Chocolate Cheesecake
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This triple chocolate cheesecake has an oreo cookie crust, and rich, creamy chocolate cheesecake filling, and that is then topped with an easy chocolate ganache poured over the top. This chocolate cheesecake recipe is easy to make and doesn’t require a water bath!
I love a good slice of cheesecake. And when it’s basically a death by chocolate cheesecake situation with triple the chocolate going on I’m a sucker for it.
But making a cheesecake of any variety can be kind of a pain in the neck. That whole water bath situation. But I’m so excited to share this chocolate cheesecake recipe with you because it doesn’t need one. Rejoice! Hallelujah, the cheesecake gods have spoken.
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In fact it’s just so good I decided to create a mini chocolate cheesecake recipe from this version and a S’mores cheesecake recipe with a fluffy marshmallow topping and graham cracker crust.
I had found this cheesecake recipe over on King Arthur Flour, but as always I love putting my twist on things. I decided to up the chocolate intensity and stir in some cocoa powder, which would give it a real chocolate-y intense flavor. I used my own version of an oreo cookie crust of 2 ingredients, and then I figured why stop there? Let’s make a simple ganache and pour it over the top and create a triple chocolate cheesecake instead.
Why This Recipe Works
- Can freeze any leftover slices to enjoy later.
- No water bath needed!
- Lots of chocolate flavor! There is chocolate in crust, cheesecake batter, and more chocolate is poured over the top.
- Great make ahead dessert
Ingredients Needed
- Oreo Cookies – No need to remove the filling you will use whole Oreo cookies.
- Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter
- Heavy Cream – You need to use heavy cream to make a rich ganache, for the cheesecake and for the topping. Do not use half and half or milk as it won’t create the right consistency.
- Chocolate – I used semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips but chocolate bars would also work. I would not recommend anything sweeter as it might make the cheesecake too sweet.
- Cream Cheese – I recommend using full-fat cream cheese so it gives the cheesecake the right consistency. Light cream cheese would probably still work, but I don’t recommend using fat-free. And do not use the whipped, tub varieties.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs– You want to make sure to use room temperature eggs. Here is my full tutorial on how to get eggs to room temperature fast.
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa Powder– You can use either natural unsweetened cocoa powder, or Dutch processed cocoa powder. I prefer Dutch cocoa powder because it has a richer chocolate flavor.
How To Make Chocolate Cheesecake
Make the Oreo cookie crust
Preheat the oven to 350oF and lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. You can also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Make the crust. In your food processor pulse the cookies together until they are fine crumbs. You can also do this in your stand mixer, or place cookies in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. If doing this by hand with a rolling pin, transfer the crumbs to a mixing bowl.
Add butter and bake. Add melted butter and mix until combined.
Press the crust mixture into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Make the cheesecake filling
Combine the heavy cream and chocolate chips in a small saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl.
Heat, stirring frequently, until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth. If doing this in the microwave, heat for 30 seconds at 50% power, stirring in between.
In a large mixing bowl (I like to use my stand mixer with my paddle attachment) beat together the cream cheese and sugar at low speed, until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula and beat until smooth. You donโt want to continue to mix the cream cheese at this point or it will incorporate too much air and cause your cheesecake to crack so mix briefly.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Make sure they are at room temperature so the incorporate easily and create a smooth batter.
I place my eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using them and they come to room temperature quickly.
Stir in the vanilla and cocoa powder. I prefer to use quality, pure vanilla extract for best flavor.
Then beat to combine. Scrape down the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
Why does my cheesecake crack?
You want to make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature so it can be easily mixed with the sugar and creates a smooth filling for this triple chocolate cheesecake. If the cream cheese is properly softened then you don’t need to mix it very much. You do not want to mix the cream cheese and sugar too much because it will incorporate too much air into the cheesecake.
Too much air mixed in will result in cracks forming on top of your cheesecake. And as long as everything is room temperature and you don’t mix the cream cheese too long you don’t need a water bath and you will have no cracks!
Bake cheesecake
Add the melted chocolate and creamย mixture, beating on low speed until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bow with a spatula; and beat to combine briefly, just until smooth.
Add the chocolate cheesecake batter on top of the oreo crust and spread smooth.ย
Place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake the cake (at 350oF) for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean and the internal temperature (if testing with a thermometer reads 175oF). Insert a toothpick, about an inch from the edge, not directly in the middle. The center may not look set quite yet but will continue to bake up as it cools.
