am sure I can manage ^v^ Thank you very much !
That’s right, I remember that you don’t have an oven at the moment! There are lots of recipes for cheesecake bases which don’t require baking, and they would be perfect here. The baking just helps to keep everything in shape, I think, otherwise you could certainly leave out the milk and just leave the base in the fridge for it to firm up. Good luck!
Surely I would say the same with every PB cheesecake: “I have to try it!”. But yours, wow, it has something specian in that crust that I love!! I need a box, of two, of that biscuits!! One for the cake, the other for me, 😛
And, wow, it sounds funny your experience with cheesecake, but, believe me, you have to try again the oven type!! If I can, you can’t!! You make soooooooo cute recipes, you must be also the queen of baked cheesecakes!!
Then, you can not use the bain marie, and then, if it cracks on the top, using lots and lots or jam, jajajajaj
But, anyway, I love something of this tipe of cheesecake! You can make a little batch, using a small mould, for that, it’s perfect!!
Sorry for my english, I think that this morning I have made too many mistakes, upsss
Hi Paula!
I don’t know why I can’t get baked cheesecakes right. Often, the edges are over-cooked but the centre is under-cooked. Or the overall texture is just not very smooth and silky like a cheesecake should be. Or by the time I have baked it long enough for the centre to cook, the whole cake is over-cooked and doesn’t taste right. Maybe I just have high expectations??
That’s a great idea about making this chocolate peanut butter cheesecake in small moulds, or perhaps even glasses … I will have to remember that! Thank you for this wonderful idea!!
I love cheesecake in any form but this looks especially delicious! Love the chocolate peanut butter combo (as you’ll see from my latest post too!) 🙂
Just saw your post on your chocolate peanut butter mousse cake – how divine!! It looks really impressive, too. Chocolate and peanut butter are a marriage made in heaven, aren’t they?
Thanh – this looks amazing!! It’s not helping my super sweet tooth and sugar cravings 🙂 I do love anything peanut butter and chocolate. Love your work!! x
Thanks Anna! Now that you have a shiny new KitchenAid, you will have no excuse to whip up simple desserts like these! This cheesecake really hit the spot for me 🙂
That looks just delicious! I do love your photos with all of the steps included in them. It is a really lovely way to read a recipe. I must remember to use this idea when I’m putting recipes together for my students on occasion. And yes – how does Nigella stay so clean???
Thanks, Dianne! I quite enjoy developing the step-by-step recipe photos for my blog. At first, it was a bit daunting but I find that it also helps me when I am making the actual dish myself. Also, I rather like telling the recipe through photos like these. I’m glad that you like them!
oh my when I’m off the diet this is first on the list! Everything I love combined!
Boy oh boy this looks incredible. And I love all your overhead ingredient and instructional shots. What a great way to present the information!
I love the unbaked cheesecakes! I made a lovely light lemon cheesecake. The recipe was from Cook’s Country and when I took it to work, my coworkers went nuts. It really was a delicious and light dessert, but so very lemony..
I am thinking I must try this one next..
Your co-workers are very lucky to have you around! When I lived in Australia, the local supermarket used to sell unbaked lemon cheesecakes, as well as mango ones … I should try to recreate those at home!
This is pure indulgence. Love the recipe and the photographs! never mind the calories, they just settle somewhere!!! Also you can compensate by eating light a few days. But this treat is not to be missed!
Thanks, Anita! Maybe it this cheesecake sounds high in calories, but I wonder if it might be no different to other cheesecakes or cakes … everything is moderation is ok 😉
Just made this for my husband for his birthday cause my oven is not working and I wanted to make something rather than buy. Boy that was easy (but he doesn’t have to know)! Of course I had a little taste of the filling and I think it is going to be just perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! Great to know that this recipe can work in an emergency 🙂 I hope your husband will enjoy this cheesecake, and happy birthday to him!
This recipe looks lovely, but I just have a quick question before I attempt to make it. In the ingredients list you have 1/2 cup or 250ml of milk. Just a bit confused cause 250ml is 1 cup, so am I to add 1/2 or 1 cup of milk? Thanks so much.
Thank you for pointing out this error to me! I have just corrected the ingredients above. The correct measurement is 1/2 cup of milk (or 125 ml). I hope you will enjoy this cheesecake. Many thanks again 🙂
I have made this cheesecake twice now and it is an absolute favourite!! The flavour balance is perfect. The second time I crunched reeses peanut butter chips (the smartie sized ones) and sprinkled them on top! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad that you’ve enjoyed this recipe! And I love the sound of crunched Reese’s peanut butter chips on top … I must try that next time. Thanks for sharing your tip!
Just made my own (slightly adapted version) thank you for the wonderfully simple step by step guide, the mix tasted delicious – just gotta wait till tomorrow to try the finished thing now!
Thank you! I’m glad that the recipe was easy to follow. I hope you will enjoy the finished product tomorrow 🙂
Made this tonight and it was amazing exactly what I was looking for thanks!! X
Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi there,
thanks for the very easy to follow recipe, I’ll be making this for my boyfriend tomorrow afternoon as we’re both big PB fans! I just wanted to ask – will 3-4 hours be enough for the cake to cool in the fridge?
Many thanks,
Sonia
Hi Sonia,
I think 3-4 hours should be ok. Obviously, the longer you can leave it in the fridge, the better. The cheesecake should be set if the mixture feels firm to the touch and doesn’t wobble if you move it. If you are using the same size pan, then I think 3-4 hours should be enough. Fingers crossed! I hope you will enjoy this recipe 🙂
Oooh, this looks SO good! This is absolutely fantastic! One of my favs. Thank you for this great recipe!
★★★★★