Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cheesecake

My friends and I have a monthly recipe exchange night where everyone brings a written recipe and a sample of that recipe for everyone to try.  Really it's an excuse to eat and chat with my girls. 
The theme this month was guilty pleasures.  It truly was an enchanted evening (even if most of us nearly slipped into a sugar coma, we had paramedics on stand-by).
I love cheesecake with an un-natural passion. I love chocolate and peanut butter with an un-natural passion.
Chocolate cheesecake?  Yes, please
Peanut butter cookie dough?  Yes, please
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cheesecake?  ....  I think I just cried a little from the joy in my heart.
The Cheesecake Factory used to have a cheesecake with this same name, and to my dismay they took it off their menu.  I have searched the Internet high and low to find a knock-off recipe for my well beloved, but have been unsuccessful in my hunt, so I took matters into my own hands.  Next time (and oh yes, there WILL be a next time) I might add dolops of peanut butter into the cheesecake as well as the cookie dough.  If you just want a chocolate cheesecake recipe (omit the cookie dough and proceed as written) this one would be a stunner on it's own, but adding the peanut butter cookie dough makes me sigh. 

1 1/2 c. crushed Oreos
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 c. sugar
2 1/2 eight-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. flour
3 eggs
1 c. sour cream
8 oz. melted semi-sweet chocolate, slightly cooled
1/4 recipe Peanut Butter Cookie Dough -- uncooked.

1.  Lower one oven rack to lowest setting, place a 9X13 in baking pan filled half way with water.  Set one oven rack on middle setting in oven.  Preheat oven to 350 (if using a silver spring-from pan, 325 if using a dark, non-stick springform pan).  Lightly grease the bottom and side of 9" springform pan (I place a piece of parchment paper cut to the size of my springform pan on the bottom, then greased the sides, it makes me sad when part of the crust sticks to the pan and not to my lovely piece of cheesecake).  In mixing bowl, combine Oreos and butter.  Press onto the bottom of the pan and set aside.
2.  In large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla; beat with electric mixer until light and creamy.  Add flour and beat until smooth.  Add melted chocolate and sour cream; mix well.  Add eggs, one and a time, mixing on low speed after each addition, just until combined. 
3.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Roll peanut butter cookie dough into 3/4" balls and drop at random intervals over batter; use the end of a wooden spoon to push cookie dough into the batter until it is completely submerged.
4.  Bake for 60-70 minutes, until center is almost set.  Run a knife around the rim of the pan; allow to cool completely before removing the edge of the pan.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 

Will keep for up to 1 week refrigerated.

We found we liked it better when the cheesecake had been sitting at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

Praline Crumb Caramel Cheesecake Bars

I made these for the first time just recently and love-love them. I am a huge fan of cheesecake so anything that makes it easy to do is a-okay with me! You can find the toffee bits in the baking section of most grocery stores.

1 pouch (1 lbs 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix
1/2 c. cold butter or margarine
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. toffee bits

2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. caramel topping
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Heat oven to 350. Line a 9X13 inch baking pan with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. In a medium bowl cut butter into the cookie mix, until it resembles coarse meal. Reserve 1 1/2 c. for the topping. Press remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese, sugar, flour 1/4 c. of the caramel, vanilla and egg with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooked crust. Sprinkle with remaining cookie mixture, pecans and toffee bits. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes then refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, lift foil out of the pan, cut cheesecake into squares and drizzle with remaining 1/4 c. caramel.

Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

White Chocolate and Lemon Cheesecake

This is one of the first cheesecakes I ever made successfully. It makes a lot of filling, so use the biggest springform pan that you have.

1 ½ c. chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter, melted

8 oz. white chocolate
2 lbs. cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
½ c. heavy cream
1 ½ c. sugar
1/3 c. lemon juice
½ tsp. lemon extract

1. Heat oven to 350°. Combine cookie crumbs and butter, press into lightly buttered 10” spring-form pan, set aside.
2. Melt the white chocolate with the cream until smooth, let cool.
3. Beat cream cheese with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cooled white chocolate mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Beat in lemon juice, zest and extract. Pour into crust
4. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

This is a copy-cat version of a popular pie restaurants lemon cream cheese pie.

