This Cookies and Cream Cheesecake is so much more than a classic cheesecake with Oreo cookies folded in. Crushed Oreos are blended directly into the creamy cheesecake filling, infusing every bite with rich cookies and cream flavor without making it overly sweet. Paired with an Oreo cookie crust and plenty of cookie pieces throughout, this cheesecake strikes the perfect balance between rich, creamy, and chocolatey in every slice.
Why You’ll Love This Cookies and Cream Cheesecake
- Cookies and cream flavor in every bite. Crushed Oreos are blended into the filling instead of simply folded in, giving the entire cheesecake a rich cookies and cream flavor.
- Perfectly balanced sweetness. The Oreo cookies add chocolate flavor without making the cheesecake overly sweet. No ganache or whipped cream needed.
- Ultra creamy texture. Made with full-fat cream cheese and baked low and slow for a silky smooth cheesecake every time.
- An Oreo lover’s dream. Finished with an Oreo cookie crust and extra cookie pieces throughout for the perfect crunch and flavor.
- Perfect for any celebration. Whether it’s a birthday, holiday, or weekend dessert, this cheesecake is guaranteed to impress.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Cookies and Cream Cheesecake comes together with a handful of simple ingredients, but each one plays an important role in creating a rich, creamy cheesecake with cookies and cream flavor in every bite. Using room temperature ingredients is key to achieving a silky smooth batter that bakes beautifully.
- Full Fat Cream Cheese
- Full Fat Sour Cream
- Pasture Raised Eggs
- Irish Butter
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Regular Oreos
- Oreo Thins
Ingredient Notes
This Cookies and Cream Cheesecake is made with simple ingredients, but each one plays an important role in creating a rich, creamy cheesecake with cookies and cream flavor in every bite. Using the right ingredients—and using them correctly—will give you the best results.
Full-Fat Cream Cheese – It’s very important to use full-fat brick cream cheese. The high fat content is what gives this cheesecake its rich, smooth, and creamy texture. My favorite brand is Philadelphia.
Room Temperature Ingredients – I cannot emphasize this enough: your ingredients need to be at room temperature. The eggs and sour cream only need about 30 minutes, but the cream cheese needs much longer. I usually let mine sit out for 6–8 hours. If that makes you nervous, leave the cream cheese in its sealed foil and place it in a bowl of warm water for about 30 minutes.
Oreo Cookies – I use both Oreo Thins and regular Oreos because they each serve a different purpose. The Oreo Thins create a buttery, finely textured crust and are also crushed into the cheesecake filling to infuse every bite with cookies and cream flavor. Then, chopped regular Oreos are gently folded into the batter to add little pockets of cookie throughout the cheesecake. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference, giving you cookies and cream flavor in every bite without overwhelming the cheesecake.
Sour Cream – Yes, it’s 14 ounces of sour cream. No, it’s not a typo, and your cheesecake will not taste sour. The generous amount of sour cream is one of the secrets to this recipe. It creates an incredibly smooth, creamy texture while adding just enough tang to balance the sweetness. Unlike many cheesecake recipes, I don’t use flour or heavy cream. The sour cream does all the work, giving you a rich cheesecake that’s luscious without feeling heavy. You can substitute Greek yogurt, but the cheesecake will be tangier and won’t bake up quite as creamy.
Eggs – Use good-quality eggs if you can. I love using pasture-raised eggs because I think they make a difference. If your cheesecake has a slight yellow tint from the yolks, that’s perfectly fine. No one said cheesecake had to be white.
Vanilla – Use the best vanilla you have. Extract works perfectly, but I love using vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste. Even with the chocolate cookies, good vanilla brings all the flavors together.
Sugar – I never said this was low sugar. Don’t substitute sweeteners and expect the same results. And don’t tell me you like brown sugar better. Use regular granulated sugar and trust the process.
Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Cheesecake
Here are some of my best cheesecake tips!
Pack the Crust Tightly
Use a flat-bottomed cup or bowl to firmly pack the crust. This helps it hold together once baked and leaves enough room for all of the filling. The crust is thick, but it balances perfectly with the filling. The batter will come to the tippy top, and that’s okay. Trust me. Also, no prebaking the crust. Just pack it and move on.
