My Oreo Cheesecake uses NO fussy water bath and yields smooth, creamy, crack-free results! It’s simple to make with an easy Oreo crust and topped off with chocolate ganache and homemade whipped cream. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Oreo Cheesecake (Without the Water Bath)
If you’re a fan of my cheesecake brownies or Oreo cake, you’re going to love this Oreo cheesecake! It’s creamy, chocolatey, and perfectly decadent. I use Oreos in both the crust and the batter, and although it’s optional, I highly recommend adding the chocolate ganache and homemade whipped cream topping.
Oh, and there’s also finally a video to go with this recipe now–keep scrolling to watch 😊
What You Need
For best results and an Oreo cheesecake that’s not likely to crack, I recommend using all room-temperature ingredients:
- Cream cheese. I only recommend using the brick-style, full-fat cream cheese. Tub-style cream cheese will not set up properly!
- Sour cream. Don’t skip the sour cream! I’ve mentioned this before in my no-bake cheesecake recipe — sour cream is what makes a cheesecake really taste like a cheesecake. This key ingredient gives your dessert that critical depth of flavor.
- Eggs. Lightly beat your eggs before adding them to your cheesecake. Once they’re in the batter, be gentle; overbeating your cheesecake, and particularly the eggs, can cause problems.
- Oreos. The star of the show! You can use regular or “double stuf” Oreos. We’ll be removing the cream centers for the crust, but you can leave them in when you add the cookies to the batter.
Remember, 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: Make sure to press your crust high up the side of the springform pan; ideally it should be higher than the cheesecake batter. This will help keep your Oreo cheesecake from cracking (the cheesecake shrinks as it cools, and if the crust is high enough, it will shrink with the cheesecake and prevent cracks). I discovered this tip when making my lemon cheesecake and it’s a total game-changer!
How to Make Oreo Cheesecake
- Discard the filling from 35 Oreos and place the cookies in the basin of a food processor.
- Pulse until the cookies have turned into fine crumbs, then pour into a large bowl.
- Pour melted butter over the crumbs and toss to combine.
- Press the crumbs into the bottom and high up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla.
- Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until just combined after each addition.
- Fold in broken Oreo pieces.
- Pour your batter into your prepared pan and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 45-55 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a sharp knife to gently loosen any filling that is touching the pan.
SAM’S TIP: While it’s important to ensure the ingredients are thoroughly combined and batter is smooth, don’t over-beat the batter at any point when preparing it. Over-beating can make your Oreo cheesecake rise too much in the oven and can ultimately negatively affect the texture.
- Let the cheesecake cool for about an hour at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Heat the cream over medium heat until simmering, then pour over your chocolate chips, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk until smooth, then drizzle the ganache over the chilled cheesecake and place in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes.
- Pipe whipped cream over the top, slice, and serve.
SAM’S TIP: If your Oreo cheesecake comes out of the oven and some of the batter is cooked to the side of the springform pan, immediately use a sharp knife to gently loosen the cheesecake from the pan so it can shrink naturally as it cools. Not loosening could cause tension and cause the cheesecake to crack.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, a water bath is not necessary! If you follow my steps you should have a smooth, crack-free Oreo cheesecake.
There are several reasons this can happen, including not pressing the crust high enough, using cold ingredients, overbeating the batter, opening the oven frequently while baking, overbaking, neglecting to free the crust, or cooling too quickly. I review this in detail in my cheesecake post, so definitely click over there if you’re new to baking cheesecakes or having trouble. Ultimately though, if you end up with cracks don’t panic! We’ll be covering our Oreo cheesecake in chocolate ganache, so any cracks will be our little secret 😊
To make mini Oreo cheesecakes, simply follow this recipe and use the baking instructions for my mini cheesecakes (you will get 24 mini cheesecakes rather than the 12 listed in that recipe).
No! My Oreo crust works just fine with baking the crust at the same time as the cheesecake–no need to pre-bake it separately.
