Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
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This Triple Chocolate Cheesecake is made for serious chocolate lovers. It starts with a chocolate Oreo cookie crust, followed by a rich and creamy chocolate cheesecake filling and a smooth milk chocolate ganache. You can stop there, but I like to take it completely over the top with chocolate whipped cream and chocolate curls. Discover more cheesecake recipes that you can make over and over again too.
Technically, once you count all of those chocolate layers, we’re getting dangerously close to called this a quintuple chocolate cheesecake but no one is searching for that, so triple chocolate cheesecake it is.
This cheesecake is definitely rich, but that’s the point. The cheesecake filling gets its deep chocolate flavor from both cocoa powder and melted chocolate, while the milk chocolate ganache adds a sweeter chocolate flavor on top. Cut yourself a small slice, grab a cup of coffee, and prepare to enter a chocolate coma!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
- Chocolate in every single layer
- Easy Oreo cookie crust
- Made with cocoa powder and real melted chocolate
- great make-ahead dessert
- Perfect for birthdays, holidays, and special occasions
What Makes This Triple Chocolate Cheesecake So Good?
There are three main chocolate components that give this cheesecake its name.
The Oreo crust gives you a crunchy chocolate base. The cheesecake filling uses unsweetened cocoa powder along with bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate for a deeper, more intense chocolate flavor. Finally, the cheesecake is covered with a smooth milk chocolate ganache.
Then there are the optional chocolate whipped cream and chocolate curls. They’re not technically necessary, but when has “necessary” ever been the decided factor with chocolate?
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.
Oreo Cookies – Use the whole Oreo, filling and all. Process the cookies in a food processor or food chopper into fine crumbs before mixing in the melted butter.
Cream Cheese – Full-fat block cream cheese gives the cheesecake the best texture. Be sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature before working with it to avoid lumps.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – The cocoa powder adds another layer of chocolate flavor without adding additional sweetness.
Tip: Mixing the cocoa powder with the granulated sugar before adding it to the cream cheese helps break up the cocoa powder and prevents stubborn little cocoa lumps.
Bittersweet or Semi-Sweet Chocolate – Either chocolate works beautifully in the cheesecake filling. Bittersweet chocolate will give you a slightly darker, more intense chocolate flavor, while semi-sweet will be a little sweeter.
Heavy Cream – Heavy cream is used with the chocolate to help it melt smoothly into the cheesecake batter. It’s also used to make the milk chocolate ganache and chocolate whipped cream.
Milk Chocolate – I like milk chocolate for the ganaache because the cheesecake filling itself has such a deep chocolate flavor. The sweeter milk chocolate gives the top a nice contrast. It also stays a bit softer once chilled that makes it easier to slice.
Why Use Both Cocoa Powder and Melted Chocolate?
The cocoa powder provides concentrated chocolate flavor while also thickening the cheesecake batter. The melted chocolate adds richness and additional fat. Using both creates a much deeper chocolate flavor than relying on cocoa powder alone.
The melted chocolate also contributes to the texture of the chilled cheesecake. If you substitute the baking chocolate with chocolate chips, I’ve found that the finished cheesecake sets slightly firmer after chilling.
How to Make Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Step 1: Pulse the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs and mix with melted butter. Press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
Step 2: Stir together the cocoa powder and sugar to help remove any cocoa lumps.
Step 3: Beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth, then mix in the cocoa and sugar.
Step 4: Melt the chocolate with the heavy cream and mix it into the cream cheese mixture.
Step 5: Add the vanilla and eggs (one at a time) folllowed by the sour cream.
Step 6: Pour the cheesecake batter over the Oreo crust. Wrap the the springform pan in two layers of foil to protect the cheesecake from water and place it inside a larger pan filled with 1 inch of hot water.
Step 7: Bake the cheesecake until the out side of the cheesecake is set but the very center still has a slight jiggle. Let the cheesecake cool in a turned off oven.
