Calling all cookies and cream lovers! This Oreo cheesecake features a decadent Oreo cookie crumb crust and a rich and creamy vanilla cheesecake filling that’s packed with chunks of Oreo cookie pieces. Whether you use the real deal or off-brand Oreos, you’ll get a dessert to indulge in all year long.
Because it’s a cheesecake, it’s not the quickest Oreo recipe, but once it’s had time to chill overnight you’ll have a piece of crushed cookie heaven to slice into. And just because the chill time takes awhile, doesn’t mean it’s a difficult cheesecake. In fact, this recipe doesn’t even call for a water bath so it’s one of the less intimidating cheesecake recipes to test out!
If you’re baking for a holiday, try other Oreo flavors to match the mood. Lemon Oreos give the cheesecake a springtime twist for an easy Easter dessert, while a mint Oreo cheesecake fits in perfectly with other treats on your Christmas desserts spread. No matter how you crumble those cookies, you’ll get rave reviews for this rich and creamy Oreo cheesecake recipe.
Oreo Cheesecake Ingredients
- Oreo cookies: Like some of our favorite cheesecake recipes, this one begins with a super simple Oreo cookie crust. Additional Oreos are baked right into the filling.
- Butter: Butter is melted and then mixed with the cookie crumbs to make an easily moldable wet sand-like mixture that’s pressed onto the bottom of a springform pan.
- Cream cheese: Rich and tangy, cream cheese is the foundation for this Oreo cheesecake filling. For best results, stick with full-fat cream cheese and save the reduced-fat variety for one of these healthy cream cheese desserts.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the filling and cuts through the tang of the sour cream and cream cheese.
- Sour cream: It might sound strange, but sour cream is added to some cheesecake recipes to help make the filling lighter and fluffier while adding extra tang.
- Flour: Flour isn’t in traditional cheesecake, but it’s helpful when learning how to make cheesecake because it helps give the filling a little extra structural support. This added strength helps prevent cracking and sinking while making the cheesecake easier to slice cleanly.
- Vanilla: A little bit of vanilla adds depth to the cheesecake filling and helps to accentuate the Oreo cream filling.
- Salt: Balance the sweetness with a pinch of salt and enhance all of the wonderful cookies and cream flavors happening in this Oreo cheesecake recipe.
- Eggs: Eggs are a critical ingredient in all of our favorite custard desserts. They greatly influence the taste, texture and overall structure of a cheesecake recipe and cannot be easily substituted.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the crust
In a large bowl, combine crushed cookies and butter. Press onto the bottom and one inch up the side of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
Editor’s Tip: If your crumbs appear dry and won’t bind together, add a touch more melted butter, a teaspoon or two at a time, until the mixture will hold its shape when pressed into a pan. For best results, use the bottom of a round glass or measuring cup to achieve a perfectly even crust.
Step 2: Make the filling, fill the crust
In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the sour cream, flour, vanilla and salt, mix well, and then add the eggs. Beat on low just until combined. Fold in 3/4 cup of chopped Oreo cookies.
Pour the Oreo cookie cheesecake batter into the crust, then top with the remaining chopped cookies.
Editor’s Tip: Take care not to overmix the cheesecake filling (it’s a common cheesecake mistake). Working too much air into the batter can cause the cheesecake to crack or sink upon cooling. Stop mixing as soon as your batter is smooth and lump-free.
Step 4: Bake, cool, chill
Transfer the springform pan to a baking sheet. Bake at 325°F until the center is almost set, 60 to 65 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Cool for one hour longer, then cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. Remove the side of the pan before serving.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t rush the cooling process. Putting a hot cheesecake into a cold fridge is a recipe for disaster. Be patient and let the Oreo cheesecake cool for the full recommended time to prevent the cheesecake from cracking or collapsing in the fridge while cooling.
Recipe Variations
- Top with ganache: For an extra layer of decadence, spread the cooled cheesecake with a layer of chocolate ganache.
- Make a chocolate-flavored filling: For a death-by-chocolate moment, opt for a chocolate cheesecake base instead. Use the filling from this chocolate cheesecake recipe and fold in Oreos.
- Add coffee: When baking for coffee lovers, add 3 tablespoons of instant coffee granules dissolved into 2 tablespoons of hot water to the filling. Bake as directed.
- Add peanut butter: Oreos and peanut butter were made for each other. Try swirling 2 to 3 tablespoons of peanut butter into the filling before baking or topping a cooled Oreo cheesecake with this outrageous peanut butter sauce before serving.
- Try other Oreo flavors: With about a million different flavors these days, you can swap classic Oreos for just about any variety you enjoy. Coffee, mint, peanut butter or lemon Oreos are just a few variations to consider.
How to Store Oreo Cheesecake
Due to the dairy content in cheesecake, Oreo cheesecake should be kept refrigerated and covered with plastic or stored in an airtight dessert carrier until ready to serve.
How long does Oreo cheesecake last?
Most cheesecake recipes, including this Oreo version, will stay fresh for up to one week in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze Oreo cheesecake?
Yes, you can freeze Oreo cheesecake. If wrapped tightly in plastic and heavy-duty aluminum foil, it will stay fresh for two to three months. Our guide has more tips for freezing cheesecake.
Oreo Cheesecake Tips
How do you prevent Oreo cheesecake from cracking?
While the flour in the recipe aids in providing some structural integrity to help prevent a cracked cheesecake, it can still occur. If you’re nervous, bake this Oreo cookie cheesecake in a water bath for added insurance. To do so, wrap the exterior of the springform pan generously in two layers of foil. Then, prior to baking, place the foil-wrapped cheesecake pan into a large baking pan filled with about one inch of water. Bake as directed. The steam from the water gently bakes the cheesecake evenly across, preventing cracks.
Do you need to make cheesecake in a water bath?
No, a water bath is not necessary for all cheesecake recipes, and this Oreo cheesecake is one of them. It depends on the oven temperature and the ingredient composition of the recipe. Our Test Kitchen has had good success making this particular Oreo cheesecake recipe without a water bath, so you may proceed without one.
How do you know when a cheesecake is done baking?
Conduct the wobble test to see if your cheesecake is done baking. To do so, smack the side of your springform pan with the side of a wooden spoon while it is in the oven. If the top ripples and appears fluid, the cheesecake still needs more time to bake. If the surface only wobbles slightly in the middle and appears dull without any sheen, the cheesecake is ready to pull from the oven.
Alternatively, once a cheesecake registers an internal temperature of 150°F using an instant-read thermometer, it’s fully baked.
