Ruggles Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake

OMG this cheesecake is absolutely the best! I know I blogged about making this a week ago, but that was before I took a bite of this melt in your mouth light and creamy Reese’s peanut butter cheesecake! And really, I am not a huge fan of the whole chocolate peanut butter craze called Reese’s. I can take or leave peanut butter cup candies – but this cheesecake has been on my mind ever since I took that first bite. I am still wishing that there was more – but alas, it was all gone in two days! My son after having a bite said he wants this for his birthday – that is seven months away. I am hopeful someone else will request it before then. That is much to long of a wait to have another bite of this delectable dessert!

The drizzle of chocolate sauce was a nice addition, but the star of this dessert is the creamy cheesecake – no sauce required!

Happy Birthday, Nicole!

Ruggles Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:For the Crust
4 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies
1 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1/2 cup butter, meltedFor the Filling
2 lbs cream cheese, softened
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural-style)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, broken into small pieces

For the Topping
3 ounces sour cream
1/2 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS.

To Make the Crust:

Combine crushed Oreo cookies and peanuts that have been ground in a food processor with the melted butter.
Pat the crust mixture onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.

To Make the Filling:

Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; mix until smooth.
Stir in vanilla, then fold in peanut butter cup pieces with a rubber spatula.
Pour filling into prepared crust.
Place springform pan into a larger baking pan.
Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake at 275°F 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.

For the Topping:

Combine the sour cream and sugar and spread on the cheesecake.
Return the cake to the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for one hour.
You may run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan somewhat.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

I had a lot of the batter so I filled the pan up as high as possible. This made it a bit difficult to spread the topping as it was going to run off the edges. That is why I did not frost it all the way to the edge. Having the pan so full also made it a bit difficult to remove the side of the springform pan up and over the cheesecake – it messed up my edges a bit. But I did not want to waste any of the batter. After taking just one bite of the cheesecake – I am glad I used as much as possible! So Good!