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Fresh chocolate cherry cheesecake recipe with a chocolate crust, fresh cherries baked into the cheesecake, dripping with ganache.
I have a bone to pick with grocery stores.
The way they label the prices for cherries is misleading. The cherries are nicely packaged in plastic bags and the sign will say “$2.99” and in tiny writing it will say per pound. But then they don’t tell you the bag is 3 pounds and those cute looking cherries are actually going to cost you $9!!!
I’d rather just have them tell me the real price so I can make the decision in the produce section if I want the $9 cherries rather than realizing I paid a whopping $9 for the cherries when I get home.
Someone please sympathize with me!
Because of this dilemma I will only buy them at Aldi – not only are they cheaper, they tell me how much the whole container will cost!
Cherries are pretty much good in anything. Cake, muffins, on top of chocolate cake, in homemade ice cream. I’m ready for dessert now :)
With our suggested tips, we’re going to show you that making cheesecake at home can be easy and delicious!
For the base you’ll need a lot of cream cheese (this is a no judgment zone friends!), sugar, vanilla, eggs, cherries and flavored coffee creamer.
I used International Delight’s Sweet Cream coffee creamer. I’m obsessed and go back and forth between the sweet cream and french vanilla as my favorite. Either one adds so much more flavor than heavy cream!
There are 2 other important details to follow when making cheesecake.
1. Don’t be afraid of the water bath! I know it sounds weird, putting your cheesecake in a water bath, but it’s the secret to creating moist, perfectly baked cheesecake. It’s really not scary. Be sure to wrap the pan you’re baking your cheesecake in with 3 layers of tinfoil before you fill it with the cheesecake mixture. Place the cheesecake pan inside a larger pan, like a 9×13, and fill the 9×13 inch pan with water, about 1-2 inches below the top of the cheesecake pan.
2. Don’t rush the cooling process. Once the cheesecake is done baking, let it sit in the oven for 1 hour or longer with the oven door cracked. A slow cooling process will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Don’t forget to refrigerate your cheesecake over night before serving.
Once the cheesecake has cool completely, top it with chocolate ganache, mini chocolate chips, and fresh cherries!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.
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Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake
- 3 packages full fat cream cheese, 8 oz each
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup International Delight Sweet Cream Creamer
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup chopped cherries, fresh
Crust
- 1 ½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tbsp butter, melted
Chocolate Ganache
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
To top the cheesecake
- mini chocolate chips
- fresh cherries
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Pulse the chocolate graham crackers or similar chocolate crackers/cookies in a blender or food processor until they are very fine. Measure out 1 & 1/2 cups of crumbs. Combine the crumbs with the melted butter in a small bowl and mix well until incorporated.
- Before adding the crumbs to the pan, wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in 3 layers of aluminum foil. This will help keep the water out during the water bath.
- Add the crumbs to the 8 inch pan, distribute them evenly, using a cup or the bottom of something flat to press the crumbs into the pan. If desired, you can have the crumbs go up the sides of the pan a bit.
- Place the pan in the oven, bake the crust for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and allow it to cool to room temperature before adding the cheesecake mixture.
- Turn the oven down to 325º F.
Cheesecake
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the 3 packages of cream cheese until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the sugar and vanilla, beat again.
- Add in the International Delight creamer, beat again to combine.
- Add in the eggs, ONE at a time, beating after each one.
- Beat the mixture for 1 additional minute.
- Add in the chopped cherries, mix with spatula.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the crust. Make sure the crust and pan have cooled before doing so.
- Place the 8 inch round pan inside a 9×13 inch cake pan. Carefully fill the 9×13 inch pan with water, filling it about 1 inch below the top of the tin foil on the 8 inch pan.
- I like to place the cake pan on top of a large baking sheet, this makes moving the water bath easier.
- Place the water bath with cheesecake inside in the oven and bake at 325º F for 60 minutes.
- The cheesecake is done when the center wobbles a little when you jiggle the pan. The edges of the cheesecake should look firmer than the center.
- Once your cheesecake looks done, turn the oven off and open the oven door a little. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature inside the oven before removing – this could be 60-90 minutes.
