Peanut Butter & Jelly Cheesecake
I wanted to make something based on my friend’s love of a PB&J sandwich. This recipe has decadent layers of peanut butter and a thick swirl of preserves—it truly feels as if you’re biting into a sweeter, dessert version of your favorite childhood sandwich. —Melinda Buchman, Rock Hill, NY
Prep: 35 min+ chilling Bake: 11/4 hours + cooling Makes: 16 servings
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon sugar
1 jar (16.3 oz.) creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. 2% milk
FILLING
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
11/2 cups seedless raspberry preserves
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap the foil securely around the pan. Place on a baking sheet. In a bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon; stir in butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until crust starts to brown,
6-8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 325°.
2. Beat peanut butter and milk until combined. Spread over cooled crust; set aside. In another large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over crust. In a saucepan, stir together preserves and lemon juice over medium heat until preserves melt. Spoon mixture by tablespoonfuls over top. Cut through the batter with a knife to swirl. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
3. Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, about 11/4 hours. (Center of cheesecake will jiggle when moved.) Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled.
1 PIECE 541 cal., 36g fat (15g sat. fat), 101mg chol., 338mg sod., 49g carb. (40g sugars, 2g fiber), 11g pro.