Chocolate chip cheesecake is a creamy, decadent dessert but is one of the easiest recipes to make. While it is not "cheesecake for two," it will become your signature dessert for gatherings. Just follow the easy step-by-step photos to impress your friends and family.
Introduction
This recipe has been floating in our pantry for many years, and we use it when we remember it. We always say we will do it again, but it goes back in the pantry.
It is an "impress the family and friends" chocolate chip cheesecake recipe that is easy make-at-home. It will leave them asking for the recipe. It is about as foolproof and simple as a cheesecake recipe can get.
No water bath, no aluminum foil, and no handling like it is going to break. This recipe was initially passed around the grade school where my wife was the librarian about 20 years ago.
The batter is cream cheese, eggs, and sweated condensed milk. The crust is mushed up Oreo cookies with butter. Add some mini chocolate chips in the batter and on top, and you will be the talk of the party.
This is a Philadelphia-style cheesecake which means mainly cream cheese with additives. New York-style cheesecake usually has sour cream or heavy cream mixed in the batter.
Size Note: This is not a "for two" recipe and will not scale down. It is a full-size 9-inch cheesecake.
👨🍳How to make this cheesecake
- Allow 3 - 8oz packages of cream cheese and three eggs to rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Crush 18 standard Oreo cookies (about 1 ½ cups). Combine with four tablespoons of melted butter.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Crush the cookie/butter combo into the bottom of the pan using a fork. Now set the cookie crust aside.
- In a large bowl, beat three 8 oz packages of cream cheese for several minutes until fluffy. Beat in 14 oz of sweetened condensed milk, then beat in 3 eggs one at a time. Do not overbeat.
- Stir in 6 ounces of mini chocolate chips.
- Pour into the springform pan and smooth—top with 6 ounces of mini chocolate chips.
- Bake in preheated 300° oven for about 1 hour until the edges start to brown.
- Cool in the pan in the turned-off oven or countertop at room temperature
- About 15 minutes into cooling, run a knife around the edge to help release the pan later. Remove the outside of the springform pan 1 hour into cooling.
👨🍳How to Prevent Cracks in Cheesecake
First, cracks in the cheesecake happen. I have rarely had many issues, and it is not the end of the world if it does happen. Here are some tips if you want to avoid them.
1) The cheesecake will shrink a bit when it cools. If it sticks to the side while that happens, it will crack. So be sure to grease the pan well. You might also run a knife around the edge of the cake before cooling.
2) Air bubbles in the batter can cause cracks, so don’t over-mix. Be sure the cream cheese is warm so you can mix it easier and have no lumps. Be sure to carefully add the eggs and don’t over-mix since the eggs trap air easily.
3) Use a water bath. Humidity can help avoid cracks. I don’t usually do this. Just set the springform pan in a large pan of water.
4) Avoid opening the oven door to keep checking the cake. The drafts and temperature changes can lead to cracking.
5) Overcooking is probably the most common cause of cracking. A few hints to avoid overcooking:
- The edges will be slightly puffed and brown (see the last image). There will still be a 2-inch to 3-inch wobbly spot in the center.
- In general, an oven temperature for cheesecake should never be over 325°. This recipe uses 300°; if you are unsure of your oven's accuracy, check it with an oven thermometer.
- If you don’t mind a hole in the surface, the internal temperature should be 150° when done. Never over 160°, or it will crack.
🥣FAQs
You can make a crust with 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 4 tablespoons of butter. I suggest baking for 6-8 minutes in a 325° oven until browning some.
The crust will seem like it is not enough, but it is. If you want it to go up the side more, increase the amount by about 25%.
The springform pan is a MUST. Sorry about that, but you cannot be digging a slice out of a pan and expect it to be anything other than a mess.
Yes. Just leave them out. I suggest adding 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and perhaps the graham cracker crust.
You can add the vanilla when using the chocolate chips, but it doesn't seem necessary.
Store refrigerated and covered with plastic wrap—chill for at least 6 hours. Cut with a sharp knife and wipe with a warm wet cloth between cutting. Allow the slices to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
You can store it in the freezer, sealed airtight for 3 months. I suggest cutting into individual slices, freezing solid, then wrapping tightly.
📖Cheesecake Recipes
Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Only six common ingredients. Allow the cream cheese and eggs to rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature if you have time.
Preheat the oven to 300°. Crush 18 standard Oreo cookies (about 1 ½ cups).
Melt ½ stick of butter (4 tablespoons) in a microwave for about 20 seconds until liquefied.
In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter into crushed cookies and mix well.
Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. I like to use a small ziplock bag and about one tablespoon of butter.
Crush the cookie/butter combo into the bottom of the pan using a fork. Break up any remaining larger pieces, and be sure to get complete coverage. It will not look like enough, but it is. Now set this aside.
Start with three 8 oz packages of cream cheese. Beat at a medium speed (4 on a stand mixer) for 2-3 minutes to make it a little fluffy and a creamy texture.
Add one 14 oz can sweeten condensed milk. Mix on a slower speed until combined. And now, add the eggs one at a time into the mixture until smooth but do not overbeat. Now fold in ½ of the 12oz pack of mini chocolate chips.
