Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Chocolate Chips

A few weeks ago, I shared a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake we made while in NC.  There were a bunch of friends coming over that night, so one cheesecake wouldn't do - we needed two.  What a great excuse to make a Peanut Butter Cheesecake!

Travis' mom, Jenny, loves peanut butter more than anything (except dogwood trees...and, you know, us), so this was her favorite by far.  It's smooth, full of PB taste and has a sweetened sour cream topping...and chocolate chips to finish it off.  You really can't get much better than that!  This recipe was adapted from Southern Living too, so you know it's a goodie.



Ingredients
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 + 3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter (we used Jiff)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Chocolate curls (or chocolate chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and cocoa.  Press into bottom and up the sides of a 9" springform pan.  Set crust aside.

Beat cream cheese and 1 cup brown sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended.  Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition.  Beat in 1/2 cup sour cream just until blended.  Beat in peanut butter until blended.

Pour filling into prepared crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until center is almost set.

Remove from oven.  Spread Sour Cream Topping over center of cheesecake, leaving a 2" boarder around the edge.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 more minute.  Remove from oven; gently run a knife around the edge of cheesecake to loosen.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Cover and chill 8 to 12 hours.  Remove sides of pan.  Top with chocolate curls (or mini chocolate chips).

Enjoy!