Stay tuned for a NEW cheesecake recipe coming next week 💙
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Oreo Cheesecake
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 35 Oreo cookies
- 5 Tablespoons (75 g) unsalted butter melted
For Cheesecake
- 15 Oreo cookies
- 32 oz (907 g) cream cheese softened (use full-fat brick-style cream cheese)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten (room temperature preferred)
Ganache (optional)
- 3 oz (85 g) chocolate use semisweet chocolate chips or a finely chopped semisweet baking bar
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
Oreo Crust
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C).
- Twist apart the 35 Oreo cookies, use a butter knife to scrape out the filling (discard the filling) and toss cookies into the basin of a food processor.35 Oreo cookies
- Pulse until cookies are ground into fine crumbs.
- Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter in a large bowl and toss together until all crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of 9” springform pan (go as high up the pan as you can, this will help prevent cracks!). I like to use a glass to help with this. Set aside while you prepare cheesecake filling (you do not need to bake the crust on its own).5 Tablespoons (75 g) unsalted butter
Oreo Cheesecake Filling
- Place 15 Oreo cookies in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to smack them repeatedly until cookies are broken up into coarse pieces (don’t break too small or grind too fine you want substantial cookie pieces in your cheesecake!). Set aside.15 Oreo cookies
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and sugar. Use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to beat on medium-low speed until cream cheese and sugar are completely combined and no lumps remain (scrape sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure no lumps).32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- With mixer on low-speed, stir in sour cream and vanilla extract until completely combined and batter is smooth.¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add eggs one at a time, stirring until just-combined after each addition (eggs should be well combined, but don’t overbeat or the texture of the cheesecake could be affected). Scrape sides and bottom of bowl to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.4 large eggs
- Use a spatula to fold in Oreo pieces.
- Pour batter into prepared springform pan and use a spatula to smooth the surface.
- Place cheesecake on a foil lined baking sheet and transfer to the center rack of 325F (160C) oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Center should be set but spring back lightly to the touch and if jostled the center will slightly jiggle like set jello but should not be liquidy. The very edges of the cheesecake may be turning a very faint brown or very slightly cracking when the cheesecake is finished.
- Remove cheesecake from oven and if any of the cheesecake filling is touching the springform pan and isn’t enclosed by the crust, use a sharp knife to gently loosen it (this will prevent cracks as the cheesecake settles). Allow cheesecake to cool for about an hour at room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
Chocolate Ganache
- Once cheesecake is set, prepare ganache. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.3 oz (85 g) chocolate
- Pour cream into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Immediately drizzle over chocolate, cover bowl with foil, and let sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, gently stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted and ganache is smooth.½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- Drizzle ganache evenly over cheesecake.
- Return cheesecake to refrigerator and allow ganache to set before slicing and serving (about 20 minutes). If desired, pipe half a batch of homemade whipped cream over top of firm ganache cheesecake before serving (I piped the whipped cream on top of my cheesecake using an Ateco 848 tip).
Notes
Storing
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cheesecake may also be tightly wrapped and frozen for several months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sarah G.
Best cheesecake ever! Just made it for Easter dinner and my family says it is the best recipe that I have ever made…..they were begging for a second piece. I followed the recipe, read the tips and carefully monitored the cooking time. It did not crack but was quite toasted on top after cooking to be sure it was done….still looked amazing. I did make it without the chocolate topping this time but added the whipped topping. Thank you for such an amazing recipe!
Cheryl Lynn Bodnar
The best cheese cake I have ever made!
Dawn
I think it definitely needed more baking time. Haven’t tasted it yet so I hope it’s not overdone but I couldn’t take it out in the time recommended as it was still liquidy in the middle.
Joe
I’ve made this specific cheesecake recipe twice, once for my son’s birthday and again for family. Very easy recipe and the result is top notch. Highly recommend!
Jeanette T
I had never made a cheesecake before so when my granddaughter asked for an Oreo cheesecake I went searching. Glad I chose this one. Not real sweet which I like. I baked it in my Anova oven @ 200°, rack 2, Rear heat, 80% steam & sous vide on. Baked 2.5 hours (IT was 184°). I left it in the turned off oven with door ajar for I think an hour or so. It didn’t crack. Made ganache using half semi sweet and half dark chocolate. My granddaughter loved it. She said it was better than the CCF. I’m going to post photos on IG (@nonnagates). Thanks for the recipe & great instructions.
