No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

A rich and indulgent No–Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake with an Oreo cookie crust, creamy peanut butter filling, and a smooth chocolate ganache topping. Garnish this cheesecake with chopped mini Reese’s for the ultimate peanut butter + chocolate treat.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

There are few things I like better than peanut butter and chocolate together, but throw some Oreos in the mix, and it’s now become my favorite dessert. No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake is incredibly rich and indulgent. It’s creamy and soft with a solid and flavorful cookie crust.

While there is a bit of a time commitment in chilling this recipe, overall, it’s very simple to make. Best of all, there is no oven required. 

QUICK TIP

Oreo® is a trademarked name for chocolate sandwich cookies. While you can use any brand of cookie,
of course, when we say “Oreo,” you know exactly what we’re referring to. Same for Reese’s® and Butterfinger® candies, Skippy® Peanut Butter, Ghirardelli® and Guittard® chocolate, and Cool Whip® topping. These are all mentioned in this post, and we respect trademarks and brand ownership. We’d never intentionally infringe on them.

How to make this No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

There are three aspects to this cheesecake: the crust, creamy filling, and chocolate ganache topping (plus some optional garnishes). I’ll break down each section below with my top tips for making this recipe.

Oreo crust

• Thoroughly crush the Oreos. If there are big pieces of the cookies in the crust, it will still taste great, but the cheesecake won’t cut and serve as nicely. I recommend a blender or food processor for crushing the Oreos. If you don’t have one of those devices, you can add all the Oreos to a large plastic bag, remove any air from the bag, and break the Oreos into crumbs with a rolling pin or meat mallet.
• Don’t add hot butter to the crushed Oreos. Let the butter cool slightly before mixing the two together, to avoid a greasy cheesecake crust.
• Leave the creme filling. There’s no need to separate creme from the cookie; the creme adds structure and sweetness to the crust. 

Peanut butter filling

• Use a commercial, sweetened peanut butter. Leave the natural, must-stir brands of peanut butter for a different time; we want a soft and silky, slightly sweetened peanut butter for this recipe! I like Skippy brand best for desserts (not sponsored). A liquid-y, must-stir peanut butter may separate or cause texture issues in this cheesecake.
• Avoid crunchy peanut butter. We want the filling ultra creamy and smooth without peanut chunks for this recipe.
• Allow the cream cheese to stand at room temperature. If the cream cheese is cold, it will create unpleasant chunks throughout the filling. I recommend setting it out for at least an hour before starting this recipe. If you don’t have time for that, here are some quick ways to bring cream cheese to room temperature quickly.
• Don’t use a different type of sugar in the filling. It’s very important to use powdered sugar, not granulated white or brown sugar. Any other sugar will create a grainy, heavy filling.
• Be sure the whipped topping is thawed. If using a frozen whipped topping, you’ll want to make sure it’s completely thawed. Pull that out at the same time as you do the cream cheese! And if you don’t want to use a frozen whipped topping, I’ll share how to make it from scratch below (we love the from-scratch version).

We add 1 container Cool Whip® into the peanut butter layer. If you’d like a healthier alternative, you can try TruWhip®. Or make your own “Cool Whip” whipped topping for this pie (our personal favorite — recipe below!)

Homemade Whipped Topping

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl attached to a stand mixer (with a whisk attachment), add the 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat to combine, and then increase the speed and whip until firm peaks form, about 2-4 minutes. Use a spatula to spread the whipped topping over the ice cream until smooth.

Chocolate ganache topping

• Use high-quality milk chocolate for the best results. You’ll get both a better melt and better flavor. My favorite for this No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake is Ghirardelli or Guittard. When it comes to chocolate, you get what you pay for–cheaper brands can have a waxier content that is far less flavorful and won’t melt into a smooth ganache as nicely.
• Let the mixture stand. Once the hot cream has been poured over the chocolate chips, make sure to cover the bowl (I like to use a lid from a cooking pot), and don’t rush the process. The mixture needs a good five minutes to fully melt and be ready to stir into a thick, delicious ganache.
• Don’t worry if the ganache isn’t 100% smooth. That’s why we have garnishes: to cover up any imperfections!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake garnish

While totally optional, the garnish is fun and adds a fancy element to the cheesecake. We like to add coarsely chopped Reese’s® Minis (which are even smaller than miniature Reese’s) and some miniature chocolate chips. Some other garnish ideas: a drizzle of peanut butter, coarsely chopped Butterfingers®, and Reese’s® Pieces.

More delicious desserts

• Peanut Butter Cookie Dough food-safe, eggless cookie dough
• The BEST Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
• Scotcheroos butterscotch, peanut butter, and chocolate bars
• Oreo Balls chocolate-covered Oreo truffles
• Peanut Butter Granola with chocolate

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No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

5 from 5 votes

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A rich and indulgent No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake with an Oreo cookie crust, creamy peanut butter filling, and a smooth chocolate ganache topping. Garnish this cheesecake with chopped mini Reese's for the ultimate peanut butter + chocolate treat.

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

5 from 5 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

A rich and indulgent No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake with an Oreo cookie crust, creamy peanut butter filling, and a smooth chocolate ganache topping. Garnish this cheesecake with chopped mini Reese's for the ultimate peanut butter + chocolate treat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 9 hours hours

Total Time 9 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 551kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $6.91

Ingredients

Crust

• ▢ 25 Oreos (chocolate sandwich cookies)
• ▢ 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ▢ 1/4 cup white sugar

Cheesecake Filling

• ▢ 1 package (8 ounces) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ 1 and 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter
• ▢ 1 and 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip or other whipped topping (lite can be used) (Note 1)

Chocolate Topping

• ▢ 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• ▢ 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• ▢ 1/2 cup heavy cream
• ▢ Optional garnishes: chopped up Reese's minis, miniature chocolate chips

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

Crust

• Blend or pulse the Oreos (no need to remove the filling) until they are fine crumbs.
• Mix the crumbs with the sugar and cooled melted butter.
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and press the cookie crust evenly along the bottom and slightly up the sides. Chill in the fridge while preparing the cheesecake filling.

Cheesecake Filling

• With a hand mixer, beat the room-temperature cream cheese until smooth.
• Add in the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until smooth.
• With a spatula, gently fold in the completely thawed whipped topping (or homemade whipped topping -- See Note 1) until all ingredients are combined and smooth. Spread the mixture over the Oreo crust and use the back of a large spoon to smooth the top.
• Chill overnight in the fridge or for 4-6 hours.

Chocolate Topping

• Place chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter in a large glass or heat-proof bowl.
• In a small saucepan or pot, bring heavy whipping cream to a rolling simmer over medium-high heat (do not boil!). Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and peanut butter, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes (I place a sheet pan or pot lid on top of the bowl). After 5 minutes, whisk until completely smooth. Pour the chocolate layer over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 1-2 hours or until ready to serve. If desired, garnish the cheesecake with chopped Reese's minis and/or miniature chocolate chips.
• FOR SERVING: Use a hot, sharp knife (run it under hot water, dry with a towel) to make cuts into the pie. Return any leftovers (covered tightly) to the freezer.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Whipped Topping

To make your own whipped topping:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl attached to a stand mixer (with a whisk attachment) add the 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat to combine and then increase the speed and whip until firm peaks form, about 2-4 minutes. With a spatula, spread the whipped cream over the ice cream until smooth.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings | Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 9.8g | Fat: 38.4g | Cholesterol: 49.9mg | Sodium: 234.3mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 33.9g

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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