Hot Chocolate Cheesecake: A Creamy Winter Dessert with Oreo Crust

Hot Chocolate Cheesecake

If you want a dessert that tastes like a snowy afternoon in a mug, this hot chocolate cheesecake delivers. It begins with a buttery Oreo crust, moves into a baked hot chocolate cheesecake filling made with hot cocoa mix and unsweetened cocoa powder, and finishes with a generous crown of homemade whipped cream.

this …

I bake it every December, usually the weekend we decorate the tree. It is a holiday appropriate winter dessert with a creamy cheesecake texture and a flavor that reminds everyone of hot cocoa, and it is the kind of slice that disappears fast after sledding, when everyone comes in cold and hungry.

Here is why hot chocolate cheesecake is so good

Why does this one earn a permanent spot in my holiday rotation? Three reasons.

The texture is creamy and smooth, the way a good cheesecake should be, yet it never feels heavy. The flavor is a balance of rich chocolate and light creaminess, so it tastes like a proper mug of hot chocolate rather than a plain chocolate dessert.

Then there is the topping. Homemade whipped cream finishes the slice the same way whipped cream finishes a mug of cocoa. It is a Christmas season dessert through and through, and it holds its own on any holiday table you set it on.

Tips for making hot chocolate cheesecake

Cheesecake has a reputation for being fussy. It really is not, as long as you handle three things with care.

1. Use room temperature ingredients. Cream cheese that is still cold will not blend smoothly, and you will end up with small lumps of cream cheese scattered through the batter. Set everything out ahead of time so it has a chance to soften.
2. Beat the cream cheese thoroughly. The recipe beats the cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes, and that full 2 minutes matters. It is what gives you a creamy, clump free batter instead of a grainy one.
3. Mix the eggs in on low speed and stop early. Add the eggs and mix only until they are just combined. Overmixing eggs whips air into the batter, and that air makes the cheesecake rise quickly in the oven and then collapse, which is what leaves cracks across the top.

Water Bath Tips

A water bath surrounds the pan with moist, steamy air while the cheesecake bakes. That gentle humidity keeps the surface from drying out, and a dry oven environment is one of the main reasons cheesecakes crack. Both methods below use a large roasting pan filled with hot steaming water.

Method 1, the one I use every time. Place the springform pan inside a 10 inch cake pan. Set the cake pan inside the roasting pan, then pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the cake pan.

Because the springform sits inside a second pan, no water can reach the crust, and the whole setup is easier to lift in and out of the oven.

Method 2, the classic foil wrap. Wrap the outside of the springform pan tightly in aluminum foil, twice, then set it directly in the roasting pan and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the springform pan. This works well too, but the foil can sometimes leak and let water into the crust, which gives you a soggy base.

If you remember only one thing about the water bath, remember this: your goal is steam, not a swimming cheesecake. Water should never touch the crust.

How to decorate this homemade cheesecake

Let the cheesecake cool completely before you decorate it. If you try to unmold it while it is still setting, it can fall apart in your hands, and no amount of whipped cream hides that.

To unmold, release the sides of the springform pan and lift them away. Tip the cheesecake onto its side to remove the bottom of the pan, then peel the parchment paper off the bottom. Set it right side up on your serving plate.

Now scoop the whipped cream over the top and spread it with the back of a spoon, working from the center outward, so the coverage is even and slightly swirled. You can serve it just like that, and honestly it looks lovely plain.

For a holiday look, scatter mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes over the top. Chocolate curls or a light drizzle of chocolate sauce work just as well if you want something a little more elegant.

For more holiday recipes, check out my

If you love baking through December as much as I do, these are the recipes I reach for most: Sugar Cookie Cheesecake, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake, Grinch Cake, and Snowman Cookies.

Any one of them would look right at home on the same dessert table as this cheesecake.

Ingredients

You will need three sets of ingredients: the crust, the filling, and the topping. Set the cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and eggs out ahead of time so everything is at room temperature when you start mixing.

Oreo Crust

• 3 cups Oreos, fine crumb
• 5 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

Hot Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

• 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup hot cocoa mix (2 packets)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature

Whipped Cream Topping

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Work through this in three stages: the crust, the filling, and the topping. Give yourself a calm afternoon and the whole thing comes together easily.

Oreo crust

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with baking spray, line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper circle, and spray it once more.
2. Blend the Oreos in a food processor until you have a fine crumb. In a small bowl, mix the Oreo crumbs and the melted butter together with a fork until every crumb is evenly coated.
3. Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared pan. Use your hands to press it about halfway up the sides, then use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to compact the bottom of the crust firmly.
4. Bake the crust for 11 minutes. Take it out of the oven and set it aside, and leave the oven on so it stays at temperature.

