This Nutella Cheesecake Will Change How You Bake Cheesecake Forever

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This Nutella cheesecake is LOADED with Nutella both in the cheesecake itself and the ganache topping. It has a silky smooth texture thanks to a common kitchen ingredient. NO WATER BATH REQUIRED! Recipe includes a how-to video!

Slice of Nutella cheesecake topped with chocolate ganache and chocolate whipped cream. on a plate.

Silky Smooth Nutella Cheesecake

If you think making Nutella cheesecake is as easy as adding Nutella to a basic cheesecake recipe, think again (I had to 😅). This recipe tested my patience a few times (Nutella is just so thick and heavy!), but after many attempts and careful finessing, I finally nailed it! It’s silky smooth, perfectly sliceable, and LOADED with Nutella flavor 🤎

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Strong Nutella flavor: We’re adding a full cup of Nutella in the batter and more in the ganache. The ganache topping puts things over the top in a great way; it’s thick and VERY Nutella-y.
Silky smooth, traditional cheesecake texture. This is thanks to a few key modifications and additions, namely cream (which I typically avoid in cheesecake because it detracts from it…not so here). I do things similarly in my peanut butter cheesecake!
No fussy water bath. I don’t know about you, but I avoid baking with a water bath whenever I can. While it’s necessary for something like chocolate pot de creme or creme brulee, you won’t need one here if you follow my tips.
Includes helpful tips that will make you a cheesecake baking pro. I’m sharing all of my key tips and tricks so you can be successful too!

Ingredients

Nutella. We’ll be adding a full cup in the cheesecake batter itself and then even more in the Nutella ganache. Yum!
Cream cheese. You must use full-fat, block-style cream cheese in this Nutella cheesecake recipe. Do not use low-fat or tub-style cream cheese. Make sure this has softened before you get started with the recipe in order to prevent lumps.
Sour cream. I know there are quite a few sour cream haters out there, but please don’t omit this ingredient! It is essential for that classic cheesecake flavor and enhances the tang from the cream cheese. While I haven’t tried Greek yogurt as a substitute, I suspect full-fat, plain Greek yogurt would work as well.
Heavy cream. I don’t typically add heavy cream to my cheesecake recipes, but it was necessary here. Nutella is thick and heavy, and while cheesecake should be dense, it should also be silky and smooth and easy to cut through with your fork. Cream turned out to be the solution to preserving that texture despite the Nutella; it lightened things and gave that perfect texture back.
Oreos. You will need 30 Oreos. We will be removing the cream; if you have a good use for it, feel free to repurpose it–just don’t add it to the crust. I talk more about why I choose to remove the cream in the FAQ section.

This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

SAM’S TIP: Let your eggs come to room temperature just like your cream cheese. If for some reason you forget to set your eggs out ahead of time, then you can use my trick to quickly bring eggs to room temperature.

Overhead view of a cheesecake that's been topped with a Nutella ganache and piped dollops of chocolate whipped cream.

Important Tips for Making Nutella Cheesecake

Believe it or not, air is an enemy to cheesecake, so it’s very important we take steps to minimize how much gets beaten into the batter. This is especially true because we are using cream, which loves to hold onto air and can make cheesecake puff and sink. Here are my main tips for minimizing the amount of air we incorporate:

No mixing on high speed. Keep your mixer to low speed the entire time.
Do NOT over-beat the cream cheese. Mix it until smooth, then stop.
Be SUPER gentle when incorporating the eggs (very important). Whisk them before adding then add them one at a time and mix on low speed until just incorporated, then stop. They must be completely incorporated and the batter should be uniform, just don’t overdo it.
Use a lower oven temperature to help keep the cheesecake from puffing in the oven, which later causes it to fall and crack.
Cool more slowly than usual; turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake sit there for an hour. Then we’ll move it to the counter to let it cool even further (about another hour) before chilling in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

If you often struggle with cracks in your cheesecakes, you can use these tips (including the lower oven temperature and slow cooling method) on pretty much any of my cheesecake recipes.

How to Make Nutella Cheesecake

Overhead view of Oreo crumbs and butter mixed together in a bowl.

Step 1: Make the crust. Remove and discard the cream from your cookies. Crush them, then toss them with the melted butter until evenly coated.

Overhead view of an Oreo crust being pressed into a springform pan.

Step 2: Press into pan. Try to press the crust as high up the sides of the pan as you can; this will help the crust contract with the cheesecake as it cools (preventing cracks!). If your batter does end up rising higher than the crust, check out my recipe note below for an important tip. Also, you don’t need to bake the crust! Just set it aside while you prepare your filling.

Overhead view of a Nutella and cream cheese mixture being mixed with an electric mixer.

Step 3: Make the batter. Beat the cream cheese on low speed until smooth and no lumps remain. Add the Nutella and sugar, and keep beating on low speed until everything is well combined, Finally and the sour cream and vanilla, mixing once again on low speed.

Overhead view of eggs being stirred into a Nutella cheesecake batter.

Step 4: Add the eggs. Do this one egg at a time and keep your mixer on low speed. Be very careful not to over-mix here!

Cream being drizzled into a cheesecake batter.

Step 5: Add the cream & bake. Drizzle in the heavy cream while mixing on low speed. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is incorporated, then pour the batter into your prepared crust. Bake until the center is slightly jiggly and the edges seem set.

Nutella ganache being poured over a cheesecake in a springform pan.

Step 6: Chill & decorate. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake rest inside for about an hour. Transfer to the countertop and let sit for another hour or so before covering and transferring to the fridge to chill. After chilling, add your ganache, decorate as desired, and enjoy!

SAM’S TIP: While not necessary, this Nutella cheesecake tastes even better when toppped with homemade whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream (shown in the photos)!

Bite missing from a slice of Nutella cheesecake topped with ganache and chocolate whipped cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

I can’t find block-style cream cheese; what can I use?

Unfortunately block-style cream cheese is the only cream cheese that I know will work in this recipe. Low-fat or tub-style cream cheese will NOT work; the texture will just be far too runny.

I have heard block-style can be nearly impossible to find outside of the United States; if anyone knows of any good substitutes, please comment below because I am unaware of any and would love to have a good option to share!

Do I have to remove the cream from the Oreos?

You don’t have to, but if you leave it in you risk a soggy crust and a messy oven. I’ve found that the cream melts and seeps out of my springform pan (it’s not an issue if you are making a pie with an Oreo crust though, like my Mississippi mud pie). So I really recommend you remove it (otherwise… make sure you’re baking on a foil lined sheet)!

Can I use a water bath?

I designed this Nutella cheesecake recipe (and all of my cheesecake recipes!) to be made without a water bath. If you follow all of my tips outlined in the post above, you should be able to make a crack-free cheesecake without a water bath.

I haven’t tried this recipe with a water bath and can’t guarantee success if you use one. You may need an even longer bake time if you use one.