This is The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe! A thick, buttery, and crisp graham cracker crust is filled with the creamiest filling, studded with miniature chocolate chips.
To make it even better, this cheesecake is topped with a decadent chocolate ganache, fresh whipped cream, and even more chocolate chips!
This perfect chocolate chip cheesecake recipe is very similar to my classic New York Style Cheesecake, but with even more crispy, buttery graham cracker crust, and a chocolate ganache topping that is ultra decadent and delish!
There are quite a few steps to this recipe, but I promise that the time and attention you’ll need to give to this recipe will be well worth it.
If you’re looking for a slightly easier cheesecake recipe, try making mini Oreo cheesecakes, or a holiday favorite, my pull apart chocolate chip cheesecake christmas tree!
And if you’re looking for an even more decadent cheesecake, make my Reese’s Caramel Cheesecake next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- More Graham Cracker Crust – I love cheesecake, but sometimes I’m pretty sure that my favorite part is the crust! In this recipe, we’ll make extra crust so that we can press the crust up the sides of the pan and not just the bottom.
- A Beautiful and Impressive Dessert – When you make this homemade chocolate chip cheesecake recipe, everyone will know that you’ve put in some time and effort to get it just right. Your family or guests will be so impressed with your baking skills!
- Easy to Make Ahead – Cheesecake is best served chilled, so it makes sense to bake this recipe ahead of time. It can be stored in the fridge for a few days, or even frozen for a few weeks.
Key Ingredients in Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Here’s what you need to make this amazing dessert:
- Graham Cracker Crust: We’ll blend graham crackers, melted unsalted butter, and sugar together in a food processor to create a rich and crispy crust for the cheesecake.
- Cream Cheese: Always use full-fat cream cheese for cheesecake recipes. Lower fat substitutes just won’t work as well. Allow the cream cheese to fully soften at room temperature so that it mixes smoothly with the other filling ingredients
- Eggs: Eggs act as a binder in cheesecake recipes. Let your eggs come to room temperature as well.
- Sour Cream: Along with the cream cheese, this makes the filling extra smooth and rich.
- Chocolate Chips: Choose miniature chips to mix into the cheesecake so that there is more chocolate in every bite! You’ll also need semi-sweet chocolate chips to make the smooth ganache topping.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: This is the second key ingredient to making the perfect ganache, and will be used to make a sweetened whipped cream topping.
- Vanilla Extract: Choose a good quality pure vanilla extract for this recipe. Vanilla enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and makes this dessert taste like it was made in a fancy bakery.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
- Make the Graham Cracker Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor to make crumbs, then combine them in a bowl with melted butter and sugar.
- Bake: Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Use a measuring cup to flatten the bottom. Bake for 8 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Re-Set: Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Wrap the bottom and sides of the cheesecake pan with two large pieces of foil, covering the seams.
- Mix the Cream Cheese Filling: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to incorporate. Then add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until smooth, but don’t overmix. Fold in the mini chocolate chips and pour the mixture into the prepared crust.
- Bake: Prepare a water bath by placing a roasting pan in the oven and placing the cheesecake pan (that you’ve wrapped in foil) in the middle of it. Pour boiling water around the cheesecake until it is 1 inch deep. Bake for 55-60 minutes.
- Cool: Turn off the oven and slightly open the door. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for one hour. Then, cool completely at room temperature. Finally, cover and chill in the fridge for at least six hours, or overnight.
Tip!
If the top of the cheesecake starts to brown before it’s done baking, tent it with foil to keep the color light.
- Make the Ganache: In a saucepan, heat the cream until hot but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a bowl and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth, whisking if necessary to bring it together.
- Cover the Cheesecake: Let the ganache cool to room temperature, then pour it over the cheesecake and smooth with a spatula.
- Decorate: Top the chocolate chip cheesecake with rosettes made from fresh whipped cream and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
Whipped Cream for Cheesecake
If you’re planning to serve the cheesecake soon, make a simple sweetened whipped cream by beating cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form.
But if you need the whipped cream to hold its shape longer, consider making a stabilized whipped cream instead. First, whip together 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar. Then mix in the heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix until stiff peaks form.
