Published February 10, 2023.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
If you love sweets, you will be head over heels for this rich, luscious double chocolate cheesecake recipe. The flavors in this decadent dessert are mind-blowing.
Is there anything better than a tasty cake for a treat? In addition to this one, I often make my simplePound CakeandFunfetti Cake for quick, tasty sweets for the family.
Chocolate Cheesecake
Chocolate cheesecake is a sweet dessert cake in a cookie crust that is baked until firm and then chilled. The texture of the cheesecake is rich, creamy, dense, and filling. To make this a double chocolate cheesecake, I used cocoa powder and chocolate chips in the batter and then covered them with chocolate ganache.
While this cake can be eaten by itself, I’ve taken the liberty to enhance it by topping it off with chocolate whipped cream and serving it with raspberry coulis. There are several ways to make this recipe, which will differ depending on who is making it. In no way is this a healthy dessert.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cream Cheese – Room temperature full-fat cream cheese is what you will need to use.
- Sour Cream – Use full-fat sour cream to help add a little acid to the batter.
- Chocolate – I used a combination of semi-sweet chocolate chips and cocoa powder.
- Eggs – Room temperature, large eggs were used in the batter.
- Cornstarch – This is used to help bring the batter together when baking to stabilize it.
- Vanilla – Some vanilla extract will help add flavor to the chocolate cheesecake.
- Salt – I always use sea salt in my cooking and baking.
- Sugar – Any granulated sugar will work.
- Milk/Cream – A little bit of whole milk is used in the batter, and heavy whipping cream is used for the ganache topping.
- Coffee – A little bit of espresso powder or strong coffee will significantly enhance the flavor of the chocolate.
- Cookies – Use any crème filled chocolate sandwiches.
- Butter – I always used unsalted butter in my cooking and baking so that I control the salt content.
How to Make a Double Chocolate Cheesecake
Firstly, start by adding the cookies and melted unsalted butter to a food processor and process on high speed until they become finely crumbled. Briefly set aside.
Rub some softened butter on the bottom of your 10” spring form pan, then place a round parchment paper on top of it. The butter will help it to stick.
Pour the cookie crust crumbs into the pan and begin forming it to the sides of pan.
Pack it with the backside of a large spoon or glass and press firmly while pressing down with the other hand.
Next, press down the crumbs to pack in the bottom.
Bake the pan on a rack in the lower third portion of your oven and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool briefly.
Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over low to medium heat until smooth. You will need to stir it using a rubber spatula occasionally. Set it aside.
Whip the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Stop and scrape the bowl after 1 minute of mixing.
Once smooth, add sugar and whip on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl after 1 minute of mixing.
Mix in the sour cream.
Turn it to low speed and pour in the vanilla, and then add 1 egg at a time until it is mixed in. Do not add the next egg until the last one is mixed in. Stop and scrape the bowl.
Add salt, cornstarch, espresso powder, and cocoa powder and mix on low to medium speed for 1 minute until mixed in.
Turn it to low speed and pour in the melted chocolate, making sure to scrape the bowl to get it out. Mix it until combined. Stop and scrape the bowl.
Add in the hot milk and mix on low to medium speed just until mixed in. There should be no lumps in it. You can heat the milk in a small saucepan or a microwave until hot.
Pour the batter into the pre-cooked crust pan scraping all the ingredients. Give it a gentle shake to settle it.
Place the pan onto a large sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the foil around it, not over it. See the video.
Add some hot water before boiling to a deep pan until it reaches the halfway point.
Put the foil-wrapped pan into the center of the pan. The foil helps to keep the water out.
Bake on a rack in the lower third portion of your oven and bake at 350° for 50 minutes. Turn the heat off and let it stand in the oven for 1 hour.
Remove the pan from the water and remove the foil.
Place on a cooling rack, cool to room temperature, and then place in the refrigerator until completely cold. It will take several hours in the refrigerator before it’s cold.
Make the soft ganache by melting chocolate in cream in a double boiler over low to medium heat until melted and smooth.
Pour the melted chocolate ganache over the chocolate cheesecake and spread it using an offset spatula. Removing the outside of the springform pan before adding the melted chocolate is best.
Place it back in the refrigerator until it is completely cool, which takes about 30 to 45 minutes.
Finally, mark each slice and garnish with optional chocolate whipped cream, raspberries, and raspberry coulis sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this cake up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: Store this covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I usually leave it in the springform pan when storing it.This will freeze well and be covered for up to 3 months. You should thaw the cake in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.
Chef Notes + Tips
- The cream cheese must be at room temperature. To do this, I place it from the refrigerator onto the counter 2 hours before making the recipe.
- Essential to ensure your eggs are at room temperature. To do this, I place it from the refrigerator onto the counter 2 hours before making the recipe.
- I liketo use thebackside of a measuring cup to press in the graham cracker crust.
- While annoying, it’s vital to stop the mixer and scrape the bowl often throughout the process. I usually do it 5 to 6 times in total.
