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Home » Recipes » Cakes

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Updated: Jun 18, 2025 · Published: Dec 13, 2021 by Kathleen Culver · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

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A rich, creamy chocolate orange cheesecake that combines the bright, citrusy flavor of orange zest and orange oil with a luxuriously smooth chocolate filling. This decadent cheesecake has an Oreo cookie crust and is dressed up with a decorative cocoa stencil and crowned with dried oranges. This cheesecake recipe uses a lower temperature oven to ensure no cheesecake cracking occurs!

A chocolate orange cheesecake decorated with orange slices and a whole orange.

Whenever I think of orange and chocolate together, I remember the foil wrapped Terry's chocolate oranges made of chocolate wedges attached at the middle. This orange chocolate cheesecake is my way of capturing all the best parts of those chocolates in one decadent dessert.

I've always loved the combination of orange and chocolate. Dried orange slices dipped in dark chocolate, chocolate orange truffles, a simple one layer chocolate orange cake... Juicy sweet citrus pairs so well with the creamy flavor of chocolate.

This chocolate orange cheesecake recipe has the formal presence for a holiday table, but would be equally welcome in warmer months (with a generous spoonful of orange liqueur spiked whipped cream). It's incredibly rich, yet zesty and fresh.

If you love cheesecake, you might also like this strawberry Eton mess cheesecake, or this gingerbread cheesecake.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Make in advance
  • Substitutions
  • Decorative stencil
  • Water bath
  • Storage
  • 📖 Recipe
  • More citrus recipes
  • 💬 Comments
A chocolate orange cheesecake that has had slices removed, revealing the creamy interior and cocoa crust.

Ingredients

* See recipe card for detailed list of ingredients and quantities.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE CRUST

Oreo cookies, ground - Use Oreos or other filled chocolate sandwich cookies. Making crumbs from Oreos is easiest using a food processor. However, my grandma always put them in a bag and crushed them by hand with a rolling pin. Use cookies with a standard amount of filling, not double or thin varieties.

Alternatively, use my recipe for homemade chocolate wafer cookie crust.

Unsalted butter - Melted butter serves as the binder for the crust. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the total quantity of salt in the recipe.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

Cream cheese - Cream cheese is the key element that provides the taste, tang and creaminess that we know and love in cheesecake. I use full fat cream cheese for the rich texture and flavor it provides.

Brown sugar - adds a bit of caramel flavor along with sweetness.

Granulated sugar - provides sweetness

Eggs - Provide richness and thickening structure to the cheesecake.

Sour cream - is added to cheesecake to soften the cream cheese and provide moisture content.

Vanilla extract - For added flavor.

Orange flavoring - I use orange oil, which is concentrated and really helps achieve a powerful citrus burst. I recommend Simply Organic brand. For extracts, try Nielsen Massey and Penzey's.

Orange zest - Wash your orange and use a microplane or fine toothed grater to zest the orange. Avoid grating the white pith as it adds a bitter taste.

FOR THE GANACHE TOPPING AND COCOA DECORATION:

Dark chocolate - The ganache topping is made with good quality dark chocolate. I use a 72% dark chocolate bar, which is on the darker end. I try to avoid using chocolate chips, as they often contain fillers intended to prevent them from melting and losing shape.

Heavy cream - For the ganache, use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Do not substitute with milk, half and half, or other similar consistency non-dairy milks. They don't have the fat content required to create a thick ganache.

Cocoa powder - To create a pattern on the cheesecake. I used natural cocoa powder for a warmer, slightly more red-orange tone to compliment the fruit. Dutch (alkalized) cocoa is darker brown in color. Dust the cheesecake with cocoa powder within a few hours of serving so that it doesn't begin to absorb moisture from the cake.

Dried Orange Slices - Find the recipe for homemade dried orange slices here, complete with the option to dip them in chocolate.

An angled view of a cheesecake decorated with orange slices and a whole orange with a few slices removed, on a white marble surface. There are more oranges with leaves nearby, a metal tin, and a plate of sliced candied oranges.

Make in advance

It's possible (and quite helpful) to make the cheesecake in advance and add the final touches shortly prior to serving. This will ensure maximum freshness. Here are some details regarding the timing for each element:

You can make the cheesecake with Oreo crust several days in advance and keep it well wrapped in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the full-fat version of this homemade cheesecake after it is baked and fully cooled. Run a knife around the inside of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake. Remove the sides of the pan.

