This Cookie Dough Cheesecake is the ultimate dessert for chocolate chip cookie lovers! Not only are there chocolate chips and edible cookie dough throughout the tangy cheesecake filling, but the crust is made of crushed chocolate chip cookies. These components take the dessert to a whole new level!
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 60 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 12
- 🍫 Flavor Profile: Creamy, sweet, and rich with vanilla cheesecake and chocolate chip cookie dough.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and coffee or milk.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, best made a day ahead and chilled.
Summarize and Save This Content On
You can make this chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake for any occasion that you want! It's a standout at birthday parties and holidays, too. The cookie dough is made with heat-treated flour and zero eggs, so it's safe to eat; there's no worry about consuming raw eggs here!
If you love edible cookie dough, you need to make these cookie dough Oreos and cookie dough dip with chocolate chips.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's beginner-friendly: You don't have to be a professional baker to make this homemade cookie dough cheesecake! I include clear, easy instructions that anyone can follow.
- It's make-ahead friendly: I love that I can make this cookie cheesecake in advance! This saves a lot of time if you plan to serve it at an event or party.
- You can make it anytime: This chocolate chip cookie cheesecake is great whenever you want, too! It's a showstopper for special occasions, but it works as an easy-from-scratch dessert you can share with your family.
Ingredients
Below you'll find the key ingredients for each component of this cookie dough cheesecake with a chocolate chip cookie crust.
- Butter: Two components of this cheesecake require butter: the crust and the cookie dough. You'll need softened butter for the edible cookie dough to keep it smooth and melted for the cookie crust to help the crumbs stick together. I do recommend unsalted butter, too.
- Sugar: The brown sugar in the cookie dough keeps it from drying out; the same goes for the crust. I use granulated sugar in the cheesecake filling because it's a baked cheesecake and won't take on a grainy texture.
- Flour: The flour used in the cookie dough must be heat-treated first to make it safe to eat. I use all-purpose flour in this recipe, and it works perfectly.
- Chocolate chip cookies: Use any chocolate chip cookies you want because they will be crushed into crumbs to form the cookie crust. Store-bought is great, or you can use extra homemade cookies from this chocolate chip cookie pie.
- Chocolate chips: I love mini-chocolate chips for this recipe to ensure maximum chocolate distribution. They are added to the cookie dough and the cheesecake filling to ensure every bite feels like a chocolate chip cookie.
- Cream cheese: Ensure that your cream cheese is softened before you use it, so you have a smooth and lump-free filling. I love full-fat cream cheese for the best texture and flavor, too.
- Sour cream: This adds additional moisture to the filling and makes it extra creamy. I also use it in this lemon cream cheese pie.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Cookies and cream: Replace the chocolate chips in the cheesecake filling with ½ cup of crushed Oreos to make a cookies and cream version.
- Birthday cake: Add 3 tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles to the cheesecake along with 1 teaspoon of cake batter extract in place of 1 teaspoon of vanilla to give it birthday cake flavor.
- Chocolate lovers: Use chocolate chunks in the edible cookie dough and cheesecake instead of chips to get larger pieces of chocolate throughout the dessert.
How to Make Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Ensure you preheat your oven to 325° F to bake your crust and cheesecake, and line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper to make serving a breeze.
Step 1: Prepare and chill the cookie dough. Cream the butter and sugar, add the wet ingredients, and then the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Now you can cover it and place it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, roll it into balls and then chill again.
Step 2: Make the cookie crust. Pulverize the cookies in a food processor and combine them with butter and brown sugar. Press the mixture into the springform pan and bake it for 8 minutes.
Step 3: Combine the filling and mix-ins. Beat the cream cheese and sugar, and then slowly add the other ingredients for the cheesecake filling. Then gently fold in the cookie dough chunks and the chocolate chips.
Step 4: Spread onto the crust. Pour the mixture into the cooled cookie crust and spread it evenly.
Step 5: Bake, cool, and chill. Now you can wrap the pan in two layers of heavy-duty foil and place it into a roasting pan filled halfway with hot water. Bake the cheesecake for 50-60 minutes. Allow it to cool to room temperature for about an hour before chilling for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Step 6: Decorate and serve. Prepare the whipped cream and pipe it onto the chilled cheesecake. Top it with the reserved cookie dough balls and chocolate chips. Slice and enjoy with a tequila espresso martini.
