Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe (No Water Bath!)

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This rich Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe is deeply chocolatey and totally decadent—without the hassle of a water bath! An Oreo crust holds a smooth, creamy chocolate filling that bakes up perfectly. Then, just when you think it can’t get any better, a silky chocolate ganache topping takes it over the top! It’s the ultimate treat for birthdays, special occasions, Valentine's Day, or when you just need a seriously good chocolate fix.

Whether you're a total chocoholic or just craving a mouthwatering dessert, these cheesecake recipes have you covered! Rich, creamy, and totally irresistible, there's a flavor for every sweet tooth. Grab a fork and get ready to indulge!

Full cheesecake with a single slice cut with a pie server next to it in the bottom right corner.

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Why this recipe is great
Chocolate cheesecake recipe ingredients
Essential tools for making cheesecake
Step-by-step instructions for chocolate cheesecake
How do you keep a cheesecake from cracking without using a water bath?
Can I freeze this cheesecake?
FAQs
Tips & Tricks
More chocolate dessert recipes
Recipe
Comments

We’ve tested and tweaked so many cheesecakes to land on a method that guarantees a consistently creamy, luscious texture—without the risk of water seeping in and ruining the crust (because, let’s be real, that’s the worst part of a water bath). No more stress, no more guessing—just an easy, foolproof way to get perfect results every time.

And if you’re all about next-level chocolatiness, this is the cheesecake for you. Rich, decadent, and topped with silky ganache, it’s the ultimate chocolate lover’s dream!

Why this recipe is great

Easy: Don't be fooled—easy doesn’t mean this isn’t absolutely delicious. It totally is! It just skips the unnecessary steps and complicated methods while still delivering a creamy, decadent dessert every time.
Deeply chocolatey: Three layers of chocolatey goodness, plus a little extra grated on top if you’re feeling fancy. Every bite is pure chocolate bliss—rich and totally irresistible!
Make-Ahead Friendly: Whether you’re making it a day or two ahead or freezing it for later, this dessert is perfect for having ready to go whenever you need it. Delicious, no matter when you serve it!

Other great cheesecakes to try are this Strawberry Cheesecake, Easy No-Bake Cheesecake (great beginner recipe!), or even Mini Cheesecakes.

Chocolate cheesecake recipe ingredients

This recipe does require a couple types of chocolate. Read below for all the tips for ensuring you have the right ingredients.

Two boxes of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, salt, Oreos, vanilla extract, a stick of butter, espresso, chocolate chips, milk, and bittersweet chocolate sitting on a white countertop.

Cream cheese: This is not the time to use reduced fat. We need the real thing here to keep the texture just perfect.
Sugar: Granulated sugar is best.
Baking chocolate: This is the perfect formulation for keeping the creamy texture everyone wants in a cheesecake.
Chocolate chips: These are used in the ganache. The added stabilizers helps the ganache set up perfectly.
Oreos: This is the quintessential base for a chocolate cheesecake. No need to remove the cream from the middle - use them as is.
Flour: While we don't usually put flour in our cheesecake recipes, the amount of chocolate in this one means we need a little stability and thickness. Both come from just a bit of flour added into the batter.
Eggs: Large eggs are the perfect size and should be room temperature when using.
Vanilla extract: Really vanilla extract rounds out the flavor.
Butter: Helps to bind the Oreos into a solid crust.
Espresso powder: Just a touch, not enough to taste, just enough to make the chocolate flavor sing.
Heavy Cream: Used in the ganache.
Sour Cream: NOT PICTURED but an important element for lightning the texture while cutting the cream cheese flavor.

Essential tools for making cheesecake

Springform Wooden Tart Tamper Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar Stand Mixer

Step-by-step instructions for chocolate cheesecake

Begin by preparing the a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the whole thing with baking spray.

Place the Oreos—creme and all—into a food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs. This might take a minute, but you want to make sure there aren’t any big cookie pieces left. Then, add the melted butter and pulse again until everything is evenly combined.

Press the crumbs about 1 to 1.5 inches up the sides and then evenly across the bottom. Firmly press the crumbs once they are where they should be. This will help them hold together when cutting into the final cheesecake. I like to use this tamper. Bake for 8-10 minutes then set aside to cool.

Chocolate batter in a glass bowl with a whisk sitting in the bowl.

In a medium bowl add the chopped bittersweet baking chocolate, espresso powder, and water. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until it is smooth.

Set aside and allow to cool. You will be adding it to the batter later and don't want the mixture to be too hot as that will change the texture of the batter.

White batter in a stainless steel bowl being blended with a stand mixer.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium to medium-high speed until it’s super smooth. Scrape the bowl 1-2 times to ensure it all combines evenly.

