Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake (Printable)
Creamy cheesecake studded with cookie dough and a crisp chocolate cookie crust, chilled until firm.
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate Cookie Crust
01 - 9 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
02 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
03 - 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
05 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup all-purpose flour, heat-treated
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
→ Cheesecake Filling
11 - 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
13 - 3 large eggs
14 - 1/2 cup sour cream
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
→ Topping (optional)
17 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
18 - Reserved cookie dough balls
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and line the base of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan with parchment.
02 - Combine crushed chocolate cookies and melted butter until fully blended. Press firmly into the base of the prepared pan and chill in the freezer while assembling remaining components.
03 - Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Incorporate milk and vanilla. Add heat-treated flour and salt, mixing just until combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Roll most of the dough into marble-sized balls for the filling, reserving some for topping if desired. Refrigerate dough balls until needed.
04 - Blend cream cheese and sugar until smooth and lump-free. Beat in eggs individually, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Mix in sour cream, vanilla extract, and flour, blending gently until just combined.
05 - Pour half of the cheesecake batter over the chilled crust. Dot evenly with half of the cookie dough balls. Cover with the remaining batter, smoothing the surface. Top with reserved cookie dough balls as desired.
06 - Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center remains slightly wobbly. Turn off the oven, prop open the door, and allow cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour.
07 - Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for optimal texture.
08 - Before serving, garnish the cheesecake with mini chocolate chips and reserved cookie dough balls as preferred. Slice with a hot, dry knife for clean portions and serve chilled.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Every slice is a hidden treasure trove of cookie dough, so it feels like you get dessert within dessert.
- The contrast between the crunchy chocolate crust and the silky cheesecake is the sort of textural magic people ask about for years.
02 -
- Skip cooling the cake in the oven and you’ll likely meet a dramatic crack down the center—learned this after an impatient first attempt.
- Heat-treating your flour for the cookie dough is non-negotiable; it’s the only way to make it truly safe, even if it feels excessive.
03 -
- Blending the cream cheese thoroughly at the start is far more important than overmixing at the end—those first few minutes set up the texture for success.
- Reserve a handful of cookie dough balls to press into the top right after baking so they look perfectly soft and inviting on each wedge.