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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake – a thick, creamy, and delicious cheesecake loaded with edible cookie dough inside of an Oreo cookie crust. Just like the one at Cheesecake Factory!
You can’t really go to Cheesecake Factory and not have a slice of cheesecake. It is the perfect thing after their delicious Chicken Madeira. And if there is something with cookie dough on the menu, you know that is what I am going to pick almost every time!
Since we live nowhere near a Cheesecake Factory, it was time that I made this at home. And trust me, it is the most decadent and delicious cheesecake! And the cookie dough just makes it extra tasty.
I first discovered the base for this cheesecake in my Cook’s Illustrated cookbook years and years ago. It is rich, creamy, smooth and so decadent. It bakes up super high, with the perfect golden brown top. And lots of people will love the fact that it does not involve a water bath.
Erin’s Notes
- Tastes just like the cookie dough cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory, made completely from scratch at home.
- No water bath required — this recipe bakes up thick and creamy without the extra fuss.
- Loaded with edible cookie dough, so every bite has a pocket of that classic cookie dough flavor.
- Perfect make-ahead dessert — it needs to chill anyway, so it’s ready before you need it.
- Extra cookie dough left over means bonus treats like cookie dough truffles or cookie dough ice cream.
Ingredient Notes
- Oreo Cookies – crushed into crumbs for the crust; use the whole cookie, filling included.
- Butter – melted butter binds the crust, and a little brushed on the baked crust keeps the cheesecake from sticking.
- Cream Cheese – the base of the filling; let it soften fully so the batter beats up smooth with no lumps.
- Granulated Sugar – sweetens the filling without masking the tang of the cream cheese.
- Sour Cream – adds richness and a little tang, and helps keep the texture silky.
- Lemon Juice – just a touch to balance the sweetness and brighten the filling.
- Vanilla Extract – used in both the filling and the cookie dough for warm, rounded flavor.
- Eggs – whole eggs plus extra yolks give the cheesecake its dense, creamy structure.
- Brown Sugar – gives the cookie dough its classic butterscotch-y flavor.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – replaces raw eggs in the cookie dough, so it’s safe to eat straight from the bowl.
- Chocolate Chips – mini chips distribute more evenly throughout the cookie dough balls.
Edible Cookie Dough
This cheesecake has little balls of edible cookie dough all throughout. The recipe makes a full batch of cookie dough, but you’ll only use about half of it here. It uses a full 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, and it’s easier to find uses for leftover cookie dough than to try to divide a can of condensed milk in half. If you’d rather cut the cookie dough recipe in half, that works too.
Dip the leftover dough balls in melted chocolate for cookie dough truffles, stir them into ice cream, or just freeze them for next time.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 2/3 package of Oreos, crushed
- 4 Tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened – cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 whole large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Prepare the Cookie Dough
- In an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until smooth and combined. Mix in the vanilla extract.1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- With mixer on low, slowly add in the flour, until completely incorporated. It will be very dry, that is ok. Beat in milk until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- Roll into small 1 inch balls. Place in freezer for 45 minutes, or until completely frozen.
To Make The Crust
- Preheat oven to 325º F.
- Mix together the cookie crumbs and the melted butter.2/3 package of Oreos, 4 Tablespoons butter
- Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to firmly press it into the bottom, keeping it off the sides.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
To Make The Cheesecake
- Increase oven heat to 500º F.
- Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese on low until broken up, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides as necessary.2 1/2 pounds cream cheese
- Add 3/4 cup of sugar, and salt. Mix over low for about a minute, until well combined.1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar.
- Scrape the sides, add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix over low for 1 minute.1/3 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Mix in egg yolks until thoroughly combined. Add the whole eggs, 2 at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition.6 whole large eggs
- Stir in about 1/2 of the frozen cookie dough balls, until evenly distributed.
