Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

This ultra creamy, super decadent chocolate orange cheesecake is the absolute dreamiest! Plus, we’ve got lots of tips and tricks to make baking this showstopper a piece of (cheese)cake!

Intense chocolate meets fresh and citrusy orange in this decadently rich chocolate orange cheesecake! Featuring an Oreo cookie crumb crust, a velvety smooth chocolate orange filling and chocolate ganache topping, this cheesecake recipe is the perfect festive dessert for the holidays!

Recipe ingredients

Our chocolate orange cheesecake recipe calls for all of the typical cheesecake ingredients, along with orange zest and juice!

• Oreos: Crushed Oreo cookies form the base of our chocolate orange cheesecake. For more detailed crust tips, make sure to check out our Oreo cheesecake crust recipe.
• Unsalted butter: The butter is melted and mixed with the crushed Oreos to form the crust.
• Semi-sweet chocolate: Use high-quality semi-sweet chocolate to ensure a rich and balanced chocolate flavor in your cheesecake.
• Heavy cream: The heavy cream is mixed with the chopped chocolate to form ganache. You’ll mix ganache into the cheesecake and use it again to top the cheesecake.
• Cream cheese: Any brand of full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, will work well for this cheesecake.
• Granulated sugar: The sugar sweetens the cheesecake filling, providing the perfect balance to the richness of the chocolate and cream cheese.
• Orange juice and zest: Orange juice and finely grated orange zest bring a vibrant citrusy kick to your chocolate orange cheesecake.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: A bit of cocoa powder adds a deep chocolate flavor without additional sweetness, creating a rich and indulgent base for the cheesecake.
• Sour cream: Sour cream adds a subtle tanginess that complements the sweetness of the other ingredients.
• Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent, contributing to the structure and stability of the cheesecake.
• Vanilla extract: A whole tablespoon goes into the chocolate orange cheesecake to enhance the other flavors.
• Kosher salt: Just a pinch of salt balances the flavors.
• Candied oranges: I made my own candied oranges for this cheesecake. But you can also buy candied orange slices at grocery stores. I’ve seen them at Trader Joe’s, especially around the holidays!

Step by step instructions and photos

Step 1: Start by making the crust for the chocolate orange cheesecake. Combine the melted butter with the crushed Oreo cookies until evenly coated.

Step 2: Pour the cookie mixture into a greased 9-inch springform pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan to form an even crust. Bake for 10 minutes at 325°F (160°F).

Step 3: Beat the room temperature cream cheese until smooth with an electric mixer.

To quickly soften cream cheese, you can microwave it on 50% power in 20 second increments until slightly warm.

Step 4: Rub the orange zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips. This helps to release the essential oils from the orange zest, intensifying the citrus flavor and infusing it into the sugar. Add the citrusy sugar, cocoa powder and salt to the cream cheese and mix until fully incorporated.

Step 5: Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and orange juice to the cheesecake batter. Mix until fully incorporated.

Step 6: Add the eggs to the batter one at a time, beating after each addition. Make sure not to overmix here – beat the eggs until just combined.

Step 7: Make the ganache! Place the chopped chocolate into a small bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small pot over medium heat until it just begins to simmer and a film forms over the top. Pour over the chocolate, cover tightly and set aside for three minutes.

Step 8: Whisk the ganache until completely smooth. If your chocolate isn’t completely melted, you can heat the bowl in the microwave in 5 second increments until the mixture is smooth.

Step 9: Once the ganache has cooled slightly, pour it into the cheesecake batter. Fold the mixture into the cheesecake batter until fully incorporated.

Step 10: Pour the chocolate orange cheesecake batter into the cooled Oreo crust.

Step 11: Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes at 325°F (160°C). Reduce heat to 250°F (120°C) and bake an additional 35-40 minutes or until the cheesecake is mostly set around the edges, but still very jiggly in the center. Turn off the oven, leave it slightly cracked and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 30 minutes.

Expert Tip: The cheesecake is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Don’t worry about poking your cheesecake with a thermometer – this won’t cause any cracks. Cracks in cheesecakes are caused by overbaking.

Step 12: Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature, then transfer to the oven for at least six hours (and preferably overnight).

Step 13: Release the chocolate orange cheesecake from the springform pan. Garnish with a layer of chocolate ganache and candied orange slices.

Storage and freezing

Your chocolate orange cheesecake will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. Because the candied oranges can cause the ganache to soften, I recommend adding them on the day of serving.