Cooling The Cheesecake
Cooling your triple chocolate cheesecake is super important to achieve a perfect cheesecake consistency and no cracks on top. You want to leave the cheesecake in your oven, but turn the oven off. You want to crack the oven door open several inches, and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
The triple chocolate cheesecake will continue to set up as it sits in the oven with the residual heat. The top of the cheesecake will begin to settle and firm up. Basically cheesecake perfection.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and set it on a rack to finish cooling. You can refrigerate it to cool as well, just cover with a paper towel to prevent condensation then cover with another layer of plastic wrap or tinfoil. Once itโs cooled prepare the ganache and pour over it.
Make The Ganache
Once the chocolate cheesecake has cooled it’s time to add that luscious third layer of chocolate. The rich dark chocolate ganache on top. Now ganache is basically just the combination of heavy cream and chocolate melted and stirred together.
You can use chocolate chips (I recommend Ghiradelli) but I prefer using either semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate bar finely chopped.
You want to chop the chocolate finely so it melts into the heavy cream easily. Then heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until hot and steaming, but not boiling. Then add the chocolate to a bowl and pour hot cream over the top. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then stir until it smooth.
Then pour it over the cheesecake. I let it firm up in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it up.
Heather’s Baking Tips
- To press the cookie crumbs into the pan evenly, I use the bottom of a measuring cup to make fast work of it!
- Soften the cream cheese quickly by placing it in your microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power (repeat if necessary).
- Do not overmix when adding the cream cheese, and eggs as it will cause too much air to be incorporated and cause your cheesecake too crack.
- Your cheesecake will appear underdone in the middle when you the timer goes off, but it will continue to set up as it cools.
- Place a paper towel over the cheesecake when you place it in the fridge, to keep condensation from forming over the top.
- Do not open the oven while it bakes. This could cause the temperature to drop in the oven and cause your cheesecake to crack on top.
Storage Instructions
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to place a paper towel over the surface, then cover with plastic wrap or tinfoil. The paper towel helps to keep condensation from forming on top of the cheesecake.
You can freeze a whole or slice of cheesecake for up to 3 months. Wrap well with several layers of plastic wrap (I also like to then place in a plastic bag or wrap a final time in tinfoil). Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Recipe FAQ’s
Make sure the cheesecake is cooled and firmed up before you try to get the cheesecake out of the pan. Then go ahead and release the springform pan and use a knife to loosen the cheesecake around the edges and underneath the pan.
You want to do the jiggle test. This mean that the edges of the cheesecake should be set, but the middle of the cheesecake should have a slight jiggle to it. It should not look wet but still jiggle. The cheesecake will continue to firm up as it cools. If you bake until the middle is no longer jiggly it’s overbaked and may crack.ย
This is probably due to overbaking. Make sure to use a water bath, and do the jiggle test (explained above). And allow the cheesecake to cool properly in the oven for an hour with the oven off after baking, and then store in the refrigerator (at least 6 hours, ideally overnight). And make sure your ingredients are at room temperature so you do not have to mix the batter for too long which can result in too much air in the mixture which can lead to crack later.
More Recipes To Try
If you’re craving more chocolate then be sure to try this triple chocolate cake from The Crumby Kitchen! (I mean more chocolate is always better, right?)
Or try my brownie cake! It’s like eating a brownie in cake form. And it’s made in a bundt pan so it couldn’t be simpler. Or try my easy homemade brookies – all from scratch!
Get My Cheesecake Book!
Don’t forget to grab a copy of my cookbook, Cheesecake For All Seasons! It’s an easy to download digital e-book with over 50 delicious cheesecake recipes, toppings, tips and tutorials for you to master making cheesecake at home!
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Crust:
- 24 Oreo cookies
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Filling
- ยฝ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 2 cups (340 g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 24 ounces (3 packages) full-fat cream cheese softened room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened or Dutch cocoa powder
Ganache:
- 4 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
- ยฝ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make the crust. In your food processor pulse the cookies together until they are fine crumbs. You can also do this in your stand mixer, or place cookies in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. If doing this by hand with a rolling pin, transfer the crumbs to a mixing bowl.
