Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
This chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake is a cookie dough lover’s dream. Creamy cheesecake, cookie dough and a chocolatey crust. Yum!
Cookie dough meets cheesecake in this incredible chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake.
It’s creamy. It’s decadent. It’s a cookie dough lover’s dream.
Whoever felt like throwing balls of cookie dough into cheesecake batter is a straight up genius, that’s all I have to say.
The cheesecake starts with a buttery, chocolatey crust.
While many cheesecakes call for prebaking the crust for a few minutes, this crust remains unbaked until the entire cheesecake goes in the oven.
Half of the cheesecake batter goes on top of the crust before we get to the star of the show: cookie dough.
Cookie Dough
The cookie dough for this cheesecake is a simple egg-less recipe.
The cookie dough is rolled into small balls, chilled for a minute until firm, and then stirred into the cheesecake batter.
When it’s baked, the cookie dough forms delightful pockets of cookie dough goodness throughout the creamy cheesecake.
To Water Bath or Not
I know it’s contrary to all professional cheesecake bakers out there, but I never water bath my cheesecakes.
The simple reason why: I’m too lazy. And it’s often messy.
Instead, I’ll sometimes put a pan of hot water on the oven rack below the cheesecake. The steam from the water has the same effect as a water bath.
Even with the pan of water (or the fussy water bath), a cheesecake might still crack. Some of that has to do with how much the batter is mixed once the eggs are added. Too much mixing can cause cracks.
I don’t stress about the cracks – just one more good reason to use a lot of whipped cream topping to cover them up!
Unbelievably rich (this is a good thing), this chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts of all time.
I like to top slices of the cheesecake with sweetened whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
The cookie dough effect throughout the cheesecake is brilliant and delicious, and it is an absolute showstopper of a dessert.
FAQs for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
I never water bath my cheesecakes, but that’s just a personal preference. You could certainly use a water bath if that is your preference.
The major downfall with using storebought cookie dough is that it has eggs in the batter. I don’t know if the cookie dough gets baked all the way through in this cheesecake recipe like it would if you were baking cookies. Having said that, the cheesecake IS baked so maybe the cookie dough bakes enough to get rid of the risk of salmonella. In this case, use your best judgment!
No, the crust bakes with the cheesecake and doesn’t need to be prebaked.
One Year Ago: Cookie Dough Topped Brownies
Two Years Ago: The Best French Bread
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (142 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 g) mini chocolate chips
Crust:
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, melted
- 2 ½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs
Filling:
- 4 packages (8-ounces each) (908 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup (227 g) sour cream
- 1 cup (170 g) mini chocolate chips
Garnish:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks (add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar while whipping if you like a bit of extra sweetness)
- Mini chocolate chips or shaved chocolate, for sprinkling
Instructions
- For the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugars for the cookie dough. Add the water (or milk), vanilla and blend. Mix in the flour, salt and the chocolate chips. The dough will be fairly soft. Gently roll the dough into small balls (about a teaspoon size, maybe a bit larger) and place them on a wax paper lined plate or baking sheet. Place them in the freezer to harden while making the rest of the cheesecake.
- For the crust: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, combine the butter with the chocolate cookie crumbs. Press onto the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan.
- For the cheesecake: Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and sour cream and mix just until blended. Be careful not to overmix – incorporating too much air into the batter can contribute to a cheesecake cracking on top during baking.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared crust.
- Gently stir the cookie dough balls and the one cup mini chocolate chips into the remaining batter. Pour into the pan, spreading the batter to the sides of the pan and evening it out across the top (it is ok to see bumps of cookie dough here and there, smooth it the best you can).
- Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees for 60-70 minutes until the sides are set and the center is still a bit jiggly. Turn off the oven and prop the door open several inches. Let the cake sit in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate until chilled. To serve, cut into slices and top with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from Nate and Kylie W. (my brother and sister-in-law)
Recipe originally published July 2010; updated December 2020 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
Hi Mel,
I want to bring the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake for Easter dinner. You say to keep it in the fridge overnight but is this something I could make 2 days ahead of time and still be good. I don’t have much experience with cheesecake but I just have to try this one.
