Craving cheesecake, but don’t have the experience, time or confidence to make the classic recipe? Short of going to The Cheesecake Factory and picking up a slice to bring home, no-bake cheesecakes are your simplest answer.
No-bake versions allow you to forgo worries about water baths, cracking and other common cheesecake mistakes and focus on achieving a surprisingly similar texture and that rich cream cheese flavor your tastebuds have been calling for. Our no-bake chocolate cheesecake recipe is the perfect place to start—and caters to chocolate lovers.
No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Ingredients
Crust:Â
- Chocolate graham cracker crumbs
- Sugar
- Butter
Filling:
- Packaged cream cheese
- Sugar
- Baking cocoa
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Vanilla extract
- Frozen whipped toppings
Topping:
- Whipped topping
- Chocolate curls
Directions
Step 1: Make the crust
In a large bowl, combine the chocolate graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: To crush the graham crackers, put them in a large zip-top bag, and use a rolling pin or the bottom of a cup and crush until the crumbs reach your desired size.
Step 2: Mix the cheesecake filling
In a large bowl, beat in the softened cream cheese, sugar and baking cocoa until smooth. Beat in melted chocolate chips and vanilla. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread into the chocolate crust.
Editor’s Tip: For consistent chocolate flavor use one of the best cocoa powder brands, tested and chosen by our Test Kitchen pros.
Step 3: Top the cheesecake and refrigerate
Spread the whipped topping over the chocolate cheesecake filling. Refrigerate, covered, for 8 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Serve
Remove the sides from the springform pan. Garnish the chocolate cheesecake with chocolate curls and serve.
No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Variations
If you’re an Oreo lover, an Oreo crust works just as well for no-bake chocolate cheesecake—whether you use regular or golden Oreos. If you don’t want quite as much chocolate, feel free to use regular graham cracker crumbs to make the crust. Beyond these, there are still other ingredients to use in a crumb crust for your no-bake desserts such as crushed Nilla wafers or even nuts if you’re looking for a gluten-free option.
No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Tips
How can you make sure your no-bake chocolate cheesecake is smooth and creamy?
Smooth and creamy are two of the most important characteristics of a good cheesecake—classic and no-bake alike. There are a few things that you can do to make sure your cheesecake is both.
First, give the cream cheese some time to reach room temperature before you beat it with the sugar and butter. Skip the reduced fat cream cheeses, too—save those for another time when the recipe isn’t as cream-cheese centric.
Finally, beat the mixture for long enough to make sure there are no lumps before you pour the batter into the crust.
How should you store no-bake chocolate cheesecake?
Store no-bake chocolate cheesecake in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It can also be wrapped, placed in a freezer-safe container or bag, and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before eating, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
