This spooky Halloween cheesecake is a creamy, no-bake chocolate cheesecake made with mellow black cocoa powder and an Oreo crust. This Halloween-themed cheesecake can be customized with any toppings and is perfect to serve both kids and adults for trick-or-treat night or a Halloween party.
This dark chocolate cheesecake is a fun way to make any Halloween gathering spooky, festive, and fun. Serve it alongside this black velvet cake, Halloween candy cookies, and Halloween hot chocolate for a full dessert spread!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Oreo flavor - while the cheesecake crust is made with Oreo cookies, the filling is made with black cocoa powder, which is the same cocoa powder used in Oreos. That makes the cheesecake taste just like a chocolate Oreo cheesecake!
Creamy texture - the no-bake cheesecake filling is made by whipping the cream cheese to an airy texture, and folding in light and fluffy whipped cream for a velvety bite every time.
Spooky Halloween dessert - not only does the black cocoa contribute to a dark black cheesecake, but the toppings are totally customizable to suit your aesthetic. Add ghost peeps, spider webs, sprinkles, Oreo crumbs and gravestone candies, or plastic decorations.
Ingredients
- Oreos. Both the cookies and cream are ground up and mixed with butter and sugar to create the Oreo cheesecake crust.
- Cream cheese. Full-fat, brick-style cream cheese should be used. It needs to be at a very soft room temperature. Philadelphia brand is always my go-to for both taste and texture.
- Black cocoa powder. This mellow cocoa powder creates an ultra-dark color and a flavor that tastes just like Oreos. It's crucial to achieve the correct flavor and color for this Halloween cheesecake.
- Semi-sweet chocolate. Look for any chocolate bar that reads between 60-70% cacao.
- Powdered sugar. This fine sugar makes for a very creamy cheesecake batter. There is also a small amount of cornstarch in powdered sugar, which helps the cheesecake to set.
- Heavy whipping cream. This needs to be at least 36% milk fat so it can whip up into light and fluffy peaks.
- Black food coloring. Adding just a few drops of black food coloring to the cheesecake batter helps to make the batter a true black. This is completely optional!
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use chocolate wafers or chocolate graham crackers instead of Oreos.
- make them mini in a cupcake tin or into bars in a 9x13" pan.
- Use milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark-chocolate in the filling.
- Use Dutch-processed cocoa in place of black cocoa, but it will be less black and will need black food coloring.
- Do not use low-fat cream cheese. It has more water content so the filling will not set up correctly.
How to Make This Recipe
One: Mix together the Oreo crumbs and butter until completely moistened.
Two: Press the crumbs ¾ of the way up the sides of a springform pan, then freeze.
Three: Bloom the black cocoa in water and heavy cream, then cool. This helps ensure a very dark batter and enhances the flavor.
Four: Whip the remaining whipped cream until stiff peaks form and set aside.
Five: Break down the cream cheese, then add the sugar and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides.
Six: Add the cocoa powder paste and beat together. Scrape the sides and bottom and mix again.
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Seven: Melt the chocolate, then add to the batter with the vanilla. Mix to combine.
Eight: Fold the whipped cream into the batter until light, fluffy, and completely incorporated.
Hot tip! While adding the melted chocolate, incorporate a few drops of black coloring to darken the batter, if desired.
Nine: Spread the batter evenly into the Oreo crust, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours.
Ten: Top with Oreo crumbs and gravestone candy, additional whipped cream and chocolate drizzles, white chocolate "webs", ghost Peeps, halloween sprinkles, etc.
Expert Tips
- Let the cocoa powder paste to cool fully before adding to the cheesecake batter.
- Scrape down the bowl multiple times during the mixing process to be sure the batter gets fully incorporated.
- Fold the whipped cream in gently, trying not to deflate the batter.
- Let the cheesecake set for at least 4 hours in the fridge before cutting in.
- Decorate the cheesecake after the chill time.
- Wipe off the knife in between each cut for the cleanest slices.
Recipe FAQs
Because this particular cheesecake includes melted chocolate, it does not need gelatin. Chocolate solidifies and stabilizes the cheesecake.
Run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edge of the pan, then unlatch the pan and carefully pull up straight up. Then, run the spatula in between the base of the pan and the crust and go around one time. Carefully slide the cheesecake onto a plate or serving platter.
This could be because the whipped cream wasn't whipped to stiff enough peaks, the cheesecake batter was mixed or folded too aggressively and caused it to fall, or the cheesecake did not chill for long enough.
Storage
Store the Halloween cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to one week.
To freeze, wrap the cheesecake or slices (prior to decorating) in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and add to a zip top bag. Freeze for up to three months.
To thaw, unwrap completely and thaw in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
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📖Recipe
Halloween Cheesecake
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachment (or hand mixer)
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 2 ½ cups Oreo crumbs ~26 oreos
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Cheesecake Filling
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup black cocoa powder
- 6 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 24 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature (use full-fat brick style, Philadelphia brand)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- Black food coloring optional, for darker color
Instructions
Crust
- Stir the Oreo crust ingredients together in a bowl with a fork until completely moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform springform pan and pack in very tightly, going halfway up the sides. Freeze while you make the filling.2 ½ cups Oreo crumbs, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- Add ¼ cup of the heavy whipping cream and the water to a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming and hot. Remove from the heat, sift in the cocoa powder (to remove any clumps, and stir until a paste forms.¼ cup water, ¾ cup black cocoa powder, ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- Place the chopped chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate is melted. Set aside.6 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or with a handheld mixer), whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks so it stands on the tip of the whisk without falling. Set aside (or transfer to a large mixing bowl)1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a handheld mixer), and mix on low speed until the cream cheese is broken down. Scrape down the sides, then sift in the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed (add a kitchen towel over top so it doesn’t mix out!) until combined. Scrape down the sides.24 oz cream cheese, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Add the cocoa powder paste, mix in, then increase the speed to medium for 30 seconds. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bottom and mix again. Add a few drops of black food coloring to deepen the color (optional).1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract, Black food coloring
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake batter by hand until no white streaks remain (careful not to deflate the batter).
- Spread the cheesecake into the prepared crust and refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Nova says
I see you mention the different topping ideas, but what exactly is your topping in the photos? It’s not just whipped cream, did you mix crushed Oreos into it?
Callan Wenner says
Hey there! In an attempt to make it look "web like" I drizzled a bit of melted chocolate into the whipped cream and folded it together (the chocolate will sort of seieze up when folding due to the cold cream). After adding it onto the cheesecake, I added a few more drizzles of the chocolate before plopping on the themed pieces.
Nova says
Thank you! If I wanted to make a web design on top, what do you recommend I use that won’t melt or dissolve into the whipped cream topping? Should I make a glaze? Would chocolate syrup work if I immediately put it into the fridge?
Just one thing I wanted to point out in the instructions is step 3, it says to use the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream but then the lighter note underneath still has the recipe’s full amount of 1 1/4 cup, but we already used the 1/4 cup. May confuse some!
I won’t be tasting it until Sunday but I’m sure it’ll be yummy! Thank you!
Callan Wenner says
I would just use melting chocolate wafers and pipe on the web design after adding the whipped cream. Just be sure it's not super hot when you do it. Then pop it in the fridge and it will harden up no problem.
Thank you for the note on the heavy cream amounts! This is unfortunately a limitation of the recipe card plugin I use - maybe I will separate the whipped cream amounts within the ingredients list so that it matches up in the instructions and is crystal clear for everyone who makes it.
Would love to hear how it turns out!