Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball Cheesecake

• Using a food processor, throw your nutter butter cookies into it and pulse until they are all crumbs. I used the round nutter butters and used 27 cookies.
• Add the room temperature cream cheese into the food processor and pulse until incorporated and a cookie ball forms.
• Scoop the balls with an ice cream scoop. Roll the balls between your two palms until perfectly round. Place on a parchment lined baking pan and repeat with the rest of the balls. I think I got 10 - 12 balls out of it, but you can make them smaller like I said in the post.
• Place the peanut butter balls into the freezer for 30 minutes while you're working on the rest of the cheesecake.

Crust

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In the food processor, add in the round nutter butters and pulse on high until there are only crumbs.
• Pour the melted butter into the food processor and pulse until the crumbs look like wet sand.
• Press the nutter butter crumbs into a 10 inch springform pan. I pushed mine up the sides slightly.
• Place into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes until the crust is slightly browned.
• Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Reduce heat to 325 degrees and work on the batter.

Cheesecake

• Place the chocolate over a double boiler over medium heat and let melt.
• In a mixing bowl, add in the cocoa powder and granulated sugar. Mix until combined.
• Add in the cream cheese and melted chocolate. Mix until completely incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again to avoid any lumps of cream cheese in your batter.
• Add in the eggs one at a time. Mix each egg completely before adding the next. Also scrape down the bowl after adding each egg.
• Add in the sour cream and heavy cream. Mix until incorporated.
• Before adding the cheesecake mixture, line the outside of the spring form pan with heavy duty tin foil. I double wrap it to prevent the water from leaking in.
• Remove the peanut butter balls from the freezer. Place the balls into the cooled crust. I did placed 4 balls in the center of the crust and 8 on the outside.
• Pour the cheesecake filling into the crust. Give it a few taps to make sure the cheesecake filling fills in any air bubbles.
• Place the springform pan in a slightly larger baking pan. Fill the outer pan with water. Fill it so it at least goes a quarter of the way up the springform pan. This will keep the cheesecake from cracking.
• Place in the oven at 325 degrees and let bake for 53 minutes to 1 hour or until done. To make sure the cheesecake is done, give it a wiggle. If it slightly jiggles in JUST the middle like jello, then it's done. If it jiggles all over, it needs to bake longer. Turn off the heat and crack the oven door slightly. Let it cool in the oven for an hour or two. I kept mine in the oven for about 2 and half hours and then placed it in the fridge overnight.
• Place the peanut butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Melt for 20 seconds until runny. Pour the peanut butter into a sandwich bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag.
• Apply even pressure and move your hand back and froth to add a peanut butter drizzle to the top.