Warning: do not attempt to view, make or devour this recipe if you do not like chocolate. A lot of chocolate. Copious amounts of deep, dark chocolate. Including a buttery chocolate crust topped with a luscious, creamy, rich cheesecake layer, topped again with a silky, dreamy dark chocolate ganache and topped finally with whimsical chocolate curls.
Death by chocolate.
And what a way to go.
One Year Ago: Chicken Corn Chowder
Two Years Ago: Pumpkin Apple Spice Muffins
Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture
*Note: This cheesecake needs to be chilled overnight so plan ahead! The good news is this cheesecake can be made all the way through the topping, covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days before serving. It is preferable to let the cheesecake stand at room temperature 1-2 hours before serving.
*Serves 8-10
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
9-ounce package of chocolate cookies (such as chocolate wafers, graham crackers or teddy grahams)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (use the best quality you can afford – I love the Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chips and I’m not ashamed to admit I buy them in bulk, often, at Sam’s Club)
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs
Topping:
3/4 cup whipping cream
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
Chocolate curls for garnish (I use this method)
DIRECTIONS:
For crust:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch-high sides (or use a 10-inch springform pan with 2-inch sides). Process the chocolate cookies in a food processor (or the old-fashioned way with a bag and a rolling pin) until they are finely ground. Transfer them to a small bowl and mix in the sugar. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom only of the prepared pan. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool while preparing filling. Keep the oven heated at 350 degrees.
For filling:
Melt the 10 ounces of chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler until melted and smooth. Cool the chocolate until lukewarm but ensure that it is still warm enough to be pourable. In a large bowl (or with a stand mixer), blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Mix in lukewarm chocolate. Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust; smooth the top. Bake until the center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
For topping:
One hour before serving (or up to 3 days ahead of time), stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over the center of the cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks. Chill until the topping is set, about 1 hour.
When ready to serve, release the springform pan sides. Transfer the cheesecake to a platter. Top with chocolate curls. It is preferable to let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving.
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from epicurious.com/referred to me by my excellent bro Nate
{ 77 comments… read them below or add one }
Gorgeous presentation. Cheesecake is my favorite dessert. I want to lick my screen!
You had me at chocolate!
Can you ever have too much? Wow- I agree with Jessica- what a gorgeous presentation, Melanie!
Looks easy and just what I need this PMSing week!
That is truly the prettiest cheesecake I’ve ever seen!
Mel, your pictures are just getting better and better! I’ve noticed you on foodgawker a few times
This cheesecake looks incredible. There seriously is not time (or money in the grocery budget) to make all the recipes I want to make!
I’m so glad I just bought a springform pan!!
Oh my goodness. That looks so amazing. I think that really will be the death of me.
You’re killing me!
OMG!! This looks so good…my mouth is watering…….
lol, guess I’m out as I’m not a fan of chocolate.
I will though keep it in mind for the chocolate lovers that I know.
Happy Friday!
~ingrid
My son and I were just saying how we felt like chocolate cheese cake. Perfect timing as this recipe sounds so good! Thanks!
Photos were not available and when I clicked on the area I received a message that it was a 404 error??
But it sounds wonderful.
OH MY! I want to take a bite out of my screen! This would go perfect with a cup of coffee. Perfect for PMSing! I would eat the whole thing by myself,can’t wait to try this!
Did I read right, butter the bottom of the springfoam pan and only crust on the bottom? Would parchment paper work?
This looks amazing! Cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts. I swear I would eat it everyday if it wouldn’t make me monster.
That is just insane. Looks too good to be true, too.
Oh my gosh, decadent doesn’t even begin to describe that cheesecake. That is a chocoholic’s fantasy. I love the chocolate curls on top, they’re so pretty.
this looks unbelievable, perfect name!
With ganache on top!!! oh my!
Wow! I reckon my Husband would fall in love with me all over again if I made this cheesecake for him. Thanks for sharing ;0)
Chocolate heaven! WOW incredible job!
I’m actually not a fan of chocolate, but even this looks good! These pictures are fabulous.
I have never seen a more perfect delicious cheesecake you have mastered this one!
OMG!! Today the photos are available on my screen and it looks totally yummy. Guess I will have to try this.
Thank you.
I’d take death by chocolate over just about any other death. This looks fantastic.
Death by chocolate .. what a delightful way to go!