Hot chocolate cheesecake filling

1. In the bowl of a mixer, beat the cream cheese and the white granulated sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber baking spatula.
2. Add the hot cocoa mix, unsweetened cocoa powder, sour cream, heavy cream, and pure vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until everything is combined, and scrape the bowl once or twice so nothing settles at the bottom.
3. Add the eggs and mix on low speed only until they are just combined. Take the bowl off the mixer and finish blending by hand with the spatula.
4. Pour the batter over the baked crust and smooth the top.
5. Set up the water bath using either method. Both use a large roasting pan and hot steaming water. Place the springform pan inside a 10 inch cake pan, set the cake pan in the roasting pan, and fill with hot water halfway up the cake pan. Or wrap the springform pan tightly twice in aluminum foil, place it directly in the roasting pan, and fill with hot water halfway up the pan.
6. Bake for 75 to 85 minutes. The cheesecake is ready when the edges are set and the middle still has a slight jiggle.
7. Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake cool slowly inside for 30 minutes. Then move the hot pan to a cooling rack and let it cool completely. Move the roasting pan carefully, since hot water can slosh.
8. Cover the pan with foil and chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight. A fully chilled cheesecake slices cleanly and holds its shape, so try not to rush this part.

Whipped cream and finishing

1. In a metal bowl with a whisk attachment, add the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high speed until medium peaks form.
2. Take the chilled cheesecake out of the refrigerator, remove the pan and the parchment paper, and top it with the whipped cream. If you like, decorate with mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes.

Notes

Pull the dairy ingredients out of the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to bake. Room temperature cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and eggs blend into a smooth batter, and the cheesecake bakes more evenly.

Recipe details

Per serving, this cheesecake comes in around 479 calories, 40 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, and 36 g fat, with 20 g saturated fat, 27 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 292 mg sodium, and 86 mg cholesterol.

FAQs

Hot Chocolate Cheesecake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Hot Chocolate Cheesecake If you want a dessert that tastes like a snowy afternoon in a mug, this hot chocolate cheesecake delivers. It begins with a buttery Oreo crust, moves into a baked hot chocolate cheesecake filling made with hot cocoa mix and unsweetened cocoa powder, and finishes with a generous crown of homemade whipped cream.

• Total Time: 485 min
• Yield: 16 slices 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Oreo Crust
3 cups Oreos, fine crumb
5 TBSP Unsalted butter, melted

Hot Chocolate Cheesecake
24 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup White granulated sugar
1/2 cup Hot cocoa mix, 2 packets
1/3 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Sour cream, room temperature
1/4 cup Heavy cream, room temperature
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
4 Large eggs, room temperature

Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups Heavy cream, cold
1/4 cup Powdered sugar
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Oreo Crust
1-Preheat the oven to 325℉: Preheat the oven to 325℉. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with baking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper circle and spray again.
2-Using a food processor, blend the Oreos: Using a food processor, blend the Oreos into a fine crumb. In a small bowl, mix the Oreo crumbs and melted butter using a fork.
3-Pour crumbs into the prepared pan: Pour crumbs into the prepared pan. Use your hands to press the crust halfway up the sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to compact the bottom of the crust.
4-Bake for 11 minutes: Bake for 11 minutes.

Hot Chocolate Cheesecake
5-Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese: Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl using a rubber baking spatula.
6-Add in the hot cocoa mix, cocoa: Add in the hot cocoa mix, cocoa powder, sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed and mix until combined. You might need to scrape the bowl to make sure it is all mixed together.
7-Add in the eggs and mix on: Add in the eggs and mix on low speed until just combined. Take off the mixer and use mix using the spatula.
8-Pour the batter on top of the: Pour the batter on top of the baked crust. Start the water bath. Water bath. Use one of these methods for a water bath. Both methods use a large roasting pan and hot steaming water. 1. Place the springform pan in a 10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in the roasting pan and fill with hot water halfway up the cake pan. This method prevent water getting into the crust. 2. Wrap the springform pan tightly twice in aluminum foil. Place the springform pan inside the roasting pan. Fill with hot water halfway up the springform pan. This method works great, but can sometimes leak water into the crust.
9-Bake for 75-85 minutes: Bake for 75-85 minutes. Bake until the edges are set and the middle has a slight jiggle.
10-Turn off the oven, crack open the: Turn off the oven, crack open the door, and let it slowly cool for 30 minutes. Then, transfer hot pan to the cooling rack to cool completely.
11-Cover with foil and chill for at: Cover with foil and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Whipped Cream
12-Using a metal bowl with a whisk: Using a metal bowl with a whisk attachment, add in heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high speed until medium peaks form.
13-Take out the cheesecake, remove the pan: Take out the cheesecake, remove the pan and parchment paper, and top with the whipped cream. Optional: I added mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes as decoration on top.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

• Prep Time: 45 min
• Cook Time: 80 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 479kcal
• Sugar: 27g
• Sodium: 292mg
• Fat: 36g
• Saturated Fat: 20g
• Carbohydrates: 40g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 6g
• Cholesterol: 86mg