These chocolate cheesecake bars are smooth, creamy and decadent. With a crunchy Oreo cookie crust - they taste delicious with berries and whipped cream on top.
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan.
Crust
Add the cookies (wafers and filling) to a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs. Alternatively, place the cookies in a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Mix together the crushed cookies and melted butter.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, making an even layer.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving it turned on.
Filling
Chop the chocolate into very small pieces.
Place the chopped chocolate in a large heat proof bowl, and microwave for 45-second intervals on medium power (not high power, which is often the default). Stir the chocolate between each interval. Repeat the process until smooth.
In a very large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract.
Mix in the sour cream. Again, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in the eggs 1 at a time until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as the eggs are mixed int.
Pour the batter over the baked crust and smooth the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the top looks almost set in the middle and the cheesecake has a slight wobble.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and gently trace around the outside of the cheesecake with a thin, sharp knife.
Cooling, Chilling & Serving
Cool the cheesecake fully until it reaches room temperature. Cover the pan and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours to chill.
When ready to serve, slice with a sharp knife. Be sure to cut all the way through the crust. For clean cuts - wipe off the knife in between after each slice.
Notes
Make sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use low fat or low calorie cream cheese, or anything labeled spreadable or whipped.
The cream cheese, eggs and sour cream should be room temperature before getting started.
Store cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. I typically make the cheesecake the day before I plan to serve it.
Nutrition information is an estimate only and based on 1 slice, assuming the pan is sliced into 15 equal pieces.