Wrap the cheesecake and cheesecake pan base carefully with plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. Defrost the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

Chocolate ganache - I prefer to make the ganache when I'm ready to pour it on the cheesecake. However, you can make it in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Gently warm the ganache over a double boiler or by 15 second increments in the microwave to return it to a just warm enough, pourable consistency.

Add the cocoa powder stencil and dried oranges only a few hours before serving to ensure that they remain fresh. If applied too early, the cocoa powder can begin to absorb moisture from the ganache and cheesecake.

Once you apply the cocoa stencil, you must leave the cheesecake uncovered as foil or plastic wrap would mar the surface. You can store it for a few hours unexposed in the refrigerator. I wouldn't leave it uncovered overnight as it will begin to dry out and might start to crack.

Substitutions

  • Cream Cheese - If you prefer, you can make a lighter cheesecake by substituting American Neufchatel cheese in place of full fat cream cheese.
  • Sour cream is added to cheesecake to soften the cream cheese and provide moisture content. You can substitute full fat Greek yogurt in its place if you'd like.

Note that these two substitutions will lower the fat content and increase the water content of the cheesecake. If you wish to freeze the cheesecake, I recommend sticking with full fat ingredients.

Slices of cheesecake on grey ceramic plates on a marble surface. The larger cheesecake is on a platter at top right. There are oranges, a blue linen, and a small strainer of cocoa powder nearby.

Decorative stencil

If you have a decorative stencil on hand at home, use it to dust the top of the cheesecake with cocoa powder. If not, you can use regular household items to stand in for a store bought stencil.

I used a fine mesh air fryer tray from my countertop oven (similar to this one) to create this stencil. You can also make a design using a metal cooling rack, a piece of lace, a paper doily, mesh from a bag of citrus, or strips of parchment paper laid parallel to each other.

  • Test your stencil by placing it on a piece of parchment paper and dusting the cocoa powder over it.
  • Carefully lift the stencil straight up off of the parchment.
  • You'll have a chance to see if you like the design.
  • After testing the design, pour the cocoa powder back into the container for another use.

Water bath

A hot water bath provides humidity and steam that helps ensure the delicate, egg-heavy batter of the cheesecake rises evenly and doesn't bake too quickly on the exterior. A water bath, or bain-marie, is a worthwhile step that I highly encourage when baking this cheesecake.

In order to cook the cheesecake batter evenly, wrap the springform pan base and sides in aluminum foil. Ensure the foil extends up the sides as high as possible. Place the pan in the oven to bake within a larger pan filled partway with hot water.

Tip: I like to use an 18 inch (46 cm) heavy duty aluminum foil roll when I wrap the bottom of springform pans for water baths. The roll is more than wide enough to cover the base and sides with one piece. This helps avoid possible water entry via foil seams. If you only have a standard 12 inch (30 cm) foil roll, consider adding more than one layer to help ensure the foil layer is watertight.

Storage

You can freeze the full-fat version of this homemade cheesecake after it is baked and fully cooled. Run a knife around the inside of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake. Remove the sides of the pan.

Wrap the cheesecake and cheesecake pan base carefully with plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. To defrost the cheesecake, place in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, or set out on the counter for 2-4 hours.

Store leftovers in the fridge (in an airtight container) for up to a week. If you'd like to keep leftovers longer, slice into individual portions, wrap well, and place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If you substitute Neufchatel cheese for full fat cream cheese, or Greek yogurt for the sour cream, note that these ingredients have a higher water content. Freezing the cheesecake may negatively impact the texture.

A slice of cheesecake on a ceramic plate with a bite resting on a fork. The rest of the cheesecake is in the background at right, and there are mandarin oranges with leaves resting nearby, along with a grey blue linen.

Love this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating. ★★★★★ Your feedback, suggestions, and adaptations are very helpful to other bakers!

📖 Recipe

A chocolate orange cheesecake decorated with orange slices and a whole orange with a few slices removed, on a white marble surface. There are more oranges with leaves nearby, a small bowl of chopped chocolate, and a plate of sliced candied oranges.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

A rich, creamy chocolate orange cheesecake that combines the bright, citrusy flavor of orange zest and orange flavoring with a luxuriously smooth chocolate filling. This decadent cheesecake has an Oreo cookie crust and is dressed up with a decorative cocoa stencil and dried oranges. This cheesecake recipe pairs a water bath with a lower temperature bake to ensure no cheesecake cracking occurs.
AuthorKathleen Culver
Prep time1 hour hour
Cook time1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Cool time4 hours hours
Total time6 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Servings16 slices - 9 inch (23cm) springform pan
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INGREDIENTS

OREO CRUST

  • 272 grams (24 cookies) Oreo cookies, (or similar), including filling
  • 57 grams (¼ cup, 4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted (warm, not hot)

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHEESECAKE FILLING

  • 678 grams (24 ounces) cream cheese, full fat, room temperature
  • 100 grams (½ cup) brown sugar
  • 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
  • 120 grams (½ cup) sour cream, full fat
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons orange oil, or extract
  • 9 grams orange zest, from one large orange
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
  • 340 grams (12 ounces) dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used 70%)

GANACHE GLAZE AND DECORATION

  • 105 mL (¼ cup + 3 Tablespoons) heavy cream, 36% fat or more
  • 57 grams (2 ounces, ⅓ cup) dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used 72%)
  • 20 grams (¼ cup) cocoa powder, natural, for decoration
  • dried orange slices, for decoration

INSTRUCTIONS

OREO CRUST

  • Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C, gas mark 4).
  • In a medium bowl, combine Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Pour crust mixture into prepared pan and distribute evenly in the base.
    This recipe only uses a bottom crust - there is no crust up the side of the pan.
    272 grams (24 cookies) Oreo cookies, 57 grams (¼ cup, 4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • Using the bottom of a measuring cup or a smooth bottomed glass, firmly press crust mixture down until smooth. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHEESECAKE FILLING

  • Place a 10 x 14 x 2 inch (25 x 36 x 5 cm) metal baking pan, roasting pan or broiling pan (must be large enough to fit a 9" (23cm) springform pan) on the center rack of the oven and fill with ¾ inch (2 cm) of water.
  • Preheat oven to 300° F (150° C, Gas Mark 2).
  • Wrap the base of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water entering during baking. Set pan aside.
  • Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature (about 72° F/22° C). It should be soft to the touch, like soft butter. If it's too firm, carefully microwave in 10 second bursts until soft enough.
    678 grams (24 ounces) cream cheese
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
  • Add sugars and beat on medium-low until mixed in. Scrape the bowl again.
    100 grams (½ cup) brown sugar, 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
  • Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, orange oil and orange zest. Mix on medium-low speed until well combined, scraping down the bowl several times to ensure cream cheese is fully blended into the mixture.
    120 grams (½ cup) sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons orange oil, 9 grams orange zest
  • Add beaten egg mixture and beat on low just until combined. Add melted chocolate and again, beat until just combined. Be sure to scrape the bowl well to ensure all chocolate has been well incorporated. Do not overmix.
    Overmixing incorporates extra air, which can cause bubbles and cracks.
    4 large eggs, 340 grams (12 ounces) dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used 70%)
  • Pour cheesecake filling on top of baked crust and smooth out with a mini offset spatula. Firmly rap the springform pan on the counter several times to pop any air bubbles that have formed during mixing.
  • Place springform pan directly into hot water bath and bake at 300° F for 70 minutes.
    The cheesecake should be slightly dull on the top, and mostly set. The center should still have a slight wobble. It will continue to set when removed from the oven.
  • Remove from oven and place onto a rack to cool completely. When cool, cover pan (but not cheesecake directly) with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

GANACHE GLAZE AND COCOA DECORATION

  • Once cheesecake is fully cooled, remove from the refrigerator. Gently blot up any water condensation that has formed on the cheesecake with a paper towel.
  • In a two quart pot, heat cream until almost simmering. Remove from heat and add finely chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, and then gently whisk until all chocolate has melted and no lumps remain.
    105 mL (¼ cup + 3 Tablespoons) heavy cream, 57 grams (2 ounces, ⅓ cup) dark chocolate
  • Pour chocolate ganache onto top of cheesecake. Using a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the ganache to the edges of the cheesecake pan.
  • Place cheesecake back in the fridge to help the ganache glaze set. Once set, run a thin knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the springform pan. Remove the springform edge.
  • With the cheesecake on a work surface, carefully place a decorative stencil directly on the top of the cheesecake. Put the cocoa powder in a fine mesh sifter and dust the entire cheesecake with a layer of cocoa powder. Lift the stencil straight up off the cheesecake to reveal the pattern.
    20 grams (¼ cup) cocoa powder
  • If desired, place dried orange slices (and possibly a fresh mandarin orange with leaves attached) on top of the cake as decoration.
    dried orange slices

EQUIPMENT

  • 9 inch springform pan

NOTES

  • If you prefer, you may substitute the Oreo crust with a chocolate wafer cookie crumb crust.
  • Oreo crust bakes for 8-10 minutes, and cheesecake bakes 70 minutes at low temperature.
  • Cheesecake needs to cool for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before adding ganache glaze. Cooling time is included in total recipe time.