Connie, actually, yes, I think you could get away with doing this cheesecake two days in advance. Any longer than that and I would probably suggest freezing and then thawing, but I think it would do just fine two days in advance if you keep it well covered in the refrigerator. Good luck!
Mel!!!
I made this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday party and it was absolutely epic. I am pretty sure it had people who claim to hate dessert/cheesecake/dairy/sweets wishing they could also get this badboy in IV form too! 🙂 This was my first attempt at baking cheesecake and it came out perfectly. I followed your instructions (didn’t use the cookie dough with eggs I asked about earlier) and it couldn’t have been more simple and ridiculously delicious. I am actually one of those people who doesn’t love cheesecake but I am pretty sure I would replace all meals with this thing, if possible.
Seriously – everyone – MAKE THIS CHEESECAKE!!! It is not difficult so do not be intimidated, it does require some time though, so make sure to allot the proper amount so you can enjoy this cheesecake as much as we all did.
Mel, thanks for being a wicked dessert genius – Can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
I also wanted to add, that due to the smaller size of my pan, there was way too much chocolate cookie crust on the bottom, it was overpowering, so next time I would reduce the amount of crumbs/crust that I use with my 9in pan.
It ended up taking over 2 hours to bake, but I think I figured out the problem. My springform pan is a 9inch pan, not 10inch as specified in this recipe. I hadn’t even checked the size of my pan, because I didn’t realize they come in different sizes. I’ve had the 9inch pan for years, made tons of cheesecakes, and never had a problem in the past. I also checked a few stores since then, and I’m unable to find anything other than a 9inch springform like I have… so I guess the problem was, there was too much cheesecake in the pan, and it took much longer to bake. In the end, it was still delicious, and I will definitely make it again!!
(I googled some other cheesecake recipes, for 9in pans, and they all seem to only use 3 packages of cream cheese instead of 4).
I have this in the oven right now (was in for an hour) and it doesn’t look like it is cooked at all. the top isn’t browned like other cheesecakes I’ve made in the past, and when I stuck a knife in the center, it wasn’t even hot, and watery.. what could be wrong?? I put the timer on for another 20 minutes, but it seems like its going to take another 45.
Cindy – I’m not sure what could be wrong, other than the variability in oven temperatures (some ovens cook hotter than others). As long as you keep an eye on doneness (using a knife in the center) you should be able to keep baking it longer without affecting it. I’m sure you have, but have you double checked to make sure your oven is set to the right temperature? It does seem odd it needs that much more baking time…I hope it still turns out for you. Keep in mind, also, that the center of the cheesecake should still be slightly jiggly after baking – especially with this recipe because it sits in the turned off oven for another 30 minutes and will continue to set up and bake.
Absolutely to die for!!
Hi Mel! This looks amazing – do you think it would be possible to use store bought cookie dough?!?! I know, I know – it’s never as good but the convenience factor would be good as I do not have a ton of time to whip up this AMAZING LOOKING dessert.
Thanks for all your amazing posts! 🙂
Hi Jane – the major downfall with using storebought cookie dough is that it has eggs in the batter. I don’t know if the cookie dough gets baked all the way through in this cheesecake recipe like it would if you were baking cookies…so there are advantages to using a cookie dough mixture without eggs. Having said that, the cheesecake IS baked so maybe the cookie dough bakes enough to get rid of the risk of salmonella. I guess I’d have to say to use your best judgment!
This just reaffirmed my love, I mean LOVE of cookie dough. I will admit to making balls of cookie dough (eggless like this recipe) to keep in the freezer. Regularly. 🙂 Though I am not above sneaking regular cookie dough. This was a delicous cheese cake. THANKYOU.
I made this last Christmas and I loved it. 🙂
My parents (since I’m still 15) gave me the task to make the desserts. I chose this because I knew they loved cheesecake and that I wanted to try something new than the usual blueberry cheesecake. Aaaaand everyone loved it. Thanks for the recipe! 😀
just wondering, when you write “butter” in your baking recipes, do you mean unsalted? or regular like country crock or something?
newbie – I almost always (99% of the time) use salted butter (whatever brand is on sale or cheapest). So when I reference “butter” in my recipes, it means salted butter.
It’s in my oven now as I type this! I was suprise with the easy of making it! I’ve never made a cheesecake before. So far so good! I can’t wait to try it.