1 ¼ c. graham cracker crumbs
¼ c. butter, melted and slightly cooled
4 Tbsp. sugar

1. Combine crumbs, sugar and margarine; press onto bottom of 9” pie plate. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

12 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/3 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. cold water
1/3 c. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. Knox gelatin

1. Combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and salt in a medium sized saucepan and cook on a very low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil lightly.
2. Mix gelatin with water and dissolve. When dissolved add to mixture along with the vanilla; stir well.
3. Cook until mixture reaches a light boil and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and cool.
4. When it’s luke warm, layer cream cheese on crust and refrigerate until cooled.

1 ½ c. water
½ c. fresh lemon juice
5 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
2 Tbsp. butter


1. Place water, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt and lemon peel in saucepan, whisk until mixture comes to a boil at medium heat. Cook 2 minutes until thickened. Pour half of hot mixture into the beaten eggs, slowly, and stir constantly.
2. When the mixture is completely blended, pour egg mixture in to the hot pudding, stir and cook until the pudding reaches boiling stage. Stir and let boil slowly for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla; stir and set aside until cooled off.
3. When lemon mixture has reached room temperature, gently smooth it over the cream cheese mixture and chill for several hours before serving. (Covering with plastic wrap pressed against the pudding will keep it from forming a yucky skin over the top.)

Lime Cheesecake

I like lime the way some people like breathing. This cheesecake is very pretty when you garnish with the lime slices, plus it tastes great.

1 ½ c. graham cracker crumbs
¼ c. butter or margarine
1 c. light or regular sour cream
3 large eggs
¼ c. lime juice
Sour Cream-Lime Topping
About 1 c. sugar
2 (8 oz pkg. each) Neufchatel light or regular cream cheese
1 Tbsp. grated lime peel
2 Tbsp. flour
Thin lime slices


1. Mix crumbs, 2 Tbsp. sugar and butter. Press over bottom of and ½ inch up the sides of a spring-from pan. Bake at 350° until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
2. Beat cheese, sour cream, egg, remaining sugar, peel, juice and flour until smooth. Pour into cooled crust.
3. Bake at 350° until center jiggles only slightly when pan is gently shaken, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely.
4. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or up to the next day. Top with Sour-Cream Lime topping, and garnish with lime slices.

Sour Cream-Lime Topping: Mix 1 c. light or regular sour cream and 2 tsp. each sugar and lime juice.

Yield: 3 ½ dozen cookies.

Cheesecake Topped Brownies

If there is anything I like as much as I like brownies, it’s cheesecake; so what better way to have my two favorite substances?

1 (19.5 oz) pkg. fudge brownie mix plus the ingredients as directed on box
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk


1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepared brownie mix according to package directions; spread into a well greased 9X13” baking pan.
2. In a smaller bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and cornstarch until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk, egg then vanilla until smooth. Pour cheesecake mixture evenly over brownie batter.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool completely
4. Spread with chocolate frosting if desired (I’ve also used cherry pie filling on top which is equally as scrumptious).

Peppermint Cheesecake

I would double the amount of chocolate wafer crumbs, or just use a store bought chocolate graham cracker crust. I also forgot to fold in the whipped cream, so I just whipped it up with some ground sweetened chocolate and spread it on top. They said it was fine, but I'm not sure how it could have been....

Peppermint Cheesecake

1 c. chocolate wafer crumbs
3 Tbsp. margarine, melted

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ c. cold water
2 pkg. (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
½ c. sugar
½ c. milk
¼ c. crushed peppermint candy
1 c. whipping cream, whipped
2 (1.45 oz) milk chocolate candy bars, finely chopped

Combine crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 9” springform pan. Bake at 350˚, 10 minutes. Cool.
Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Combine cream cheese and sugar; mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add gelatin, milk and peppermint candy, mixing until blended; chill until thickened but not set. Fold in whipped cream and chocolate; pour over crust. Chill until firm. Garnish with additional whipping cream, whipped, combined with crushed peppermint candy, if desired.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings