Description
Whip up a dreamy, creamy no-bake chocolate cheesecake slice with this easy recipe. My go-to for a quick dessert, no oven needed!
Ingredients
Scale
- Crust Essentials:
- 2 cups (about 24) chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- Creamy Filling Stars:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed preferred)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional Decadence & Garnish:
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips, for mixing or garnish
- Chocolate shavings or extra cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
- Prep the Pan & Crust:: First things first, grab an 8×8 or 9×9 inch square pan. Line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides – this is your little lifesaver for lifting the creamy no-bake chocolate cheesecake slice out later, trust me! Now, crush those chocolate wafer cookies. I usually throw them in a food processor, but a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin work just as well, albeit with a bit more arm muscle. Melt your butter, then mix it into the cookie crumbs until it all looks like wet sand. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Really press it down, like you’re saying, “You are staying put!”
- Whip the Cream Cheese Mixture:: In a large bowl, beat the softened full-fat cream cheese with the granulated sugar until it’s super smooth and fluffy. You want no lumps here, hon. I usually scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is incorporated. Then, whisk in the unsweetened cocoa powder and vanilla extract. It’ll look a bit stiff at first, but keep going until it’s a luscious, uniform chocolate color. This is where the magic starts to smell really good, honestly!
- Whip the Heavy Cream:: In a separate, chilled bowl (I pop mine in the freezer for 10 minutes beforehand – game changer!), whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This means when you lift the whisk, the cream holds its shape. Don’t over-whip it, or you’ll end up with butter, and while delicious, that’s not what we’re going for in our creamy no-bake chocolate cheesecake slice!
- Combine for Creamy Filling:: Gently fold about a third of the whipped cream into the chocolate cream cheese mixture to lighten it up. Then, add the remaining whipped cream and fold until just combined. You want to be gentle here to keep all that beautiful air in the mixture. Overmixing will deflate it, and we want this creamy no-bake chocolate cheesecake slice to be light and airy, not dense!
- Assemble the Slice:: Spoon the creamy chocolate filling over your prepared cookie crust. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly, making sure it reaches all the corners. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles and help settle the mixture. This step always makes me feel like a fancy pastry chef, even if my kitchen is a total mess!
- Chill and Garnish:: Now for the hardest part: chilling! Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or even better, overnight. I know, I know, it’s tough to wait. But trust me, it needs this time to firm up properly. Once chilled, lift the creamy no-bake chocolate cheesecake slice out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Slice it into squares, and if you’re feeling extra, sprinkle with some chocolate shavings or a dusting of cocoa powder. Enjoy your glorious creation!