Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling and topping
- 32 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 ½ cups red currant jelly
- ½ cup peanut brittle, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
- Make the crust. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt until combined and the crust holds together when pressed. Pour into the prepared pan and press firmly into the bottom and ¾ the way up the sides of the pan. Bake for about 12 minutes until light golden brown. Cool while you make the filling.
- Reduce oven to 325 degrees F.
- Make the filling. In a large bowl cream the cream cheese and peanut butter using a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the sugar slowly while the mixer is running. Add in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla bean paste and mix until light fluffy and well combined. Pour into the baked crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top and the filling wiggles in the center. Cool for about 2 hours.
- Once the cheesecake has cooled for awhile, heat the jam in a medium microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted without too many lumps. Pour evenly over the cheesecake and tilt it to cover the surface completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight until set completely.
- Once chilled, cut into bars, sprinkle with peanut brittle, and serve. Bars may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen individually wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature about 1 hour.
Notes
Filling adapted from Martha Stewart
Additional chilling time is necessary
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour