Oreo Cheesecake
Posted May 07, 2023, Updated Mar 24, 2024
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This is the best Oreo cheesecake recipe – even better than cheesecake factory! A cookies and cream cheesecake filling is baked on top of an Oreo crust, then slathered with a rich chocolate ganache and finished off with homemade whipped cream.
Move over Cheesecake Factory – this is the best Oreo cheesecake recipe you’ll ever make or eat!
A creamy cookies and cream cheesecake filling is baked on top of an Oreo crust. Finished off with a rich chocolate ganache and homemade whipped cream, this Oreo cheesecake is a dessert dream come true (also try this no-bake Oreo cheesecake)!
Oreo Cheesecake: Ingredients & Substitutions
Oreo Cookies. Use your favorite sandwich cookie. We love Trader Joe’s JoJos. You can change up the flavor to make a unique Oreo cheesecake. Use gluten-free Oreos for a gluten-free version.
Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for regular white sugar.
Salted butter. Unsalted butter or coconut oil can be used in the crust instead of salted butter, if desired.
Sour Cream. I recommend full-fat sour cream for the best results, you can use heavy cream as a substitute.
Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds of one whole vanilla bean are a good substitute for vanilla in this cheesecake recipe.
All-purpose flour. bread flour, cake flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
How to Make Oreo Cheesecake
Butter and flour the sides of a 9” spring form pan. Line the bottom of the pan completely with heavy-duty foil so no water can leak into the pan from the water bath. Set aside.
Locate another pan that is larger than the springform pan and in which the springform pan sits flat. The cheesecake will be baked in the larger pan in a water bath. Set aside.
Make the Oreo Crust
Begin by making the Oreo crust.
Put the Oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade or in a blender and process/blend until they reach the texture of fine crumbs.
Then, transfer the cookie crumbs to a large bowl, and add sugar and butter. Stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a prepared springform pan.
Bake for 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.
Make the Oreo Cheesecake Filling
Begin the filling by preparing the Oreos. You will need to process some and coarsely chop the rest.
Process 6 Oreos until they reach the consistency of fine crumbs, set aside.
Coarsely chop 15 Oreos, set aside.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy and there are no lumps.
Add vanilla, sea salt and sour cream and beat until just combined.
Add eggs, one at a time and beat after each addition.
Gently stir in flour.
Stir in fine oreo cookie crumbs until evenly distributed.
Fold in larger Oreo pieces.
Prepare a Water Bath
Bring about a quart of water to a boil. Pour the filling over the baked and slightly cooled crust in the springform pan, then put the Oreo cheesecake into the larger pan. Place the pans in the oven.
Very carefully pour the boiling water into the lower pan making sure not to get any water into the cheesecake, until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Please note that I recommend pouring the water into the pan while the pans are already in the oven. Transferring two pans, one filled with boiling hot water, from the counter to the oven is risky.
Bake
Bake in the water bath for 45-50 minutes or until the top and edges are set and lightly browned and the cake is only very slightly jiggly.
You can test it by inserting a knife in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean you know the cake is done, however this can cause the cheesecake to crack so I don’t really recommend it (but it’s better than a soupy cheesecake if you’re unsure).
Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and set on a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill overnight.
Make The Chocolate Ganache
The ganache is optional, but more chocolate is always the best choice, right?
To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just barely begins to boil around the edges.
Add the chocolate chips and whisk until the mixture is smooth, then add the vanilla extract.
Whisk until the mixture begins to thicken, which happens as it cools.
Then pour slightly thickened ganache over the top of the cheesecake and spread it into an even layer.
Chill Overnight
Transfer the Oreo cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill overnight.
Make the Whipped Cream
Once the cheesecake is sufficiently chilled, make the whipped cream.
Serve
Remove the Oreo cheesecake from the pan and transfer it to a cake plate for serving.
Decorate the top with whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream. Chill again for at least 30 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
Store
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or on the serving plate covered in plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
Freeze
This recipe freezes well in one of two ways:
1. Freeze the entire cheesecake. Make and chill the cheesecake, then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
2. Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.
Oreo Cheesecake Recipe FAQs
I prefer an organic, full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor, texture and quality.
A water bath is a pan of water that you place a cheesecake (or flourless chocolate cake) in to bake. Boiling water is poured into the larger pan halfway up the sides of the springform pan, making sure not to get any water into the batter of the cheesecake.