More citrus recipes

  • Lemon white chocolate cookies with lemon slices in between on white parchment paper.
    Lemon White Chocolate Cookies
  • Lemon shortbread cookies with white glaze and lemon zest sprinkled on top
    Lemon Shortbread Cookies
  • Italian shortbread cookies on a white ceramic plate.
    Canestrelli (Italian Egg Yolk Cookies)
  • Dried orange slices on a speckled tan stone background.
    Dried Orange Slices

Comments

    4.34 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Made this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star review! ★★★★★ Cancel reply

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  1. Rio says

    May 14, 2024 at 12:01 am

    It's an okay recipe I suppose. It turned out good, don't get me wrong. There could definitely things that could be tweaked about the recipe. The chocolate is a bit overpowering, especially since it's dark. And the crust ended up a bit too crumbly. Perhaps I did something wrong, but I followed the recipe as close as possible and I probably messed up the butter for the crust but it's too chocolaty despite not adding as much as you said to. My personal opinion though. It's good, though. A bit too rich for my personal taste. Again, you're doing great and it still tastes good so awesome job

    Reply
    • Kathleen Culver says

      September 24, 2024 at 6:22 pm

      Hi Rio,
      I'm a big fan of chocolate, and this is definitely one of those rich chocolate recipes that you don't eat every day.
      Thanks for your feedback.
      Kathleen

      Reply
  2. Shilpa says

    May 02, 2023 at 11:37 am

    Hey! This looks so good! I'm thinking of using this cheesecake without the crust as the middle layer for a bday cake. Do you think it will bake well without the crust?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Culver says

      May 04, 2023 at 3:03 pm

      Hi Shilpa,
      Wow! That sounds so good.
      I think it will be just fine without the crust - simply less stable.
      I'd recommend a layer of parchment underneath to ensure it doesn't stick to the pan.
      Are you planning to put one of the baked cake layers on top and flip the cheesecake onto the cake?
      I'd love to hear how it turns out if you give it a try.
      Kathleen

      Reply
  3. arianna says

    December 27, 2022 at 8:27 am

    an absolutely amazing cheesecake. i used boyajian pure orange oil instead of orange flavoring because i didn’t want the flavor diluted with another oil. i also used 32 oz cream cheese with just under 1/2 cup sour cream because i wanted a slightly firmer mousse-like texture, and it was lovely. 1 naval orange only gave me about 1/2 the zest called for, so i recommend getting an extra or 2 in case. and the oreos are the perfect crust (don’t let other sites warning you not to use cookies with stuffing deter you). thank you so much, it was a crowd pleaser (even for everyone that told me beforehand they didn’t like chocolate-orange)!

    Reply
    • Kathleen Culver says

      December 29, 2022 at 9:54 pm

      Hi Arianna,
      Thank you so much for these notes!
      I'm so glad that everyone liked it - that's a high compliment from those that didn't think they'd enjoy the flavors together.
      I'll add a note about the additional orange for zest.
      I'm glad you went with the cookie crust as written - no need to waste time removing the filling - yay!
      Kathleen

      Reply
  4. CookieMonster says

    November 07, 2022 at 11:05 am

    I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing work you do! The recipe is stellar, the photography is stunning, and the instructions are clear. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Kathleen Culver says

      November 08, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      Thank you so much!
      I really appreciate your kind words.
      Kathleen

      Reply
  5. Lauren says

    February 15, 2022 at 6:19 am

    How many eggs?
    What is the egg mixture?
    Not finding this critical information in the recipe.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Culver says

      February 15, 2022 at 7:31 am

      Hi Lauren,
      Thank you so much - as many times as I reread and edit, sometimes I still miss something.
      I've updated the recipe to include the 4 beaten eggs.
      Kathleen

      Reply

Hi! I'm Kathleen.

I'm the baker, food photographer and chief mess maker behind the Floured Table. I share my passion for delicious desserts by providing you with well tested, approachable recipes you can confidently recreate at home.

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