Here is the second treat I’m planning to make this Thursday. Once again, Shapin Up to the rescue with a few tweaks to lower the calorie count.

Cheesecake with pretzel crust and peanut butter

This is an interesting combination of salty and sweet. The pretzel crust adds the crunch and peanut butter layer adds the saltiness to the sweet creamcheese filling. The chocolate shavings is a good compliment too.

For the crust:
1 cup pretzels crushed
¼ cup unsalted butter melted
2 heaping tbsp creamy peanut butter, melted

For the filling:
¼ cup granulated sugar
1/½ package cream cheese at room temperature
2 eggs

Shapin’ Up Edits: For the crust, use Jiff Reduced Fat Peanut Butter, for the cream cheese use 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese instead of regualr.

Crust prep:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Blend cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press mixture over bottom of springform pan. Bake crust until lightly browned at edges, about 8 minutes. Pour the melted peanut butter over the pretzel crust to form a layer. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

Filling prep:
In an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Slowly mix in sugar and beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Continue beating, adding eggs 1 at a time until well mixed. (DO NOT OVER BEAT.) Pour filling onto peanut butter layer crust. Bake cake until edges are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 45 mins to an hour. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. (Can be prepared a day ahead.) Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen. Release pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter.

Garnish with chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

Recipe from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/parkerman/479342036/