This Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is the right thing for chocoholics. It's creamy, extremely chocolatey, and decadent. 3 ingredient Oreo cookie crust, lots of high-quality chocolate, and cocoa. Prepared in 15 minutes with just 10 ingredients. Super easy to make and no fancy ingredients involved. Detailed step-by-step photos and video.
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Photo instructions
Start with lining the springform pan with parchment paper. If you cover the bottom and the sides of the springform pan entirely, you don’t need to worry about how to remove cheesecake from the springform pan. After baking and chilling, just open the pan and remove the paper from the cheesecake.
Take the bottom of a springform pan and line it with parchment paper. Then place the ring of the springform pan on top of the bottom and close it slowly. Adjust the paper while closing the ring that it doesn’t wrap in the center.
Then cut the paper around the edges of the pan. Cut about 3 inches (7-8cm) broad stripes for the sides of the pan. Take one of the stripes and line the sides of the pan. Spray a bit of non-stick spray underneath the paper that it sticks to the pan. Alternatively, you can use oil and a brush. Repeat until the sides of the pan are completely covered with parchment.
Let's move on to the crust. Oreo cookie crumbs, unsweetened cocoa, and melted butter is everything you need for the crust.
The fastest way to get Oreo cookie crumbs is to place the Oreo cookie sandwiches (including the filling) in a food processor and pulse a few seconds until finely ground into crumbs. Alternatively, you can place them in a zip-lock bag and smash them with the rolling pin into fine crumbs.
Then combine Oreo crumbs, cocoa, and melted butter. You can use either dutch-processed cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder. Stir until evenly moistened. This works best with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. It should look like in the picture below.
Transfer to the prepared springform pan and press the crumbs with the back of a flat bottomed cup into the bottom of the pan and halfway up the sides. Freeze until the filling is done.
The filling is also super easy to make.
Start with beating the cream cheese, sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Mix just until combined, smooth, and no lumps remain.
I recommend using room temperature cream cheese because it combines faster and better with the other ingredients. If the cream cheese is too cold, you tend to overmix it to get rid of all lumps.
So room temperature cream cheese = less mixing = better incorporating with the other ingredients = no lumps = BETTER. Why it is important not to overmix the batter, you will know when you read on.
The recipe works with brick style cheesecake as it is available in the US as well as the spreadable cream cheese which is available in the EU.
Then add melted high-quality chocolate. This means that we have cocoa in the crust and the filling and additional melted chocolate in the filling. If this doesn't sound like chocolate heaven, I don't know what does.
Make sure to use high-quality chocolate from a chocolate brand you love. The quality and taste of the chocolate have a high impact on the taste of the Chocolate Cheesecake. I used semi-sweet chocolate from Lindt. I don't recommend using milk chocolate or very dark chocolate because the cheesecake filling would be too sweet or not sweet at all.
Then add one egg at the time and mix just until incorporated. Don't overmix at any step. As you can see in the pictures below, the cheesecake filling transfers from firm to liquid with every egg you add.
First egg:
Second egg:
Forth egg:
Fifth egg:
After adding all eggs, the batter should look like this:
Add heavy whipping cream, salt, and vanilla and mix to combine.
Before you add the batter to the crust, it should look like this:
Fill into chilled crust and spread evenly. You don't need to wrap aluminum foil around the pan to catch the liquid that is leaking during the baking process. I always place a piece of parchment paper under the pan while baking. The paper prevents liquid from dropping on the bottom of your oven.
Then bake until the center is just set with puffed edges. To tell when your chocolate cheesecake is done, gently shake the pan. The edges should be very lightly browned and set with a slight jiggle in the center. The wobbly center should be about 3-4 inches in diameter and very bright and shiny.
Do not check with a toothpick because this is not significant. Don’t worry that your cheesecake is still wobbly. It is not underbaked and the cheesecake firms up when it cools.
Freezing instructions
- Freeze the whole cheesecake: Let the cheesecake cool as described and then chill for about 4 hours. Then remove the ring from the springform pan and wrap the cheesecake with the bottom of the pan in plastic foil twice. Then wrap in aluminum foil twice. Take care that it is completely sealed and no air is enclosed or can come in. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Therefore remove the foil and the plastic wrap and place the cheesecake in an airtight container. Decorate before serving and eat within 2 days.
- Freeze single slices: After chilling cut into slices (without toppings) and wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap twice. Place in freezer bags and squeeze out all the air. Freeze up to 1 month. For thawing, unwrap the cheesecake and place in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. Decorate before serving and eat within 2 days.
Why did my Cheesecake crack?
- Overmixing. Don’t overmix the filling. There shouldn't be any air in the filling. Mix at every step just until combined.
- Overbaking. Please don't bake the cheesecake until it is completely firm in the center. Just the top of the center should be set with a jiggly underneath. It should wobble like a pudding when shaking the pan.
