There are a lot of no-bake cheesecake recipes out there, and this one with chocolate and espresso is easy, delicious and fun to make. With a divine, crisp Oreo cookie crust, its flavor is deep and rich, and the texture is creamy and smooth. 
Just as we were getting in our groove of pajamas all day, late breakfasts and late bedtimes, we found ourselves back in the grind. I thought I was ready for our busy schedules to return. I thought I’d welcome early mornings and early bedtimes.
Turns out, not so much.
It still feels like summer vacation around here, but really it’s just still summer. . . now with school and all of its corresponding activities.
If I sound like I’m complaining, I suppose I am. I’m just being real.
And I’m also being real when I tell you that this complaining mood I’m in, makes me want cheesecake. It’s a rare craving, but you know how it is when you crave something specific. You have to have it! So cheesecake it is, and without too much work — so I’m making one of my favorite no-bake cheesecake recipes.
Let’s make Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake, shall we?
You don’t even have to turn the oven on. Which, since it still is summer, you might not want to do. No-bake cheesecake recipes are ideal in the warmer months for this reason. Not that I would want Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake any other day of the year. 😉
I think I’m going to serve this over the weekend at a barbecue and we’ll pretend we’re still on summer vacation. It’s the kind of dessert one permits themselves to have on vacation, after all. Indulge!
I hope you enjoy every last delectable bite of your Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake recipe, and that it will become one of your favorite no-bake cheesecake recipes too!
And not to worry, we’re back to the full twelve weeks next summer. 😉
This chocolate-espresso cheesecake is easy, delicious and fun to make. With a divine, crisp Oreo cookie crust, its flavor is deep and rich, and the texture is creamy and smooth.
- 36 Oreo cookies
- 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder (such as Medaglia D'oro)
- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, divided (I like Sharffen Berger)
- 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, divided
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder divided
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
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Use a food processor fitted with the blade attachment to finely grind the Oreos. You want the result to be smooth and without large cookie chunks.
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Pour the ground Oreos into a large mixing bowl and fold in the espresso powder and the melted butter.
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Add this mixture to a 9-inch X 3-inch springform pan. Using your hands, gently press the mixture to evenly coat the inside (bottom and almost all the way up the sides), to form the crust. Set aside.
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Add 8-ounces of the finely chopped chocolate to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the remaining 2-ounces to a small bowl and set aside for later.
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In a small saucepan, scald the cream with 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the espresso powder. Tiny bubbles will appear on the edges of the pan and it should be very hot, but not boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Do not stir it yet – wait about 4 minutes and then, use a wooden spoon and gently stir to combine. It will take a few minutes of mixing before you’ll see it come together. (This is just like making Ganache, only a slightly thinner consistency.)
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Let the chocolate cool slightly, then pour about 1 cup directly on the bottom of the crust. Place the pan on a baking sheet in the refrigerator until this thin layer of chocolate solidifies, about 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the softened cream cheese with the sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon of the espresso powder, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of the vanilla. Blend until it's silky smooth, about 1 minute.
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Remove the pan from the refrigerator, and pour the cheese mixture over the solidified layer of chocolate in the crust. Return the pan to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then pour the remaining chocolate mixture evenly over the top, to coat the entire surface. Again, return the pan to the refrigerator -- this time for about 20 minutes.
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Now mix the 2-ounces of chocolate you set aside earlier, with the remaining 1 teaspoon of espresso powder, and sprinkle this mixture evenly on top of the cake.
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Refrigerate for another 3 hours, and ideally overnight.
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Carefully and gently, run a sharp knife along the inside of the pan, around the crust. Then loosen the spring of the pan, slowly. Keep the cake on the bottom of the springform pan and place it on a serving platter or plate.
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Remove the cake from the refrigerator about 1 hour before you are ready to serve.
Please note that the crust is not perfect. It might slightly crack in areas when you open the springform pan. That's okay!
To make a gluten-free version of this cheesecake you can use Glutino Chocolate Cream Cookies.
Wow – this looks INCREDIBLE!!! Almost good enough to make me feel better about school starting again so soon. : )
Yay! Thanks, Jeanne. 🙂
Valentina, thanks for the delicious idea — even if I only wind up eating popsicles this weekend, its spirit goes hand-in-hand with my refusal to accept that summer vacation is over.
Laura, popsicles are the perfect way to hold on to summer! 🙂
Your cheesecake looks gorgeous and the perfect thing to help you get over the schedule adjustment hump – as a matter of fact, it looks like the perfect thing for anytime!
Thank you, Nancy! xo
You are sooooo naughty.
this is something you should eat while wearing only lingerie.
Waw, your no-bake chocolate espresso cheeseake looks utterly tasty! Georgous & stunning pics too! 🙂
Sophie, I’m excited to check out your cream cheese fig bars. Thanks for visiting me here! 🙂
That crust is like a crown! GREG
Love the messy crust!
Thanks, Colette. Me, too! Plus, the more it crumbles, the more tastes I must eat!
This looks tempting but I can’t wait for your next post “Peach Caprese” as we have tons of peaches this year from our Frost Peach tree. Imagine peaches on the Northwest coast!
How lucky, Lewis, to have a Frost peach tree! Enjoy the Caprese, and thanks for visiting my site! 🙂