Sweet and Salty Pretzel Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake - Parsnips and Pastries (2024)

Ingredients

Scale

For the Pretzel Crust:

• 1 cup finely ground chocolate graham crackers
• 1 cup finely ground salted mini pretzels
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 stick butter, melted

For the Filling:

• 2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

For Topping:

• Additional melted chocolate
• Mini chocolate peanut butter cups
• Whole and crushed mini pretzels

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1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Make the Crust: In a large bowl or food processor, mix the ground chocolate graham crackers, ground pretzels, cinnamon, and brown sugar with the melted butter until the mixture comes together and forms a ball when squeezed. Line a 10″ springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease. Layer the outside of the pan with several layers of aluminum foil. Press the crust evenly into the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes before baking. Bake for 10 minutes. Let the crust cool.
3. Make the Filling: In a standing mixer, beat room temperature cream cheese until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and continue beating until smooth and a bit fluffy, another 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, salt, and the room temperature eggs, one at a time, beating on low until each egg isjust combined. Do not over-mix.
4. Do the rest by hand. Remove the bowl from the standing mixer and fold in the sour cream. Finally, fold in the flour until all of the flour is incorporated and everything is evenly mixed.
5. Divide the cheesecake batter evenly between two bowls. In one bowl, fold in the creamy peanut butter. In the other, fold in the melted (but not hot) chocolate.
6. Fill 3/4 of the chocolate batter into the cooled crust, followed by the peanut butter batter. Using a skewer or knife, swirl both batters together, ensuring not to disturb the crust. Drizzle the rest of the chocolate batter on top, gently swirling it in.
7. Place the pan in a water bath and cook the cheesecake until almost set, about 50-55 minutes. The outside should be completely set when moved but the center should still be jiggly. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool in the oven, with the door slightly ajar, for one hour. Remove from the oven and when completely cool, wrap with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
8. When ready to serve, unmold the cheesecake and top with a drizzle of chocolate, peanut butter cups, and crushed and whole pretzels. Enjoy!