This chocolate cheesecake recipe is the perfect dessert for chocolate lovers. Made with an Oreo cookie crust, creamy chocolate cheesecake filling, chocolate ganache, and chocolate whipped cream, this cheesecake is decadent and delicious.
Ingredients for Chocolate Cheesecake
Chocolate Cheesecake
- Oreo cookie crumbs – Approximately 25 Oreo cookies to make 2 1/2 cups of crumbs.
- Granulated sugar – For both the crust and cheesecake filling.
- Salted butter – Melted. You could also use unsalted.
- Cream cheese – Room temperature.
- Dark cocoa powder – Dark cocoa powder adds a deep chocolate flavor and color.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Salt
- Sour cream – Room temperature.
- Heavy cream – Room temperature.
- Semi-sweet chocolate – Melted and cooled.
- Eggs – Large eggs, room temperature.
Additional Components
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips + heavy cream – Chocolate ganache.
- Chocolate whipped cream
Tools & Supplies for Making the Chocolate Cheesecake
How to Make the Chocolate Cheesecake
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch cheesecake or springform pan with a parchment paper circle.
- Bake the crust: Combine the Oreo cookie crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool while making the cheesecake filling. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees F.
- Make the cheesecake filling: Cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add in the dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until well combined. Add in the sour cream and heavy cream and mix on low speed until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and mix well. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition until smooth.
- Bake the cheesecake: Pour the chocolate cheesecake filling into the Oreo crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath (see below) for 90 minutes until the edges are set and the center is jiggly. Progressively cool the cheesecake in the oven (see recipe tips). Then, remove the cheesecake pan from the oven and cool to room temperature. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Make the chocolate ganache: Stir together hot cream and semisweet chocolate until smooth.
- Make the chocolate whipped cream: Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, dark cocoa powder, and vanilla extract until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the cheesecake: Remove the cheesecake from the pan. Spread the chocolate ganache over the top of the cheesecake. Use a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip to swirl the chocolate whipped cream onto the cheesecake.
What is a water bath?
For this recipe, we will be baking the cheesecake in a water bath. A water bath is simply baking the cheesecake in a larger pan containing water. Water baths are beneficial for a few reasons:
- It helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking by keeping the oven environment moist
- It helps with evenly and slowly baking the cheesecake to achieve a smooth and creamy texture
To make a water bath, you will need a pan larger than your springform/cheesecake pan. For my 9-inch cheesecakes, I usually use a 12-inch round cake pan. You can use any pan as long as it is larger than your cheesecake pan.Â
You will want to fill the pan with about one inch of water, usually about halfway up the pan.Â
Since cheesecake and springform pans are in two pieces, we need to protect the bottom of the pans so the water doesn’t leak into the cheesecake. There are two options for doing this. First, you can wrap the bottom of the cheesecake pan with aluminum foil. If you choose this option, make sure that the foil extends up the sides of the pan so the water doesn’t leak in. Second, you can place the cheesecake pan in a slightly larger pan, and then use an even larger pan for the water bath. For this recipe, I used a 9-inch cheesecake pan placed in a 10-inch cake pan, placed in a 12-inch cake pan filled halfway with water.
Recipe Tips
- Check out my baking tips blog post on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cheesecakes to learn simple tips and tricks to make this chocolate cheesecake the best ever!
- Be sure to mix the cheesecake filling on low speed to prevent air bubbles from forming and to create the best smooth and creamy texture.
- To create the perfect texture and prevent the cheesecake from cracking, it is best to do a progressive cooling process. This means that we will slowly cool down the cheesecake, first starting in the oven and eventually leading to chilling in the refrigerator. It takes time, but it is worth it!
- Store the chocolate cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Chocolate Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch cheesecake or springform pan
- Stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust
- 2 ½ cup Oreo cookie crumbs approximately 25 Oreo cookies
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp salted butter `melted
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips melted and cooled to room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp dark cocoa powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9-inch cheesecake or springform pan with a parchment paper circle.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted salted butter. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan. Use a spoon or a flat-bottomed measuring cup to firmly press the crumbs along the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until set and remove the pan from the oven to cool.
- Turn the oven temperature down to 300℉.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Add in the dark cocoa powder and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until well combined. Add in the sour cream and heavy cream and continue to mix on low speed until smooth. Add one egg at a time, mixing in between each addition, until the cheesecake batter is combined and smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the Oreo crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath (see blog post for more information) for approximately 90 minutes until the edges are set and the center jiggles.
- Turn off the oven and cool the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, crack the door of the oven and cool for another 30 minutes. Then, remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool to room temperature. Chill the cheesecake for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the heavy cream for 30-45 seconds until bubbling. Add in the semisweet chocolate chips and allow the mixture to sit for 1 minute to melt. Stir the chocolate and cream together until it is well combined, smooth, and shiny. Set aside to cool slightly.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, dark cocoa powder, and vanilla extract until medium-stiff peaks form.
Assembling the Chocolate Cheesecake
- Pour the chocolate ganache on the top of the cheesecake and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the chocolate whipped cream and pipe small swirls of whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake.
Notes
Made This Recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Nicole M Krause says
Dark cocoa powder, sweet or unsweet? I am planning on making this for my daughters birthday. Thanks
Courtney says
Hi Nicole! For this recipe, you want to go with unsweetened dark cocoa powder. Happy birthday to your daughter! Hope you enjoy the recipe!