Also a plus. I am pregnant so the cookie dough without the egg was great for me being able to lick the spoon! Baby LOVED it!!
Let’s pretend that I’m living at the in-laws and can’t get to my baking supplies…What could I use instead of a springform pan? I don’t necessarily want to use a 9×13, but if I have to, I will just so I can finally make this. I’ve been dreaming about it since you posted it, but have had no time/excuse to make it…Valentine’s is coming up!!!
Ashlee – I think a 9X13 is probably your best bet, sorry. It won’t slice up as pretty but it will still taste delicious. Keep an eye on the baking time if you decide to use a different pan – you might need to decrease the time a bit.
Oh my gosh! That is all I have to say about this cheesecake. I made this for Thanksgiving the other day and it was a hit! I probably could have eaten the whole thing. My entire family loved it. It was soooooo good.
The only thing I’ll say about it, and I’m not sure if my springform pan was just a bit loose or what, but it dripped grease or something on the bottom of my oven. So about halfway through baking, when I realized it, I just put a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to catch the grease. Luckily, I have one of those nonstick pads on the bottom of my oven, so cleanup was a breeze. But in all honesty, it was worth it. Hahah!
Great recipe! I’ll be writing a blog post about it within the next few days, so you should check it out!
Erin – thanks for letting me know this cheesecake was a hit! I’m thrilled for you (sorry about the grease…not sure why that happened but glad you caught it quickly!).
Can I use 1/3 less fat cream cheese or would you suggest going with the whole fat?! Just an idea…
Ashley – in my opinion, cheesecake always tastes better with the full fat cream cheese; having said that, I’m always looking for ways to cut calories too and because this recipe has so many other components, I think it might work to use 1/3 fat. Just keep in mind that sometimes baked cheesecakes with less fat cream cheese can be a bit runnier than if you use the full fat version. Hope that helps!
Great recipe. I made this yesterday for friends and received rave reviews! I loved how smooth the cheesecake was.
Thanks, Jill!
Amy – no, you don’t bake this in a water bath, although you definitely could. Baking a cheesecake in a water bath gives you a greater success rate for not getting cracks in the top. For cheesecakes like this where you top it with whipped cream and chocolate chips, cracks won’t matter as much so a water bath isn’t necessary. If you still want the top to be picture perfect, by all means, use a water bath following the same method you’ve used before.
Do you not bake this in a water bath? That’s how I’ve been taught to bake them and in the two reccipes im using, neither one calls for a water bath. is this unnecessary?
This cheesecake is heavenly!! So easy and SO delicious. I too, used the chocolate grahams for the crust and I thought it was perfect. I was mad when my husband found it in the fridge and started eating it too! Can’t wait to make it again!
Stephanie – glad you loved this one! Looks like you need to find a new hiding spot…
So good! I made this cheesecake when we had company over, with rave reviews! The cookie dough balls just add a little something special to a wonderful dessert. I did cook mine in a 9 by 13 pan since I don’t own a springform, and it came out fine. At one point I thought it would fall over the sides but it didn’t! I had a lot of cracking on top which might be a result of my daughter ‘helping’ with the mixer =)
Amy – I’ve never made a cheesecake in a 9X13-pan so I’m glad to read your comment and know it works, especially for those without a springform pan. I’m thrilled you loved the results!
I made this two weeks ago to serve with our Sunday dinner. It was very easy to put together, thanks to your great recipe and explanations. I have never made a ‘real’ cheesecake before so I was nervous. It was so delicious, I can’t stop thinking about when I can make it again! Thank you SO much for all your wonderful recipes!
By the way, I couldn’t find any chocolate Teddys, so I used chocolate graham crackers (who knew?) and the crust was great!
Lynn – I’m so happy that your first venture into a baked cheesecake worked out for you! Thanks for letting me know.
Ooo I can’t wait to try this!!! Hopefully within the week!
I appreciate reading reviews of a recipe after others have tried it, so here goes mine . . . Fabulous! The only changes I made were using regular choc chips cuz I didn’t have minis, and I ended up having to bake mine longer, by about 20 minutes. Turned out super-duper yummy. And I’m a die-hard for plain jane cheesecake!
