This white chocolate cheesecake is incredibly creamy with a silky smooth texture. The white chocolate flavor is delicate – ensuring that the cheesecake isn’t too sweet. This recipe is has an Oreo crust and chocolate ganache on top for a truly stunning dessert. It’s equally delicious served plain with a few fresh raspberries or strawberries on top.
**This post was updated January 15, 2024 with a slightly update recipe, new photos & recipe tips to ensure success**
Why You’ll Love this White Chocolate Cheesecake
I love making cheesecakes for dinner parties and special occasions because they look absolutely stunning and are perfect for making ahead of time because they taste better after chilling in the fridge overnight. This white chocolate cheesecake is my go-to for Valentine’s Day, or if I’m ever debating between New York Cheesecake or chocolate cheesecake. It has a velvety smooth texture that you expect from cheesecake, but it’s infused with sweet white chocolate.
Sometimes white chocolate can be too sweet, but I find this white chocolate cheesecake is perfect because the tanginess of the cream cheese really balances out the sweetness of the chocolate. Then the Oreo cookie crust and chocolate ganache topping are the perfect complements to the white chocolate flavor. I’m not a huge fan of using superlatives but I’ve been told “this is the best cheesecake I’ve ever eaten.”
How to Make a White Chocolate Cheesecake
I’m going to take you through step by step in making this cheesecake. It isn’t overly difficult to make, but it’s so important to follow the instructions carefully to ensure success.
This recipe is baked in a water bath – which will give you a cheesecake with the perfect consistency and drastically reduce the risk of your cheesecake cracking. I always prepare the pan before making the crust.
- First, wrap the outside of the pan in an oven bag or slow cooker liner bag.
- Then wrap the outside in foil at least 3 times. This ensures that ingredients from the cheesecake don’t leak out of the pan and that water from the water bath doesn’t leak into the cheesecake.
Make the Crust
- First crush your Oreo cookies – wafers and filling. You can either do this in a food processor with a few short bursts, or by placing the cookie crumbs in a freezer bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. Do not use Double Stuffed Oreos for the crust, as the ratio of filling to wafer isn’t the best for a crunchy crust that holds together.
- Then mix together the crushed Oreos and melted butter. It should hold together when you squeeze the mixture in your hands. If you crushed your cookies in a food processor, you can add the melted butter to the food processor and do a few quick bursts to mix in the butter.
- Then press the crumbs into the bottom of your prepared pan and slightly up the sides to create a slight lip.
- The crust will bake on it’s own in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.
Make the White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- You’ll start by melting together finely chopped white chocolate with heavy cream. This method means that the white chocolate mixes into the cream cheese mixture really easily later on in the recipe. Place the finely chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl, then pour hot (not boiling) cream over top. Let it sit for about 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate hasn’t fully melted, then return the bowl to the microwave for 45-second intervals on medium power. Do not use high power, as it can burn the chocolate and make it turn grainy. Set aside.
- Then in a very large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. This will take a few minutes. Periodically turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure you’ve removed all the lumps.
- Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl or measuring cup, then beat them into the batter about ½ at a time. I always whisk together the eggs first, then add them slowly to the cheesecake batter to prevent over mixing.
- Then carefully whisk the white chocolate and cream mixture into the cheesecake batter. Be sure to do this by hand. Again – it’s so important to prevent over mixing because over mixing will lead to cheesecake cracks.
Baking & Cooling The Cheesecake
This cheesecake will bake using the water bath method. After you’ve made the batter, you’ll pour it into the pan and smooth the top. Then place the unbaked cheesecake (with the pan still wrapped) in the middle of a large roasting pan and pour about ½ to 1 inch of boiling water into the roasting pan. This method of baking a cheesecake allows for the cheesecake to bake gently and by creating a steamy environment in the oven. This ensures that the cheesecake is extra creamy minimizes the risk of cracks or your cheesecake falling.
After the cheesecake is done baking, it will need to cool slowly – this is to prevent big swings in temperature. Quick temperature swings – such as placing a warm cheesecake directly into the fridge – can cause the cheesecake to fall and crack.
Then once the cheesecake is 100% cooled, it goes in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
White Chocolate Cheesecake – Tips & Tricks
- Ensure the ingredients are room temperature before getting started. This makes it easier to mix everything together without having lumps in the batter.
- Use high quality, baking chocolate. Do not use chocolate chips. White chocolate can be notoriously difficult to melt properly. Chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape and therefore won’t melt properly. Chop the chocolate very finely for the easiest melting.
- Bake the cheesecake using a water bath. I often see recipes claiming that it isn’t necessary, but I have never had the same creamy, dreamy results consistently without using a water bath. To learn more – check out this post for all your nerdy cheesecake tips.
- Cool the cheesecake slowly. By minimizing changes in temperature reduces the risk of the cheesecake cracking.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving. The flavor and texture improve over time.
Don’t think of these tricks as scary instructions – instead, they’re your playbook for cheesecake perfection. And oh how perfect this cheesecake will be.