To pipe rosettes with whipped cream, fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip halfway. Hold the bag at a 90-degree angle, and gently squeeze to make small circles, releasing pressure and lifting away to complete each rosette.
Recipe Tips
- Relax! There are quite a few steps to this chocolate chip cheesecake recipe, but if you take your time and follow each one, you’re sure to succeed.
- Use room temperature ingredients. To get a super smooth and decadent cheesecake filling, be sure that all of your ingredients (cream cheese, sour cream, eggs) are a room temperature.
- Instead of making ganache, you can top the cheesecake with more mini chocolate chips just before baking.
- The water bath is important, as it keeps the moisture level in the oven high. Another way to create this moist environment is to place a pan of boiling water on the rack underneath the cheesecake.
- If (for some reason) you want less crust, reduce the amount of graham crackers to 9-12 full sheets.
- Make chocolate chip cheesecake bars. Halve the ingredients for the filling, and make the crust with 10 graham crackers, 5 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, pressed into an 8-inch square pan. Bake the crust for 8 minutes at 350°F/180°C, then fill with filling, bake for 30-35 minutes, and cool. You don’t need to use a water bath for cheesecake bars!
Storing Tips
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Cheesecake can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Either freeze the entire pan or freeze individual slices to enjoy later.
Recipe FAQs
Why did my cheesecake crack?
There are a couple of things that could make your cheesecake crack. Overmixing the ingredients, overbaking, or baking without a water bath are the most common ones. Luckily, this cheesecake is topped with a thick layer of chocolate ganache, so you’ll be able to hide any imperfections!
Can I make this recipe with low-fat cream cheese?
I don’t suggest it, but you can technically make this chocolate chip cheesecake recipe with Neufachatel cheese rather than cream cheese. It won’t be quite as creamy, but it will still be good. You definitely should not try to make cheesecake with fat-free cream cheese though, it just won’t work.
More Cheesecake Recipes
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This Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe is a gorgeous dessert and a tasty twist on a classic. Pin this, and make it for your next dinner party, holiday, or fancy family meal!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
Crust:
- 18 full sheets (270 g) graham crackers (9.5 ounces)
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons (37 g) granulated sugar
Filling:
- 32 ounces (900 g) full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (190 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Ganache:
- ½ cup (80 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy whipping cream
Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream cold
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C,) or 160°C for a fan oven.
- Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan with butter, then line it with parchment paper (bottom and sides).
Prepare the Crust:
- Crush the graham crackers in a food processor, then combine them in a bowl with melted butter and sugar. Stir the mixture and let the graham cracker crumbs absorb the butter.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the prepared springform pan. Flatten the bottom using a measuring cup.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then set aside.
- Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) or 275°F (140°C) for a fan oven. Wrap the springform pan with two large pieces of foil, covering the seams to protect it.
Prepare the Cheesecake Filling:
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on high speed until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition until just incorporated.
- Add sour cream, vanilla, and salt, and mix until smooth, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Optionally, sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top if not using ganache.
Bake the Cheesecake:
- Prepare a water bath by placing a roasting pan in the oven and placing the cheesecake pan in the middle of it. Pour boiling water around the cheesecake until 1 inch deep.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes. Tent with foil if the top browns too much.
- Turn off the oven, slightly open the door, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour. Then, cool completely at room temperature and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Prepare the Ganache:
- In a saucepan, heat the cream until hot but not boiling. Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir well until smooth. If needed, whisk vigorously to bring it together.
- Let the ganache cool to room temperature, then pour over the cheesecake and smooth with a spatula.
Make the Whipped Cream:
- In a stand mixer, beat the cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- To pipe whipped cream rosettes, first fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip halfway with the whipped cream. Then, holding the bag at a 90-degree angle, gently squeeze to make small circles, releasing pressure and lifting away to complete each rosette. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
Notes:
- Use room temperature ingredients. To get a super smooth and decadent cheesecake filling, be sure that all of your ingredients (cream cheese, sour cream, eggs) are a room temperature.
- Instead of making ganache, you can top the cheesecake with more mini chocolate chips just before baking.
- The water bath is important, as it keeps the moisture level in the oven high. Another way to create this moist environment is to place a pan of boiling water on the rack underneath the cheesecake.
- To Store: Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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