Thanks, Lisa! I appreciate you including your changes.
Thanks for the tip, Mel. I went to a smaller store and sure enough they had them. Can’t wait to try this recipe out! Thanks again!
Where do you find mini chocolate chips? Is my local grocery store lame for not carrying them?
Laura, I hate to say it, but yes, your grocery store is totally lame! I’ve always just found them by the other chocolate chips in Walmart or any other mainstream grocery store. Do you have a second grocery store option to check out?
Thank you for all your advise. I ended up making the Oreo no bake cheese cake in the 9 x 13 pan and everyone loved it. I will try the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake next.
In response to Connie, I have made plain cheesecake in a 9×13 pan with no problems. I just greased the pan, patted the crust along the bottom and slightly up the sides, poured in the good stuff and baked for 50 minutes. I have not tried this particular recipe yet, but I’m sure it will do just fine.
I made this yesterday morning and had family over last night for dinner…..It was wonderful. I had never attempted cheese cake. It turned out great. Thanks for all of the good recipes and ideas!
Polly – so glad this worked out for your first cheesecake attempt!
I would like to take this to a pot luck this weekend. Has anyone ever made this in a 9 x 13 pan.
Thanks for any adivce!
Connie – I think this would be difficult to make/cut/bake evenly in a 9X13 pan. If anyone else has tried it, let me know!
I love your site…….but it is NOT good for my diet!! My mouth is watering right now!
you’re making it difficult for me to maintain my anti-cheesecake attitude. 🙂
safe travels (both physically and mentally!).
Cheesecake is my favorite sweet, with cookie dough as a close second…..needless to say, this looks absolutely amazing to me!
Montana! My in-laws live near Glacier National Park. It is such a beautiful state. Hope you have loads of fun with your boys up there in Big Sky Country.
Thanks for all the recipes. I am always amazed when I make one. I really appreciate the detailed descriptions and directions you include with each one. Your site is truly a treasure!
That looks amazing! I sooo wanna make this! My hubby loves cheesecake and choc. chip cookies, this would be perfect!!!
Today is our 5 yr anniversarry and I may just have to run to the store so I can make this for him tonight!!!
Wooooow I’m adding this to my favourites so I can try making this later… Looks gorgeous, I love the rich, super-creamy texture… and of course bits of cookie dough make this cheesecake absolutely unique.
Wow, picture perfect! I hope you don’t mind, but I have a little spot on my blog where I sometime feature sweet treats I’m going to attempt to make. This one definitly won this week’s spot! Can’t wait to try it out!
DIVINE…. spell check anyone? 🙂
Oh my DEVINE! I’m thinking so hard right now of any future events I have so I could make this! I might just have to make this for fun! 🙂
That. Looks. DIVINE!!!!
This cheesecake looks AMAZING! I would have to sub sour cream for heavy cream since I don’t like the former, though. It looks similar to my go-to recipe for cheesecake I use, so I believe you when you say this is the best.
Have a safe trip! Come back soon!
Oh my divine….. I HAVE to try this!
Oh My Goodness. I love cheesecake. This looks ridiculous. Now I need to find something to celebrate so that I can make it! 🙂
Oh Mel. Posts like this make me wish that you lived closer because we all know that I will NEVER be a great, amazing, fantastic chef like you. Please come back and make me fat-er!!!
oh WOW!! did you pre-bake the crust??
Natalie – I didn’t pre-bake the crust, which was nice to cut out that step.
Wow!
Yum! But I can’t figure out why you would WANT an IV of this. That would bypass the joy of tasting it!!
*drool*
and another one goes on my “to make” list.
Can I use the cookie dough for the crust or will it burn?
I haven’t tried that, but you could experiment!
Wow!! I think I just gained 10 lbs looking at this–but it’ll be so worth it when I get the chance to make it 🙂
Chocolate chip cookie dough…one of my favorite things in the world! I love it combined with creamy cheesecake, and LOVE that you top it with whipped cream! Absolutely sinful! 🙂
Have fun in Montana, Melanie. It is such a gorgeous state- snow covered mountains even in the summer! I’m sure you will survive and treasure every moment with your husband and boys. Come back soon…you will be missed! 🙂
I have no words. This may be the best cheesecake I’ve ever seen.