You know a recipe is a hit when party invitations are addressed to you and your signature dish. For about 20 years, my signature holiday dish has been a decadent chocolate cheesecake with a chocolate crumb crust. It tastes like a high-quality truffle atop a chocolate cookie. And, despite the indulgent bite it delivers, this cheesecake is super easy to make.
I have tried alternatives over the years. You know, remake myself with a new dessert creation. Those efforts have failed. I keep going back to the chocolate cheesecake because it never disappoints.
What I love about this cheesecake
- Texture. It is rich and custard-y. You only need a few bites to feel satisfied, especially after a big meal. The indulgent cream cheese filling balances nicely with a crunchy bottom crust.
- Flavor. This is a chocolate-overload dessert.
- Easy. The biggest challenge is avoiding cracks in the top. In truth, no one cares about the cracks once they take a bite. Even so, the recipe card includes tips for a smooth surface and notes on what to do if those tips fail. You can also see our cheesecake guide that goes with our New York cheesecake recipe.
- Fan favorite. One year I couldn’t attend one of my usual parties, the host asked for the recipe so she could make it herself. I also used to gift this cheesecake, so I have probably served it to 50 people over the years. One giftee told me his sister said the cake was too sweet. That’s the only negative comment I’ve ever received. In all fairness, I added chunks of peanut butter cups to that one. So, yeah, it probably was too sweet.
More cheesecakes to try
If this recipe gives you the craving for more cheesecake, try these:
PrintChocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Indulgent, no-fail holiday party dessert. See notes for extra tips.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Yield: 14 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven-baked
Ingredients
Chocolate crumb crust
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers, crushed
- 1/2 cup powered sugar
- 1/3 cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup melted butter
Cheesecake filling
- 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
- 24 oz. cream cheese, softened (three 8 oz packages)
- 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep. Set out your cream cheese an hour early to soften. Preheat your oven to 300°F or 149°C. Crush the vanilla wafers. I use a food processor, then dump them into a zip-top bag and finish crushing with a rolling pin. After crushing, measure 1 1/2 cups and add to a medium-sized bowl. Melt 1/3 cup butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave in 10-second intervals.
- Make the crust. To the bowl with the vanilla wafer crumbs, add 1/2 cup powered sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, and 1/3 cup melted butter. Stir until fully combined. Press the crust into a 9-inch spring form pan.
- Melt the chocolate chips. Pour a bag of chocolate chips into a glass bowl. Microwave it for 90 seconds and stir. If the melted chips aren’t completely smooth after stirring, microwave 15 seconds at a time until they are.
- Make the filling. Add softened cream cheese to a stand mixer bowl and beat just until it looks smooth and fluffy. With the mixer running, pour in the sweetened condensed milk. Turn off the mixer and scoop the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture. Add 4 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix just until evenly combined.
- Bake. Pour filling into spring form pan with prepared crust. Smooth out the top with a plastic spatula, then pick up the pan and tap it gently several times on the countertop. This helps release trapped air to avoid cracks. Place a baking sheet in the lower rack of your oven and add 1 to 2 cups of water. Then put the cheesecake on a higher rack and bake for 60 minutes.
- Cool. After an hour, the cake should look drier around the outside and slightly darker in the middle third. If it’s not quite there, keep cooking but recheck every 3 minutes. Once it looks ready, shut off the oven and open the door. Let the cake cool in the oven for at least an hour, then finish cooling on a rack on the counter.
Notes
Minimize cracks. Don’t overmix the filling as this can contribute to cracking. The water bath in the oven and the slow cooling process also helps minimize cracks. Sometimes, you can do all the right things and the cake will still rise in the oven and then crack when it cools. It won’t affect the taste, but the presentation may not meet your standards.
Cover cracks. If you’re worried about it, have ingredients on hand (heavy cream and more chocolate chips) to make a chocolate ganache — you can spread it over the top to cover any imperfections.
Next level recipe upgrades. You can take this recipe to the next level by making your own sweetened, condensed milk or by adding mix-ins. Homemade sweetened, condensed milk is a surprising upgrade. I only did that once because my husband bought evaporated milk by accident, but the difference was noticeable. As for mix-ins, I have mixed in chopped Oreo cookies and, separately, chopped peanut butter cups. Just stir them into the filling before you pour it in the pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 478
- Sugar: 38.6 g
- Sodium: 211.6 mg
- Fat: 32.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.5 g
- Protein: 9.2 g
- Cholesterol: 123.5 mg