Pour cheesecake filling into the prepared pan.
Top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 1 hour until edges begin to brown, but the center may not look set. Do not go poking it with toothpicks or anything else to check for done.
Cool in pan for 1 hour before refrigerating for 6+ hours. About 15 minutes into cooling, run a knife around the edge to help release the pan later. You may cool in the oven with the door partly open and turned off or just at room temperature.
📝Recipe
Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Oreo cookies - about 18 finely chopped
- ½ stick butter - melted, 4 tbs
- 24 oz cream cheese
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 3 eggs
- 12 oz mini- chocolate chips
Instructions
- Allow the cream cheese and eggs to rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature if you have time.
- Preheat oven to 300°. Crush 18 standard Oreo cookies (about 1 ½ cups).
- Melt ½ stick of butter (4 tablespoons) in a microwave for about 20 seconds until liquefied.
- In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter into crushed cookies and mix well.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. I like to use a small ziplock bag and about one tablespoon of butter.
- Crush the cookie/butter combo into the bottom of the pan using a fork. Break up any remaining larger pieces, and be sure to get complete coverage. It will not look like enough, but it is. Now set this aside.
- Start with three 8 oz packages of cream cheese. Beat at a medium speed (4 on a stand mixer) for 2-3 minutes to make it a little fluffy and a creamy texture.
- Add one 14 oz can sweeten condensed milk. Mix on a slower speed until combined. And now, add the eggs one at a time into the mixture until smooth but do not overbeat. Now fold in ½ of the 12oz pack of mini chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Top with remaining chocolate chips.
- Top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 1 hour until edges are browning some, but the center may not look set. Do not go poking it with toothpicks or anything else to check for done.
- Cool in pan for 1 hour before refrigerating for 6+ hours. About 15 minutes into cooling, run a knife around the edge to help release the pan later. You can do the cooling in the oven with the door partly open and turned off or just at room temperature.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This is not a "for two" recipe and will not scale down. It is a full-size 9-inch cheesecake.
- Allow the eggs and cream cheese to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before starting.
- A springform pan is really a must-have for this recipe.
- Please do not double or cut it in half. I have not tested the cooking time which will change.
- The crust will seem like it is not enough, but it is. If you want it to go up the side more, increase the amount by about 25%.
- Watch the edge to tell if this is done. The edge will be browning some, but the center may not look set. Do not go poking it with toothpicks or anything else to check for done.
- Be sure to run a knife around the pan to release the cake from the pan about 15 minutes into cooling.
- You can cool it in the oven with the door partly open or just on the countertop.
- DO NOT cut this before properly cooling.
- Store refrigerated for 3-4 days. Also, will freeze very well for about 3 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published December 20, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Nancy
delicious
Karleen Taylor
Wow! If this taste anything like it smells it’s a 10! Laughing about “don’t go poking around with a toothpick!” That’s exactly what I am tempted to do. Thanks so much for all the hard work you put in your recipes. We have a Golden, too. Best breed of dogs!
Leslie
Usually make morning before serving, how many days can I make it in advance? Love this cheesecake! 5 stars
DrDan
1-2 days is good. At 3 days, texture is changing some. But it freezes great, I have done that many times with this cake. So I would not cook more than 1 day ahead since there will be leftovers.
Happy Holidays
Dan
DrDan
Thanks for the comment and rating. I love this cheesecake but it is just too good to make often. I have a pumpkin cheese cake post going up soon.
DrDan
LisaA
Delicious!!!! Thank you!
Madeline
So excited to try this! My best friend loves chocolate chip cheesecake and I've been wanting to make it for a surprise. So excited about trying this!! Thanks, DrDan!
SG
I've been making this for years. A couple of changes though. I add 2 tsps of vanilla to batter. I also coat choc chips in alittle flour (1tsp) before adding to batter. This helps them from sinking in cake. I bake at 325 for an hour with a pan of hot water (1 in deep) on rack below for moisture. Lastly, I turn off oven and leave it in oven for about 30-60 minutes with door ajar to cool down to ensure no cracking. Hope this helps!!
DrDan
Thanks for the hints.
DrDan
Linsey
This is my first time ever making a cheesecake so I looked up online some tips and it said you were too leave it in the oven and just crack the door and let it cool I. There? I hope that's not true because I didn't do this and it's already out of the oven and it's look kinda weird
DrDan
Just let it cool at room temperature for an hour then refrigerate. Initially the center looks not done but it looks much better after cooled. We have never done the "crack the door" thing. It is a way to slow the cooling and decrease cracking. We have never had much of any cracking with this recipe.
DrDan
Jessika
Looks good but how many calories? Do you know?
DrDan
Lots and Lots... I ran it through a calorie analyzer and it is about 7000 for the whole cake. That is a rough estimate and no guarantees, I usually like to do a hand calculation but seems about right.
Eat small slices.
DrDan
Pam
Excellent! There's no dessert better than this!
DrDan
Yep.... Excellent.... not much else to say other than it really is not hard to do.
DrDan