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Black Forest Cheesecake is made with ultra creamy chocolate cheesecake, a crisp oreo crust, and a ripple of kirsch cherry sauce in the center & on top. Finish this show stopping dessert off with a thick swirl of whipped cream and fresh cherries, and prepare to watch it disappear!
Why you’ll love Black Forest Cheesecake:
- Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake – This chocolate cheesecake is ultra creamy, and is full of decadent chocolate flavor thanks to the use of both cocoa powder & melted chocolate.
- Kirsch Cherry Compote – A kirsch infused cherry compote ripples through the center and decorates the top of this black forest dessert!
- Crisp Chocolate Crust – A crisp chocolate crust is the perfect base for this cheesecake.
- Fresh Whipped Cream – Swirls of vanilla whipped cream is piped on top to complete the black forest theme.
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Cream Cheese – Use full fat cream cheese, in the block style. This needs to come to room temperature before you bake.
- Eggs – Use large eggs at room temperature.
- Sour Cream – Use full fat sour cream, at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
- Chocolate – Use a good quality baking chocolate bar, like Baker’s, Ghirardelli, or Lindt for the cheesecake filling. Chocolate chips will work in a pinch, but aren’t as easy to melt or work with, since they have stabilizing agents added to help them keep their shape when baked in cookies.
- Graham Crackers – I usually use store bought graham cracker crumbs to save time, and they seem to require less butter to hydrate properly. If you crush your own graham crackers, you may need 1-2 additional tablespoons of butter to make the crust mixture come together.
- Cherries – I used dark sweet cherries, because that’s traditional for black forest desserts. However, you could use tart cherries if you really prefer those. You’ll need to add more sugar to taste when making the sauce (you can just stir it in at the end!) since they are naturally more tart. You can use fresh or frozen cherries – however, do not thaw them, if you are using frozen.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-free – Use gluten-free oreos to make the crust gluten-free.
- Dairy-free – I have not played around with dairy-free cheesecake recipes yet, but will report back once I do! It’s on my list. 🙂 In the meantime, I would only recommend subbing dairy-free ingredients that you regularly bake with and are comfortable using as they may not act in the same way as the dairy versions.
- Friends Outside the U.S. – A quick google search tells me that chocolate digestive biscuits exist – this would be a good option if you can’t get oreos! You will need to add anywhere from 1-4 additional tablespoons of butter to get the crust mixture to come together (the cream filling in the oreos means you need less butter when using them for a crumb crust).
How to Make this Black Forest Cheesecake:
Step 1: Make my Cherry Compote. In a saucepan, cook dark sweet cherries, sugar, and kirsch until softened and juicy. Stir in corn starch and water to thicken, then add almond extract. Let cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Crust. Pulse oreos in your food processor until you have a find crumb. Stir together crushed oreos and melted butter in a small bowl until you have a sandy mixture.
Press the crust mixture into a greased 9-inch springform pan and bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the Cheesecake Batter. In a large bowl, beat your cream cheese until creamy. (You can also do this in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment.)
Then, mix in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Mix in the melted chocolate. You’ll have a silky batter, although there may be a few small flecks of chocolate that re-hardened by coming in contact with the batter (this is fine!).
Step 4: Assemble. Spread half the batter in your pre-baked crust. Spoon about 40% of the cherry compote over the top in an even layer. Spread on the remaining batter.
Step 5: Prepare Water Bath & Bake Cheesecake. Wrap the sides of your 9-inch springform pan with foil, then place into a 10-inch cake pan, and place that into a roasting pan. Place in the oven and pour in boiling water.
Bake as directed in the recipe card below.
Step 6: Decorate. Top the chilled cheesecake with the remaining cherry compote and pipe on fresh whipped cream.
Serving + Storing:
Cool cheesecake according to directions below. It must chill at least 6 hours or overnight before serving. Top with remaining cherry compote and freshly whipped cream!
Enjoy the cheesecake immediately once decorated. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Try my Black Forest Pie, next!
Expert Cheesecake Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Room Temperature Ingredients – It is imperative that you let your cold ingredients come to room temperature. Cold ingredients will create a lumpy batter.
- Don’t Over Mix – Over mixing the cheesecake batter when you’re adding the eggs can cause the cheesecake to buckle a little bit in the oven. It will still taste great, but won’t look as pretty.
- Don’t Over Bake – Follow the doneness cues given in the recipe card below to avoid over baking the cheesecake. Don’t panic if it browns the slightest bit on top – that can happen without it being overbaked.
I’ve answered some FAQs below, but for an even more in-depth look at making cheesecake, check out my post on New York Cheesecake!