Toppings for White Chocolate Cheesecake
I topped my cheesecake with chocolate ganache and a drizzle of white chocolate (as outlined in the recipe card below). But it’s also delicious:
- Served plain with a few berries
- With strawberry sauce
- With raspberry coulis
White Chocolate Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan is too small for this recipe
- Large Roasting Pan big enough for the springform pan to fit inside
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookie Crust
- 30 Oreo cookies wafers and filling
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (70 grams) melted
For the Cheesecake
- 10 oz white chocolate (280 grams) very finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (240 ml) 33-35% MF
- 24 oz cream cheese (680 grams) full-fat, brick style
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 4 large eggs
- boiling water for the water bath
Topping
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate (170) or 50-70% dark chocolate
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (120 ml) 33-35% MF
- 2 oz white chocolate (56 grams)
- raspberries optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F (170C) degrees and position the oven rack on the bottom ⅓ of the oven.
- Wrap the outside of 9-inch springform pan with an oven bag or slow cooker liner bag. Then wrap the outside with aluminum foil at least 3 times (wrap 4-5 times if you didn't wrap the outside in an oven bag or slow cooker liner) so that the bottom and sides are covered, and all the seems are covered as well.
Oreo Crust
- Pulse the cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs. Alternatively, place the cookies in a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Mix together the cookies and melted butter, either by stirring together in a bowl or adding the melted butter to the food processor and pulsing a few more times.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and slightly up the sides to form a little edge.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. (Remove from the oven but leave it turned on).
White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- Chop the white chocolate into very small pieces and place in a large. Heat the cream until almost boiling (either in the microwave using short intervals) or in a double boiler. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate hasn't melted yet, microwave for 30-second intervals on medium power (not high power, which is often the default) and whisk between each interval. Set aside.
- In a large bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy and no lumps remain.
- Whisk together the eggs. Then beat the eggs into the cream cheese mixture about ½ at a time. Stop mixing as soon as combined.
- Carefully whisk the white chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Do this by hand using a wire whisk to avoid overmixing.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Place the springform pan into the center of a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan so that there's about ½ to 1 inch of water.
- Very carefully place the roasting pan with the cheesecake inside into the oven. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until when you give the pan a gentle nudge the cheesecake wobbles like a bowl of pudding or jello. If it wobbles like a glass of milk, then it isn't done baking yet.
- Remove from the oven and using a very thin knife, trace around the outsides of the cake. Cool the cheesecake in the roasting pan until it's room temperature. Remove from the roasting pan, cover, and place in the fridge to chill for 6 hours or preferably overnight.
Chocolate Ganache
- A few hours before serving (or more), make the ganache. The cheesecake should be fully cooled and have started the chilling process before topping.
- Chop the semi-sweet chocolate into very small pieces and place in a large, heat-proof bowl.
- In a small double boiler or in the microwave, heat the cream until it's almost boiling.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate hasn't fully melted, microwave for 30-second intervals on medium power, whisking between each interval.
- Remove the chilled cheesecake from the fridge, unclamp the outside of the springform pan. If there is condensation on top of the cheesecake, carefully blot it with a paper towel.
- Let the ganache cool for a few minutes, then slowly pour the chocolate ganache over top of the cheesecake, allowing it to drip over the sides.
- Chop the white chocolate into small pieces, place in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on medium power for 30-second intervals until melted. Alternatively, melt in a double boiler.
- Drizzle the white chocolate over the cheesecake. Optionally, dot around the edge of the cheesecake with fresh raspberries.
- Return to the fridge until ready to serve. When ready to serve, slice with a thin, sharp knife - not a table knife. Be sure to slice all the way through the crust. For clean cuts, wipe off the knife after each slice.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The cream cheese and eggs should be at room temperature before getting started. To speed up the process, take the cream cheese out of the packaging and cut into cubes. Place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- White Chocolate: Do not use chocolate chips - use high quality baking chocolate. Chocolate chips will not melt as well.
- Cream Cheese: Be sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use anything labeled low fat, light or spreadable.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only based on 1 slice with chocolate ganache and white chocolate drizzle, assuming that the cheesecake is sliced into 12 uniform pieces. You can very likely get 14 pieces from this recipe.
- Storage: Store cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Sol
This sure looks yum and tasty!
Fiona
Thank you!
Kaitlyn
does the raspberry sauce have to be put on the cake right after its made or can I put it in the fridge over night with the cake too. Or could I even just put it on the cake and leave it in the fridge?
Fiona
Hi Kaitlyn,
You can definitely make the cake and raspberry sauce in advanced. I’d put the sauce in a small container in the fridge, then pour it on each slice of cake when you’re ready to eat it. You can always warm up the sauce again in the microwave right before serving it too! I hope you like the recipe!
Sheila C
I made this for a party and it was a a great hit! So popular I did not get a piece myself!
Steph
Could I half the recipe if I wanted to serve 6? Also how long is cheesecake good for?
Fiona
I haven’t tried cutting the recipe in half – my concern would be that it’s too thin. It will last in the fridge for 4-5 days. Or it can also be tightly wrapped and frozen, then you’d thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Ana
I have 10 inch springform pan, instead of 9 inch. Can I make the exact recipe using 10 inch pan, or I need to adjust the quantity of the ingredients?
Thank you!
Fiona
It would work, but the cake will be thinner and the bake time shorter. I’d think somewhere between 30-40 minutes.
Suene
Hi Fiona,
I am from South Africa, here granulated sugar is every day table sugar. Should we use castor sugar instead?
Thanx.
Fiona
Caster sugar would be fine 🙂
Michelle
I made this cheesecake without the topping for Christmas and it was hit!
Jason
Can it be made without the sour cream?
Fiona
You could substitute the sour cream with plain greek yogurt.