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The most amazing espresso coffee cheesecake with an oreo crust and a layer of chocolate ganache!
This cheesecake has real espresso in it for BIG coffee flavor!
I had a friend of mine who is a mom tell me that she ate this cheesecake for breakfast and lunch on Friday.
Totally no judgment, right?! She said it was the perfect way to get her coffee (and breakfast & lunch) in while chasing after 3 littles!
I love the combination of coffee and chocolate, especially when it comes to desserts! We’re giving you all the tips so this coffee cheesecake turns out perfectly!
There’s a smooth coffee infused cheesecake filling, a traditional oreo crust – it’s everything cheesecake purists love! If you’re a cheesecake fan, you’ll want to save our this cheesecake recipe.
How to Make Oreo Crust for Cheesecake
What You’ll Need
- oreo crumbs: Blend the whole cookie in a blender until you have oreo crumbs! 2 cups of oreo crumbs is about half the oreo package. You could also use chocolate graham crackers
- butter: this most crucial ingredient in binding the crust together
Mix all the crust ingredients together and then firmly press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or bottom of a glass cup to help pack the crust.
Coffee Cheesecake Ingredients
Our mocha cheesecake recipe only calls for 5 ingredients!
- cream cheese – use three 8 oz packages. Be sure to use full fat, not low fat, cream cheese for best results.
- granulated sugar – helps to balance the tanginess of the cream cheese.
- vanilla extract – just one teaspoon, but it enhances the coffee flavor.
- espresso – this is where that bold coffee flavor comes from! Easy Tip: Make instant espresso by combining hot water and instant espresso powder.
- eggs – use large eggs
TIP ABOUT EGGS
Eggs are the last ingredient that get mixed into the cheesecake batter. Be sure to mix them in, one at a time, just until the yolk breaks. Over beating the eggs is the number one cause of air bubbles and large cracks, which means there’s too much air in the cheesecake.
How to Make the Perfect Cheesecake
Every single cheesecake recipe I have on my site, I include two critical tips. Here are the 2 most important details to follow when making cheesecake..
1. DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE WATER BATH
2. DON’T RUSH THE COOLING PROCESS
Keep reading below for details on each tip!
How to Make a Cheesecake 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.
Water Bath Basics
Place a springform pan inside a large cake or roasting pan, fill the roasting pan with about 1 inch of water and place in the oven.
How to Prevent your Cheesecake Water Bath from Leaking
This is the best trick ever to prevent your cheesecake water bath from leaking and ruining your cheesecake.
Place the springform pan inside a large oven safe turkey bag or slow cooker liner bag and roll down the top of the bag so it doesn’t cover the cheesecake.
If you have a lot of excess bag space, twist one side tight and knot it so the bag is tight around the pan. Place the springform pan that’s inside the bag in the large roasting pan and fill with water.
The water bath will not leak into your cheesecake!
How to Cool Cheesecake
Remember, don’t rush the cooling process.
Once the cheesecake is done baking turn the oven off and gently remove the springform pan from the water bath and oven safe bag.
Place the cheesecake on a baking sheet and return to the oven (oven is off) 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.
Tips for Coffee Cheesecake
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before beating it. Room temperature cream cheese is easier to whip.
- The eggs are the last ingredient that get mixed into the cheesecake batter. Be sure to mix them in, one at a time, just until the yolk breaks. Over beating the eggs is the number one cause of air bubbles and cracking.
- Using a different size springform pan will alter the baking time. I used a 8 inch springform pan.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven (with the door cracked) for 1 hour.
How to Freeze a Whole Cheesecake
- Cool the cheesecake completely before freezing. You can allow it to cool on the counter or you can place it in the fridge over night to chill before freezing.
- Use a knife to remove the outer springform ring. Use the knife to gently remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan. Place the cheesecake on a round cardboard circle that’s been covered in aluminum foil. Make sure the cardboard circle is the same size as the cheesecake.
- Wrap the entire cheesecake (without any toppings) well in plastic wrap. Then wrap the cheesecake in aluminum foil for extra protection. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To thaw, place the cheesecake in the fridge overnight. Add toppings before serving.
Coffee Cheesecake Toppings
- fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple, etc.)
- chocolate ganache (follow the ganache recipe from our espresso cheesecake)
- caramel sauce
- strawberry sauce
- chocolate whipped cream
- crushed candy pieces (like peanut butter cups, M&Ms, snickers, etc)
How to Make Easy Chocolate Shavings at Home
The easiest way to make chocolate shavings is to take a Hershey’s bar and use a vegetable peeler to make shavings and curls. Transfer the shavings to the cheesecake using a spoon, that way the heat from your fingers won’t melt the tiny chocolate pieces!