Use Room Temperature Cream Cheese
Have your cream cheese at room temperature before making the filling. I either take mine out the night before or place it, still in its sealed package, in a bowl of warm water for about 30 minutes. The softer the cream cheese, the smoother the batter and the creamier the cheesecake.
Lumps = cracks.
No lumps = Glass Skin Cheesecake. Everyone will want to know her routine.
Scrape the Bowl Often
Scrape the bowl, sides, bottom, and even the paddle attachment a few times while mixing to make sure all of the cream cheese is fully incorporated.
Again, no lumps.
And when you pour the final batter, DON’T scrape any lumps into it if there are any. Just let the smooth batter naturally fall onto the crust.
Why I Use Oreo Thins
I use Oreo Thins for both the crust and a few crushed cookies in the batter. Since Oreo Thins have less creme filling than regular Oreos, they create a crisp, chocolatey crust without becoming overly buttery or greasy. They also blend beautifully into the cheesecake batter, adding cookies and cream flavor throughout without making the filling too sweet.
Less Butter Is More
Because Oreo Thins contain less filling, they don’t need as much butter to hold the crust together. Resist the urge to add more—you want a crust that’s sturdy but still crisp and tender, not oily.
Chop the Oreos by Hand
I hand chop the cookies and the gently mix them in or fold in by hand. This keeps the batter from getting muddy or crushing the cookies too much.
Tuck the Cookie Pieces Below the Surface
After pouring the batter into the crust, use your spatula to gently tuck any exposed Oreo pieces just beneath the surface. Cookie pieces sticking out of the batter can bake faster than the cheesecake itself, increasing the chance of small cracks forming around them. A smooth surface bakes more evenly and gives you that signature bakery-style finish.
Prepare the Pan Properly
Wrap your pan with foil two times with the shiny side facing out (I swear it matters). This helps prevent the sides of the cheesecake from browning. I also use a parchment round on the bottom so I can easily flip the cooled cheesecake out of the pan.
Remove Air Bubbles
After pouring the batter into the crust, gently bang the pan on the counter a few times to release any trapped air bubbles.
No bubbles = no cracks.
Create Steam Without the Mess of a Water Bath
Preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes so it’s evenly hot. I wrap the top rack with foil, shiny side up, to keep the top of the cheesecake from browning. Do this before preheating.
I bake the cheesecake on the second rack from the bottom and place a pan filled with boiling water on the rack below. This gives you the humidity of a water bath without the risk of water leaking into the cheesecake.
Important: Don’t preheat the empty pan for the water bath and don’t use a glass pan. The temperature shock can shatter the dish and possibly damage your oven. Please use a metal pan. A Bundt pan, loaf pan, cake pan—whatever you have works.
Oven Rack Tip: If you only have two racks or heating coils on the bottom of your oven, you can use one rack for the foil cover and one for the cheesecake and place the water bath on the bottom. If your oven has exposed coils, place a cooling rack over the pan of water and set the cheesecake above it.
You can also tent the cheesecake with foil instead of using the rack above, but I find it more tedious and it can affect how evenly the cheesecake bakes.
Know When the Cheesecake Is Done
Bake for exactly 1 hour without opening the oven.
If the edges are set and the entire cheesecake still has a slight jiggle, it’s done. If not, bake another 15 minutes, but no more.
Overbaking is one of the quickest ways to end up with cracks.
You want the edges to feel like a lightly set marshmallow and the center to jiggle like Jell-O.
Cool the Cheesecake Slowly
Turn off the oven and crack the door open, leaving the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes. Then transfer it to the counter and let it cool for about an hour until it’s no longer hot.
Cover with a paper towel and use the foil around the pan to cover the top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Patience is key.
Removing the Cheesecake From the Pan
Run a knife under hot water and wipe it dry. Run it around the edges of the pan. Unclasp the springform and remove the sides.
Lay a paper towel across the top and place a flat cutting board over it. Flip. Gently loosen the bottom with a knife. The parchment should keep it from sticking.
Now place your serving platter on top and gently—but swiftly—flip the cheesecake again.
I’ve broken a few cheesecakes doing this, but you can do it!
For Perfect Slices
Boil water and pour it into a tall jar. Dip your knife into the hot water, dry it, and slice.
Repeat for every slice to get those beautiful, clean bakery-style cuts.
