This super decadent triple chocolate cheesecake recipe will surely please all chocolate lovers. It has a chocolate oreo crust, a rich chocolate cheesecake filling, and a milk chocolate ganache topping. This is totally optional, but you can take it over the top with a chocolate whipped cream! Discover more cheesecake recipes that you can make over and over again too.
I went a little crazy with this triple chocolate cheesecake. It's more like a quintuple chocolate cheesecake if you want to count the chocolate whipped cream and chocolate curls, but let's be honest, no one is going to search for that.
How to make Chocolate Curls
Okay, I have to fess up and admit that I didn't make these. I bought them here on Amazon but they aren't hard to make. The key to chocolate curls is to have a very sharp vegetable peeler. I have a dull vegetable peeler that makes horrible chocolate shavings and then I have a super-duper sharp one that makes beautiful chocolate curls.
As for the chocolate, a Hershey chocolate bar is my go-to. You have to work fast because the heat from your hands will heat up and melt the chocolate bar in minutes.
This chocolate cheesecake is a very loose variation of my coffee cheesecake recipe that everyone loves. It's so rich, creamy, and chocolatey but I'm sure you can tell that from the picture above.
It was nearly the perfect cut until one of those pesky chocolate curls took a chunk out of the side of the slice. What a little bugger, but what can you do? Accept it and move on.
I would cry about it but I tend to save all of my tears for those heartfelt movies or when I lose a character I've grown attached to in a series. I'm not the only one that does this, right?
How to make chocolate cheesecake
To make this chocolate cheesecake recipe, you're going to need unsweetened cocoa powder and semi-sweet baking chocolate. You can use bittersweet baking chocolate. I've used both and love both so it's really up to you.
- Mix the cocoa powder and sugar together in a small bowl. This will help take care of any lumps in the cocoa powder.
- Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder and sugar to the cream cheese and beat together.
- Add in the melted baking chocolate and mix.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until each egg is worked into the batter. Scrape down the bowl and beat in any remaining bits.
- Add in the sour cream and heavy cream and mix until they're combined.
- Pour the chocolate cheese on top of the oreo crust and bake.
Can I use chocolate chips instead of baking chocolate?
Yes, you can. Either will work in this recipe. I think the chocolate chips make for a slightly firmer cheesecake after it's baked and chilled.
Other chocolate recipes that you didn't know you needed in your life
Other Chocolate Week Recipes:
- Dark Chocolate Avocado Pudding
- Chocolate Cherry Milkshake
- Double Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Pudding Fudge Cake
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 20 oreo cookies
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 24 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 8 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet baking chocolate melted
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
Ganache
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream divided
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
- 2 - 3 tablespoons Chocolate Curls optional
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray sides of the 9.5-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a food processor, add in the oreo cookies. Pulse until the oreo cookies are a fine crumb. You can also add the cookies into a storage bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin.
- Add the melted butter into the oreo cookie crumbs and pulse a couple of times until the butter is evenly distributed.
- Dump the cookie crumbs evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you work on the cheesecake filling.
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- In a bowl, add in the cocoa powder and sugar. Stir to combine. This will prevent lumps of cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the cream cheese. Beat with a hand mixer on medium until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder and sugar mixture in with the cream cheese. Beat on medium until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the heavy cream and chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals and stir. Repeat until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Add the melted chocolate and heavy cream to the cheesecake and beat until the chocolate is thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the vanilla extract and then the eggs one at a time into the cream cheese mixture. Beat in each egg completely before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl after incorporating each egg.
- Add the sour cream. Beat until combined. Give the bowl one last scrape.
- Wrap the springform pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty tin foil. Place the cheesecake into a slightly bigger pan and fill with one inch of water.
- Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the oreo cookie crust.
- Place in the preheated oven. Let the cheesecake bake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until done. To make sure the cheesecake is done, gently give it a wiggle. If it slightly jiggles in JUST the middle like jello, then it's done. If it jiggles all over, it needs to bake longer. Turn off the heat and crack the oven door slightly. Let it cool in the oven for 1 to 2 hours until it reaches room temperature and then place in the fridge to chill overnight.
Ganache
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add in the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat one more time and stir until the ganache comes together.
- Pour the ganache on top of the cooled cheesecake.