Step 8: Heat the milk chocolate and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth. Pour the ganache over the completely chilled cheesecake and return to the refrigerator to set.
Step 9: Finish with chocolate whipped cream and chocolate curls, if desired.
How Do I know When Chocolate Cheesecake is Done?
Chocolate cheesecake can be a little harder to judge cisually than plain cheesecake, so the jiggle test is your friend.
Gently move the pan back and forth near the end of the baking time. 3 inches deep of cheesecake starting from the outer edge should look completely set and will not jiggle. Only a small area in the center should jiggle sightly, similar to set up jello.
If the entire cheesecake ripples when you move the pan, it needs more time. Remember, cheesecakes do best baking low and slow so don’t get impatient!
Don’t wait until the center becomes completely firm. The cheesecake contines cooking from residual heat as it sits in the warm oven, and overbaking can leave you with a dry or cracked cheesecake.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Cheesecake
- Start with room temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese doesn’t blend smoothly and can leave lumps in the batter.
- Don’t overmix the eggs. Once you begin adding the eggs, mix each one only until it’s incorproated.
- Scrape the bowl (sides and bottom) often. The chocolate cheesecake batter is thick and the cream cheese can be missed easily with the hand mixer so it’s best to continue to scrape down the bottom.
- Let the melted chocolate cool slightly. The chocolate should still be fluid but shouldn’t be piping hot when you add it to the cream cheese mixture.
- Do NOT skip chilling this cheesecake overnight. Keep the cheesecake in the pan and refrigerator for at least 8 hours once the cheesecake cools to room temperature.
Why Use a Water Bath?
I recommend a water bath for this cheesecake because it provides gentle, even heat and adds moisture to the oven.
That helps the cheesecake bake evenly from the outside toward the center and reduces the chance of cracks or dry, overbaked edges.
Springform pans aren’t always watertight, to protect the bottom with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
You can wrap the outside tightly with two layers of heavy-duty foil. Another method I like is placing a springform pan inside a slightly larger cake pan and then putting the two nested pans into the water bath. This keeps the cheesecake protected without worrying about water sneaking through the foil.
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.
How to Store and Freeze
Store this triple chocolate cheesecake covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and texture, serve it withint about 3 to 5 days.
You can also freeze this cheesecake. There are a few ways you can do this.
First option is to wrap the whole cheesecake (without the ganache and whipped cream) while it’s still in its pan and cooled completely, in two layers in plastic wrap and a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place in the freezer.
Second option is to chill the cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator while it’s still in the springform pan. I recommend leaving off the ganache and whipped cream. The next day, remove the pan and place the cheesecake on a baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours until the cheesecake is completely firm. Remove the cheesecake from the baking sheet and wrap the cheesecake tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place in the freezer.
Third option is to freeze individual slices. Wrap the chilled slices tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and place in a freezer container. Place in the freezer.
This cheesecake will last 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw the cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator. Decorate with the ganache and whipped cream and serve.
Recipe FAQs
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.
Chocolate can become grainy when it’s overheated. Heat it gently in short intervals and stir well after each one.
You technically can, but I recommend using one for the creamiest, most evenly baked cheesecake. I haven’t skipped the water bath for this cheesecake, but I do know it will have an edge and the center will sink slightly once the cheesecake has baked and cooled. It can also crack without the water bath.
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Ingredients
Crust
- 20 oreo cookies
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
Ganache
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla pudding dry mix, optional but hightly recommended on hot days
- 2 – 3 tablespoons Chocolate Curls, optional
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 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 large mixing bowl, add the 1 cup of heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla pudding mix if you're using it. Beat on medium 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.
Notes
Nutrition Info
(Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.)
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was and be sure to leave a rating!This Triple Chocolate Cheesecake post was published May 18, 2017 and has since been updated with new images and more recipe information.
Absolutely the most decadent and delicious cheese cake I’ve made. It is now a most requested at family events!