More Favorite Dessert Recipes
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Coffee Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups oreo crumbs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (1/2 stick)
Cheesecake
- 3 packages cream cheese at room temperature, 8 oz each, I like to use full fat
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup brewed espresso
- 3 large eggs
- 1 oven safe turkey bag
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chocolate chips, I used semi-sweet
Instructions
CRUST
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Pulse the whole oreos (or chocolate graham crackers) in a blender or food processor until they are very fine. Measure out 2 cups of crumbs.
- In a small bowl, combine the crumbs with the melted butter, mix well until incorporated.
- Add the crumbs to a 8 or 9 inch springform 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, pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and allow it to cool to room temperature before adding the cheesecake mixture. To speed this up, you can put the springform pan in the fridge.
- Turn the oven down to 325º F.
CHEESECAKE
- Place the round springform pan inside an oven safe bag (like one that you’d cook a turkey in for thanksgiving) and roll the top of the bag down so it doesn’t cover the cheesecake. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the 3 packages of cream cheese until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the sugar, vanilla extract and espresso, beat again.
- Add in the eggs, ONE at a time, beating just until the egg yolk breaks, then add in the next, etc. Beat the mixture for 1 additional minute. Do not over beat, this is why I recommend only 1 minute. Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the cooled crust.
- Place the springform pan in a 9×13 inch pan or larger roasting pan. Carefully fill the roasting pan with about 1 inch of water.
- Place the water bath with the cheesecake inside in the oven and bake at 325º F for 65-85 minutes *see note. 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 the cheesecake is done baking, turn the oven off and gently remove the springform pan from the water bath and oven safe bag. Place the cheesecake on a baking sheet and return to the oven (oven is off) with the oven door cracked. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature inside the oven before removing – this could be 60-90 minutes.
- Once cooled to room temperature, remove the cheesecake from the oven. Loosely cover the cheesecake with foil and place in the fridge overnight.
- Before serving, carefully unmold the cheesecake from the pan. Use a small spatula to assist any parts that are sticking to 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, remove from the heat and pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips. Allow the mixture to sit for 1 minute, melting the chocolate chips, then stir well to mix. Allow the ganache to cool for 5-7 minutes before adding it to the cheesecake.
TO ASSEMBLE
- Pour/spoon the chocolate ganache on top of the cheesecake, using a spatula to spread it around.
- Add chocolate shavings. Serve. Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge.
Beth, This
Cheesecake is so yummy. It works perfectly
every time!!
ALWAYS in
demand when I serve it.
Thank you from
the bottom of my heart!
Hi Beth,
I made this last night and it was perfect, No cracks, perfect texture, no leakage from water bath. I wrapped mine in foil then turkey bag. But my ganache turned out more like icing. I thought ganache was more liquidy, so it would have those nice drips down the sides. I used Lily’s stevia sweetened chocolate chips. Is that why mine turned out more like spreadable icing?
Adding ganache so you get those nice drips is all about the temperature of the chocolate! I am guessing the ganache cooled down too much so it wouldn’t drip nicely.
Hi. How many teaspoon of instant coffee powder do i need for this recipe to be mixed with 1/3 cup warm water? :)Â
Hello!
I want to try making a smaller cheesecake – do you know if I can make two 6″ cakes with this 9″ cake recipe?
Hi Kelli! I haven’t tried converting the recipe myself, but my guess is yes, it would be okay! The baking time will be different, I would google to get a guesstimate about how long to bake the 6 inch cheesecake for.
Want to make this soon. What caramel sauce do you recommend for the top ?Â
Any jarred caramel sauce!
this cheesecake was SO good. i didnt have espresso so instead i used three instant coffee sticks and it had a really yummy strong but sweet coffee taste. thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Everything was done perfectly except that I used a food processor instead. My batter was very runny even if I did not over mix. I think it is also because my coffee was fresh brewed…maybe too hot? It’s in the oven now, I wonder if I need to cook it longer…I hope it works out!! I’m nervous!
Do I have to put it in the fridge overnight? I’m running short on time :)
Cheesecake needs to fully chill before serving!
This recipe is more than “Company Good”. I made it for a special dinner and can’t describe how good it was. I followed the recipe exactly, except used the serving size for 6, in a 7″ spring form pan which served 4 generously. I topped it with the coffee whipped cream. It is rich so skipped the Ganache. Once again I followed the recipe to the tee and it turned out perfect. Will be making it again.
Not too bad for my 1st time.  Tried to post photo but wouldn’t let me. Used espresso chocolate chips for ganache and made ring around cheesecake due decoration.  💓