The Best Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Recipe

Three years ago my mother-in-law announced she'd host Christmas dinner at our house. Great. Except she also signed me up to make dessert for eighteen people. Thanks for asking. Panicked and called my friend Rachel who bakes at a bakery. She said make chocolate orange cheesecake. Said people go nuts for it. Make it ahead. Looks fancy. Chocolate and orange tastes like Christmas. Never made cheesecake before. Watched three YouTube videos. Bought a springform pan. Made a practice one the week before. Cracked on top. Tasted good though. Johnny ate half standing at the counter.

Why You'll Love This Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Made this enough to know why it beats everything else. Most work happens day before so you're not dying when people come over. Sits in the fridge getting better while you clean or whatever. Chocolate and orange tastes expensive but it's just zest and melted Chocolate Orange Cheesecake. Not hard. Oreo crust is cookies and butter smashed up. No dough rolling or weird pie crust stuff.

Feeds twelve easy, eighteen if you cut small. Way cheaper than bakery. Last one cost fifteen bucks versus sixty at the store. Lasts five days in the fridge so make it whenever. Doesn't need decorating if you're lazy. Ganache hides cracks and ugly parts. Johnny won't touch it because he hates cheesecake but every adult asks how I did it. Hard to wreck. My first one cracked like crazy and people ate it anyway.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
• Ingredients You'll for Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
• How To Make Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Step By Step
• Smart Ingredient Swaps for Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
• Tasty Ways to Make Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Different
• Equipment for Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
• Storing Your Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
• Top Tip
• FAQ
• Time to Impress Everyone
• Related
• Pairing
• Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Ingredients You'll for Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

For the Chocolate Oreo Crust:

• 24 Oreo cookies
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt

For the Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Filling:

• 24 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Zest from 2 large oranges
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 6 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

For the Chocolate Ganache Topping:

• 8 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon orange extract

For Garnish:

• Candied orange slices
• Fresh orange zest curls
• Whipped cream
• Chocolate shavings
• Terry's Chocolate Orange segments

How To Make Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Step By Step

Make the Oreo Crust

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Wrap outside of 9-inch springform pan with two layers of aluminum foil to prevent leaks
• Crush Oreos in food processor or smash in ziplock bag with rolling pin until fine crumbs
• Mix cookie crumbs with melted butter and sugar in bowl until it looks like wet sand
• Press mixture firmly into bottom of springform pan and halfway up the sides
• Bake crust for 10 minutes then remove and let cool while you make filling

Prepare the Cheesecake Filling

• Beat room temperature cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth and fluffy
• Add sugar and beat another 2 minutes until completely combined
• Add eggs one at a time, beating just until mixed after each one, don't overmix
• Mix in sour cream, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice on low speed
• Pour half the batter into separate bowl

Create the Chocolate Orange Layers

• Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between, until smooth
• Let chocolate cool for 5 minutes so it doesn't scramble the eggs
• Mix melted chocolate and cocoa powder into one bowl of batter until combined
• Leave other bowl plain for the orange layer

Layer and Bake the Cheesecake

• Pour chocolate batter into prepared crust and spread evenly
• Carefully pour plain orange batter on top of chocolate layer
• Use knife to swirl layers together gently if you want marbled look
• Place springform pan in large roasting pan
• Pour hot water into roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of springform pan
• Bake for 65-75 minutes until edges are set but center still jiggles slightly when you shake it
• Turn off oven, crack door open, and let cheesecake cool in oven for 1 hour
• Remove from oven and water bath, remove foil, cool to room temperature
• Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours

Make the Chocolate Ganache

• Heat heavy cream in small pot until it just starts to simmer, don't boil it
• Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate in bowl
• Let sit for 2 minutes without touching
• Stir slowly from center outward until smooth and shiny
• Stir in butter and orange extract if using
• Let cool for 10 minutes until slightly thickened but still pourable

Finish and Serve

• Remove cheesecake from fridge and take off springform ring
• Pour ganache over top letting it drip down the sides naturally
• Smooth with spatula if needed
• Garnish with orange zest, chocolate shavings, or Terry's orange segments
• Refrigerate another hour to set ganache before serving
• Slice with hot knife wiped clean between cuts for pretty slices

