Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes with a Pretzel Crust

I love peanut butter and chocolate. I love cheesecake. So, these little beauties are a big winner with me. I'm a little obsessed with the whole chocolatey, peanut buttery, salty, sweet, cheesecakey combo.

I decided to pair these with a pretzel crust instead of the traditional graham cracker crust. Best. Decision. Ever. You know me, I'm a sucker for sweet and salty! I love the hint of saltiness that the pretzels give. 

The pretzel crust is a bit crumbly, so expect a bit of a mess when you dig in to these. I thought about adding some more melted butter, but it seems like there's just no way around it. No worries...they are totally worth the mess! 

Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes with a Pretzel Crust

Makes 6 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients:
Crust
3/4 cup crushed pretzels
1/2 cup peanuts

1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling
1 1/2 (8-ounce) packages reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup non fat, plain Greek yogurt (you could also use non fat, vanilla)
2 eggs

1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse the pretzels and peanuts until a crumb mixture. With the machine running, slowly add the melted butter and pulse until it just starts to come together.
Divide the crumb mixture into your mini cheesecake pan then press evenly with the bottom of a glass to create an even crust. Bake crust in the oven for about 5 minutes and let cool.
Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

Filling
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the vanilla extract. Add the peanut butter and mix until it just comes together. Continue to mix with a spatula until well combined.
Transfer the filling to the cooled crust and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. The top should be slightly puffy and lightly browned. Remove cheesecake from the oven and let cool completely.

Glaze
Combine the chocolate chips, milk, and vanilla in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave for about 15-20 seconds. Remove and stir until smooth. Pour glaze over the cheesecakes. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Refrigerate the cheesecakes for about 4 hours or overnight. Remove carefully and serve. 

Mini Almond Joy Cheesecakes

I've been eyeing this recipe for quite some time now and I finally found the time to make it. You would think that I would be spending these last two snow days grading the bazillion papers I brought home...but NOPE, I'm baking instead. 

I absolutely loooove coconut and chocolate together. It's one of my favorite combinations.

My dad's birthday is this weekend, so I knew he would just love these. My parents are both huge fans of coconut in anything. And in case you didn't know already, my mother is where my sweet tooth comes from! She's the one person I can count on when I want to eat dessert for breakfast. No judgement, she just grabs a spoon and joins right in. :)

These mini Almond Joy Cheesecakes are the perfect version of the candy bar. The cheesecake on it’s own is super creamy, coco-nutty, and delicious, but the crust is where it's at! I love how you can see the little specks of coconut and almonds throughout. It is the most amazing crust and full of flavor. 

I tried to make these "skinny jeans approved" by using coconut oil instead of butter for the crust, reduced fat cream cheese, and I threw in some Greek yogurt for good measure. The result: super smooth, creamy, and amazing! I love the extra boost of flavor from the coconut oil. It has the perfect amount of sweetness from the toasted coconut and chocolate glaze. I also opted for the "mini" version...hey, it's all about portion control!  

If your significant other is a fan of chocolate and coconut, these would be perfect to serve on Valentine’s day! 

Mini Almond Joy Cheesecakes

Recipe adapted from The Curvy Carrot

Makes 6 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients:
Crust
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 tablespoon sugar
4 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Filling
1 1/2 (8-ounce) packages reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup non fat, plain Greek yogurt (you could also use non fat, vanilla)
2 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 tablespoon coconut extract

Chocolate Glaze
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers, almonds, and coconut until a crumb mixture. With the machine running, slowly add the melted coconut oil and pulse until it just starts to come together.
Divide the crumb mixture into your mini cheesecake pan then press evenly with the bottom of a glass to create an even crust. Bake crust in the oven for about 5 minutes and let cool.
Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

Filling
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the coconut extract. Gently fold in the coconut with a spatula until well combined.
Transfer the filling to the cooled crust and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. The top should be slightly puffy and lightly browned. Remove cheesecake from the oven and let cool completely.

Glaze
Combine the chocolate chips, milk, and vanilla in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave for about 15-20 seconds. Remove and stir until smooth. Pour glaze over the cheesecakes (which are still in the pan) and spread evenly. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and sliced almonds.

Refrigerate the cheesecakes for about 4 hours or overnight. Remove carefully and serve. 

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Whoopie pies are pretty much my favorite thing ever and I love this mini version!! It's like a little cupcake sandwich. :)

These little bites of yummy goodness have winter and Christmas written all over them. There is something about this time of year when I find myself craving anything with gingerbread. The warmth of flavors is just perfect for these cold days.

This whoopie pie is super moist and has a strong gingerbread flavor. The filling is a simple cream cheese frosting and is the perfect compliment. All in all, they are simply scrumptious! Make them. You won't be disappointed. 

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour
Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
3/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk

for the filling:

4 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Mix in half of the dry ingredients, the molasses, the remaining dry ingredients, and then the buttermilk.
• Drop the batter onto baking sheets using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp.).
• Bake the cakes until puffed and set, about 9-12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets until firm then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the filling by beating the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer.  Mix in vanilla, then beat in powdered sugar until smooth.  Place 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the center of a cake.  Top with a second cake and press together until the filling reaches the edges of the pies.  Makes about 15 sandwiches.

Mini Peanut Butter Rolo Cookies

This is a super quick and delicious cookie recipe. I made them a couple of weeks ago for a Christmas dinner party at our house...and they disappeared!

This cookie is as easy as dropping your favorite candy into lightly baked cookie batter. My favorite candy of choice...ROLOS :)

You just drop a little ball of peanut butter dough into a mini muffin pan and bake them until they're just barely done. Take them out of the oven and immediately press a mini Rolo into the center. Soft and chewy peanut butter cookie meets melty caramel and chocolate yumminess.

Cookie + candy perfection.

This is the perfect Christmas cookie recipe – super quick, easy, and you can make a ton in no time!

Mini Peanut Butter Rolo Cookies

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. Mini Rolos

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with with cooking spray. 
• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer combine butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until fluffy. 
• Add in peanut butter and continue to mix.
• Add in egg and vanilla until combined.
• Slowly add in flour mixture until the dough just comes together. 
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place in muffin pan.
• Bake for 6-8 minutes, until they are just barely done. 
• Take the warm cookies out of the oven, and place a mini Rolo into each cookie, pushing down slightly. The warmth of the cookie will slightly melt the chocolate.
• In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate in 20 second intervals until smooth.
• Drizzle white chocolate over each cookie.
• Cool for about 10 minutes and gently remove the cookies from the pan. 

Mini Rolo Pies

This is probably one of the easiest desserts I've ever made. PLUS they are soooo good!

But, beware...they are highly addictive. I'm pretty sure I ate about 5 of them in a matter of minutes. 

 

The gooey marshmallows with the warm and lightly melted rolo is amazing. Add in the crunch of the buttery pie crust, and you have perfection in "mini" form! 

I had to take a picture of what one of these looked like right out of the oven while they were still warm. Rolos that are ooey, gooey, and melted are waaayyyy better than Rolos at room temperature!

Mini Rolo Pies
Ingredients:
1 box (2 rolls) refrigerated pie crust 
1 bag of mini marshmallows
36 Rolo candies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray, Unroll one pie crust and use a round cookie cutter to cut circles of dough that are about 2 inches.  Press each round into each muffin cup. Repeat with second crust in box. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and pop three little marshmallows into each pie crust. Put the pan back into the oven for about 3 minutes, or until the marshmallow starts to become soft and gooey.

Remove the hot pies from the oven and place one Rolo in the center of each. Let cool completely before moving or removing from the pan. Once cooled, gently use a butter knife to pop them out of the pan.