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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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Made this for the 4th came out excellent
Just made this and waiting for it to cool to room temp but i had brewed a cup of espresso and added 2/3 of a cup to my mixer it made it a little more liquidy but I cooked it for 80min so far it looks so fluffy and I tasted the mix before baking and it tasted amazing can wait to dig in
( using the turkey bag it did leak some water into my crust would definitely use a couple bags or instapot liners instead may try the tin foil method next time)
I’ve made many cheesecakes, and I’ve never had one look like your photos…. That just does not look like the center is fully cooked. Cheesecake isn’t supposed to be runny and wet looking. So I’m hesitant to make this… Why does this cheesecake not look fully cooked????
Hi Shelly! Mine in the photos was slightly underbaked, I pulled it out a little too soon, but the baking time has been adjusted and is correct in the recipe card.
Can you send me the recipe from before you updated it? The one that had brewed espresso and espresso powder?
Hi Ashley! The recipe isn’t hasn’t been updated, just the content of the post. This recipe calls for 1/3 cup brewed espresso.
This cheesecake is the most requested thing I bake. Follow the directions to the T and you’ll have a winner on your hands. SO good. Order a high-quality espresso powder WAY ahead of time and just keep it handy/ready.
Mine was not this thick…
What size pan did you use?
I’m not particularly thrilled by the consistency of the cheesecake but this could definitely just be a personal preference. The coffee flavor was good (I did end up adding more espresso to liquid ratio as the batter didn’t taste very strongly of coffee at first). This also doesn’t make a lot of cheesecake, so the ganash is a little thicker than I would prefer. Overall it is tasty, just not my favorite. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
The best cheesecake! ❤️
Absolutely fantastic!! Will be one of my go-tos for sure!!
We tried this recipe looking for a delicious Sunday afternoon treat and couldn’t be more blessed by how it turned out.
We used a tad less sugar but it turned out just right. Next time, we would use a bit more espresso since the flavor dint come through too much. Thank you, Beth!
I’m confused on how to do the espresso because I got the delallo powder but I’m not sure what amounts of espresso to water I need for the 1/3 cup I need.
Also, I’m using a 10″ pan. What will I need to change? Thank you
I would recommend following the package instructions to make 1/3 cup espresso. For a 10″ pan, the bake time will be a bit shorter.