- Add butter and bake. Add butter and mix until combined. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Make the filling. Combine the heavy cream and chocolate chips in a small saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth. If doing this in the microwave, heat for 30 seconds at 50% power, stirring in between.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar. In a large mixing bowl (I like to use my stand mixer with my paddle attachment) beat together the cream cheese and sugar at low speed, until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula and beat until smooth. You donโt want to continue to mix the cream cheese at this point or it will incorporate too much air and cause your cheesecake to crack so mix briefly.
- Add eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla and cocoa. Stir in the vanilla, then the cocoa powder.
- Add melted chocolate mixture. Add the chocolate/cream mixture, beating on low speed until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bow with a spatula; and beat to combine briefly, just until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the crust. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake the cake (at 350ยฐF) for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean and the internal temperature (if testing with a thermometer reads 175ยฐF). Insert a toothpick, about an inch from the edge, not directly in the middle. The center may not look set quite yet but will continue to bake up as it cools.
- Cool the cheesecake. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door open several inches, and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and set it on a rack to finish cooling. You can refrigerate it to cool as well, just cover with a paper towel to prevent condensation then cover with another layer of plastic wrap or tinfoil. Once itโs cooled prepare the ganache and pour over it.
- Make the ganache. Place the chocolate chips in a small mixing bowl. Heat the cream until very hot, either in saucepan on low heat, or in the microwave. You want the heavy cream hot, but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chips. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk smooth. Pour the ganache over the cooled cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the fridge to firm up before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to place a paper towel over the surface, then cover with plastic wrap or tinfoil. The paper towel helps to keep condensation from forming on top of the cheesecake.
- Freezing: You can freeze a whole or slice of cheesecake for up to 3 months. Wrap well with several layers of plastic wrap (I also like to then place in a plastic bag or wrap a final time in tinfoil). Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese is best for texture. Do not use whipped or tub style cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature. If the cream cheese is cold it will not mix in well and not make for a smooth filling.
- Cocoa powder: You can use either unsweetened or Dutch process cocoa powder. I prefer Dutch process as it gives it a richer, more chocolatey flavor.
Making this as an informal wedding cake for my friend. I’m very picky with chocolate so I don’t like it but she loves it! Also had a lot of other friends taste test it and also eat the left overs from my practice batch and they loved it.
Anyway, I was just wondering during what the typical time is for the ganache to properly set and how I know it’s done.
Such a special treat for your friend! ๐ The ganache usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature to set, or you can speed it up by chilling it in the fridge for about 15โ20 minutes. Itโs ready when itโs thickened but still smooth and glossy. Hope that helps, and happy baking! ๐ซ๐
My son made this, but when cut, the base crumbled. What could have caused this?
It sounds like there might not have been enough butter or maybe too many Oreo cookies in the crust. Pressing the crust down too firmly can also cause it to crumble. The texture should improve as it sits in the fridge. I hope that helps!
Iโve made this two years in a row now for my sonโs birthday (because itโs delicious), but both times it has not been done in the center. Iโve followed the directions closely (I had to microwave some of the cream cheese because I only set out two bricks instead of the three, and itโs possible I mixed it too long because I had some cracks, but I didnโt care too much since the ganache covers that up), but everything else as far as baking and cooling I followed to T. I love this recipe because itโs easy, no water bath, and is so yummy! Would love if I could get it completely right! What am I doing wrong? TIA
Hi Katie, I’m so glad you loved this! It sounds like it’s just a tad underbaked. I always remove when the edges are set and the middle still is a tad wobbly but still dry on top if that makes sense? If it still looks wet I’d go a few minutes longer.
My go to recipe that never fails! I just finished baking the last of 3 cheesecakes for the high bidders in my grandchildren’s school fundraiser online auction for the second time. A bidding war to get one started after last year’s offering. The high bids on the 3 cheesecakes were $97, $95, $96
wow that’s amazing!! Love hearing this and that it was for a good cause as well!
This is lovely. Would love to try these. My family members are all sweet tooth Thanks for sharing!!
They will definitely love this chocolate cheese cake then ๐
I love that you don’t need a water bath to make this cheesecake!! I love chocolate and I can’t wait to try this dessert!
yes so much easier without a water bath!
When it comes to cheesecakes I am not a confident baker, but very happy to report, your step by step instructions were spot on. Wonderful chocolate cheesecake cooling on my table.
aw glad to hear it!! Enjoy!
You had me at triple chocolate. This cheese cake look so delicious. I cannot wait to try it.
Thank you! Let me know how it turns out!
Cheesecake and chocolate are my favorite dessertsโcombining them is best! What a delicious recipe!