Chocolate Cheesecake is a chocolate lover’s delight with an Oreo cookie crust filled in and baked with a rich and creamy chocolate cheesecake and topped with a chocolate ganache. This is the richest, most chocolatey cheesecake you will ever taste! For another rich and chocolatey dessert, try my Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake or even the Perfect Cheesecake Recipe for a classic dessert!
Chocolate Cheesecake
Get ready to indulge in a rich and moist chocolate cheesecake that will satisfy even the sweetest tooth. This dense and creamy treat is full of chocolate flavor in both the crust and the filling. As if it wasn’t chocolatey enough, I even added a chocolate ganache to put this chocolate cheesecake over the top!
What is a Springform Pan?
A springform pan is a good choice for any cheesecake recipe because it has removable sides. You won’t have to mess up your dessert by trying to get the cheesecake out of the pan! If you do not have a springform pan, I recommend using a disposable pan that you can cut off after your cheesecake is done.
A second option if you don’t have a springform pan would be to line a pan with parchment paper, leaving plenty of the paper hanging over the side. With some help, you and your extra set of hands can carefully lift the cheesecake out of the pan.
How to Make the Chocolate Ganache
After you have allowed the cheesecake to chill for at least four hours (up to overnight), prepare the ganache to pour over the cheesecake.
- Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat up the chocolate and cream in 20-second intervals until it is melted and creamy.
- Pour this over the chocolate cheesecake, let it sit for about 15 minutes, and serve. Enjoy!
Can I Use Regular Unsweetened Cocoa?
Although I used Dutch-processed cocoa, you could use regular unsweetened cocoa for both the cake and the frosting instead. The difference would be that each would be a lighter color and will not be quite as rich tasting.
How to Tell if Cheesecake is Done
You will know the cheesecake is done when the sides are set, but the middle is still a bit jiggly. You can check the internal temperature of the cheesecake to check for doneness (150°F)
The other option to check for doneness would be to take a wooden spoon and tap the outside of the pan. If there is a slight jiggle, it’s done!
How to Store Chocolate Cheesecake
Cheesecakes are rich and filling, so even though you may want to eat the entire cheesecake in one sitting, it’s not always (if ever) possible. So, how do you store it to eat when you are craving a bite later? One easy way is to cover the cheesecake and store it in the refrigerator for a day or two. If you tightly wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container, it will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
To freeze a cheesecake:
- Let the cheesecake cool completely.
- Place the cheesecake (uncovered) in the freezer for about an hour. I suggest that if you are keeping the cheesecake pie in the springform pan, remove the sides of the pan.
- After the hour in the freezer, take the cheesecake off the pan, and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped cheesecake into a zipped freezer bag or wrap it in aluminum foil. Be sure to label and date the cheesecake.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 24 Oreo cookies
- ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 2 cups (336 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup (178.5 g) heavy cream, room temperature and divided
- 3 packages (24 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (29.5 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 ½ cups (252 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cups (178.5 g) heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan (or use parchment paper to prevent sticking).
Crust
- Add Oreo cookies to a food processor and crush until you have a fine crumb and very few larger pieces.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the Oreo cookies and melted butter and stir until evenly distributed.
- Press the crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan and up the sides.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. NOTE: Sometimes the butter can drip out of the springform pan if it is not sealed properly. You can either wrap the bottom edge of the pan in aluminum foil or place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to collect any drippings.
Filling
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream and the chocolate chips. Heat for 20-second intervals until the chips have melted and the mixture is smooth with no lumps. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand-held mixer until creamy and smooth.
- Beat in the sugar and dutch process cocoa powder until smooth.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and the REMAINING 1/2 cup of heavy cream, mixing until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate mixture.
- Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
- Pour the batter on top of the cooled cookie crust.
- Bake for 70 minutes, placing a separate pan underneath the cheesecake to catch any drippings. The cheesecake is done when the sides are set but the center is still a little bit jiggly.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it rest until the pan is cooled.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours or until completely chilled.
Chocolate Ganache
- Combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 20-second intervals until melted and creamy. Pour over the chilled cheesecake and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
The chocolate ganache seizes when I use this method. I wouldn’t microwave it. Heat the cream up on low heat then add the chocolate chips stir until smooth.
This was my first ever attempt at making a cheesecake and other than making the crust a bit to thick (and possible prebaking the crust too long), this cheesecake is the best I have ever tasted! So super easy to make and the only thing I changes was melting the chocolate using the stove top method over a boiling pan of water. I will use the recipe again, thank you for sharing!
When I add 1/4 cup of heavy whip cream to 2 c of semisweet chocolate chips and as it melts, it is still somewhat coarse, should I add more cream. I add to mixture and beat with mixer, is that acceptable?
I made a few minor changes:
– I could not find dutch cocoa, so I had to use regular.
– I added 1 tsp of flour for stability/texture. It’s a small amount, and I find I prefer cheesecakes to have this in, but would have equally enjoyed it without.
– I baked in a water bath, and when the 70 minutes were up I turned the oven off, left the door ajar, and left it there for an hour, then it went directly into the fridge.
– I made both stages of ganache on med-low heat on the stovetop instead of in the microwave. I didn’t bother with a double boiler, just used a dry saucepan. With the first stage, I used 1/2 cup of the cream for the ganache and used the remaining 1/4 cup for the later mix in (swapping the cream quantity order but same amount total was used). This made it easier to fold in, it was too thick otherwise.
– I spread the ganache clear out to the edge, and let it drip halfway down the sides.
Observations:
It was very easy to make, and the flavor was absolutely divine! I would be interested in trying with dutch cocoa, but didn’t feel there was any shortcomings at all in the flavor department. I had zero cracking issues.
Mine didn’t puff up on the edges and sink in the middle like the one shown in pictures, and that’s part of why I took the ganache over the edges, rather than using it to fill in the void. Even with the thinner layer, I almost felt like there was too much in it and it slightly overpowered the cheesecake itself.
I will absolutely be making this recipe again, however the next time I may make only 3/4 as much of the final ganache frosting and just have a thinner layer. Thank you for the recipe; this was exactly what I was looking for as a birthday cake.
So delicious. Huge payoff considering how easy it is to make. Definitely recommend.
This was a wonderful chocolate cheesecake recipe. I did think the chocolate ganache layer was overkill, but I was grateful for it when my cheesecake split from over baking. This was not the fault of the recipe. I have a brand new oven, and I don’t have the hang of it yet. The cheesecake was rich and flavorful. I added strawberries to the top in a spiral design along with some whipped cream rosettes. It was delicious, and a little dab will do ya. My chocolate cravings were more than satisfied.
Best recipe ever!!! Tastes professionally made!!! Love it!!!
Hello I’m making your chocolate cheesecake can you tell me do you scrape the filling out of the cookies or do you put them in the food processor whole
You add them whole.
Where is the REMAINING heavy cream listed in the ingredients?
Thank you
In your list of ingred and instructions
Can I use monk fruit sweetener instead of regular sugar?