- Sprinkle the chocolate curls on top of the warm ganache. Keep them towards the center so you can pipe chocolate whipped cream on the outer edge.
- Place the cheesecake in the fridge until it's chilled. I let mine sit overnight.
Whipped Cream
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add in 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and chocolate. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Microwave in 15-second intervals and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream. Beat on medium until soft peaks form.
- Add about ¼ cup of the whipped cream in with the melted, but cooled chocolate. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate until combined. It will double the volume of the chocolate and will be runny. Don't overmix.
- Add the chocolate whipped cream in with the large bowl of whipped cream. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Add the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with the 1M tip.
- Pipe swirls on the top of the chilled cheesecake to finish it off.
- Slice and serve! Store in the fridge.
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
Jane says
this looks absolutely delicious. My kind of cheesecake. I think I just gained 10 pounds drooling over the picture. Need to find a good reason to make this so I don't eat it all myself.
Miranda says
Thank you Jane! It's a hard one to step away from. Trust me lol
Melanie Dueck says
This cheesecake is stunning! I love the added chocolate whipped cream on top.
Janet says
I love chocolate and this looks like something I need to make!! I've never made a cheesecake before, but I think this may be the one to try. I do have one question about the whipped cream - you say in step 2 to add "the whipped cream in with the melted, but cooled chocolate." However, you don't mention in the previous step anything about the chocolate, like how you melted it. Are you just melting it in the microwave? Please let me know since I don't want to mess any of this up.
Thanks,
Janet
Miranda says
I added more details for you in the recipe instructions. 🙂
Sandra L Garth says
What a gorgeous dessert!
Debrashoppeno5 says
My mouth is watering it looks so good. I sure wish I could reach in the picture and have a sample.
MEGAN MCDUFFIE says
This looks over-the-top-amazing. I'm super bummed that we don't have any birthdays coming up because I need an excuse to make this ASAP!
SEKERE says
EXCUSE: It's 2017's June birthday party. Let the baking begin.
Michelle P. says
Planning to make this tomorrow for a friend, it looks amazing and will be my first foray into CHOCOLATE cheesecake. My question is for the crust, do you use the whole oreo cookie (cream filling and wafers) or just the wafers? I feel like it's the whole cookie as 20 wafers doesn't seem enough, but wanted to try and confirm lol. Thanks!
Miranda says
I used the whole cookie.
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
Wow this looks amazing - absolute chocolate heaven!
Rachel says
Please tell me it doesn't have to sit overnight! 🙁 When I saw this on pinterest I saw the 2hr. 16min. and bought all the ingredients. I have mine in the oven right now, it is suppose to be the dessert I am serving to guest tonight. Will it have time to finish cooling, ganache, and fridge by then?
Miranda says
It does. I know I'm really late replying to your comment, but you could have tried to pop it in the freezer to cool it quickly and help it set up.
Kimberly says
I made this last night. It is amazing and very rich. I would say however that 5 T of butter for the crust is way too much it overflowed and made a massive mess in my oven. I would back that down to 2 T butter. If I ever make it again I will not use that much. Also be prepared to share this one it is very very rich. Overall very yummy. I also noticed that the top seemed to form a crust I've never seen in other cheesecakes and I makes lot of them. I was worried about that part but it doesn't detract from the taste. So if you try this and notice that don't panic. I had to bake mine for 1 HR and 21 mins. Thanks for a keeper of a recipe.
Jill says
Can I use chocolate wafer cookies for the crust rather than Oreo cookies?
Miranda says
You can, Jill!
Haley Hayes says
I made this last night and it turned out absolutely amazing! This was by far the easiest cheesecake I've made and the first cheeecake I've made without a single crack!! I was very intimidated at first because I've never made a chocolate cheesecake, but I'm so happy I attempted it! The taste of it the whole way just kept getting better and better... it was absolutely perfect! Thank you so much for sharing! My cousin in going to die when he sees this tonight for his birthday!
Reagen says
How did you do the chocolate curls and what size piping tip did you use to make this delicious concoction so pretty?
Miranda says
I bought the chocolate curls and the piping tip I used was a Wilton 1M.
Paula says
I had a hard time with the whipped topping. When added the chocolate mixture and whipped with rest of cream it seperated. Has a bowl of liquid and chocolate. What did I do wrong?
Miranda says
It sounds like the chocolate was too hot.
