Chocolate Cheesecake with a Peanut Butter Cake Crust
If you’re a fan of chocolate cheesecake, this recipe will take your love to a whole new level. Combining a soft peanut butter cake base with a rich, no-bake chocolate filling and a decadent salted peanut dulce de leche topping, it’s a dessert full of surprising flavours and textures.
Perfect for special occasions or whenever you need a truly indulgent treat, this cheesecake is sure to impress and satisfy your sweetest cravings.
Chocolate peanut butter cheesecake
Describing a recipe is often total simplicity. But then there are desserts like this one, where there’s just so much going on, I barely know where to start. It’s not just a chocolate cheesecake. It’s not even just a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake. It starts with a gluten free peanut butter cake crust. Yes, cake, not cookie crumbs, which feels like a bold move but works so beautifully. Next comes a rich filling made with dark chocolate, Greek yoghurt and cream cheese. And finally, because why stop there, a layer of salted peanut dulce de leche poured over the top. Whole peanuts and everything. It’s a lot, in the best possible way.
Even trying to describe this dessert is tricky, it’s full-on, over-the-top and utterly decadent. But I own that. I’m all about balance. I love healthy food. I do, promise. But sometimes you just need a splurge, and if you’re going to go for it, go big.
Despite the hefty description, it’s really quite simple to make. Although there are several steps, with an overnight in the fridge, none of them are complicated. The most challenging part will be sitting on your hands patiently waiting for it to set. The end result is a dessert that looks impressive, but made with minimal fuss.
Peanut butter cake crust: a delicious twist
Unlike most cheesecakes that use a classic cookie or biscuit crumb crust, this no-bake chocolate peanut butter cheesecake features a peanut butter cake crust. And you know what? It really makes all the difference. Instead of being dense and crumbly, this base is light, tender and packed with peanut butter flavour, giving a lovely contrast to the creamy filling.
The crust is made with simple ingredients: peanut butter, softened butter, brown sugar, egg, gluten free flour, baking soda and a touch of vanilla. After beating the butters and sugar until light and fluffy, the dry ingredients get folded in, and then it’s baked into a perfect little cake layer inside your springform pan.
Because it’s a cake, not a crumb crust, it offers a bit more texture and substance. It holds the cheesecake filling beautifully without turning soggy or falling apart, and adds a subtle peanut buttery richness that complements the chocolate and salted dulce de leche topping perfectly. If you’re used to traditional crusts, this might surprise you, but once you try it, you won’t want to go back.
You don’t need to make it gluten free either. If you prefer, you can swap the gluten free flour for spelt flour or regular all-purpose flour with no problem. The texture and taste work beautifully either way.
Rich and creamy chocolate cheesecake filling
The filling is where the true indulgence happens. It’s a luscious blend of cream cheese, Greek yoghurt and good-quality dark chocolate that creates a silky, smooth texture with just the right balance of tanginess and deep cocoa flavour.
The Greek yoghurt lightens the cream cheese slightly, making the filling less dense than traditional baked cheesecakes but still incredibly rich and satisfying. Once the chocolate is melted and folded in, the mixture becomes a velvety dream that pairs perfectly with the peanut butter cake crust.
Unlike many cheesecakes, this filling isn’t baked. It’s simply mixed until smooth and then chilled to set. Because of the combination of cream cheese and melted chocolate, there’s no need to add gelatin or other stabilisers. The no-bake filling sets beautifully in the fridge, giving you a firmness that still feels creamy and soft. It’s chocolatey without being overpowering, allowing the peanut butter crust and salted peanut dulce de leche topping to shine alongside it.
Irresistible salted peanut dulce de leche topping
The crowning glory of this cheesecake is undoubtedly the salted peanut dulce de leche topping. It’s the perfect finishing touch that takes this dessert from delicious to downright unforgettable.
Dulce de leche, a sweet, caramel-like sauce, brings a rich, creamy sweetness that pairs beautifully with the chocolate and peanut butter flavours. To keep things simple, I use store-bought dulce de leche, because sometimes it’s perfectly fine to cheat a little in the kitchen without compromising on taste. Make your own if you have a favourite caramel recipe.
Even though dulce de leche is very sweet, I added a touch of icing sugar to make the topping easier to spread and hold its shape a little better. The salted peanuts were stirred in, offering not texture but to also enhance the flavour complexity, making every bite a delightful combination of creamy, crunchy, sweet and salty.
This topping sets gently on the chilled cheesecake, creating a glossy, irresistible layer that you’ll want to scoop up by the spoonful. It’s the pièce de résistance that elevates the entire dessert, making it a true showstopper for any occasion.
Chilling time for no-bake cheesecake
After assembling your chocolate peanut butter cheesecake, cover it and refrigerate for at least three hours, overnight is highly recommended. This resting time allows the flavours to meld and the filling to set beautifully. Patience is key here, this is definitely not a quick-fix dessert, but trust me, the wait is so worth it.
When you’re ready to serve, carefully remove the outer ring of the springform pan. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for a little while, this softens the filling, making it silkier, and lets the dulce de leche topping soften enough to gently drip over the edges for that extra indulgence.
This dessert is fairly small, and made in a 7 inch springform. However, it is incredibly rich and decadent, so it easily stretches to 10 or 12 slices. Any leftovers, just pop them back in the fridge until you are ready to have another slice.
Chocolate Cheesecake with a Peanut Butter Cake Crust
Ingredients
Base/Crust:
- 50g (¼ cup) peanut butter
- 50g (¼ cup) butter (softened)
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 80g (½ cup) gluten free flour blend (see note 1)
- ½ tsp baking soda
Filling:
- 100g (3½ oz) Greek yoghurt
- 300g (1⅓ cups) cream cheese
- 150g (1½ cups) icing (powdered) sugar
- 200g (7 oz) good quality dark chocolate
Topping:
- 400g (14 oz) dulce de leche (one can in the UK/Sweden)
- 20g (2 tbs) icing sugar
- 100g (3½ oz) salted peanuts
Instructions
Base/Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
- Beat the butter, peanut butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the flour and baking soda. Mix to combine, then pour into a greased 7-inch (18cm) springform pan.
- Bake for around 14 minutes.
- Once out of the oven, smooth the surface gently with the back of a spoon (it may have puffed up a little) so that you have a relatively flat base. Allow to cool completely.
Cheesecake:
- Melt the chocolate using a bain-marie (double boiler) or in short bursts in the microwave.
- While the chocolate is melting, mix the Greek yoghurt and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the icing sugar and mix well.
- Stir in the melted chocolate and mix until fully combined.
- Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Place in the fridge to chill for about an hour.
Topping:
- Add the dulce de leche to a bowl. Sift in the icing sugar and stir until smooth.
- Add the salted peanuts and stir to combine.
- Pour the topping over the cheesecake.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours or, ideally, overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove the outer ring of the springform pan. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for a little while as this will soften the filling slightly and allow the dulce de leche to gently drip over the sides.
- Slice into 10–12 small servings. Enjoy!
Notes
- The recipe was originally made with gluten free flour. If you would like to use spelt or all-purpose flour instead use the same measurements as specified.