The Best Cookies and Cream Cheesecake (Oreo Cheesecake Recipe)
Rich, creamy, and packed with cookies and cream flavor in every bite, this Oreo cheesecake features a buttery Oreo Thin crust and a silky smooth cheesecake filling that’s perfectly balanced and never overly sweet.
- Prep Time: 30M
- Cook Time: 1H
- Total Time: 9H30M
- Yield: 16 1x
Ingredients
Crust:
40 Oreo Thins
5 tbsp Melted Butter
Cheesecake:
2 lbs Cream Cheese
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
14 oz Sour Cream
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs
6 Oreo Thins, Crushed
14 Regular Oreos, Hand Chopped
Instructions
Start by making the crust. Finely crush the Oreo Thins and mix with the melted butter until evenly coated. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by wrapping it twice with foil, shiny side out. Place a parchment round in the bottom.
Pour the crust into the prepared pan and firmly pack it down using the bottom of a flat measuring cup or glass.
Beat the cream cheese until completely smooth and creamy. Scrape the bowl and paddle attachment well to make sure there are no lumps. Add the sugar and beat for another 2–3 minutes. Scrape again.
Add the salt, vanilla, and sour cream. Beat until smooth, then scrape the bowl again.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each egg is incorporated.
Mix in the finely crushed Oreo Thins into the batter until evenly distributed. Then gently fold in the chopped Oreo pieces with a rubber spatula or on your lowest stir setting. Before pouring the batter into the crust, make sure the cookie pieces are evenly distributed.
Pour the batter over the prepared crust. If any Oreo pieces are sticking out on the surface, gently tuck them just beneath the batter using your spatula. Lift the pan slightly off the counter and gently tap it a few times to release any trapped air bubbles.
Place a roasting pan or 9×13-inch metal baking pan on the bottom rack of your preheated oven and carefully fill it about three-quarters full with boiling water. Place the cheesecake on the rack above and bake for 1 hour without opening the oven. After 1 hour, the edges should be set while the center still jiggles like Jell-O. If needed, bake for an additional 15 minutes—but no longer.
Turn off the oven and crack the oven door open slightly. Leave the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes so it cools gradually.
Transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack or the counter and let it cool completely for about 1 hour.
Do not remove the sides of the springform pan yet. Remove the foil, place a paper towel over the top to absorb condensation, and loosely cover with the foil. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
When you’re ready to serve, garnish with crushed Oreos on top.
Remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve on the pan base or carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter.
For clean bakery-style slices, dip a sharp knife into hot water, wipe it dry, then slice. Repeat between every cut.
Enjoy!
Notes
- Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese and make sure all refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature before mixing.
- Oreo Thins are used for the crust and crushed into the filling because they have less creme filling, creating a more balanced cookies and cream flavor without making the cheesecake overly sweet.
- Fold the chopped regular Oreos in by hand and gently tuck any exposed cookie pieces below the surface before baking for a smooth, crack-free top.
- Bake with a pan of boiling water on the rack below the cheesecake to create steam. This gives you the benefits of a traditional water bath without placing the cheesecake directly in water.
- For the cleanest slices, chill the cheesecake overnight and use a hot, dry knife, wiping it clean between each cut.
Storage and Freezing
How to Store Cheesecake
Store the cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How To Freeze Cheesecake
Cheesecake freezes beautifully! Freeze it whole or sliced for up to 3 months.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my cheesecake crack?
It depends on when it cracked. If it cracked while baking, your batter likely wasn’t smooth enough and had too many lumps, or you overbaked it. If it cracked while cooling, it probably cooled too quickly.
Do I need a water bath?
Yes! The added humidity and moisture in the oven help the cheesecake bake evenly and create that smooth, creamy texture we’re after. I use a pan of boiling water on the rack below the cheesecake to get all the benefits without the mess of a traditional water bath.
Can I freeze cheesecake?
Absolutely! The texture changes slightly and won’t be quite as creamy as fresh cheesecake, but it’s still delicious. Most people won’t notice the difference.
Can I make cheesecake ahead of time?
You sure can. I actually prefer making cheesecake a day or two ahead. It gives it plenty of time to chill and develop its flavor.
How do I know when cheesecake is done?
The edges should be firm to a light touch and the center should jiggle like Jell-O—not too watery and not completely firm.
Can I use low-fat cream cheese?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. The fat is what makes cheesecake rich, smooth, and creamy. I generally don’t recommend substitutions for this recipe.
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