This is the BEST Chocolate Cheesecake! It’s perfectly rich, creamy, and bakes up with no cracking and no water bath needed. This is the easy way to perfect baked cheesecake! Includes step by step recipe video
I know it sounds a little crazy.
Overly self-confident maybe.
But this here is my blog, and I really believe this is the best chocolate cheesecake!
Ever since I stole some tips from Canadian Living to make The Best Vanilla Cheesecake, I knew there were going to be many, many more variations of this cheesecake!
And you better believe this will not be the last one.
Because based on the popularity of The Best Vanilla Cheesecake, you guys love cheesecake just as much as I do!
I can’t blame you though… that rich, creamy, tangy filling with a dollop of whipped cream? Pretty much the best combination!
For this cheesecake, I wanted to go all out chocolate: we’ve got an Oreo crust, topped with a silky smooth chocolate cheesecake, and homemade whipped cream!
One thing I love about this cheesecake is everything you can do with it! You can dress it up for the holidays with some crushed candy canes, or some mint extract and mint leaves, you could add some instant coffee, you could add some orange zest — you can do almost anything to take it up a notch, or just leave it chocolate on chocolate on chocolate (<– not a bad thing either!).
It took me two tries. The first cheesecake had way too much batter for the pan, and it was firmer and denser and less….. luscious. The first one was okay (I served it at a family gathering! I always feel a little guilty about serving those Round #1’s though, you know? Like, “here, would you like to eat my work in progress?”), but this one is perfect.
And I really believe that. It is so soft and creamy and not dense, and it bakes perfectly smooth with no water bath.
With the second version, I went with vanilla whipped cream instead of chocolate because I Â like the contrast. The whole chocolate on chocolate on chocolate on chocolate was a little much for me the first time, but if that’s your thing, then go all out with the chocolate whipped cream!
Tips for making the Best Chocolate Cheesecake:
- I always place a piece of parchment paper in between the outside ring and the bottom piece to ensure easy removal from the pan, and wrap the bottom with tin foil to prevent any leakage!
- Use good quality milk or dark chocolate in this recipe — a plain, solid chocolate bar is good enough! Avoid using chocolate chips if possible.
- Don’t rush the baking or the chilling — a good low oven temperature (and a long bake), as well as a long, slow cooling process are the best ways to ensure you get a perfect chocolate cheesecake with no cracks.
Watch the recipe video in the recipe card and see how easy it is to make!
The Best Chocolate Cheesecake
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 2 1/2 cups chocolate baking crumbs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Cheesecake:
- 100 g chopped chocolate about ¾ cup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream 35%
- 16 oz light cream cheese (or regular), room temperature (2 packages)
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 cups 0% plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- a pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a 9" Springform pan with parchment (place it in between the top and bottom sections and close around it -- this will make it easier to remove). Lightly grease the inside of the pan and wrap the bottom in tin foil.
- Combine butter, chocolate crumbs and sugar and press into the bottom of the pan and 1" up the sides.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until dry. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine chocolate and cream and microwave on high in 20-30 second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add yogurt, eggs, vanilla, salt and cocoa and beat until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of the bowl if necessary.
- Add melted chocolate and beat until combined.
- Pour onto crust and bake at 275 degrees F for 1.75-2 hours (I bake mine 2 hours exactly), until top appears dry but cheesecake still jiggles when moved. Turn the oven off and let sit in warm oven with the door closed for 20 minutes.
- Remove to a wire rack on the counter, gently run a knife around the inside of the pan and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until completely chilled (I like to chill overnight). Carefully remove the outside ring. Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Want to save this recipe?
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.
Jamie says
It’s sooooo good!
My first time making baked cheesecake (I usually opt to no bake cheesecake)
It’s easy to make and the slow baking made all the difference. I’m going to follow this procedure to all my baked cheesecake!
Thanks for all the tips.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jamie! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
Caren Sych says
Hi Ashley, This recipe is wonderful. Very creamy cheesecake. I have been baking and cooking since ten years old and now 67. I know my stuff and research if I don’t. Have tried many cheesecake recipes through the years. This tops them all. Also no water bath mess to put up with. I had a doctor appt and had to leave after it cooked one hour. Shut off the oven and left the house. When I came home four hours later and took it out it was just perfect. Level top, no cracking at all. Thank you for perfecting this. I looked up your other cheesecakes and will definitely make them.
Caren, Wpg, Canada.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Caren! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Steve Rahn says
I did some rebelling of my own…since I’m cooking for an audience of one – myself – I cut the recipe in half, and use two mini (3 1/2″) springform pans. And then, because I’m a Foodi Foodie (and also because I’m too impatient to wait 1n hour and a half for a cheesecake), I “baked” it in my Ninja Foodi XL. Prepared the batter just like you instructed…well, maybe I added some Chocolate Fudge and a few mini marshmallows…poured it into the Oreo Cookie crust that I had pressed into the mini springform pans, set the Foodi for High Pressure, 18 minutes, Quick Release. Wish I could show you pictures…but what a great recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Steve! I’m glad it turned out well!
Janet says
I’m a little confused about the chocolate crumbs for the crust – do you buy chocolate baking crumbs, or do you use Oreo cookies & crush them into crumbs? Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
I buy chocolate baking crumbs 🙂
Jan says
You can buy Oreo cookie crumbs
Rose says
Hi Ashley, I’m at a high elevation (near the Rockies) so it affect baking temps and times. If you could tell me where you’re located that would be helpful to me for this recipe.
Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Rose! I am about 1000 feet above sea level
Yuliya says
Hi Ashley! I am planning to bake this cheesecake tomorrow. Do you think its a good idea to add chocolate chips to it? If yes how much do you think should be added for this recipe?
Ashley Fehr says
You could, I’ve never tried!
Jay says
Did you trim the sides of the cake?
Ashley Fehr says
No I do not
Tania says
This looks fabulous, and I want to make it soon. One question: when I blend the Oreos, do I leave in the white filling, or do I scrape it off off the cookies before blending. Thanks so much!
Ashley Fehr says
You will use chocolate baking crumbs, so no cookies or frosting. You could make your own by processing whole Oreos, I would probably leave the filling in and reduce the butter slightly
Kate says
Approximately how long does it take to cool to room temperature? Started baking later in the evening and forgot about additional cooling time. Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
I usually try to leave it on the counter a couple of hours before refrigerating. I’d love to hear how it turned out!
Marijne says
Hi Ashley,
I am so glad that I found an easy recipe for chocolate cheesecake. Well I am from Holland en I don’t exactly know how 1/2 cup is in grams. Can you help me out with that? I would love to make this cake!
Ashley Fehr says
Unfortunately every ingredient weighs a different amount and I’m unsure of the weights of all of the ingredients. I do try to include weights in my newer baking recipes but don’t have them listed here unfortunately