No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
This no bake chocolate cheesecake with a chocolate graham cracker crust is creamy, delicious, and rich in chocolate flavor all without turning on the oven. Use your favorite chocolate!
Servings: 8 slices cheesecake
Equipment
- Handheld mixer with balloon whisk attachments or stand mixer with whisk attachment
- 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 ½ cups gluten free crunchy cookie crumbs like gluten free chocolate graham crackers
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the cheesecake
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream chilled (plus more as necessary)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed, but natural works)
- 8- ounces packaged brick cream cheese at room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Shaved chocolate for decorating (optional)
Instructions
Make the crust.
- In a large bowl, mix the cookie crumbs and melted butter until well-combined.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan or deep-dish pie plate.
- Place the pie plate in the freezer until firm (at least 10 minutes, but longer is fine).
Make the filling.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a small, heat and microwave-safe bowl, and melt in the microwave in 45-second bursts at 60% power, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
- Alternatively, melt the chocolate over a double boiler.
- Set the melted chocolate aside to cool until close to room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the heavy whipping cream and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder, and continue to beat until well-combined.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a separate, large bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill.
- In the same large mixing bowl, place the cream cheese and salt. Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, whip on medium-high speed until the cream cheese is light and fluffy.
- Slowly add the melted chocolate mixture to the cream cheese in the mixer bowl and beat on medium-high speed until well-combined.
- The chocolate and cream cheese mixture may be somewhat stiff.
- Remove the sweetened chocolate whipped cream from the refrigerator. Add it to the cream cheese mixture in two or three parts, beating until light and fluffy.
- If the chocolate cream cheese portion is clumping, drizzle in a bit more heavy cream very, very slowly and only as necessary to create a smooth mixture.
Assemble the cheesecake.
- Remove the crust from the freezer and pour in the cheesecake mixture.
- Spread the filling into an even layer with an offset (or other) spatula.
- Sprinkle the top of the cake with the optional shaved chocolate.
Chill the cheesecake.
- Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or until set. For the cleanest slices, place the cake in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Once the cheesecake is set, run an offset spatula or a butter knife under hot water, and then along the edge of the springform pan to create a small gap between the pan and the filling.
- Carefully unmold the cake and prepare to slice it.
- Take a large knife and run it under hot water before and after each cut. Serve each slice chilled.
- Leftover slices can be frozen individually, then wrapped tightly and stored in the freezer. Defrost briefly in the refrigerator before serving.
Video
Notes
Originally published on the blog in 2015. Video new in 2018. New photos and text resources added in 2023.