Chocolate Cheesecake
Posted Feb 04, 2022, Updated Feb 19, 2024
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In this chocolate cheesecake recipe, a rich chocolate filling sits atop a chocolate cookie crust and then is finished off with a smooth chocolate ganache. It’s an elegant dessert for serious chocolate lovers.
When I was first married there was a woman at my church who made the most incredible desserts. My favorite of her creations were her mini chocolate cheesecakes – they were as delicious as they were cute. She was generous enough to share her recipe with me, and I adapted it to create one, regular-sized, chocolate cheesecake!
In this chocolate cheesecake recipe, a rich chocolate filling sits atop a chocolate cookie crust and then is finished off with a smooth chocolate ganache. It’s an elegant dessert for chocolate lovers.
Also, try this no bake chocolate cheesecake if you’re short on time or it’s too hot to bake!
Chocolate Cheesecake: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chocolate cookie crumbs. any chocolate cookie works well in the crust of this chocolate cheesecake. I always use double stuffed Oreos, but other suggestions include: Trader Joe’s JoJo’s, regular Oreos, etc. You can use flavored cookies (birthday cake, peppermint, etc.) if you want to change the flavor. You can also use a gluten-free sandwich cookie to make this recipe gluten-free (Oreo started making gluten-free Oreo’s now – amazing)!
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for regular white sugar.
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter or coconut oil can be used in the crust instead of salted butter, if desired.
- Cream cheese. use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor. I don’t recommend making substitutions.
- Heavy cream. half and half is acceptable substitute for heavy cream in both the ganache and cheesecake.
- Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds of one whole vanilla bean are a good substitute for vanilla in the cheesecake.
- Semisweet chocolate. any variety or form of chocolate works in this recipe, choose your favorite (chips, bars, discs, dark milk, etc.) It is melted in both the cheesecake and ganache so the form doesn’t matter.
- Espresso powder. I always have espresso powder on hand to make chocolate desserts (like this homemade chocolate cake). It’s totally worth purchasing if you love baking. You can substitute instant coffee if you must.
- All-purpose flour. bread flour, cake flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
How to Make Chocolate Cheesecake
This chocolate cheesecake recipe has a few different steps and elements to it, but they are all relatively simple to make on their own. Note. that this recipe needs to chill overnight, so plan accordingly.
Prepare the Springform Pan
Begin this recipe by preparing the springform pan and pan for the water bath.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C) and lightly grease a non-stick, 9” springform pan and use heavy duty aluminum foil to line the bottom so there are no cracks. Locate another pan that is larger than the springform pan and in which the springform pan sits flat. The cheesecake will be baked in the larger pan in a water bath. Set aside.
Make the Oreo Crust:
If you don’t have store-bought Oreo crumbs, process the Oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade or in a blender and process/blend until they reach the texture of fine crumbs.
Then, in a large bowl, combine Oreo crumbs, sugar and butter.
Next, press the Oreo mixture into the prepared springform pan and bake for 8 minutes until slightly puffed. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Make the chocolate cheesecake filling
While the crust is baking, make the chocolate cheesecake filling.
In the bowl of a standing mixer or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until there are no lumps.
Then, add the heavy cream, melted chocolate, espresso powder, vanilla, and, sea salt and beat until combined.
Next, beat in the eggs one at a time.
Once the mixture is smooth, stir in flour until just combined and pour the filling over the baked crust.
Bake in a Water Bath
Bring about a quart of water to a boil. Put the cheesecake into the larger pan, then place them in the oven. Very carefully pour the boiling water into the lower pan making sure not to get any water into the cheesecake, until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake for 30-40 (start with 30 and go up from there) minutes until the cheesecake is set around the edges—a small spot in the middle should still look soft. Remove from the oven, remove from water bath, discard foil and cool slowly to room temperature.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
While the cheesecake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache.
Heat the remaining heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just barely begins to boil around the edges.
Then, remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate chips and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Next, add the vanilla extract and whisk until the mixture begins to thicken, which happens as it cools.
Then pour the slightly thickened ganache over the top of the cheesecake and spread it into an even layer.
Chill
Chill the chocolate cheesecake overnight.
Note on Springform Pan
If you don’t own a springform pan you can make this recipe, however it is not easy to get a cheesecake out of a cake pan. I have done it with this recipe though, here’s how:
- Butter and flour the sides of a 9” cake pan.
- Cut and fit a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside with handles (=o=).
- Follow the recipe.
- As soon as the chocolate cheesecake is cooled to room temperature, use a sharp knife to cut around the sides of the cheesecake.
- Use a long, skinny metal spatula and run it under the “handles” of parchment paper to try to release the chocolate cheesecake.