Tatiyana says
I only have a 9 in pan what can i do?
Miranda says
That should work. If you have extra batter, you can cover it and store it in the fridge until the cheesecake is done baking and then bake it in a small oven-safe dish. I'm not sure how long it will take but you can test it by jiggling it like you would the 9 inch cheesecake.
Amanda says
Hi!
I wonder how well the whipped cream stays up? I am making this for a Thanksgiving dessert tomorrow, but I am baking tonight. Could I make the whipped cream before heading to my in-laws tomorrow? Or would it need to be done even closer to serving?
Lesya says
How long in advance can i make this and let it sit in the fridge? I need it for a saturday evening, so would thursday night be too soon to make it? Thanks!
Miranda says
3 days ahead of time is the most I would do if you're storing it in the fridge. Cheesecakes freeze very well too.
Debbie says
I know this is a silly question, but how do you make the chocolate curls?
Miranda says
I bought them in chocoley, but I don’t see them on their right now. You can make them with a really sharp vegetable peeler and a chocolate bar. Make sure it’s at room temperature and run it down the side of the candy bar!
Lilly says
Made this last night. It is absolutely amazing!
Miranda says
Awesome! ? Thanks so much for coming back and letting me know!
Katie says
IMG_1439.HEIC
Just made this last night for my mother in laws birthday. Going to eat it today but looks beautiful.
Loren says
This was so good! But we threw away the half of it on the first tasting. I dished it up for everyone after it had cooled for about 4 hours and it just didn't taste very good. Almost everyone threw it out. The texture wasn't quite right, it was too sour, it just wasn't good. But the next morning I decided to try it one more time and it was delicious! There is some serious overnight magic with this one. You definitely want to make it the day before you are serving it. It was beautiful and delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Sheila says
I'm crossing my fingers...my ganache isn't setting up. Does it usually take a while? Thank you!
Miranda says
It does take some time!
Rachel says
Can I refrigerate overnight and then put the ganache on in the morning?
Miranda says
Yes!
Velma says
Can it be made as a fridge cheese cake I.e. no baking
Miranda says
Not without making an entirely different recipe. I can put a no bake triple chocolate cheesecake on my list of recipes to make in the future though.
Michelle says
Making this for my husband's birthday Monday! Getting the stuff today ?
Miranda says
woohoo!
Karla says
For the whipping cream what chocolate do you use and how much? Do you use coco powder?
Karla says
Nevermind I read it as juts milk the realized it said milk chocolate chips
Alex says
This is the dumbest question..but I want to make this cheesecake for a birthday. Do I need to scrap out the center of the Oreo cookie (the white stuff) or do you keep that? I am so excited to try this!
Miranda says
Keep it!
Rawad says
Very tempting to make... just took it out of the oven , baked it for 1 hour 10 minutes same temperature, but it had a massive crack on th side and its top seems very dry.. feeling very disappointed..
I think 1 hour would have been good enough
Miranda says
Oh no. It sounds like it was slightly overbaked.
Riddhi newatia says
My oven can just go upto 250 degrees
At what degree should I preheat it then
And also what is the degree and time required for Oreo crust as well as the cheesecake?
Please help me out here,
Miranda says
It's 325 degrees F for both the cheesecake and crust. If you're baking in celsius, it's 165 degrees. I hope that helps.
Effie Clayton says
We absolutely love this! Everyone is so impressed every time! Thank you!
Claire Rocks says
I am going to Pin this recipe for future reference! It looks and sounds yummy!
Suzan says
I think I just found my chocolate heaven Amanda! I will be making this today 🙂 So glad I came across your site on the Dare To Share linky party!
Miranda says
So glad!
Cambry says
I am confused what to do with the bigger pan with the water in it.... do I set the entire cheesecake in it while it is baking in the oven? Might be a dumb question, but just very confused!:)
Miranda says
Yes! Either wrap the cheesecake in heavy-duty foil or sit it in a second, slightly larger pan and then place it down in the pan with the water. This is a water bath for your cheesecake which helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking and the sides from becoming brown.
Rachel says
I’m not sure what I did but my temp was set at 325 and I did a water bath, baked for 1:16.... came out raw. ??♀️
Miranda says
It just needed to be cooked longer. The best way to tell is by giving it a jiggle. You want the sides to be set and the center to jiggle like jello and not like batter.