FAQs:
Yes, bake a half batch of this Black Forest Cheesecake in an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan lined with parchment paper. I think half the batter may still be a bit much for a 6-inch springform pan. If you do this, I would leave out the cherry filling in the center as it may be too much for that size pan to handle without overflowing.
Yes! That’s the nature of cheesecake. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temp after it’s baked, and then transfer to the fridge to chill at least 6 hours or up to 1 day before serving.
You have two options – place the roasting pan filled with water on the rack below your cheesecake, or place your cheesecake pan (still wrapped in aluminum foil) into a 10-inch cake pan inside of the roasting pan. Pour water into the roasting pan only. If you place the foil-wrapped cheesecake pan into the roasting pan and pour in water, it will almost always leak to some degree.
Special Tools:
- Springform Pan – This recipe uses a 9-inch springform pan.
- Offset Spatula – I use an offset spatula for so many things, including smoothing the batter evenly into the pan for this recipe.
- Piping Tip – I used this Wilton 4B piping tip for the whipped cream border.
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More Recipes to Love:
- Mini S’mores Cheesecakes
- Key Lime Pie Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Biscoff Cheesecake
- Triple Nutella Cheesecake
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
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Black Forest Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Cherry Filling & Topping:
- 2 and 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 2 and 1/2 tbsp water
- 5 and 1/4 cups dark sweet cherries, 744 grams. Fresh or frozen! If using frozen, do not thaw them first. You can also use sour cherries!
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar , 105 grams
- 3 and 1/2 tbsp kirsch , Use water or orange juice if you need to omit the alcohol.
- 1 and 1/4 tsp almond extract
For the Crust:
- 35 whole oreos, We're using the whole cookie – no need to scrape out the cream.
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted, 57 grams
For the Cheesecake Batter
- 32 ounces full fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature , Use the block style. 904 grams
- 1 and 2/3 cups granulated sugar , 350 grams
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 180 grams
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted, 226 grams
- 1 cup cocoa powder, 95 grams
Whipped Cream
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, 180 grams
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar , 38 grams
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For Decorating
- extra fresh cherries
- 1 small semi-sweet chocolate bar, for chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Make the Cherry Compote: Stir water and corn starch together in a small bowl until fully dissolved. Rinse, pit, and halve the cherries. If using frozen, do not thaw them. No need to halve the cherries if using tart ones – they tend to be softer.Add cherries to a medium saucepan with the sugar and kirsch. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring lazily, until the cherries have released their juices and softened. Re-stir the cornstarch (it will have settled), then stir it into the cherry sauce. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until the sauce gently thickens. It should separate and hold when you drag your finger through the sauce on the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the almond extract. Transfer immediately to a shallow bowl and chill in the fridge completely before using.Make-Ahead Tip: This can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.5 and 1/4 cups dark sweet cherries, 1/2 cup granulated sugar , 3 and 1/2 tbsp kirsch , 2 and 1/2 tbsp corn starch, 2 and 1/2 tbsp water, 1 and 1/4 tsp almond extract
- Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and make sure the bottom is securely fastened. Stir together crust ingredients and press into prepared pan and up the sides a bit (see photos above). Bake this for 10 minutes. Set aside. Keep the oven on at 350. Fill a large pot with water and set it on your stove, and get out a large roasting pan – you'll need this for your water bath later.35 whole oreos, 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
- Make the Cheesecake Filling: Remember that your cold ingredients need to come to room temp before you start or the filling won't turn out.In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with electric mixer until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar & mix until well incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go – little lumps of cream cheese love to hide in the bottom, but will incorporate nicely as long as you scrape between each ingredient addition! Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed after each until just incorporated. Do not over mix at this stage! Mix in the vanilla and sour cream on medium until just combined. Mix in the melted chocolate and cocoa powder last, on medium speed until just combined.32 ounces full fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature , 1 and 2/3 cups granulated sugar , 4 large eggs, at room temperature , 3/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 2 tsp vanilla extract , 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted, 1 cup cocoa powder
- Assemble Cheesecake: Spread half the batter over the prepared crust. Spoon about 40% of the cherry filling (the remaining 60% will go on top) evenly over the batter. Dollop on the remaining batter and spread it evenly. You may have a bit of batter left over that won't fit in your pan – see tip just below. Extra Batter: I had some extra batter each time I made this cheesecake. Don't fret – simply pop 4 muffin liners into a cupcake pan, and place a whole oreo in the bottom of each. Spoon the batter over the top, filling about 2/3 of the way full. Bake these at 350 for 19 to 22 minutes, no water bath needed.
