Chocolate Cheesecake

What Makes This Easy Chocolate Cheesecake So Good

• The creamiest cheesecake ever. This chocolate cheesecake is for TRUE chocolate lovers. It is creamy and rich… almost like a dense chocolate mousse, but even better!
• Double the chocolate. The Oreo crust pairs beautifully with the creamy chocolate filling, and I topped it all off with chocolate ganache. It takes the whole cheesecake to another level!
• Make it ahead. This easy chocolate cheesecake is a great make-ahead dessert recipe. It needs to chill in the fridge overnight, and it freezes like a dream for longer-term storage.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This is an overview of the important ingredients in this chocolate cheesecake recipe, along with notes. Scroll to the printable recipe card for the full amounts and recipe details.

Oreo Crust

• Finely crushed Oreo cookies – Or any other brand of chocolate sandwich cookie. Trader Joe’s JoJos are a popular alternative! You can crush them in a blender or food processor for the most even crumbs. 
• Granulated sugar – You could also use brown sugar.
• Butter – Melted before you start.

Cheesecake

• Semi-sweet chocolate – Chopped and melted. The higher quality chocolate, the better. You can chop up chocolate bars, or you can use chocolate chips. I feel like this recipe has the perfect amount of sweetness, but if you prefer an even less sweet version, you could use bittersweet chocolate instead of semi-sweet. 
• Cream Cheese – You want your cream cheese to be room temperature. This will allow it to mix evenly without lumps, and it will also ensure even baking.
• Granulated sugar
• Sour cream – It’s best if this is room temperature. 
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – You can use a Dutch processed cocoa powder, or simply Hershey’s that you buy at the grocery store.
• Large eggs – Also at room temperature. 

Ganache Topping

• Semi-sweet chocolate – Chopped and melted.
• Heavy whipping cream – Try to use full-fat heavy cream for the silkiest results.

How to Make Chocolate Cheesecake

Definitely refer back to my classic cheesecake recipe for in-depth tips on cheesecake baking, because all the same rules apply. With this chocolate cheesecake version, I’ve used an Oreo Crust as the base, which is just as easy as a graham cracker crust.

1. Prepare the crust. Mix the cookie crumbs with sugar and butter, and press the crust mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the empty crust at 350ºF for 8 minutes. Set the crust aside while you make your cheesecake.
2. Melt the chocolate. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the microwave (or use a double boiler).
3. Make the batter. Cream the sugar and cream cheese together, then add sour cream and cocoa powder. Add the melted chocolate, then the eggs, one at a time. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust.
4. Prepare a water bath. Now, wrap the bottom of the pan in a double layer of foil. Make sure it’s sealed tight! Place the cheesecake pan into a larger pan filled with 3/4-inches of hot water. It shouldn’t come up higher than the foil.
5. Bake. Place the whole thing, water bath and all, into the oven. Bake the cheesecake at 350ºF for 60-70 minutes. It should still have some jiggle in the center, and the edges will be set.
6. Cool. Loosen the cheesecake by sliding a knife around the edges. Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour before you add the ganache topping.
7. Make the ganache. Melt the chocolate and heavy cream, stirring until that’s smooth. Afterward, spread the ganache over the cooled chocolate cheesecake.
8. Chill. Then, cover the cheesecake tightly and chill it in the fridge overnight. Pop the cake from the springform pan before serving.

Pro Tip: Use Cocoa Powder

To make this cheesecake extra chocolatey, I used a combination of melted, semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder. Cocoa powder contributes to the chocolate flavor and also acts as a binder and thickener, to help with the texture.

Do I Need to Bake This Cheesecake in a Water Bath?

Yes, you still need to do a water bath for this cheesecake, as you do with a classic cheesecake. It prevents cracking and ensures that the cheesecake bakes evenly. BUT if it does happen to crack anyway, don’t worry too much. You’ll cover the top with a delicious chocolate ganache!

How Long Do I Have To Chill the Chocolate Cheesecake?

Allow this cheesecake to cool at room temperature for about an hour. THEN spread your ganache topping on it and cover the pan with foil, or store it airtight if you have a large enough container or cake carrier. It will need to chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

You can also top the cheesecake with the chocolate ganache the next day, after it’s completely chilled, just make sure to dab off any moisture that has built up overnight.

Cheesecake Topping Ideas

Once you’ve covered this chocolate cheesecake with the ganache layer, you can leave it as-is or add any toppings you’d like. These are some of my favorites:

• Peanut butter cups (I love this combination in my peanut butter cup brownie cheesecake.)
• Mini marshmallows (Swap out the Oreo crust for a graham cracker crust, and you have yourself a spin on s’more flavors!)
• Cherry pie filling
• Fresh berries
• Crumbled brownies
• Chopped Oreos
• Shaved chocolate or chocolate curls
• Caramel sauce

How to Store

Refrigerate. Keep this chocolate cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’re not serving it right away, keep it in the springform pan to hold its shape.

Freeze. To freeze the cheesecake, wrap it in plastic wrap and then place it in a large zip-top bag. This will stay fresh for up to 30 days! If you don’t have a zip-top bag large enough, wrap the frozen cheesecake in plastic wrap, and then wrap it again in aluminum foil to prevent any freezer burn or absorption of freezer smells.