"Reese's" Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

"Peanut butter, chocolate, and cheesecake! What else needs to be said!"
Serves 10 | Prep Time 40 minutes | Cook Time 60 - 90 minutesWhy I Love This Recipe
Family/holiday favorite!
Ingredients You'll Need
CRUST:
4 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies (including filling, which I chop up in the blender) · 1 cup chopped roasted peanuts (I also chop this up in the blender)
Mix together · 1/2 cup butter, melted
FILLING:
2 lbs cream cheese, softened
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural-style)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Approximately 24 Reese's mini Peanut Butter cups, broken into small pieces (I cut them into 4 pieces)
TOPPING:
· Spread hot fudge topping at room temperature over the top of the cheesecake
· Chop approx. 12 Reese’s mini Peanut Butter cups into small pieces and spread over the top (I have a Pampered Chef chopper I like to use for this task)
· Drizzle additional hot fudge topping over the top of Peanut Butter cup pieces
Directions
Plan ahead - this recipe requires 4 hours of chill time before serving!
CRUST: Combine crushed Oreo cookies and peanuts that have been ground in a food processor with the melted butter.
Pat the crust mixture onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch spring form pan.
FILLING:
Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; mix until smooth.
Stir in vanilla, then fold in peanut butter cup pieces with a rubber spatula.
Pour filling into prepared crust.
Place spring form pan into a larger baking pan.
Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the spring form pan.
Bake at 275°F 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.
TOPPING:
Combine the sour cream and sugar and spread on the cheesecake.
Return the cake to the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for one hour.
You may run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan somewhat.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Pairs Well With
Stand alone!