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.
Donald
Place a foil on sheet can you go into depth with this nut I will be baking this cheesecake using your wonderful ingredients thnx
Sam
Hi Donald. You can place the cheesecake on a pan that you have lined with aluminum foil in case it leaks. 🙂
Tracy
Love love love this recipe! So easy and taste so yummy 😋. I made for a co-worker and now I have orders for 3 cheesecakes for Christmas! Thanks so much. However, I did have to add 15 minutes to baking time. My gas oven is so unpredictable 🙄
Pamela R.
I got so many compliments on this special dessert. The flavor was incredible! However, I made the mistake of doing a water bath, and even though it appeared perfectly done, it was still was very much underdone. I baked it an entire hour at 350. Next time I won’t do a water bath and will try an hour again and see… I’m experienced with cheesecakes, and love baking them in a water bath because they tend not to crack and have a creamier texture as a result. It was my mistake to try it on a new recipe. But, I took it to a Kenya Relief mission meeting, and everyone devoured it with rave reviews, even though it was quite a bit softer than a block of chilled cream cheese.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so sorry your cheesecake didn’t turn out, Pamela. This recipe is designed to be made without a water bath, so try it that way next time, and you should have better results! Also, make sure you bake at 325F, not 350F ❤
Mikayle
I’m a bit confused…so DO bake at 350 or 325? I’ve seen comments questioning the 350 yet in the recipe it says 325, as does this reply. I’ve started at 350 and have turned it down to 325 in fear of overcooking it. Please clarify!
Sam
Hi Mikayle! It’s always best to follow the written recipe. 🙂
Callie
Literally the first time making cheese cake and I made your plain and your oreo. Both turned out amazing. I did end up with a crack in both but for the first time I am still super happy. They taste amazing!
Crystal
I haven’t tried it yet, but I just made it today for Thanksgiving. We’re having a few people over for dinner so I’m excited to send this home with them. The recipe is easy to follow, and it looks beautiful. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sam
I hope everyone loves it, Crystal! 🙂
Rachel
Does the chocolate ganache get put on the sides or just the top?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Just the top! 😊
Hunter
Don’t throw out filling from crust put the filling in a bowl and add little bit of cream untill smooth then save at room temp untill you put over top of cooled cheesecake cool with filling topping for at least hr then do a drizzle of ganach over that cool overnight is a must.. so good
Monika
Hello 🙂 I am wondering between this one and the classic one, there’s just one thing that bothers me – are Oreos still crispy and crunchy? Don’t they get soaked from all the liquids?
Thank you for your answer 🙂
Sam
Hi Monika! The Oreos are not crispy after baking, they are softened and have an almost cake-like consistency. I hope that helps!
Stephanie M
Hi! My daughter requested this cheesecake for her birthday. We recently baked the plain cheesecake and it came out AWESOME! Can’t wait to try this. Can I use my stand mixer for this recipe as I dis for the plain cheesecake? Thanks.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you’re enjoying our recipes, Stephanie! Yes, you can use a stand mixer here. We hope your daughter loves her birthday cheesecake! 😊
Stephanie M
Hi Emily! Great!! Thank you on both counts.
Amanda
I love your recipes. My cheesecake usually comes out in the allotted time with minimal cracks and a shiney ivory top. I have made the original cheesecake plenty of times. This was my first time making the Oreo cheesecake. Like some others have said, it took a half an hour over what this recipe stated it would. Because I had to keep checking it, it cracked before it was even out of the oven. At 45 minutes, it was extremely jiggly not done jiggly but moving like waves. I hope it tastes ok but it is cracked and the edges are ripped and slightly browned. My oven made the regular cheesecake and anything else I bake in the stated time so I do not think it is a problem with my oven temperature. Im sure it’ll taste good. I just am disappointed. 😔
Sam
I’m so sorry this happened, Amanda! I do have some tips in the post to try to help avoid cracks, but my favorite way to fix the cracks if they happen is to cover it in the chocolate ganache. I’m glad you still enjoyed it. 🙂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Zoie! 350 is correct! Our plain cheesecake recipe is more recently developed and a bit more liable to crack than this Oreo cheesecake. We prefer the lower temperature (325) for that recipe because it makes it more likely the cheesecake won’t crack, but whenever we make this recipe, we use the temp and time listed and never have any problems. Hope that helps! 🙂
Megs
Beyond delicious! I’m making this right now for the 3rd time in 4 months. Just wondering though: does anyone else have to bake it much longer than the recipe calls for? It wasn’t done in the center the first time despite baking for an hour. Since then I’ve learned to bake it for about 90 mins. It works out; I’m just always worried about the crust or the top burning. The top does get very brown. Could the slow baking be caused by the water bath on the bottom rack? It cracks anyway so maybe I’ll skip it next time. Either way, this is by far my favorite cheesecake recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sam
I’m so sorry this is happening! This recipe doesn’t need a water bath, but I think this is probably the culprit of the long baking time.
Rimsha Faisal
Hi, I was wondering if you could freeze this Oreo cheesecake similarly to the original cheesecake?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Rimsha! Yes, this freezes well. Just make sure it’s tightly wrapped and it should be good in the freezer for several months 😊
Vicky
Hello Sam. Does using plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream work in this recipe? Thank You!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Absolutely! Enjoy, Vicky 😊
Alecia
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It is a-ma-zing!!! I tried it for the first time for my husband’s birthday last year and then we kept making it. It is seriously addictive! It has since been requested by family members for other family meals. 😊
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so pleased that you love our recipe and continue to share it with your family, Alecia 🙂 Thanks so much for your review!
Maryllette
Hi! I just wanted to ask how long this cheesecake can last in the fridge?
Sam
It should last about 5-7 days in the refrigerator. I would wrap it so it doesn’t absorb any refrigerator odors. 🙂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Michelle! The plain cheesecake recipe is more recently developed and a bit more liable to crack than this Oreo cheesecake. We prefer the lower temperature for that recipe because it makes it more likely the cheesecake won’t crack, but whenever we make this recipe, we use the temp and time listed and never have any problem (or cracks!). Hope that helps! 🙂
Michelle
Thank you! Also wondering why the ganache is made differently here than in the separate chocolate ganache recipe? I thought it mattered to add hot cream to chocolate to make it a ganache but wasn’t sure why.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Both methods work well, but heating the cream separately gives you a little more control. In this case, the ganache is just a thick, fudgy topping for the cheesecake; it’s meant to be unfussy and hard to mess up. The separate, newer ganache recipe is meant to be more versatile, so the preparation needs to be more specific to avoid errors and allow for multiple uses.
Madalyn
Something is off on this recipe. Ratio of cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs is off. Came out bland and too dense of a texture.
Sam
Hi Madalyn! If the texture and flavor was off it sounds like perhaps the batter was over-beaten. The ratios are definitely correct 😉
Sarah
Can I use monkifruit sweetener instead of sugar? If so, would I need to adjust the baking time?
Sam
Hi Sarah! Unfortunately I don’t have much experience with using monkfruit sweetener so I can’t really advise how it would work. If you do try it I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂
Sarah
I used half sugar and half monkifruit sweetener and you couldn’t tell it wasn’t all sugar! I didn’t change anything else, and will probably try full monkifruit next time since this worked so well!
Ronnie
Crust
Ronnie
Forgot to mention that I don’t bother with vest it doesn’t really need it.
Julie lowrie
Do you remove the cheesecake from the pan before or after you apply the chocolate ganache?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Julie! Either is fine, although it may be easier to take the cheesecake out of the pan first. 😊