Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

This easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake with Oreo crust is the perfect dessert for any occasion. The creamy vanilla cheesecake recipe is loaded with mini chocolate chips and tastes incredible!

Cheesecake is the number one dessert we love to bake.  My husband and I have been coming up with different cheesecake recipes for years.

This easy chocolate chip cheesecake has a delicious New York style taste that everyone loves.

Why This Recipe Works

This chocolate chip cheesecake with Oreo crust has a smooth and creamy texture loaded with mini chips. This is the dessert that you didn't know you needed.

It is creamy, delicious, and so easy to make. Get ready to wow your friends and family with your baking skills.

The best part about this recipe is that you can change it up based on your preferences.

Don't like the Oreo crust? Use a graham cracker crust instead. Want more chocolate chips? Go for it. There are so many possibilities with this simple vanilla cheesecake recipe.

Key Ingredients

A cheesecake with chocolate chips is so easy to make. This recipe only uses a few ingredients, and you probably have most of them in your pantry. Let's get started.

• Oreo Cookie Crust - Crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter make an easy Oreo cookie crust. Do not remove the cream filling from the cookies. Using the filling allows you to use less butter.
• Cream Cheese - Be sure to set the full fat blocks out ahead of time.  It is much easier to beat them into a creamy batter when they are softened to room temperature.
• Granulated Sugar - Helps to break the cream cheese lumps down.
• Pure Vanilla Extract - Gives the batter a rich vanilla flavor.
• Heavy Cream and Sour Cream - Adds creaminess and tang to the finished cheesecake making it taste more like a New York style cheesecake.
• Flour - A little bit of flour helps the cheesecake from cracking. 
• Eggs - Adds a smooth rich texture to cheesecakes
• Chocolate Chips - It wouldn't be a chocolate chip cheesecake without lots of chocolate.  I like to use the miniature chocolate chips, so there are lots and lots of chocolate bits in every bite.

How to make Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

You are going to love how simple it is to make this easy chocolate chip cheesecake recipe. It is easy to follow and results in an incredible dessert that will wow your whole family.

1. Prepare the Oreo crust. Crush the Oreo cookies with the cream filling in a food processor. Pulse just until they become crumbs. Stir in the melted butter and press the mixture in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
2. Make the cheesecake batter. Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla, sour cream, and flour and beat again. Whisk the eggs lightly with a fork. Add the eggs and heavy cream to the batter and mix in.
3. Add the chocolate. Coat the mini chocolate chips in a little bit of flour to keep them from sinking into the batter. Stir the flour coated chocolate chips into the batter gently.
4. Bake and cool. Pour the cheesecake batter onto the prepared crust and sprinkle a few chips on top. Bake until the sides are set and the center is slightly jiggly like Jello. Let the cheesecake cool on the counter for 1-2 hours, then refrigerate at least 6 hours.
5. Top and serve. Add homemade whipped topping and your favorite toppings to the cheesecake and enjoy. We love slices with strawberry pie filling or cherry pie filling on top.

Storage Recommendations

To Serve - Cover the cheesecake tightly and keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

To Freeze - You can freeze the cheesecake whole or you can cut it up and freeze individual slices. Make sure the cheesecake has been refrigerated for at least 6 hours before freezing. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Tips and Tricks

• Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper, so you can remove the cheesecake easier later.
• Set the packages of cream cheese out ahead of time. It’s easier to beat the cream cheese if it is soft, and you will not end up with lumps in your cheesecake batter.
• Do not over beat the cheesecake batter once you add the extra liquids. This will add air bubbles to the mixture that will create cracks as the cheesecake bakes.
• Use a steam bath when baking a cheesecake. It creates the same effect as a water bath with less work and no chance of water leaking in your pan.
• Run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This will loosen the cheesecake from the pan, so it can cool properly.  Cheesecake shrinks as it cools, so if it is attached to the pan it will pull and create cracks in the center.

Recipe FAQ's

How do you bake cheesecake without cracks?

1. Make sure you are using room temperature cream cheese.
2. Whisk the eggs slightly before adding them to the batter.
3. Do not over mix the batter once the eggs and other liquids are added. Over mixing the batter can add air bubbles to the mixture, which will bake and cause the top to crack.
4. Place a large pan of water on the oven rack under the cheesecake as it bakes. This will create a steamy, moist atmosphere in the oven.
5. Do not open the oven door while the cheesecake is baking. A change in temperature or an air draft can cause cracks.
6. Do not over bake the cheesecake.  The center should be wobbly like Jello when you take it out.
7. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This will loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan, so that it doesn't pull as it cools.

Can you fix a cracked cheesecake?

You can try to use your hands to gently press the chilled cheesecake together. Or run a knife under really hot water, dry it off, and smooth the top of the cheesecake.

The easiest way is to cover a cracked cheesecake is with your favorite topping, so no one will even know the crack is there.

How do you cut cheesecake smoothly?

Run the blade of the knife under hot water before and after every cut. Make sure to dry the knife off after rinsing it. Or wipe it clean with a hot damp cloth after every cut.

Can you bake cheesecake ahead of time?

Yes, in fact I recommend it because cheesecake needs to chill for at least 6 hours before serving. You can make it up to three days ahead of time, then wrap it and keep in the refrigerator until time to serve.

Can you freeze cheesecake?

Yes, cheesecake freezes very well.  Make sure the cheesecake is completely cooled, then wrap the entire cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap, then again in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.

More Simple Cheesecake Recipes

• Cherry Almond Cheesecake
• Funfetti Cheesecake
• Banana Pudding Cheesecake
• Orange Cream Cheesecake
• Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake
• Apple Crisp Cheesecake
• Cranberry Cheesecake

*The post for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake was first published February 2021. The post and photos were updated July 2022.