A water bath helps maintain an even baking temperature. It also adds moisture to the oven which prevents the top from cracking and keeps the texture soft and creamy.
Technically you can bake this cheesecake without a water bath, however I don’t recommend it. Cheesecakes baked without a water bath often crack on the top and are more dry.
I use my large 12-14″ non-stick fry pans to make a water bath since I don’t have a baking pan large enough. In a pinch you can also put a pan of boiling water in the rack underneath the cheesecake so you still create a moist oven environment.
It adds moisture and creates a smooth texture.
If you don’t own a springform pan you can make this recipe, however it is not easy to get a cheesecake out of a cake pan. I have done it though, here’s how:
Butter and flour the sides of a 9” cake pan.
Cut and fit a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside with handles (=o=).
Follow the recipe.
As soon as the cheesecake is cooled to room temperature, use a sharp knife to cut around the sides of the cheesecake.
Use a long, skinny metal spatula and run it under the “handles” of parchment paper to try to release the cake.
Flip the cake over and tap the bottom hard.
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Oreo Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (20 cookies)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
Oreo Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
- ½ cup sour cream (room temperature)
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 15 Oreo cookies (coarsely chopped)
- 6 Oreo cookies (processed to fine crumbs)
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.
Homemade Whipped Cream Topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter and flour the sides of a 9” spring form pan. Line the bottom of the pan completely with heavy-duty foil so no water can leak into the pan from the water bath. Set aside.
- Locate another pan that is larger than the springform pan and in which the springform pan sits flat. The cheesecake will be baked in the larger pan in a water bath. Set aside.
Make the Oreo Crust
- Place 20 Oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade or in a blender and process/blend until they reach the texture of fine crumbs.
- Transfer the cookie crumbs to a large bowl and add sugar and butter. Stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a prepared springform pan.
- Bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.
Make the Oreo Cheesecake Filling
- Begin the filling by preparing the Oreos. You will need to process some and coarsely chop the rest.
- Process 6 Oreos until they reach the consistency of fine crumbs, set aside.
- Coarsely chop 15 Oreos, set aside.
- In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy and there are no lumps.
- Add vanilla, sea salt and sour cream and beat until just combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time and beat after each addition.
- Gently stir in flour.
- Stir in fine oreo cookie crumbs until evenly distributed.
- Fold in larger Oreo pieces.
Prepare a Water Bath
- Use a large pan that will fit your cake pan and put it in the preheated oven. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
Bake
- Pour the filling over the baked crust.
- Place the springform pan in a large pan in the preheated oven. Slowly fill the large pan with boiling water until it is halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- Bake in the water bath for 45-50 minutes or until the top and edges are set and lightly browned and the cake is only very slightly jiggly. You can test it by inserting a knife in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean you know the cake is done, however this can cause the cheesecake to crack so I don’t really recommend it (but it’s better than a soupy cheesecake if you’re unsure).
- Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and set on a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
- Once the cheesecake has chilled to almost room temperature, make the ganache.
- Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just barely begins to boil around the edges.
- Add the chocolate chips and whisk until the mixture is smooth, then add the vanilla extract.
- Whisk until the mixture begins to thicken, which happens as it cools. Then pour slightly thickened ganache over the top of the cheesecake and spread it into an even layer.
Chill Overnight
- Transfer the oreo cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill overnight.
Make the Whipped Cream
- Once the cheesecake is sufficiently chilled, make the whipped cream.
Serve
- Remove the Oreo cheesecake from the pan and transfer it to a cake plate for serving.
- Decorate the top with whipped cream. Chill again for at least 30 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
Video
Notes
- Oreo Cookies. Use your favorite sandwich cookie. We love Trader Joe’s JoJos. You can change up the flavor to make a unique Oreo cheesecake. Use gluten-free Oreos for a gluten-free version.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for regular white sugar.
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter or coconut oil can be used in the crust instead of salted butter, if desired.
- Sour Cream. I recommend full-fat sour cream for the best results, you can use heavy cream as a substitute.
- Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds of one whole vanilla bean are a good substitute for vanilla in this cheesecake recipe.
- All-purpose flour. bread flour, cake flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
- Freeze the entire cheesecake. Make and chill the cheesecake, then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
- Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