- Once cooled, remove the cheesecake from the oven. Take the aluminum foil off carefully and place the cheesecake (still in the pan) in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, carefully unmold the cheesecake from the pan. Allow the pan to do most of the work, some of the cheesecake may stick to the pan, but the cheesecake should naturally separate from the pan.
Chocolate ganache
- Place the chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Once boiling, pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips. Allow the mixture to sit for 1-2 minutes, melting the chocolate chips, then stir well to mix. Allow the chocolate to cool for 5-7 minutes.
To assemble
- Pour/spoon the chocolate ganache on top of the cheesecake, using a spatula to spread it around.
- Add mini chocolate chips on top of the ganache, around the edge of the cheesecake.
- Add fresh cherries to the center of the cheesecake.
- Serve. Cover and refrigerator any leftovers.
When are cherries added to the cheesecake? I don’t see that step.
This looks super yummy! I bought cherries today.
Added it, thank you! <3
Have you made this with either fresh cream? I’m not happy with the ingredients in those coffee creamers. Wondered if the consistency would be changed.
Hi Alice! Yes you could use fresh cream, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
Can your wrap the springform pan if the bottom piece is glass?
Hi Colleen! I don’t have any experience with a springform pan having a glass bottom but I would still wrap it to avoid any water coming in!
At the grocery store move the cherries from their 3lb bag to a produce bag. You still pay 2.99lb but you are Not required to buy 3lbs.
That is a brilliant idea!!
Great recipe!! I don’t usually use whipping cream or creamer in my cheesecake so I was interested to taste the sweet cream. I did find that it made the cheesecake a bit soft and it gets a bit mushy in hotter weather. I substituted sour cream, the ingredient I am familiar with using in cheesecakes, for the sweet cream. It is a firmer consistency and doesn’t change the flavor. I also added a 1/4 tsp of almond extract to give it more of a cherry flavor.
The substitutions sound great! I do love almond extract!
I like that idea, how much sour cream did you use? Still just 1/2 cup?
For the ganache, there’s no cream listed in the ingredients (and of course no amount). Also, the water bath instructions seem confusing. Are there 2 or 3 pans being used?
Hi Brook! The ingredients for the chocolate ganache are under the “Chocolate Ganache” label in the recipe section! You’ll put the cheesecake in a springform pan and then use a larger pan (like a 9×13) for the water bath. So only 2 pans. Put the cheesecake pan in the 9-x13 inch pan and fill the 9-x13 inch pan with water.
Just a hint for anyone who hasn’t made cheesecakes before. I throw away the bottom of the spring form pan. Just use the cardboard cake boards instead. You won’t have to worry about trying to move the cheesecake or not getting the bottom back if your making as a gift. I read this on a baking site and it works great. Now I still put parchment paper down over it also. But it works great!
This cheesecake looks like it could not possibly get any better! Chocolate and cheesecake, come on! I cannot wait to make it. I totally agree with you on the pricing strategies stores use to make you buy their produce, it is nice to know what you are paying for something straight up and I am now in the habit of watching as cashier scans everything. It is a way to catch those things you might have missed and fix it before you pay. I always check my receipts for errors and you would be surprised at how many times I have been compensated for wrong prices, as well.
Do you think I could use frozen cherries?
Hi Rachel! I’m not sure if you would want to – since frozen cherries have so much more liquid in them, they might change the consistency of the cheesecake!
Did you end up using frozen cherries? How did it go??
I used frozen cherries when I made this. I cooked down the cherries with 2 TBSP sugar and 2 tsp corn starch to thicken it and reduce the extra liquid. I mixed this in with the cream cheese and sugar. The cheesecake wasn’t too wet and cooked nicely. I omitted the creamer and used almond extract.
I read a fantastic tip on another blog about cooking cheesecakes in a water bath. No matter how many times I wrap the pan, I always end up with water in mine and it was sooooooo frustrating!!! Then I read this very handy tip……put the pan with the cheesecake in an oven bag (like a turkey bag) and close it before putting it into the pan with the water bath. It works great every single time and no need to wrap your pan!!!!
I love this idea!