Peanut Butter Oreo Bites

Name: Peanut Butter Oreo Bites
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 4 h 58 min
Yield: 18 mini bites
Ingredients: 20 Oreo cookies crushed into fine crumbs; 65 grams unsalted butter melted; 360 grams cream cheese softened; 95 grams granulated sugar; 150 grams creamy peanut butter (can swap for almond butter or sunflower seed butter for twist); 120 grams sour cream softened; 15 grams all-purpose flour (can use cornstarch or arrowroot for gluten-free); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 3 large eggs at room temperature; 90 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips; 15 grams unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (maple syrup works as alternative); 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 9 mini peanut butter cups halved (or chopped roasted peanuts for crunch); Flaky sea salt for garnish optional

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 29 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Mini cheesecakes with an Oreo crust, peanut butter-infused filling, and chocolate ganache topped with mini peanut butter candies. Combines creamy, crunchy, and chocolate elements in one bite. Requires chilling for proper set and uses simple ingredients easily swapped for pantry staples.

Prep: 35 min

Cook: 28 min

Total: 4h 58min

Servings: 18 mini bites

#dessert #American #no-bake option #mini cheesecakes #snack

Room temp everything saves the day; cold cream cheese is nightmare. Set oven slightly lower at 320 lowers burnt crust risk learned hard way. Oreo crust crushed finely, moistened with less butter than usual: too much ruins crispness. Pressing crumbs firm with jar lid trick stops crumbs from falling apart; compact feeling with just enough moisture for hold. Prebake short, watch brown edges or burnt smell to avoid. Filling whipped smooth creamy but no harsh beating eggs; air bubbles cause cracked tops later. Adding eggs slow means smooth silk interior. Filling poured leaving tiny rim for expansion; jams cause ugly cracks. Baking till gently jiggly is key metric over minutes. Cooling then long chill crucial; no cheating or you’ll get soupy run. Ganache melted slow, glossy with corn syrup added distinct shine and richer mouthfeel. Topping is crunch and salt—halved minis seal win, flaky salt optional bit surprisedly transformative. Learned from too-eager baking disasters; patience pays mouthwatering dividends.

Ingredients

20 Oreo cookies crushed into fine crumbs
65 grams unsalted butter melted
360 grams cream cheese softened
95 grams granulated sugar
150 grams creamy peanut butter (can swap for almond butter or sunflower seed butter for twist)
120 grams sour cream softened
15 grams all-purpose flour (can use cornstarch or arrowroot for gluten-free)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs at room temperature
90 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
15 grams unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup (maple syrup works as alternative)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 mini peanut butter cups halved (or chopped roasted peanuts for crunch)
Flaky sea salt for garnish optional

About the ingredients

Oreos can swap for similar chocolate cookies if no Oreos handy; aim for dark and sweet for contrast. Butter amount adjusted from original, less is fine if crumb holds. Peanut butter creamy preferred for easier blend inside filling; feel free to experiment almond butter or sunflower for allergy needs; texture changes a bit but surprisingly good. Flour thickens filling restraining moisture loss while baking; cornstarch or arrowroot substitues enable gluten-free version, use slightly less for yield adjustments. Vanilla extracts enhance flavor depth but pure powder works too. Sour cream softens tang and provides moisture; Greek yogurt can replace but add slight tang more pronounced. Eggs room temp is non-negotiable unless you want cracked or weird texture; cold eggs shock the mix and cause lumps or cracking on bake. Ganache uses corn syrup to keep shiny glaze and slow chocolate bloom; maple syrup works but dulls shine a bit. Mini peanut butter candies classic topping but chopped roasted peanuts or salted almonds provide crunch alternative for textural surprise. Flaky sea salt topping optional but I swear by it; salt islands cut through sweet and keep balance. Use fresh ingredients. Don’t skimp on room temp prep or ganache technique. Recipes failed for ignoring these tips.

Method

0. Set cream cheese sour cream eggs on counter ahead. Cold kills the texture, trust me.
1. Heat oven to 320°F. Line cupcake tins—18 total cups—with paper liners or grease a mini cheesecake pan well; nonstick matters here.
2. Blitz Oreos till fine crumbs; think dusty sand, no chunky bits. Any old food processor works but pulse carefully.
3. Pour melted butter over crumbs; pulse once or twice till it looks like damp sand that holds when squeezed. Too wet and soggy crust lurks.
4. Press roughly 1 1/2 teaspoons crust into each cup firmly. A cleaned jar lid is killer for even press. You want compact base so it doesn’t crumble when biting.
5. Bake crusts 4-6 minutes or till edges start looking dry and smell toasty, no browning needed.
6. Cool crusts fully — skip this and filling sinks or bubbles ugly in oven. I’ve burned batches on this.
7. Beat cream cheese on med-high 2-3 minutes till fluffy and without lumps. Scrape sides as needed or risk pockets of unmixed chunks.
8. Add sugar peanut butter sour cream flour vanilla salt. Mix medium speed till combined. Flour keeps filling from weeping later, trust me.
9. Add eggs one at a time low speed only. If you whip you get air bubbles and cracked tops. Mix just till yolk disappears, no whites visible.
10. Spoon filling over crusts nearly full but leave tiny room for rise. Don’t slam pan on counter—gentle taps to settle suffice.
11. Bake 15-19 minutes. You’re looking for edges set but center jiggles like gelatin. Too done means dry bites.
12. Let cool completely on rack then fridge 3-5 hours minimum; overnight gets best texture. I reduce fridge time for impatient bites but texture suffers.
13. Ganache next: melt chocolate butter corn syrup in microwave 20-30 seconds increments stirring between. Slow melt keeps shine no grainy bits.
14. Stir vanilla in last. Spoon over chilled cheesecakes. Ganache sets glossy and firm after refrigeration.
15. Top with halved mini peanut butter candies. Crunch factor. Or chopped roasted peanuts if you want chunkier bite.
16. Chill again 20-40 minutes till ganache hard. Sprinkle flaky salt if desired—balances sweet well.
17. Serve cold. Soft creamy peanut butter filling with slight Oreo crunch in crust and shiny chocolate cap. If ganache sticky or dull re-melt gently and reset for shine.

