The ultimate chocolate cheesecake — a rich, silky dessert with a crunchy Oreo crust and a glossy chocolate ganache. Follow these tips to make a restaurant-quality baked chocolate cheesecake with perfect texture and deep flavor.
This post updated January 26, 2025 with new photos and step-by-step tips.
The Best Chocolate Cheesecake
After years of testing and refining, this chocolate cheesecake recipe delivers consistent results: a crisp Oreo crust, a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth filling, an intense but balanced chocolate flavor, and a shiny ganache finish. It’s essentially a chocolate variation on a classic New York cheesecake — rich without being cloyingly sweet, and ideal for serious chocolate lovers.
- Crunchy Oreo cookie crust to support the filling
- Velvety smooth texture that’s creamy and never grainy
- Rich chocolate flavor with a hint of tang
- Glossy chocolate ganache on top
Because cheesecake ingredients can be costly, I include detailed tips and techniques to maximize your success. Read through the instructions before you begin.
Tips for Making Chocolate Cheesecake
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature: take the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before starting. This helps the ingredients blend smoothly without lumps.
- Sour cream improves texture and prevents graininess while keeping the cheesecake thick but not overly dense.
- Use dark chocolate around 70% cocoa for the filling. You can go up to 80% for a darker taste, but higher percentages can make the cheesecake bitter.
- Add the eggs last and mix gently. Overmixing incorporates air, which causes the cheesecake to rise and then collapse or crack as it cools.
- A 9-inch springform pan is required. The low sides of a standard cake pan make removal difficult. If you don’t have a springform pan, consider making cheesecake bars in a 9×13 pan instead.
- Bake the cheesecake in a water bath. The bath insulates the pan, adds moisture, and prevents rapid temperature changes that cause cracking and sinking — especially important for chocolate cheesecake, which can dry out quickly.
Step-by-Step Recipe Rundown
Prepare the pan first: wrap the outside of the springform pan in a disposable oven bag (trim if needed), twist and secure the edge, then wrap the pan in heavy-duty aluminum foil several times to prevent leaks. This combination is the most reliable way to keep water out of the pan during the water bath.
Make the crust:
- Pulse the Oreo cookies (wafers and filling) in a food processor until fine crumbs. Alternatively, place cookies in a sealed bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Mix the crumbs with melted butter until evenly combined.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, forming a slight lip around the edges.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes to set and crisp the crust.
Prepare the cheesecake filling while the crust bakes:
- Chop the chocolate finely (do not use chocolate chips). Melt gently in a microwave on medium power in 45-second intervals, stirring between each, or melt over a double boiler with the water at a gentle simmer. Avoid overheating.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch until smooth and creamy (3–5 minutes). Stop periodically to scrape the bottom and sides so no lumps remain.
- Mix in the sour cream and the melted chocolate, scraping the bowl as needed to ensure even incorporation.
- Whisk the eggs and extra yolks in a small bowl. Add them to the batter gradually, preferably by hand with a whisk to minimize air. If using a mixer, fold the eggs in slowly and stop as soon as the mixture is homogeneous.
- Pour the batter over the prepared crust and assemble for the water bath.
How to Make a Water Bath
Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in the center of a large roasting pan. Carefully pour 1/2 to 1 inch of boiling water into the roasting pan around the springform. The water should not reach the top of the pan. Bake the whole assembly in the oven — the water bath will create gentle, even heat and added moisture for a crack-free result.
Bake 55–70 minutes at 325°F (163°C), until the top is mostly set but the center still has a slight wobble like pudding. Turn off the oven, open the door, and let the cheesecake cool inside for about 30 minutes. Then remove it from the oven and cool completely at room temperature.
Chilling, Serving & Make-Ahead Tips
Chill the cheesecake for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight; chilling improves texture and flavor. After the cheesecake reaches room temperature, remove it from the roasting pan, cover with foil, and refrigerate.
Make the ganache once the cheesecake has chilled: heat cream until nearly boiling, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit 2–5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Remove the chilled cheesecake from the fridge, run a thin knife around the edge, unclamp the springform, blot any condensation, and pour the ganache over the top. Return to the fridge for about 30 minutes to set the ganache.
Garnish as desired with chocolate shavings, raspberries, or a dollop of whipped cream. Slice with a sharp, thin, non-serrated knife, cutting through the Oreo crust cleanly. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze (without ganache) for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge.
More Cheesecake Recipes to Love:
- No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
- Nutella Cheesecake
- Oreo Cheesecake
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Creamy, rich, and irresistible — follow these steps and tips to achieve the ultimate chocolate cheesecake: a crisp, supportive crust, a lusciously smooth filling, and a silky ganache finish.
Chocolate Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan
- Large roasting pan for the water bath
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust
- 30 Oreo cookies (wafers and filling)
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter (70 g), melted
Chocolate Cheesecake
- 10 oz 70% dark chocolate (280 g)
- 24 oz full-fat cream cheese (680 g), brick style
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar (250 g)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (or sifted cocoa powder to intensify chocolate)
- 3/4 cup sour cream (180 ml)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks
- Boiling water, for the water bath
Ganache
- 5 oz dark chocolate (142 g)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml)
- Raspberries for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with a disposable oven bag and secure. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil 3–4 times to seal seams.
Cookie Crust
- Pulse cookies in a food processor to fine crumbs or crush in a sealed bag with a rolling pin.
- Mix crumbs with melted butter and press into the bottom of the springform pan, forming a slight lip.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove and keep oven on.
Cheesecake Filling
- Chop and melt the chocolate gently until smooth (microwave on medium power in intervals or double boiler).
- Beat cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch until smooth, scraping the bowl often (3–5 minutes).
- Whisk eggs and yolks in a small bowl. Fold eggs into the batter slowly by hand or on low speed until combined.
- Mix in sour cream and melted chocolate until even, then pour over the prepared crust.
Baking, Cooling & Chilling
- Place the wrapped springform pan in a large roasting pan and pour 1/2–1 inch of boiling water into the roasting pan.
- Bake 55–70 minutes, until the top is just set and the center wobbles slightly.
- Turn off the oven, open the door and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, remove the springform from the roasting pan, cover with foil and chill in the refrigerator at least 6 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Ganache
- Chop chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream until nearly boiling, pour over the chocolate, let sit 2–5 minutes, then whisk smooth.
- Remove cheesecake from fridge, run a thin knife around the edge, unclamp the ring, blot any condensation, and pour the ganache over the top, allowing drips over the edge.
- Garnish with chocolate shavings or raspberries if desired. Chill 30 minutes to set the ganache before serving.
- Slice with a sharp, thin, non-serrated knife, cutting through the Oreo crust cleanly.
Notes
- Springform Pan: Required for easy removal. The batter is too much for an 8-inch pan.
- Chocolate: 70% dark works best; 60% is acceptable. Avoid above 80% to prevent bitterness. For ganache, semi-sweet or 50% dark is fine.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for best texture.
- Room Temperature: Remove cream cheese, sour cream and eggs from the fridge about 30 minutes before starting.
- Storage: Refrigerate covered up to 5 days. Freeze without ganache up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge.
- Nutrition: Values are estimates per slice if cut into 14 pieces and all ganache is used.