- Opening the oven door too early. Let the oven closed during the baking time. Just at the very end, you can open the door to check if the cheesecake is done. Check the first time after 50 minutes.
- Fast temperature changes. Cheesecake hates fast changes in temperature. After baking, crack open the door and let the cheesecake in the oven for one hour. Then remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator.
If your cheesecake cracks, please don't panic. The cheesecake is not ruined, you don’t need to throw it away, it is not bad, it is the same in taste and texture, and you can still eat it. And if the crack bugs you because of the look? Cover it with ganache, whipped cream, or lots of berries (or all of that?). Nobody will know that there is a crack. So don’t panic because of a crack, the world is still good. And delicious.
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Recipe and Video
Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust
- 25 Oreo cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- 4 packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
- 1 ¾ cups semi-sweet chocolate, melted
- 5 large eggs
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a 9" (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Crust: In a large bowl stir together Oreo crumbs, melted butter, and cocoa until combined and evenly moistened. Transfer to the prepared pan and press crumbs into the bottom and halfway up the sides with the back of a measuring cup. Freeze until filling is done.
- Filling: In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa just until combined, smooth and no lumps remain. Add melted chocolate and mix to combine. Add one egg at a time and mix just until combined before you add the next egg. Scrape down the bowl and add heavy whipping cream, salt, and vanilla* and mix until creamy. Don't overmix. Too much air in the filling can cause cracks while baking.
- Pour filling into the crust and spread evenly. Place a piece of parchment paper under the springform pan and bake for 55-65 minutes until the edges look puffed and the top is set with a lightly wobble underneath. It still should wobble like pudding when you remove it from the oven. Don't overbake. I baked mine for 55 minutes.
- Turn off the oven, crack open the door, and let the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Then remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
Video
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. This was my first attempt in 67 years to make a real cheesecake OMG it was amazingly delicious. I wanted to run though the neighborhood with a bite for everyone. My nephew hid it for himself
Going to make the Lemon one next
Thank you for sharing
Very happy with this recipe. This was my first time baking a cheesecake, let alone baking on my own as I am still very young and still learning- and it turned out great. 10/10 will make again.
I have no idea how many times I have made this cake already, It is an all time favourite and when I ask friends/family what cake would you like for your Bday, I get always the same response:
Chocolate Cheesecake, like the one last time........
Thanks a million for this delicious recipe!
Uli
If using a premise crust (shorter than the 9” pan), should the recipe be changed? If so how? Thank you!
That’s premade not premise, sorry.
Yes, I would calculate the size of your crust for example 8” then calculate 8x8=64 divided by 9x9=81 is 0.79. So you are on the safe side to do 75% of the filling. Hope that helps!
The premade crust wasn’t as deep as the 9” pan, so I cut the ingredients in half and baked it for 40 minutes. It turned out very good! Thanks
This was so yummy, my kids and husband loved it! Whipped cream a must!!!
Thank you so much for your feedback! I'm happy that you like it! Agree with you on the whipped cream.
Hi Sabine,
Just wondering if water bath is necessary for this recipe as I always bake my cheesecakes at a lower temperature around 150C with no water bath. Thank you
Nicky
Hi Nicky,
no, a water bath is not necessary. I never bake my cheesecakes in a water bath. However, you can bake this chocolate cheesecake the way you bake it normally. It works with the water bath method too.
Hope that helps!
Soooo impressed with this recipe. Baked cheesecake is my favourite, but a chocolate baked cheesecake takes it to a whole other level of deliciousness. I made it for a friend’s birthday and they were blown away. Thank you for such a fabulous recipe Sabine.
Faith x
Aww, thank you so much Faith! It makes me so happy that you liked it and that it was a huge hit at the birthday party. Thank you so much for your nice feedback! Sabine xo
I'm making it for the second time tonight- it's delicious! Definitely use high quality chocolate, as you say. It truly makes all the difference 🙂 And I do always cook my cheesecakes in a bain Marie (water bath) with excellent results because I'm so scared of cracking! But I didn't change a thing about the recipe otherwise. So so good! Highly recommended! Really nice with some not-so-sweet freshly made whipped cream 🙂
The taste of the chocolate has a huge impact on the taste, you are true! Baking cheesecakes in a bain marie is definitely the safest method to prevent cracking cheesecakes. And yes, I also love freshly made whipped cream on top. It fits this cheesecake perfectly. Thank you so much, I'm really happy that you like this recipe! 🙂
In your print recipe instructions you did not mention when to add the melted chocolate. I followed the recipe and then discovered that I had the melted chocolate left over! I added it at the end. Haven’t cut it yet but the batter tasted wonderful and it looks fine. Just wanted you to know.
Ann, this is bad that something weird like this happened to you. I'm so sorry about that! I printed it now and I had the chocolate in the instructions. I don't know what was wrong. However, I'm super happy that it turned out good. Thank you for letting me know!