Made with a chocolate Oreo crust, silky cheesecake middle, and topped with a rich and creamy ganache, this Triple Chocolate Cheesecake is the ultimate in chocolate decadence! It's perfect for all occasions - holidays, birthdays, and even Valentine's Day for the ultimate chocolate lover's feast - and you don't even need to worry about a water bath!
Chocolate Cheesecake
I've been on a chocolate kick recently with it being February. All things chocolate and Valentine's have been on my brain! We have breakfast covered with my Triple Chocolate Scones, so I think it's time we turn things up a notch with this Triple Chocolate Cheesecake recipe for dessert!
This is hands down one of the best, most decadent cheesecakes I have made to-date! The buttery Oreo chocolate crust is crunchy and addictive, followed by the velvety, silky smooth chocolate cheesecake layer itself. You could stop here and have a delicious dessert as is, but why not add more chocolate? It's so easy to whip up a simple, 2-ingredient chocolate ganache to finish it off. It's intensely chocolaty and pretty darn incredible!
When it comes to the chocolatiest of chocolate dessert, this cheesecake is right up there at the top. But also in the running are my Devil's Food Chocolate Cake, Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes, and Chocolate Bundt Cake.
Why You'll Love this Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
- It's a chocolate cheesecake with an Oreo crust - honestly, what's not to love?
- Perfect for special occasions and holidays like Valentine's Day or Christmas, or just because!
- Although there are a few elements to this chocolate cheesecake, it's easy to make. Most of the time involved is just baking the cheesecake and then allowing it to chill and set before digging in.
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Ingredients
The list of ingredients is actually pretty simple for a cheesecake. Make sure to pull your cream cheese and eggs out an hour before mixing so they are at room temperature for best results.
- Cream cheese: It is cheesecake after all! I take my cream cheese out of the refrigerator an hour or so before cooking so that it can soften a little. I prefer to use full-fat cream cheese, although neufchatel also works.
- Chocolate: The combination of melted bittersweet chocolate AND cocoa powder in the cheesecake mixture gives a really robust, deep chocolate flavor that is more intense than just using one source of chocolate.
- Sugar: White, granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to this Triple Chocolate Cheesecake recipe.
- Eggs: Eggs bind all of the ingredients together and turn this into a custard-like creamy cheesecake. The texture is silky-smooth and amazing!
How to Make Chocolate Cheesecake
There are three separate elements that go together to make a triple chocolate cheesecake: the crust, the filling, and the topping. Remember that cheesecake is a great dessert to make in advance so you aren't rushing to get it done the day you want to serve it!
- Make the Oreo crust. Pulse Oreo cookies in a food processor (affiliate link) until crushed into fine crumbs, then mix melted butter. Press the crust into a 9-inch springform pan, then bake for 5-7 minutes at 350°F to set. Remove from the oven to cool slightly and reduce the heat to 325°F.
- For the filling: Melt the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl by heating it in 20-30 second bursts of heat, stirring between each burst until completely melted. Set aside to cool slightly while working with the other ingredients.
- Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. You don't need to worry about overbeating until you start adding the eggs, so make sure to get out any cream cheese lumps now.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition just until incorporated, pausing to scrape the sides of the bowl. Then stir in the melted chocolate, just until combined.
- Transfer the chocolate cheesecake filling to the prepared Oreo crust, smoothing on top. Bake until the center is almost set but still slightly jiggly, around 50-60 minutes. Turn off the oven and crack the door to allow the cheesecake to cool gently for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely for 1-2 hours at room temperature.
- Transfer the cooled cheesecake to the fridge to chill for another 2-3 hours or overnight before topping, slicing, and serving.
- For the chocolate ganache topping: Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds, then stir well. If the chocolate chips aren't completely melted, heat for another 15-30 seconds, then stir again until smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake, then chill for 30 minutes to set. Serve your chocolate cheesecake with chocolate shavings sprinkled over the top to finish. We love it with freshly whipped cream and berries on the side.
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe Tips
- Storage: This triple chocolate cheesecake will keep in the fridge for 5 days, so it's great for making ahead!
