Chocolate Lover’s Cheesecake
I have been borderline obsessed with cheesecake for a very long time. I was in high school when I started requesting a cheesecake when my mom would ask what kind of birthday cake I’d like. I could always take or leave regular cake, but I swooned over cheesecake. My love for it has only grown since then, and I’ve enjoyed sampling and baking a wide variety of cheesecake recipes over the years. For as many as I’ve made (hello New York cheesecake, red velvet cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake, Oreo cheesecake, and MANY others), I had yet to find a fabulous, go-to chocolate cheesecake recipe. I was surprised at how many of my staple baking cookbooks didn’t have a recipe for one. I finally came across one, and if you love chocolate, you are going to looooove this!
This is the first cheesecake I’ve ever made that is mixed completely in a food processor; it was nice and quick, but if you don’t have one, you could absolutely use an electric mixer instead.
It probably goes without saying, but this baby is rich. Like, whoa rich. If you’re sensitive to dark chocolate or rather rich desserts, I would recommend substituting semisweet chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate, and possibly skip the ganache topping to tame it down a bit.
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I chose to eat a small sliver of this topped with whipped cream, but you could also use this as a base for all sorts of toppings and add-ins. I used a similar version to make the black forest cheesecake last year, and I think the possibilities of a fantastic chocolate cheesecake base are absolutely endless.
If you’re a fellow cheesecake fanatic, you absolutely need a chocolate cheesecake in your arsenal, and I can’t think of a better version!
One year ago: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Crumb Bars
Two years ago: Maple-Walnut Ice Cream
Three years ago: Noodle Kugel
Four years ago: Russian Pound Cake
Six years ago: Homemade Pierogi
Chocolate Lover’s Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 24 Oreo cookies
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling:
- 32 ounces (907.19 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1¼ cups (250 g) + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (21.5 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 10 ounces (283.5 g) bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
For the Topping:
- ¾ cup (178.5 ml) heavy cream
- 6 ounces (170.1 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Blend the cookies and sugar together in a food processor until the cookies are finely ground. Add the melted butter and process until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
- Make the Filling: Blend the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder in the food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, blending for 10 seconds each. Add the melted chocolate and blend to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl once. Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top.
- Bake the cheesecake until the center is just set and the top looks dry, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the sides of the pan. Place the cake in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- Make the Topping: Stir the cream, chocolate and sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until slightly warm and pour over the center of the cheesecake, spreading to within ½-inch of the edge. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Run a thin knife around the sides of the pan and remove the pan sides. Transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature before serving. The cheesecake can be prepared up to 3 days in advance; cover with foil and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Killer cheesecake! Left off the topping and happy I did because it’s already so rich, chocolatey and heavenly — no need to gild the lily further.
Glad I picked this for my annual Christmas cheesecake.
Baked this with my daugther, now waiting for it to be cooled. The whole family can’t wait to have a slice!
I cooked the cheesecake for one hour @ 350° and it looks very dry. Hoping I didn’t over cook and burn it!
Can you use less sugar in the filling?
Hi Julie, Less sugar should be okay.
If anyone is on the fence about trying this cheesecake, just make it. I’m telling you… it is so delicious and amazing! Very rich, so I’d say a smaller than average slice. The first time I made this I also made the cream cheese whipped cream from her black Forest cheesecake recipe and piped around the edges. Suuuper delicious. Making my second one now for my sister’s birthday at her request.
Thank you so much for all the lovely recipes!
I live outside of us. I have 60% cocoa chocolate. Is it ok?
Hi Denise, That’s perfect!
Is the topping necessary? I don’t have the ingredients.
You could skip it!
How can I adjust the amounts to use a 10 in spring form pan? That’s the only size pan I have.
Hi Missy, You can use the same amounts, but just decrease the baking time a bit.
I just made this and cut it in slices for the freezer.. We do a dessert Friday, and I can’t wait for Friday. I used the semi sweet chocolate because my husband likes a milder chocolate taste. I did not do the topping, but I did taste it as I sliced it, and it was wonderful. This is a keeper recipe for sure. The only thing I added was a tsp. of vanilla. Love your site, and can’t wait to try more recipes
I am currently making this as we speak… so far so good. And yes the filling is super rich!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!!
Have you ever made this into mini cheesecakes?
Hi Erika, I have not.
This gorgeous cheesecake is chilling in my fridge right now. I’d like to freeze some individual slices.
What’s the best way to freeze individual slices of cheesecake so they stay as fresh as possible?
Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth, I usually wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and place in a freezer ziploc bag… it works wonderfully!