- Prepare the Water Bath + Bake: Bring the large pot of water to a boil. Wrap the base of the cheesecake pan in foil and place it inside of a 10-inch cake pan, then place this duo of pans inside the roasting pan. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan only. The cake pan acts as a waterproof buffer between the springform pan and the water in the roasting pan! This is a foolproof method to ensure no water leaks (foil alone can't prevent this). Tip: If you don't have a roasting pan that's deep enough for this, you can use a large 9×13 pan or something similar. Fill it with boiling water and place it on the rack below your cheesecake. The option above is best, but this is better than no water bath!
- Bake: Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. When done, the cheesecake will have a slight wobble in the center, and a knife inserted into the edge will come out clean, and will have just a bit of thick batter when inserted into the center. The edges should appear set. Turn off the oven and crack your oven door open. Let the cheesecake cool this way, in the oven for 1 hour before removing it.
- Cheesecake Cooling: Once the hour is up, remove the pan from the oven. Remove the foil and set the springform pan on a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature (about 1-2 hours), then cover with foil and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 1 day before removing from the pan and serving.
- Make the Whipped Cream: Add the whipped cream ingredients to a medium bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar , 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Serve & Store: Spread the remaining cherry compote over the chilled cheesecake and top with the whipped cream (I like a wilton 4B or 6B tip – pictured I used the 6B which is a tad bigger). Use a vegetable peeler against the edge of your chocolate bar to make chocolate shavings for decorating. Slice and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.1 small semi-sweet chocolate bar, for chocolate shavings, extra fresh cherries
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My cherry compote is def not nearly as liquid as yours.. in fact its very gelatinous seeming. I used fresh cherries. Should I not add in as much of the cornstarch?
Hi Erin! That is odd. It’s possible it was overcooked a bit or your burners run hotter than mine. I would not add the corn starch mixture at all if it’s gelatinous. I Would add a splash of water and stir that in to try and thin it back out a bit. Happy to help more if you have more questions!!
I see it says that it needs to be served immediately once decorated. Is it okay to sit for a few hours before being eaten?
Yes that’s fine, as long as it’s in the fridge. Let me know how you like the recipe!
the measurement of 2 1/2 TBSP of Cornstarch and 2 1/2 TBSP of water makes thick mud. I think the measurement is off
Hi Donna! No, that’s accurate. This is called a cornstarch slurry and it’s supposed to have a sort of sludgy texture. Once you stirred it into the cherries and their liquid, it will combine nicely, and then thicken the sauce. Did you end up making the recipe? Happy to help further.
I’m just curious what brand of cocoa powder you used?
Hi Jada! The brand doesn’t matter here – but I did use natural cocoa powder rather than dutch process cocoa (which has a deeper/darker flavor). Let me know how you like the recipe!
Absolutely fantastic recipe. Made it for my mom’s birthday, and it was an absolute hit! It’s all the notes of Black Forest cake while having the deliciousness of a chocolate cheesecake.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Mikela!
I used to bake for the masses but now I just bake for my family. Baking for the masses took the wind out of my sails for a while, but recipes like this re-ignite my fire! Worth every dish I had to hand wash after. I normally avoid waterbath cheesecakes, because they are tedious and I always have the worst of luck with leaking water. I copied your method exactly, and it worked flawlessly.
I made this for my chef fiance’s birthday. He ate half of it before it hit the table for everyone else! I will be making this again, manily because I made the mistake of posting it to my family chat-setting myself up! LOL. Thank you for an amazing recipe!
So glad to hear this recipe was a success for you! Thanks so much for your kind comment. Happy baking!
Hi! Wondering what happened to your chocolate cherry cheesecake pie that you used to have posted? I made it so many times but I can’t find the recipe anymore!
Hi Nikki! I changed it to the black forest cheesecake which is the post you’re commenting on. Sorry about that – sometimes I decide to re-vamp recipes and change them completely. I do have the old recipe saved, however, and I will email it to you at the email address associated with this comment, if that works for you?
I made this yesterday for a baking contest at work and I’m so happy to report that your recipe helped me achieve first place! It was definitely rich, but everyone loved the crispy Oreo crust. The cheesecake part reminded me of mousse. It takes a while, but I would make it again!
I’m so glad to hear that, Minal! Thank you!
A delicious cheesecake! I made the cherry filling the day before with frozen cherries to make the work a little easier. Also, I used a 10 inch springform pan so there was no extra batter. I used a 9×13 pan of boiling water on the rack beneath the cheesecake rather than the water bath and had no cracks. Baked for 1 1/2 hours and removed from the oven immediately.
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review, Carolyn! I’m glad you enjoyed this!