- Gently brush the top of the baked and cooled crust with the 1 Tablespoon of melted butter. Place springform pan on a baking sheet. Pour filling into the crust.1 Tablespoon butter
- Bake for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven door reduce the temperature to 200º F. Bake for about 90 minutes, or until the center of the cheesecake is 150º F,
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge to loosen the sides.
- Let the cheesecake cool until it is just about room temperature – 2 1/2-3 hours.
- Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
- To remove the mold wrap a warm kitchen towel around the pan, and let set for 1 minute. Gently remove the sides. Cut into 14 slices, and top with whipped cream to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Make Cookie Dough
- Beat the butter and sugar together, then mix in the vanilla.
- Add the flour on low speed until fully incorporated (the dough will look dry — that’s normal).
- Beat in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth, then stir in the chocolate chips.
- Roll into 1-inch balls and freeze for 45 minutes, or until completely frozen.
Make Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- Stir together the Oreo crumbs and melted butter, then press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool completely.
Make Cheesecake
- Increase the oven to 500ºF.
- Beat the cream cheese on low until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Add the sugar and salt, then mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Mix in the egg yolks, then add the whole eggs two at a time, beating about a minute after each addition.
- Fold in about half of the frozen cookie dough balls.
Bake & Chill
- Brush the cooled crust with melted butter, then pour the filling into the pan and set it on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 500ºF for 10 minutes, then — without opening the oven door — reduce the temperature to 200ºF and bake about 90 minutes more, until the center reaches 150ºF.
- Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen the sides.
- Let the cheesecake cool at room temperature for 2 1/2–3 hours, then wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
Can You Make Cheesecake Ahead
Absolutely! Since it needs to be cold to serve anyway, it’s actually best to make it at least a day ahead. You can make it up to 4 days ahead of time — just keep it wrapped in plastic wrap the whole time.
Freezing – cheesecake freezes beautifully. Wrap the whole cheesecake tightly, or wrap individual slices if you only have a few left. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Make the cookie dough balls ahead of time and freeze them — they need to be frozen so they don’t fall apart when folded into the cheesecake batter.
- Don’t overmix the cheesecake batter. Mix just until everything is combined; too much air incorporated raises the chance of cracking.
- No sour cream on hand? Greek yogurt works as a substitute.
- If you’re unsure whether the cheesecake is done, use an instant-read thermometer in the center it should read 150ºF.
No. This recipe is designed to bake up thick and creamy without one, thanks to the bake-then-lower-the-temperature method.
Cracking usually comes from overmixing, which incorporates too much air into the batter. Mix on low speed and only until each addition is combined.
Yes. Wrap the whole cheesecake or individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
Woah…this cheesecake looks incredible!
I made this, and although it was delicious, it made way too much batter and dough for one pan. I would suggest cutting the recipe in half.
SAME! I had half of the batter left and would recommend half the cookie dough balls too. The crust is a good amount though.
Argh!!!!!! We’re making this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake right now and need to know what to do with the other half of the cookie dough. Why have we made double what we’re going to use???
The Cheesecake Factory cheesecake this is inspired by is crazy full with cookie dough. That is why the recipe calls for so much. As well as the fact that it uses 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. Dividing up that and finding uses for that is harder that finding uses for leftover cookie dough. I have plenty of recipes that use up that leftover cookie dough in my Recipe Index – brownie batter cookie dough pancakes, cookie dough truffles, cookie dough mini donuts, and I believe there are even more if you look.
Very satisfying, decadent dessert. Really enjoy these flavors!
Ths is one of my all-time favorite recipes on your site. It doesn’t get better than combining cookie dough and cheesecake!
These are so good! My kids keep asking me to make them again! So addictive!
Oh gosh, this looks really good! Can’t wait to finally try this!
Cheesecake is my favorite dessert! This one is a must make!
I made this and it was so easy, shame I didn’t have the right size tin, but I still made it work. Struggled to get it out like but I got there in the end too lol.
I love this recipe! I never made a cheesecake before and the directions were so good it turned out perfect. This is now one of the most requested by my family. Thank you!