Smart Ingredient Swaps for Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Crust Options:

• Graham crackers instead of Oreos (more traditional, less chocolate)
• Chocolate graham crackers instead of Oreos (middle ground)
• Gingersnaps instead of Oreos (spicy kick with orange)
• Digestive biscuits instead of Oreos (UK version, less sweet)

Cream Cheese Alternatives:

• Full-fat Greek yogurt mixed with cream cheese (tangier, lighter)
• Mascarpone instead of some cream cheese (richer, Italian style)
• Neufchatel instead of cream cheese (lower fat, similar taste)
• Can't really swap cream cheese, that's what makes it cheesecake

Chocolate Changes:

• Semi-sweet chocolate instead of dark (sweeter, less bitter)
• Milk chocolate instead of dark (way sweeter, Johnny's preference)
• Terry's Chocolate Orange instead of regular (built-in orange flavor)
• Cocoa powder only if you're out of chocolate (won't be as rich)

Orange Swaps:

• Orange extract instead of fresh zest (easier, more intense)
• Blood orange instead of regular (prettier color, slightly different)
• Mandarin or clementine instead of orange (sweeter, less tangy)
• Lemon instead of orange (different but chocolate lemon works too)

Sour Cream Substitutes:

• Greek yogurt instead of sour cream (healthier, same tanginess)
• Heavy cream instead of sour cream (richer, less tang)
• Crème fraîche instead of sour cream (fancy, expensive)
• Skip it and add extra cream cheese (denser texture)

Tasty Ways to Make Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Different

No-Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake:

• Skip baking the filling completely
• Use gelatin to set the filling instead of eggs
• Mix everything cold and pour into baked crust
• Refrigerate 4 hours until firm, way faster than baked

Terry's Chocolate Orange Cheesecake:

• Chop up two Terry's Chocolate Oranges and fold into filling
• Use Terry's segments on top instead of ganache
• Add orange extract to filling for stronger flavor
• Rachel's bakery version that people go crazy for

Mini Chocolate Orange Cheesecakes:

• Use muffin tin lined with cupcake papers instead of springform
• Press small amount of crust in each cup
• Fill with batter and bake 18-20 minutes
• Perfect for parties, everyone gets their own

Baileys Chocolate Orange Cheesecake:

• Add ¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream to the filling
• Replace some orange juice with Baileys
• Makes it boozy and fancy for adult parties
• My New Year's Eve version

Equipment for Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

• 9-inch springform pan (sides come off)
• Electric mixer or hand mixer
• Large roasting pan for water bath
• Food processor or ziplock bag and rolling pin for crushing cookies
• Aluminum foil for wrapping pan
• Large mixing bowls

Storing Your Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Refrigerator Storage (5-7 Days):

• Cover loosely with plastic wrap or foil
• Don't let wrap touch ganache or it'll stick
• Keep in original springform pan if you want
• Best eaten within 5 days but lasts up to 7
• Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap
• Stack in airtight container with parchment between layers
• Easier to grab one piece for lunch
• Lasts same 5-7 days
• Don't reheat cheesecake, eat it cold
• Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before serving for best taste
• Cold straight from fridge works too

Freezer Storage (2-3 Months):

• Freeze before adding ganache topping if possible
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then aluminum foil
• Label with date so you remember when you made it
• Thaw overnight in fridge, never at room temperature
• Make fresh ganache after cheesecake thaws
• Frozen ganache gets weird texture and turns dull
• Fresh topping looks way better

FAQ

Time to Impress Everyone

Now you know everything to make chocolate orange cheesecake that looks bakery quality. From Rachel's cornstarch trick to Johnny's butter accident, this proves fancy desserts don't need fancy skills.

Want more holiday winners? Try our Easy Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder for dinners that look harder than they are. Need another crowd pleaser? Our Healthy Potsticker Soup Recipe feeds a bunch without stress. Or make our Delicious Chicken Shawarma And Rice Recipe when you want something different for game day.

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Chocolate Orange Cheesecake