My dad would absolutely love this cheesecake. He is the biggest chocolate lover! Your pictures make it look irresistible. I just made your Skillet Chicken with Mexican Green Rice and loved it (oh and I made sure to use Mild enchilada sauce – LOL).
Wow! Speechless.
I just sent a link to my husband asking for this for my birthday!
Death by chocolate- my preferred way to go out.
Lisa, yes, only spread the crust on the bottom. You could definitely use parchment paper if you cut it the same diameter as your springform pan.
I made this over the weekend, and it turned out fabulous! I ended up leaving it in the oven for about an hour and a half, and it was perfect. Consider me dead.
Holy Mother!!!!! That looks FABULOUS!!!!! How I want some right now!!!
That looks wonderfully creamy and dense… it’s making me want chocolate!! Great pictures.
I love your blog. It’s funny because so many recipes I’ve taken years to find are all right here (THE cornbread took me literally hundreds of attempts until I found the same recipe you have posted). My eight year old thinks you spy on us and steal “my” recipes. All these years I really just needed your blog, lol! I’ve made lots of chocolate cheesecakes before, but this one looks awesome! I can’t wait for an excuse to blow my diet and try it.
Oh, I love it! I am chocoholic and cheesecake fan
Great recipe for me 
Thx!
I just passed out after I saw that first pic. I love chocolate and this looks like heaven on a plate.
Thanks, Chelsea – and I promise I’m not stealing any of your recipes.
Thanks, Marissa! So glad you liked it…I hope you were able to come back to life.
very rarely am i conquered by a dessert–i almost always like my plate clean. i have a sneaking suspicion that this’d give me a run for my money. wowza.
Oh my! I need to try this one!!!!!!!!!
WOW! This recipe is so indulging! My hubby will surely love the chocolate-y cake of yours. Better make this before my hubby gets home. Thanks for the recipe. Actually it’s our anniversary and this will make our relationship sweeter.
It’s time for chocolate madness! Lol. My kids will surely love this one since it is full of chocolate layers. To complete the chocolate madness thing we should add some chocolate syrup. LOL. Thanks for the recipe.
I want to thank you so much for this recipe. I’ve made cheesecakes many times before, but this one is by far the most beautiful. My Mom was very impressed (which is saying something). She even took half of it home. Anyway, thank you very much. This is one recipe I’ll make for many years to come.
Alexandria – I’m thrilled that your mother loved this so much and that you did, too. Thanks for letting me know!
Made it to take to a Super Bowl party. It was a perfect chocolate cheesecake. Super thick, super rich, and super chocolatey–so much so that you only need a small sliver to satiate a sweet (or chocolate) tooth.
I LOVE this recipe!! It’s so rich and creamy, I won’t even try another recipe because this is the perfect one for me. I divide the batter into canning jars and bake to make individual servings and then top them with ganache. Thank you for the recipe!
Just wondering if its ok to prepare the cake and topping. A day or so in advance? Would the ganache effect the presentation/quality of the cake?
Hi Caroline – I can respect your views on healthy eating, however, I do have to defend my position, especially in light of the fact that I haven’t ever marketed my blog as “Healthy Eating 101″ or anything of the like. Healthy eating means something different to each person and although I do use salt, heavy cream and sugar, I pride myself on the fact that I very rarely use preprocessed or “junk food” ingredients. I believe in whole foods and I have made strides in that direction, but I also am a moderation kind of gal and feel great about my level of healthy eating, although I do have many goals for improvement on the horizon. Feel free to google other food blogs that might tailor recipes to your style. I admire your commitment and fortitude to healthy eating!
Aliciâ – yes, this cheesecake can definitely be made up to 3 days in advance. If kept well-covered in the refrigerator, it should work out great!
Beautiful! And I’m sure very tasty as well!
I saw a picture of this on the sidebar when I was reading another one of your recipes, and my mind instantly said “Ohh..what is that?” I clicked on the picture and I about died. “Decadent” is a good name for it. Chocolate and me are BFFs. I don’t know if it was a good or bad thing for me to come upon this recipe.
This was so great! I made this for my family last week and my husband has been talking about how good it was the rest of the week. Thanks for another great recipe!
Beautiful! That looks as lovely as any of the cheesecakes at Ray’s in NYC.
I took this to a Easter egg hunting party yesterday and it was a hit. Everyone loved it! Thanks again for another great recipe.