Expert Tips
- Use store-bought edible cookie dough: If you want to skip some steps, feel free to try this cookie dough cheesecake recipe with pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Room temperature ingredients are key: Allow the eggs and other refrigerated ingredients to come to room temperature before making the cheesecake mixture. This ensures that it will be smooth and creamy before it bakes.
- Chill the cookie dough first: Cold cookie dough holds its shape better in the batter. If the dough is too soft, the pieces can sink to the bottom of the cheesecake instead of staying evenly distributed.
- Bake in a water bath: A water bath creates gentle, even heat and keeps the cheesecake creamy. It also helps prevent cracks and overbaking around the edges.
- Know when your cheesecake is done: The center should still have a slight jiggle when you remove it from the oven. Cheesecake continues to set as it cools, so pulling it out at the right time keeps it rich and creamy instead of dry.
- Cool and chill properly. It's important to cool the cheesecake slowly. Sudden temperature changes can cause cracks. Let the cheesecake cool gradually before moving it to the refrigerator. Be sure to chill it for a minimum of 6 hours as it continues to setup as it cools.
- Refrigerator and freezer storage: Tightly wrap the cookie dough cheesecake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving it.
Another delicious dessert that combines cheesecake and cookies is these sugar cookie cheesecake cups.
Serving Suggestions
- A scoop of ice cream would create the ultimate indulgent dessert. I highly recommend mint brownie ice cream and peanut butter cup ice cream to pair with a slice of chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake.
- If you prefer a hot drink with your slice of cheesecake, this mint hot chocolate is delicious.
- Enjoy an easy dinner of spicy chicken casserole if you plan to make this cookie dough cheesecake for your family at home.
Cookie Dough Cheesecake Recipe FAQs
Cracks usually happen when the cheesecake overbakes or experiences sudden temperature changes while baking or cooling. If it stays in the oven too long, the top can dry out and split. Rapid temperature shifts, like repeatedly opening the oven door, can also cause the cheesecake to contract too quickly, which leads to cracking. To prevent this, avoid overbaking and watch for the right doneness cues. The center should still have a slight jiggle when the cheesecake is finished baking. Also, keep the oven door closed as much as possible so the temperature stays steady. Letting the cheesecake cool gradually helps keep the surface smooth and crack-free.
No! The water creates steam that not only regulates temperature so the cheesecake bakes evenly, but also adds moisture to keep the filling creamy.
The cookie dough usually sinks when it's too soft or warm when added to the batter. Soft dough is heavier than the cheesecake filling and will drop to the bottom instead of staying suspended throughout the cheesecake. To prevent this, chill the cookie dough before adding it to the batter. Cold dough is firmer and holds its shape better, which helps the pieces stay evenly distributed as the cheesecake bakes. It's a small step, but it makes a big difference-so don't skip the chilling time.
More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes
Do you like cheesecake? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Ingredients
Edible Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Cookie Crust
- 2 cups chocolate chip cookie crumbs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces 3 packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Topping - Optional
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Extra cookie dough chunks or mini chocolate chips for garnish
Instructions
For the Edible Cookie Dough
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add the milk and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Mix in the flour and salt until combined, then fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Chill for 15 minutes while making the crust.
- Roll into small balls. Chill for another 15 minutes before using. Save about ½ cup for garnish later.
For the Cookie Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
- In a large food processor, add chocolate chip cookies and pulse until you have 2 cups of crumbs.
- Add the brown sugar and melted butter, mix until a wet sand texture forms.
- Press the crust firmly into the bottom and along the sides of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then set aside to cool.
For the Cheesecake Filling
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
- Add the sour cream and vanilla, mixing just until combined.
- Beat in the eggs on low speed, scraping the sides as needed.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips and cookie dough chunks evenly throughout the batter.
- Pour over the crust and smooth the top.
- Wrap the outside of the pan with two layers of heavy-duty foil to make it leak-proof in the water bath.
- Place the wrapped springform pan inside a large roasting pan.
- Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- Carefully place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly when gently shaken.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
For the Topping
- Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until soft peaks form. Pipe over chilled cheesecake using a piping bag with a large star tip.
- Decorate with the reserved cookie dough balls and extra chocolate chips before serving.
Notes
- Using room temperature cream cheese and eggs will ensure that your filling is perfectly creamy and lump-free.
- The water bath is crucial to keep your cookie dough cheesecake moist and to ensure it bakes evenly.
- Overbaking the cheesecake or opening the oven door too much can both cause the top of it to crack.
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