Cooking tips

Starting with room temp cream cheese sour cream eggs avoids lumps, critical step not optional. Preheat oven at slightly cooler 320°F than common 325°F; prevents cracked crust due to over hot edge baking. Line 18 spots only; too few waste energy or make uneven bite sizes. Oreo crumbs blitzed fine but no powder; thicker crumbs make crust fall apart, chunks cause uneven chew. Butter perfectly melted not hot; hot melts crumbs too much making drenched crust. Press crust firmly and evenly for neat base bites; use heavy clean lid to apply even pressure. Bake crust 4-6 mins till smelled toasty—do not brown; continue bake ruins base floors. Cool crust fully; hot crust ruins filling texture; played with this and unhappy results. Beat cream cheese first medium speed 2-3 mins till fluffy eliminates lumps. Add sugar peanut butter sour cream flour vanilla salt slowly mixes fillers holding water to fat, prevents weeping. Eggs slow, one at time; fast whipping traps air bubbles, cracks come later. Fill cups carefully leaving room for rise; level helps baking uniformity. Bake 15-19 mins till edges firm, centers jiggle gently like gel; no dry crust cracking. Cool then chill at least 3 hrs or overnight for sliceable filling internal set. Ganache slow melted in intervals prevents burning chocolate; stir often for glossy finish. Add vanilla at end to keep flavor fresh. Spoon ganache gently over bites chilled not warm; heats ganache but melts background. Top with candies or nuts for crunch. Final chill locks shine and texture. Flaky sea salt optional but yeah—salty strike hits perfect. Eat cold; warm bites crumble or melt too fast. Patience critical, rushing kills texture and gloss.

Chef's notes

💡 Cream cheese sour cream eggs must be room temp always. Cold wrecks texture. Set out 30-60 minutes before mixing. Mix cream cheese first till no lumps. Scrape bowl edges. Air pockets cause cracks later. Low-medium speed for filling mix only. Too fast traps air. Adding eggs slow, one at a time is key; whites look for full incorporation only not whip. Ingredients temp affects final crumb and smoothness badly.
💡 Press Oreo crumb crust evenly firm but don’t over squeeze or dry hard crust happens. Melt butter just warm not hot; hot makes crust soggy. Crumbs should hold shape pressed but not stick wet. Prebake crust 4-6 minutes to dry edges but no color. Watch smell toasted not burnt. Cool crust fully before filling. Filling sinks or bubbles if crust warm. Do not rush cooling.
💡 Filling flour addition stops weeping later but use cornstarch or arrowroot for gluten-free. Slight decrease recommended if swapping. Vanilla is last splash for aroma but powder vanilla can be used. Sugar keeps filling creamy but don’t skip. Peanut butter creamy for mix ease; almond or sunflower butters possible with texture shift but work surprisingly well. Sour cream softens acidity; Greek yogurt sub with tang boost.
💡 Baking 15-19 mins watch edges set firm but center jiggles like gelatin. Jiggly center signals done without dry crumb. Oven temps vary, visual and tactile tests better than strict time. Avoid high speed mixing eggs or you get cracked tops. Tap pan gentle to settle filling. Filling left tiny edge room for rise or spills happen causing rough tops.
💡 Ganache melt slow in microwave 20-30 sec bursts stirring in between. Corn syrup key for shine and slow bloom prevention. Maple syrup alternative dulls glaze a bit. Add vanilla last. Spoon lightly over chilled filling; warm filling melts ganache. Chill after topping 20-40 mins until firm and glossy. Top with halved mini peanut butter candies or chopped peanuts for crunch contrast. Flaky sea salt optional; adds bitter balance to sweet layers.

Common questions

Can Oreos be swapped?

Yes but aim for dark chocolate cookies. Lighter cookies change flavor balance. Texture still works if crushed fine. Avoid filling bits in crumbs; blitz crumbs smoothly. Others like chocolate wafers okay but peanut butter ring out Oreo richness more.

What if filling cracks top?

Usually over mixing eggs or whipping fast with mixer. Add eggs one slow low-speed. Too much air means cracks or spongy texture inside. Slower mixing better texture. Rest mixture cold but ingredients room temp. Cold ingredients shock mixtures causing lumps or cracks on baking.

How to store bites?

Refrigerate sealed container for 3-4 days best. Can freeze in airtight container but ganache might dull slightly. Thaw in fridge overnight, don’t microwave. Bring to room temp 15-20 minutes before serving to soften edges but still firm filling. Leave outside too long melts chocolate cap and softens crust dangerously.

Why does crust get soggy?

Too much butter or crust didn’t prebake. Melted butter temp matters; hot butter drenches crumbs. Press crust firmly and bake short to dry edges but no browning. Cool fully before filling. Warm crust traps steam under filling, ruins texture causing sogginess.