These adorable mini peanut butter and jelly cheesecakes combine two childhood favorites into one creamy, irresistible dessert. Rich peanut butter cheesecake sits atop a buttery Nutter Butter cookie crust and is finished with a sweet grape jelly topping for the ultimate peanut butter-and-jelly-inspired treat.
These bite-sized cheesecakes are the perfect nostalgic treat, and they’re guaranteed to disappear fast. If you’re a fan of classic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, just wait until you try them transformed into cheesecake form!
Looking for more delicious handheld desserts? Be sure to check out my mini pineapple cherry cheesecake croissants, mini sugar cookies with M&Ms, and peppermint brownie bites.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make ahead of time
- Perfect individual-sized desserts
- Loaded with creamy peanut butter flavor
- Classic peanut butter and jelly flavors everyone loves
- Great for parties and holiday gatherings
- No slicing required
- Beautiful presentation with minimal effort
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
- Nutter Butter Cookies: These make up the crust and deliver a rich peanut butter flavor right from the start. They also add a delicious, crunchy contrast to the creamy filling.
- Cream Cheese & Peanut Butter: The heart of the cheesecake, creating a nutty, rich, peanut butter filling that’s smooth and rich.
- Heavy Cream: Makes the cheesecake extra light, smooth, and silky, creating a luscious texture.
- Grape Jelly: The finishing touch that transforms this from a peanut butter cheesecake into a peanut butter and jelly dessert. It adds fruity sweetness and a nostalgic PB&J flavor everyone recognizes.
Variations
- Swap the Jelly: Use your favorite fruit and berry jellies and jams to create all kinds of variations.
- Crunchy PB & J: Replace creamy peanut butter with crunchy peanut butter for extra texture.
- Chocolate Version: Drizzle melted chocolate over the top before serving.
- Homemade Cookie Crust: Try using my chunky peanut butter cookies or Reese’s peanut butter cookies in place of Nutter Butter cookies.
How to Make Mini Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecakes
Step 1: Crush the cookies into fine crumbs in a food processor. Thenk, mix them in a bowl with the melted butter.
Step 2: Fill a lined 24-count mini muffin pan ½ full and press down firmly. Bake until golden and cool completely.
Step 3: Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Then, mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
Step 4: Mix in the peanut butter until smooth. Finally, beat in the heavy cream until the filling is creamy and fluffy. Spoon into the crusts, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
Step 5: Melt the jelly in the microwave. Then, spoon it over the filling.
Step 6: Chill for at least four hours and serve.
Expert Tips
- Softened cream cheese blends much more easily and helps create a silky smooth cheesecake filling.
- A firmly packed crust helps keep everything together when serving.
- Traditional creamy peanut butter works best for achieving a smooth cheesecake filling. I don’t recommend all-natural peanut butter.
- While four hours is enough, overnight chilling gives the cheesecakes the best texture and flavor.
Mini Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecakes FAQs
Creamy peanut butter is recommended for a smooth, silky cheesecake filling. Traditional peanut butter brands typically work better than natural peanut butter, which can separate.
Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened to room temperature before mixing. This helps prevent lumps and creates a creamy, smooth filling.
The most common reasons are not chilling them long enough or using ingredients that were too warm. Be sure to refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, for the best results.
Yes. Press the crust into a pie dish or springform pan, add the filling, top with jelly, and chill until fully set. The chilling time may need to be increased.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep them chilled until ready to serve. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month.
Wrap the mini cheesecakes in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 1 month in an airtight, freezer-safe container. For best results, freeze them without the jelly topping.
These Mini Cheesecakes are Perfect with Mains Like:
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Mini Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecakes
Ingredients
Cookie Crust
- 32 Nutter Butters
- 5 tablespoon butter
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- 32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla Extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
Grape Jelly Topping
- 1 ½ cups grape jelly
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line 24-count muffin tin with mini cupcake liners. Set aside.
Cookie Crust
- Crush the cookies until they have become fine crumbs.
- Melt butter and add to a large mixing bowl. Mix the cookie crumbs and melted butter until fully incorporated.
- Fill cupcake liners halfway with crust and press firmly into the bottom and the sides.
- Repeat the process with remaining ingredients.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Beat cream cheese on high until smooth, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Carefully add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Next, add the peanut butter, then add the heavy cream and mix until smooth.
- Pour the prepared cheesecake mixture into the cupcake liners leaving 1⁄4 inch from the top.
Grape Jelly Topping
- Heat jelly in the microwave until liquified.
- Spoon over the tops of the cheesecakes.
- Let sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Notes
- Softened cream cheese blends much more easily and helps create a silky smooth cheesecake filling.
- A firmly packed crust helps keep everything together when serving.
- Traditional creamy peanut butter works best for achieving a smooth cheesecake filling. I don’t recommend all-natural peanut butter.
- While four hours is enough, overnight chilling gives the cheesecakes the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
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