- Freezing: Cheesecake freezes really well. Just slice into individual servings then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. When you're ready to eat, thaw the triple chocolate cheesecake slices in the fridge overnight, then on the counter for 30 minutes before serving. All of the cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory is actually previously frozen and thawed. That knowledge definitely helped me get over my hang-ups about freezing leftover cheesecake.
- Don't overmix: Be careful not to overmix the chocolate cheesecake batter when adding the eggs. This can introduce too much air to your cheesecake filling and cause cracks.
Best Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe FAQs
This chocolate cheesecake is very versatile and goes well with lots of other flavors! Fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries, and cherries or a fruit sauce like a raspberry coulis are always a good idea. So are chopped nuts like chopped peanuts, walnuts, almonds, or pecans.
But you can also use other dessert sauces or toppings like cherry pie filling or salted caramel sauce. And definitely don't forget the whipped cream!
Overbaking a cheesecake usually results in it cracking on top and a texture that is slightly drier and more set up. But honestly, a cracked cheesecake isn't the worst thing in the world. It will still taste delicious and you can always strategically cover it up with your chocolate ganache, well placed chocolate shavings, or fresh fruit and hardly anybody will be the wiser. Unless you REALLY overbake it by like, a lot.
The best way to tell if a cheesecake is done is to give it a shake. The edges should be set, but the center should jiggle slightly. The slow cooling process and chilling the cheesecake before serving will allow it to finish setting up before slicing.
I did not bake this cheesecake with a waterbath and it turned out great with no cracks. However, you are welcome to use one if you are familiar with the technique and like the results.
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Recipe for Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 ½ cups crushed Oreo cookies about 30 cookies
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 32 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250g)
- ¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
Optional Ganache
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Optional for Garnish
- Extra chocolate shavings
- Sweetened whipped cream
- Fresh berries
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add Oreo cookies to a food processor (affiliate link) and pulse until completely crushed into fine crumbs. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs, mixing in to moisten the crumbs.
- Press the crust into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes to set, then remove from the oven to cool slightly and reduce the oven heat to 325°F.
Filling
- Melt the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl by heating it in 20-30 second bursts of heat, stirring between each burst until completely melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix well with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until incorporated, pausing to scrape the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to overmix, which can add air to your cheesecake filling and cause cracks.
- Add the melted chocolate, mixing just until combined.
- Transfer the filling to the prepared crust, smoothing on top. Bake at 325°F for 50-60 minutes just until the center is almost set but still slightly jiggly. Turn off the oven and crack the door to allow the cheesecake to cool gently for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and slide a thin knife around the rim of the pan to release the cheesecake, then let it cool for 1-2 hours at room temperature before transferring the cheesecake to the fridge to cool completely for another 2-3 hours, up to overnight.
Ganache Topping
- Remove the cheesecake from the sides of the springform pan and transfer to a serving plate.
- Make the ganache by combining the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir well. If the chocolate chips aren't completely melted, heat for another 15-30 seconds.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake, then chill for 30 minutes to set.
- Serve the cheesecake with chocolate shavings sprinkled over the top and freshly whipped cream and berries on the side.
Notes
- Storage: This triple chocolate cheesecake will keep in the fridge for 5 days, so it's great for making ahead!
- Freezing: Cheesecake freezes really well. Just slice into individual servings then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then on the counter for 30 minutes before serving.
- Don't overmix: Be careful not to overmix the chocolate cheesecake batter when adding the eggs. This can introduce too much air to your cheesecake filling and cause cracks.
- More topping ideas: This chocolate cheesecake is very versatile and goes well with lots of other flavors! Fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries, bananas, blueberries, cherries or a fruit sauce like a raspberry coulis are always a good idea. So are chopped nuts like chopped peanuts, walnuts, almonds, or pecans. We also like salted caramel sauce or cherry pie filling on top.
I didn't see what temp, to bake the cheesecake. I am assuming 350, the same as the crust, wish me luck. 😎
After baking the crust I reduce the heat to 325 degrees F. It wasn't super clear in the post so I edited the instructions to make it more obvious. 🙂