To freeze, wrap individual cheesecake slices or the entire cheesecake in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. The cheesecake will keep well in the freezer for up to three months.

Expert Tip: I don’t recommend freezing the chocolate ganache topping or candied orange garnish. It’s best to add these final touches after thawing.

To thaw the cheesecake, place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Unwrap the cheesecake an hour or two before serving.

Expert tips and tricks

Making cheesecake can be tricky! Here are some of our favorite tips to make sure your chocolate orange cheesecake comes out beautifully:

• Choose quality ingredients. Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream and make sure you’re using a quality chocolate. I recommend bar chocolate over chocolate chips for making a smoother ganache.
• Use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature cream cheese and sour cream will help the ingredients blend together smoothly, preventing any lumps in your cheesecake.
• Avoid overbaking. Overbaking cheesecake is incredibly common. Your cheesecake is ready when the edges are set. The center will still be wobbly. I highly recommend checking the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer. It should be at 145°F (63°C) when you turn off the oven and will increase a few degrees as it rests in the warm oven.

And for all of our best cheesecake tips and tricks, make sure to check out our guide to New York Style Cheesecake!

Recipe variations and substitutions

• Switch out the Oreos. You can use your favorite cookies or even graham crackers for the crust!
• Use other citrus. While I’ve only tested this recipe with navel oranges, it would also work well with blood oranges or even lemons!
• Garnish with Terry’s chocolate orange slices. This cheesecake is basically a Terry’s chocolate orange in cheesecake form! Instead of candied oranges, you can decorate the cheesecake with Terry’s chocolate orange slices!

Loving this chocolate orange cheesecake recipe? For more cheesecake inspiration, check out these recipes:

• Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
• Classic New York Cheesecake
• Toblerone Cheesecake
• San Sebastian Cheesecake
• Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
• Apple Crumble Cheesecake

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Recipe

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Brit Kapustina
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 70 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

Oreo Crust

• 24 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
• 4 tablespoons (55 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

• 10 ounces (280 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) heavy cream
• 32 ounces (900 grams) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup (250 grams) granulated sugar
• orange zest from 1 orange
• 3 tablespoons (22 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream, room temperature
• ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs

Toppings

• ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• 6 ounces (170 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• candied orange slices*

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Instructions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan.
2. In a small bowl combine the finely crushed Oreos and melted butter. Mix until completely coated. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides to form an even crust.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool before adding the filling.

Cheesecake Filling

1. Prepare the ganache. Place the chocolate in a heatproof mixing bowl. Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the mixture begins to simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 3 minutes. Whisk the mixture until smooth, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
2. Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium-low speed for several minutes until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. In a small bowl, rub the orange zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips to help release and intensify the orange flavor. Add the orange zest, sugar, cocoa powder and salt to the cream cheese. Continue beating until smooth.
4. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and orange juice. Continue mixing until well combined.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Don’t overmix here!
6. Fold the chocolate ganache into the cheesecake batter until fully incorporated.
7. Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled crust.
8. With the oven still at 325°F (160°C), place the cheesecake on the center rack. To safeguard against any leakage, you can also place the cheesecake on a foil-lined pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Reduce heat to 250°F (120°C). Slightly crack the oven door for the first several minutes to help the oven cool more quickly. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the cheesecake reaches 145°F (63°F) with an instant read thermometer. The edges will be mostly set, but the center will still be quite wobbly.
10. Turn off the oven and crack the oven door 2 inches (5 cm). Let the cheesecake sit in the warm oven for another 30 minutes.
11. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before releasing from the springform pan and adding the ganache.

Toppings

1. Place the chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl.
2. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Immediately pour the heavy cream over the chocolate, cover and let sit for 3 minutes.
3. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Pour the ganache onto the cheesecake and spread the mixture evenly over the top.
4. Once the ganache has set, decorate with candied oranges.

Notes

Internal Temperature: Use an instant read thermometer to ensure your cheesecake doesn’t overbake. The cheesecake should be at 145°F (63°C) when you turn off the oven. Carryover heat will bring it up to the perfect internal temperature of 150°F (66°C).

Candied Oranges: You can make your own candied oranges or buy pre-made candied oranges at the store.

Storage: The cheesecake will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 830
• Sugar: 54.1g
• Sodium: 387.2mg
• Fat: 62.5g
• Saturated Fat: 35.8g
• Carbohydrates: 68.4g
• Fiber: 3.9g
• Protein: 11.2g
• Cholesterol: 176.2mg

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