I made this for Easter dinner and it was a show stopper! It is more like a mousse rather than cheesecake. I, of course, had to do 2 slight variations. I used a oreo cookie crust and before applying the topping I placed rum marinated strawberries on the filling.
It was pure Y U M M Y and thank you for posting the recipe on the internet.
Jim
I made this the other day. I used semi-sweet chocolate for the cheesecake and bitter-sweet chocolatefir the topping. It’s good, but you really should listen to the warning label. It was just a bit too much chocolate for me! I love chocolate and don’t get me wrong it cam out very well and tasted great. Bu it really is chocate overload. It should be called, Death by Chocolate. Haha
This was AMAZING! My sister gave me a spring form pan for my b-day. I immediately knew this was the cheesecake recipe I wanted to try first. I made this 3 days in advance for Father’s Day, but we started eating it on Friday and have been eating it ALL weekend!
We couldn’t wait, and I’m so glad we didn’t. It’s sooooo yummy! Thanks again!
I made this…it was Delish…but the crust stuck to the pan and I had to scrape it up…still yummy…but can u give any advise…
Dee, I’m not sure why that would happen unless you might have not put enough butter in the crust. Next time you might try greasing the bottom of the springform pan. Sorry about the stickiness!
this cheesecake is utterly divine! i have now made it two times and each time i have heard, “this is THE BEST cheesecake i have EVER had!”. thank you for sharing such great recipes Mel, i truly appreciate it!!!
If you make this for me I will be your best friend!
I also had problems with the crust, but mine was too crumbly. It didn’t make a cohesive crust. Any ideas on what to do to avoid that?
The filling is divine, by the way. This is going to be one of our Thanksgiving “pies.”
Brinestone – If crumbly crust is a problem, I’d add 1-2 more tablespoons butter. That will help it stay together (plus be really careful not to overbake at all – just bake until slightly set).
OMG! I made this for our family Christmas gathering, not only was it Gorgous but it was AMAZING! They couldn’t believe it wasn’t something that had been bought. Then everyone wanted to know how to make it. I even got an order for one from my big brother…lol. Great recipe Mel. Thanks
How did you slice your cheesecake so beautifully? I tried to slice mine at our Christmas party… let’s just say, I was glad everyone raved about it before I cut it
Beautiful and delicious!
Julie – glad it was beautiful! I usually use a really sharp knife that I run under hot water between each slice to get those clean, neat slices.
We made this for a Christmas Eve dessert and everyone loved it! It is so rich – the perfect ending to a special meal, and it was easy to put together, too! Our supermarket was out of chocolate wafer cookies (guess everyone else was also making this cake!), so we used 1 1/2 cups crushed oreos + 2 tbsp melted butter for the crust, and didn’t prebake the crust.
Thanks for posting!
Katie
This sure was DECADENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Mel,
Do you use the same Ghirardelli bittersweet chips for the chocolate curls? One of these days I’m going to be brave enough to make this
Hi Joyce – yes, I use the bittersweet chips for the curls. Good luck if you try this! You can do it!
Wanted to try this recipe so I made it – took it to work and now my co-workers are wanting it EVERY WEEK…. Wow – I have been making cheesecake for years but this is by far one of the best recipes ever… The chocolate ganache is just the best finish. I used 60% Cacao Ghirardelli chocolate chips which made it rich and fabulous!!! Need a vanilla bean recipe now!
Made this for my birthday and it’s super yummy.
Looks sinful and tempting ! I would love a bite..
What about making this with milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet? Would it still be decadent and delicious? My sister-in-law is not a dark chocolate fan, though she does love milk chocolate! I’ve also seen that some people used an oreo type crust. Have you done that Mel? Do you do the same amount of butter with those cookies instead of the wafer ones? Thanks!
Sandee – I can’t say for sure how milk chocolate chips would work since I’ve never made that substitution but I do know that milk chocolate melts differently than semisweet or bittersweet (based on different amounts of cocoa butter) and I’m not sure how they would fare in this cheesecake. Good luck if you try it! And yes, use the same amount of butter for any type of chocolate cookie (in my opinion).
Hello, my name is Elizabeth and I work for a library in Wyoming. We are currently putting together a recipie book from our annual Death By Chocolate event. I was hoping to talk to you about using one of the pictures from this post for the book (they’re very well done!). We would, of course, be more than happy to give you full credit and/or compensation. It’s easiest to contact me by email. Thank you!
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