It’s really important there are no lumps, so if you see any, keep beating until it's completely smooth. If the cream cheese is a bit too cold, the pieces won’t blend properly, so just let it come to room temperature a little longer if needed.

Stainless steel bowl with frosting and unblended eggs in it with a stand mixer paddle in the bowl.

Add in room temperature sour cream and eggs, one at a time, and mix on low after each addition. It is important not to beat the batter too much at this point. Keep the mixer just low enough to combine. Scrape the bowl occasionally.

Stainless steel bowl with batter and unmixed powder and a stand mixer paddle in the top left part of the bowl.

Add the flour in and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Stainless steel bowl with batter and melted chocolate in it and a stand mixer paddle in the top part of the bowl.

By now, the chocolate mixture should be cooled enough—it doesn’t need to be cold, just warm. Keep the mixer on low speed, and don’t forget to scrape the bowl once to make sure everything, from the bottom to the sides, is fully incorporated.

Springform pan filled with uncooked chocolate batter.

Place the cheesecake on a cookie sheet and set them directly on the middle rack. On the bottom rack, place a roasting pan or a 9x13 pan and pour in some hot water. Bake at 325°F for 55 minutes. Once done, turn off the oven and prop the door slightly open (I use a wooden spoon) and let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour. Don’t open the oven door all the way, or the heat will escape. After that, remove the cheesecake and let it cool at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Then, refrigerate overnight or until it’s fully chilled.

Bare chocolate cheesecake with chocolate frosting getting poured onto it from a small glass measuring cup.

Once the cheesecake is cool, make the ganache. Place the chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until just hot, then pour the hot cream over the top of the chips and cover for 3 minutes until the chips have melted. Stir well until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the ganache into the middle of the cheesecake and spread out towards the edge using an offset spatula. You may serve immediately or allow it to set up for an hour first.

Hint: This cheesecake is gorgeous as is, but if you want to take it over the top grate some chocolate bars over the already set ganache. We like to use a really sharp potato peeler across the long edge of a bar of chocolate for this step.

Slice of a chocolate cheesecake on a stack of small plates with a fork next to it and two more slices of cheesecake on plates with a blue towel in the background.

How do you keep a cheesecake from cracking without using a water bath?

There are several techniques that ensure your cheesecake remains crack-free without the headache of a water bath.

Don't over mix the batter once the eggs go in. This will add too much air that will want to escape while baking which can cause cracks.
Make the oven environment humid by pouring already hot water into a pan set in the lower part of the oven.
Don't over bake. In this recipe that means trusting the baking instructions. Both the temperature and the length of time are critical to success.
Allowing the cheesecake to cool slowly. We achieve this by keeping the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked before bringing it out and allowing it to finish cooling at room temperature. Once it is completely room temperature, then it can go into the refrigerator.

We have perfected these techniques on many different cheesecakes and they turn out perfectly each and every time.

Can I freeze this cheesecake?

Yes! This cheesecake is perfect for freezing. Whether you freeze the whole cheesecake or in individual slices, just place it on a cookie sheet and set it in the freezer until it's frozen solid. Once it’s frozen, remove it and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil.

To thaw, just take it out of the freezer, unwrap it completely, and place it in the fridge, uncovered, to thaw. It usually takes overnight to fully thaw, and it’ll be just as delicious as the day you made it.

Platter of half of a chocolate cheesecake with a blue and white towel bunched up behind it in the background.

FAQs

Why put sour cream in cheesecake?

Sour cream does two things in cheesecake batter. First, it helps create a lighter and creamier final texture. Second, it adds a tanginess and cut the richness of the cream cheese.

What are the best brands of chocolate for cheesecake?

At the end of the day, the brand you choose really depends on which flavor you enjoy most. That said, we’d recommend Ghirardelli or Trader Joe’s brand chocolate for the best taste. Baker’s chocolate doesn’t quite have the richness you’d want in this recipe, so we wouldn’t suggest it here. Go for a higher quality product for the ultimate chocolatey cheesecake

Slice of chocolate cheesecake with a bite taken out of it on a stack of plates.

Tips & Tricks

Read through the whole recipe before starting and have everything ready.
Use really soft cream cheese to avoid lumps and help it cook evenly. You can use the microwave at 30-40% power for 30 seconds to help soften it if needed.
Make sure the eggs and sour cream are room temperature when adding them into the batter.
Use a firm pressure on the crust.
Trust the baking process. Just follow the instructions exactly.
Store it uncovered overnight in the fridge to avoid condensation.

More chocolate dessert recipes

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