Vanessa
The cheese came out great. I tried to make the ganache the way it was described but the cream burnt up so quickly that I wasn’t able to use it. Do you have any tips on that?
Sam
Hi Vanessa! You will want to turn down your heat a little bit. You really want the cream to heat until it starts steaming. You don’t need it to boil. You could try using a smaller pot as well. 🙂
Tina
i have made the cake but How do I freeze this with the ganache on top. like how do I wrap it? I just need it in the freezer overnight as I want to take it for a camping trip.
Sam
Hi Tina! You would definitely want the ganache to be fully set up before trying to wrap cover it and place in the freezer.
Jackie
I made this cheesecake for my family on Christmas. It turned out so good. Some comments from my family……best cheesecake they have ever had. I had never made cheesecake before but following the directions were easy and turned out fantastic!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re happy it was a hit Jackie! Thanks so much for trying our recipe ❤️
Natania
Question why do we need to remove the cream in the crust?
Sam
Hi Natania! I cover this in the post 🙂
Erica
Most cheesecakes I’ve made.. require you to leave it in the oven with the door cracked for another hour. Is that not necessary ?
Also.. why not put it in a water bath ? That keeps it from cracking.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Erica! You can certainly leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked, that will work just fine. We don’t use a water bath with any of our cheesecake recipes; our technique avoids the need for one.
Julia
Hi I want to make this recipe but with a normal graham cracker crust as I can’t justify a whole pack of oreos for a crust & I was wondering if that would change any of the amounts in this recipe for the filling of the Oreo?
Sam
Do you mean for the Oreos used inside the cheesecake? No, you would use the same amount.
Katy
I’m using an 8” spring pan and this is my first cheesecake attempt. How do I need to tweak the recipe 🙀 help please
Sam
Hi Katy! I wouldn’t tweak the recipe as you would get into some tricky calculations to get the exact right amount. I would make the recipe as is and just be sure to not overfill your pan. Your bake time will be reduced slightly, but I can’t say for sure how long it would take. Just keep an eye on it as it bakes. 🙂
Katy
Thank you!!!
Willmarie Austin
Ok. When I put a fork in the middle it’s still liquid coming out on the fork, but the sides are all Jello-y and perfect. I just put it back in the oven for 15 more minutes. I hope I don’t overcook it.
Sasha
Happened to me too. And did the same as you. Now just keeping my fingers crossed.
Erin
It definitely needed more than 50-60 minutes in the oven. I would say another 20. Although my oven maybe not at warm. I’m not sure.
Olivia
When I went to take the cheese cake off the spring form pan, the middle of the crust on the bottom was pretty gooey and not hard like the sides. Is it supposed to be like that? What did I do wrong?
Sam
Hi Olivia! Did the cheesecake set completely in the refrigerator before attempting to move it?
Cynthia
I’m going to be making this for my son but want to use a 6×3” pan. Do you know by chance what the bake time difference could be?
Thank you in advance!
Sam
Hi Cynthia! Unfortunately, I have not tried it in a 6 inch pan so I can’t say for sure what the bake time would be. 🙁
Cynthia
Thank you for responding! I will test this and check back in to let you know how it worked out. 😊
Abby
Hi there! Did you have any luck with the 6 inch?
Sabrina
Can I cut this recipe in half to make a smaller batter?
Sam
Sure thing. You’ll need a smaller pan and your bake time will change a bit. 🙂
Andrea
Used this together with your chocolate cheesecake recipe to make a mini (1/4 – large ramekin size) cheesecake for my daughter and I to share. We haven’t tried it yet, but the chocolate batter was delish! Anyway, just wanted to let you know that this can even be quartered successfully. The only difference between the plain and chocolate oreo we made was increasing the baking time from 25 minutes for plain to almost 35 minutes for the chocolate oreo. I’m not sure why, I just know that at 32 minutes my finger stuck in the middle, and around 35 it was set and jiggly.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Andrea! Thank you so much for the feedback! 🙂
Katelyn
Made for my Brother in Law’s birthday and received rave reviews! Definitely saving this recipe, thank you!!