- Eggs andfat don’tmix naturally, so when you mix in 1 egg at a time until it is thoroughly mixed in, it guarantees that all your ingredients are mixing.Take your time with this process.
- Always bake your cheesecake in a hot water bath before boiling water.
- Bake the cake on a rack in the lower third portion of your oven.
- Instead of melting the chocolate in a double boiler, you can place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 1 minute. Stir it and heat for 30 seconds. Continue in 30-second bursts while mixing in between until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
More Dessert Recipes
- Apple Fritters
- Olive Oil Cake
- Torta Caprese
- Chess Pie
- Gooey Butter Cake
Video
Save
Double Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
5 from 27 votes
If you love sweets, you will be head over heels for this rich, luscious double chocolate cheesecake recipe.
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes
Cooling Time: 6 hours hours
Ingredients
or the Crust:
- 1 package or 1 pound 4 ounces of cream filled chocolate cookies, 48 total
- 1 stick melted unsalted butter
For the Filling:
- 24 ounces softened full-fat cream cheese
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs + 1 egg yolk room temperature large eggs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
For the Topping:
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- chocolate whipped cream
- raspberry coulis
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Start by adding the cookies and melted unsalted butter to a food processor and process on high speed until they become finely crumbles. Briefly set aside.
Rub some softened butter on the bottom of your 10” spring form pan and then place a parchment paper round on top of it. The butter will help it to stick.
Pour the cookie crust crumbs into the pan and begin forming it to the sides of the pan.
Pack it with the backside of a large spoon or glass and press firmly with one hand while pressing down with the other hand. Next, press down the crumbs to pack in the bottom.
Bake the pan on a rack in the lower third portion of your oven and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a double boiler over low to medium heat, melt the chocolate chips until smooth. You will need to occasionally stir it using a rubber spatula. Set it aside to briefly cool.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl after 1 minute of mixing. Once smooth, add sugar and whip on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl after 1 minute of mixing.
Mix in the sour cream.
Turn it to low speed and pour in the vanilla, and then add 1 egg at a time until it is mixed in. Do not add the next egg until the last one is mixed in. Stop and scrape the bowl.
Now, add salt, cornstarch, espresso powder, and cocoa powder and mix on low to medium speed for 1 minute just until mixed in.
Turn it to low speed and pour in the melted chocolate, making sure to scrape the bowl to get all of it out. Mix until combined. Stop and scrape the bowl
Add in the hot milk and mix on low to medium speed just until mixed in. There should be no lumps in it. You can heat the milk in a small saucepan or in a microwave until hot.
Pour the batter into the pre-cooked crust pan scraping all the ingredients. Give it a gentle shake to settle it.
Place the pan onto a large sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the foil around it, not over it. See the video.
Add some hot water, before boiling, to a deep pan until it reaches the halfway point. Put the foil-wrapped pan into the center of the pan. The foil helps to keep the water out.
Bake on a rack in the lower third portion of your oven and bake at 350° for 50 minutes.
Turn the heat off and let it stand in the oven for 1 hour.
Remove the pan from the water and remove the foil. Place on a cooling rack and cool to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator until completely cold. It will take several hours in the refrigerator before it’s cold.
Make the soft ganache by melting the chocolate in cream in a double boiler over low to medium heat until melted and smooth.
Pour the melted chocolate ganache over the top of the chocolate cheesecake and spread it out using an offset spatula. It’s best if the outside of the springform pan is removed before adding the melted chocolate.
Place it back in the refrigerator until it is completely cool, which takes about 30 to 45 minutes.
Mark each slice and then garnish with optional chocolate whipped cream, raspberries, and raspberry coulis sauce.
Notes
Make-Ahead: You can make this cake up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: Store this covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I usually leave it in the springform pan when storing it.This will freeze well and be covered for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.
The cream cheese must be at room temperature. To do this, I place it from the refrigerator onto the counter 2 hours before making the recipe.
Essential to ensure your eggs are at room temperature. To do this, I place it from the refrigerator onto the counter 2 hours before making the recipe.
I liketo use thebackside of a measuring cup to press in the graham cracker crust.
While annoying, it’s vital to stop the mixer and scrape the bowl often throughout the process. I usually do it 5 to 6 times in total.
Eggs andfat don’tmix naturally, so when you mix in 1 egg at a time until it is thoroughly mixed in, it guarantees that all your ingredients are mixing.Take your time with this process.
Always bake your cheesecake in a hot water bath before boiling water.
Bake the cake on a rack in the lower third portion of your oven.
Instead of melting the chocolate in a double boiler, you can place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 1 minute. Stir it and heat for 30 seconds. Continue in 30-second bursts while mixing in between until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
Nutrition
Calories: 601kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 9gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 408mgPotassium: 379mgFiber: 4gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 1074IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 3mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, French
Author: Chef Billy Parisi
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48 comments
- Jerry Baber
This is absolute dynamite! Followed the video and came out perfect. Everyone was amazed.
- Reply
love it!
- Reply
- Ana Saito
I’m made this cake last Sunday and I loved it 😊 thank you!
