Oreo Chocolate Cheesecake (Printable Version)
Creamy chocolate cheesecake loaded with Oreo cookies, topped with rich ganache for the ultimate indulgent dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 24 Oreo cookies (with filling)
02 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Cheesecake Filling
03 - 24 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
07 - 3 large eggs, at room temperature
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 8 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
→ Topping
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
13 - 6 Oreo cookies, halved or crushed for garnish
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter or nonstick spray and set aside.
02 - Pulse 24 Oreo cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Pour in melted butter and process until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add cocoa powder and blend until fully incorporated. Pour in the melted and cooled chocolate chips, mixing until homogeneous.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Stir in vanilla extract and sour cream until the batter is silky and uniformly combined.
05 - Gently fold the coarsely chopped Oreo cookies into the batter using a rubber spatula, taking care not to overmix.
06 - Pour the filling over the cooled crust, smoothing the top with a spatula. Tap the pan firmly on the counter several times to release trapped air bubbles. Bake on the center rack for 45 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle.
07 - Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake rest inside the warm oven for 1 hour to prevent cracking. Remove from the oven, run a thin knife around the edge of the pan, and allow it to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
08 - Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer; do not boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Let sit undisturbed for 1 minute, then stir slowly from the center outward until the ganache is smooth, glossy, and lump-free.
09 - Spread the ganache evenly over the chilled cheesecake. Arrange Oreo halves or sprinkle crushed Oreos on top for garnish. Return to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The double hit of cocoa powder and melted chocolate creates a depth that single chocolate cakes only dream about.
- Crushed Oreos folded into the filling give you these little pockets of texture that surprise you with every bite.
- That ganache topping pooled over a chilled cheesecake is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
02 -
- Overmixing the eggs introduces too much air and causes the cheesecake to puff up dramatically and then collapse into a cracked mess.
- The one hour oven door crack cooling method is not optional and skipping it is the single most common reason cheesecakes develop deep cracks across the center.
03 -
- Wrap the outside of your springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil before baking to prevent any water from a water bath from seeping through the seam.
- The cheesecake tastes noticeably better on day two because the flavors meld and the texture settles into something impossibly silky.