Introducing the most amazing Chocolate Cheesecake!

Because I recently mentioned I’d share the recipe for the Chocolate Cheesecake I made this past week, and I am a woman of my word! It was UH-MAZE-ING. Seriously.

I’m afraid that I hit the devil’s jackpot in opposition to my new years goals. You know, the ones that I just set this week. But, I’m going to share the recipe anyway! Because it was surprisingly super easy to make.

This incredible chocolate cheesecake recipe was shared with me a few years ago. But I was brave and made a couple small alterations to it, without meaning to.

Here are some tips to baking your cheesecake (from the Better Homes & Garden Cookbook):

• Before you preheat the oven, make sure you place the rack so its in the center of the oven. You’ll want to place your cheesecake in the center of the oven for baking.
• Leave the cream cheese out for a while, so it’s completely at room temperature. This will make sure that it is smooth and you don’t get lumps.
• Use a spring-form pan that seals tightly.
• A cheesecake is done with when the edges are slightly puffed and the center jiggles slightly.
• Cool your cheesecake on a wire rack. Then, run a knife around the inside edge to loosen the cheesecake from the spring-form pan. Wait to remove spring-form pan sides after cheesecake has cooled for about an hour.

Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe.

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Crust:
2 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs, finely crushed
1 stick butter, melted
3 Tablespoons sugar

Filling:
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Cup Sour cream
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hersheys)

3/4 – 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I used Nestles) – melt them according the bag’s instructions

For the Crust:
Remove Oreo cookie frosting, and finely grind cookies in food processor. This makes 2 1/2 cups of fine crumbs. Add melted butter and sugar and blend well. Press evenly into the bottom and sides of a springform pan. I used a 10″ spring-form pan.

For the Filling:
Whip cream cheese in a mixer bowl (use whisk attachment); gradually add sugar until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla. Whip-in sour cream, and add cocoa powder. Go slowly or it goes everywhere!

Process until mixed. Add melted chocolate chips and blend well. Spread filling on top of prepared crust, smooth the top. Bake until the center is set and the cake begins to barely crack at the edges. Cook 50 minutes (at most).
Cool completely, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Voila, the most incredible Chocolate Cheesecake you’ve ever had. 

Are you going to attempt this recipe? Let me know if you do, I can’t wait to hear what you think…