- Flip the cake over and tap the bottom hard.
Serve
Serve with homemade whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream, if desired. This chocolate cheesecake is very rich, so a small slices goes a long way. This recipe feeds 16 people easily.
Store
Store leftover chocolate cheesecake in the refrigerator in an airtight container or on the serving plate covered in plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
Freeze
This chocolate cheesecake freezes well in one of two ways:
1. Freeze the entire chocolate cheesecake. Make and chill the cheesecake, then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
2. Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.
Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe FAQs
I prefer an organic, full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor, texture and quality.
A water bath is a pan of water that you place a cheesecake (or flourless chocolate cake) in to bake. Boiling water is poured into the larger pan halfway up the sides of the springform pan, making sure not to get any water into the batter of the cheesecake.
A water bath helps maintain an even baking temperature. It also adds moisture to the oven which prevents the top from cracking and keeps the texture soft and creamy.
Technically you can bake this chocolate cheesecake without a water bath, however I don’t recommend it. Cheesecakes baked without a water bath often crack on the top and are more dry.
I use my large 12-14″ non-stick fry pans to make a water bath since I don’t have a baking pan large enough. In a pinch you can also put a pan of boiling water in the rack underneath the chocolate cheesecake so you still create a moist oven environment.
Not at all. The cream cheese imparts a slightly tangy flavor but it’s mostly masked by the rest of the ingredients (namely the chocolate and espresso powder). It gives the cake a creamy texture.
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Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (20 Oreos crushed util fine)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate, melted (10 oz bag)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Oreo Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a non-stick, 9” springform pan and use heavy duty aluminum foil to line the bottom so there are no cracks. Locate another pan that is larger than the springform pan and in which the springform pan sits flat. The cheesecake will be baked in the larger pan in a water bath. Set aside.
- Place Oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade or in a blender and process/blend until they reach the texture of fine crumbs.
- In a large bowl, combine Oreo crumbs, sugar and butter and press into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes until slightly puffed. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Make the Filling
- While the crust is baking, in the bowl of a standing mixer or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until there are no lumps.
- Add cream, melted chocolate, espresso powder, vanilla, and, sea salt and beat until combined.
- Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
- Stir in flour until just combined.
- Pour filling over baked crust.
- Bake in a water bath
- Bring about a quart of water to a boil. Put the cheesecake into the larger pan, then place them in the oven. Very carefully pour the boiling water into the lower pan making sure not to get any water into the cheesecake, until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake for 30-40 (start with 30 and go up from there) minutes until the cheesecake is set around the edges—a small spot in the middle should still look soft. Remove from the oven, remove from water bath, and cool slowly to room temperature.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
- Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just barely begins to boil around the edges.
- Add the chocolate chips and whisk until the mixture is smooth, then add the vanilla extract.
- Whisk until the mixture begins to thicken, which happens as it cools. Then pour slightly thickened ganache over the top of the cheesecake and spread it into an even layer.
Chill & Serve
- Chill the chocolate cheesecake overnight. Serve with homemade whipped cream, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Butter and flour the sides of a 9” cake pan.
- Cut and fit a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside with handles (=o=).
- Follow the recipe.
- As soon as the cake is cooled to room temperature, use a sharp knife to cut around the sides of the cheesecake.
- Use a long, skinny metal spatula and run it under the “handles” of parchment paper to try to release the cake.
- Flip the cake over and tap the bottom hard.
- Chocolate cookie crumbs. any chocolate cookie works well in the crust of this chocolate cheesecake. I always use double stuffed oreos, but other suggestions include: Trader Joe’s JoJo’s, regular Oreos, etc. You can use flavored cookies (birthday cake, peppermint, etc.) if you want to change the flavor. You can also use a gluten-free sandwich cookie to make this recipe gluten-free (Oreo started making gluten-free Oreo’s now – amazing)!
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for regular white sugar.
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter or coconut oil can be used in the crust instead of salted butter, if desired.
- Cream cheese. use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor. I don’t recommend making substitutions.
- Heavy cream. half and half is acceptable substitute for heavy cream in both the ganache and cheesecake.
- Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds of one whole vanilla bean are a good substitute for vanilla in the cheesecake.
- Semisweet chocolate. any variety or form of chocolate works in this recipe, choose your favorite (chips, bars, discs, dark milk, etc.) It is melted in both the cheesecake and ganache so the form doesn’t matter.
- Espresso powder. I always have espresso powder on hand to make chocolate desserts (like this homemade chocolate cake). It’s totally worth purchasing if you love baking. You can substitute instant coffee if you must.
- All-purpose flour. bread flour, cake flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
- Freeze the entire chocolate cheesecake. Make and chill the cheesecake, then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
- Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