Sarah says
I have made this cheesecake at least 5 times and its always great. I dont make my own cool whip. I just buy some and mix the chocolate in it.. its so yummy! I just prefer store bought cool whip over the homemade. This cheesecake cake recipe is a definite keeper.
Patrick says
Spectacular, worth every calorie!
Alex says
Does the water for the bath need to be boiling hot water?
Miranda says
No, it doesn't.
Carrie says
Making this today for my daughters 16th birthday! Do you add the ganache after the cheesecake has cooked in the oven before putting in the fridge or in the am after the cheesecake has first cooled in the fridge overnight? How many hours does it typically take the ganache to set? Thank you!!!! Looks so good! Currently baking!
Miranda says
Happy Birthday to your daughter!! I usually add the ganache after the cheesecake has chilled, but at least two hours before it needs to be served. I would love to hear how you liked it!
Danielle says
I wrapped the pan in foil and placed in water. Checked after 1 hour and it didn’t look like it cooked at all. So I took foil off and put back in water, baked another hour . I didnt think it would turn out but it did ??. I skipped ganache and just did whipped cream. Only because of time . Next time I’ll try with it .
Audrey says
This recipe has alot of steps, but was worth it. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. I didn't cook it in the water bath because it kept leaking so I just put the pan of water on the rack below and it worked great.
Haley says
Yum! Thank you for sharing this recipe! I made it for my family for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! I have heard nothing but horror stories of people failing at cheesecake but I found that this recipe was perfect and I am so proud it is the first cheesecake I have ever made. I used double chocolate Oreos and I do regret that I packed the crust down too hard so the first slice lost some crust but I got the crust intact for the rest. I didn’t have enough heavy cream for the whipped cream so I will plan accordingly for it next time I made this. It is way better than store bought and I will definitely make this again!
Miranda says
That's wonderful! I'm happy everyone enjoyed it!!
Tracey says
Can you freeze it once it’s made so less to do up to Xmas
Miranda says
Yes, it freezes great!
Danielle Liddelow says
Hi Miranda
I have been asked to make a chocolate cheesecake for a 21st and the picture she sent for inspo was this one. I just have a couple of questions.
Thank you for your help and sharing this recipe 🙂
Miranda C. says
Hi Danielle- Here are the answers to your questions:
1. I wouldn't double the recipe to make a taller cheesecake. You can make a wider cake but a taller cheesecake will not bake through to the center before the edges get very dry. The texture won't work in my experience.
2. If you choose to do a wider cheesecake, I wouldn't turn the temperature down but just loosely cover the cheesecake with foil to prevent the top from burning in the oven. I would extend the cooking time until the center is no longer jiggly.
3. The largest pan I would use would be a 12" round pan with 3" high sides
4. I do not have the recipe in grams, sorry!
I hope this helps!
Cherrissa says
I cut the recipe in half and it was absolutely amazing! Must try
Carmen says
What pan size is this recipe for? Sorry if I missed that
Carmen says
Disregard. I totally missed the pan size.
Miranda says
Totally fine! 🙂
Doug says
I linked this same recipe from another source that I tried 3 years ago in Pinterest. I was sad to see that it had changed. Hoping you are the original author and that this recipe doesn't change. I was adopted by my friend's parents when I brought this over for a Christmas party 3 years ago, lol. Replacing the previous link with this one!
Laura V. says
Hi Miranda, I made the chocolate cheesecake for Christmas. It came out perfect and everyone enjoyed it so much. Thank you! Laura
Joyce Willoughby says
I am making thus now. So far so good. When do I remove it from the pan?
Miranda C. says
Remove the cheesecake from the pan once it has completely cooled in the fridge. It is easiest to remove when cold!
Distressed Baker says
I have made this recipe and since everyone loved it at work. This time for my family but I can't get stuff pecks for the whip topping. What an I doing wrong? I am sitting it in the freezer to get cooler thinking that could be the problem. Please help, it's for Christmas Eve get together.
Miranda C. says
Be sure to whip the one cup of heavy cream to stiff peaks first then, once that is fluffy, add the melted chocolate. If you add the chocolate before the heavy cream is whipped, it will not get fluffy. I hope this helps and you are able to get that whipped topping nice and soft!