Made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was FANTASTIC!!!! I did use a water bath – putting cheesecake pan in a turkey oven bag with sides rolled down first. Was a little worried at how THICK the batter was! I had to push it down into the crust and then smooth out as directed. But it baked beautifully! I put it in a wider springform pan so it was just right at 1 hour of bake time. I took it out of the oven and let it cool. No cracks! I also line bottom and sides of my pans with parchment paper – haven’t cracked a cheesecake since I started doing that! I did use the bittersweet for the batter and then I used semi sweet for the ganache. Made up some fresh whipped cream and everyone raved! The texture was silky smooth and the flavor was amazing! Not too rich – for our crowd anyway!
I tried this recipe, and it was pretty easy. Our cake was so dense though – it was really too thick even though we let it come to room temperature to serve. Not sure where I went wrong. :(
Thank You for the recipe. My 11 year old son and I had fun making it… Can’t wait to see what it taste like.
I’ve been searching for a good chocolate cheesecake recipe for quite some time and this one is perfect! I will definitely be making this again in the near future.
This cheesecake was so decadently delicious, I must have gotten twenty compliments, I will make it again,
Hey there! Is there a reason you’ve separated the Sugar… “1¼ cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar” ? Added together it seems that it would be just about 1 & 1/3 cups. But I didn’t know if the extra 2 tablespoons served an additional purpose that I didn’t pick up on. Thanks!
Hi David, No additional purpose, that’s just the exact measurement of the sugar.
This is the first cheesecake I’ve ever made and it was so straightforward! It did crack, but I mostly fixed that with an offset spatula. What I couldn’t totally fix was hidden by a chocolate ganache. It’s truly delicious. A real showstopper. Once of the most popular desserts I’ve ever made.
I’m not sure if this is true for all cheesecakes, though I imagine it is, but this recipe is ridiculously messy. Cream cheese all over everything! A totally worthwhile sacrifice.
Hi! I’m planning on making a cheesecake for this first time for the Academy Awards. I just bought a Nor Pro pan like yours, but do you think for a novice such as myself I should use this recipe or the New York Style Cheesecake recipe? I was going to do this one because I LOVE chocolate but was a little hesitant when I realized it’s not Cook’s Illustrated. Thoughts? I want a real show stopper!
Side note: I just made the Rustic Italian Bread and it ROCKED!!
Hi Lisa, This is a pretty straightforward recipe, I wouldn’t hesitate making it if you are into chocolate!
Yummy cheesecake but cooked it on 300 degrees for one hour in a waterbath.
Hi Michelle, had this bookmarked for my partner for a while. I wasn’t sure whether he liked cheesecake but I’ve recently found that he does ( been together 14 years and only now do I have this information!!) Anyway, I intend to make this with my daughter for Father’s Day in a couple of weeks and wanted to ask if I can do this in a 8″ springform lined with parchment paper slightly overshooting the rim of the pan, I don’t have 9″ pan but would love to still make this.
Thank you
Hi Faye, I haven’t tried it in a smaller pan so I can’t guarantee it wouldn’t spill over, but the parchment collar should help, and I would put a pan on the rack underneath to catch any potential drips!
Hi would love to do these recipes but never know the cup measure as we work in ounces or gramm can you give me an idea how much a cup would weigh please
Hi Jo, It all depends on what the ingredient is… this chart is a great resource:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart.html
Hi Amanda, Yes, 32 ounces! :)
Hi Michelle,
Do you really mean 32 ounces of cream cheese, like 900 grams?
That sound like a lot :-)
For the crust, do you use the cookie AND filling of the Oreo cookies, or is it just the dark cookie part?
Hi Cheri, Yes, you use the entire cookie.
I used semisweet chocolate with awesome results. Also, no need to add the 1T of sugar to the Oreos–my crust was great without that little bit more sugar. I accidentally bought chocolate-filled cookies, though, and they were just fine.
I have made this baby 3 times, very easy, and extremely good.. it is my go-to cheesecake. So many complements, My Uncle said it was any better he would cry XD . Just wondering how well this would hold up if I froze it?
Hi Mary, So thrilled to hear that this has been such a hit! Yes, you could definitely freeze this.
I slice it and wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then put it in a freezer safe bag. Even better if you can put it in a plastic container so it doesn’t get squished. Sometime I cut the cake, pop the slices on a cookie sheet and freeze them for about 15 minutes before I wrap them. That way the plastic wrap does not stick. Leave in fridge overnight to thaw.
Amaaaazing! Dying! Must bake this one immediately. xox
Now that is one nice looking chocolate cheesecake!
This cheesecake looks INTENSE. In the best way possible of course! Pinning it for those times where you just gotta have all the chocolate!
My family would go nuts for this chocolate cheesecake!