- Reply
- Lisa
Absolutely delicious! Everyone loved this! Def will making again.
- Reply
- Veronica
Thank You so much Chef for your recipes!! I cook and bake a lot of your dishes! This is my second time making the chocolate cheesecake and it came out absolutely perfect! It was a big hit for our New Year’s Eve party. So luscious and rich!
- Reply
- Karen Wittman
This Double chocolate Cheesecake recipe of yours is so creamy and delicious. I made it for brunch at my son and daugher-in-laws. Everyone was really impressed with the Chocolate whipping cream decoration with a raspberry. It was so good my son kept the left overs. I definitely will make it again. Chef Billy Parisi has the best recipes I have ever tried.
- Reply
- Susanne Schoch
This one blows my friends’ minds. I am known to make some decent cakes, but this one is out of this world I am told. Thank you!
- Reply
- Jank Peter
Dee-lish!
- Reply
- sue 😁
Yum oh recipe
- Reply
- Charles Scott
My wife made this over the weekend ,was very good. Anything that we’ve tried to make from Billy’s page has been outstanding
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
Appreciate you!
- Reply
- Heidi
Chef this will be my first recipe of yours extremely excited! Could you tell me your preferred brand of chocolate chips?
- Reply
don’t have one
- Reply
- sue
Yummy 🤤
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
Yummy indeed!
- Reply
- Molly
Please how many grams in 1 butter stick
Thank you- Reply
Click the metric button in the recipe card 🙂
- Reply
- Linda WardLinda B Ward
I forgot to take a picture of this when I made it, but oh my goodness? It is the absolute best chocolate cheesecake I have ever made and eaten. Once again Chef THANK YOU.
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
my pleasure!
- Reply
- Janet
so good!!
- Reply
yes indeed!
- Reply
- Chris Wall
Fabulous!!! I made it for my sons bosses birthday, it was a hit!!!
I’ll never try another chocolate cheesecake, only Billy’s for me! 🙂- Reply
excellent!
- Reply
- Anne
An amazing recipe! I did everything as directed but mistakenly used 4 blocks of cheese instead of 3 and made the very minor adjustments to all the other ingredients except I kept the eggs unchanged.
Not a single crack on the top and ganache was smooth. EVERYONE at work thought it was the best cheesecake EVER!
Oh! I didn’t use the espresso flakes. Will definitely make it again!- Reply
love it!
- Reply
- Carolyn Kotler
Wondering if you can use chocolate wafers for the crust instead of Oreos. I found I needed a bit more melted butter for the crumbs. Also wondering can I use a 9” springform instead? Also, I had some trouble getting crumbs to adhere to sides of pan. That’s why I think I needed more melted butter. But cake delicious.
- Reply
sure. You’d have to back off the amount of batter for a 9″ and without testing it I can’t give you that amount.
- Reply
- Heather Boardman
Amazing recipe.
- Reply
so good!!
- Reply
- Donna
Excellent! I made it step by step exactly as the recipe said. It turned out perfectly.
- Reply
Amazing!
- Reply
- Robin Adams
I made this for my husband for Valentine’s Day! It was so good. I shared some with friends and they too loved it.
- Reply
Love it!
- Reply
- Nancy
The cheesecake was incredibly delicious. I think it turned out a little overcooked, though. Next time I make it, I’ll adjust the bake time and/or holding time in the turned off oven. Make sure you have a crowd for this one. A little cheesecake goes a long way!
- Reply
thanks for giving it a shot!!
- Reply
- Carolyn Kotler
Can I use bittersweet chips instead of semisweet?
- Reply
I think you could
- Reply
- Jo Carral
It’s cheesecake. And chocolate. What’s not to like? It’s so easy to make and so delicious!
- Reply
so good!!
- Reply
- Carolyn Kotler
Can you use a 9” springform?
- Reply
I’d back off the amount of batter, but sure.
- Reply
- Fran
Chocolate lovers dream!
- Reply
thanks for giving it a shot!!
- Reply
- Scott
This is one of the best cheesecakes I have ever had. It doesn’t even tast like cheesecake, it’s just chocolate goodness. Melts in your mouth. It’s hard to explain. You just need to make it and try it out for yourself
- Reply
- Phyllis Konrad
I’ve made this cheesecake twice. It’s fantastic. People want to know the recipe, I send them to Chef Billy. Creamiest cheesecake you will ever have. Rich and delicious. Thanks Chef Billy!
- Reply
- Todd Young
This is phenomenal! If you like chocolate and you like cheesecake, you will love this recipe!
- Reply
- Vicki Hines
This is the best cheesecake I ever made! So smooth and creamy, the oven temp and time is perfect, no cracks, perfectly cooked without overcooking like some recipes. I used FudgeeO brand cookies instead of Oreos for my base ( they’re Canadian I think, chocolate cookies with chocolate fudge type centre, made by Christie) otherwise followed the recipe and directions as posted. It was such I hit with my coworkers, I’ll be making it again for Easter
- Reply
- Christina
Delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
- Reply
