Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
Individual chocolate cheesecakes with a whole strawberry baked right into the center, set on an Oreo crust and topped with ganache and whipped cream.
- Prep Time
- 25 min
- Cook Time
- 24 min
- Total Time
- 49 min
- Servings
- 12 cheesecakes
It's funny how recipes come together sometimes. One of the guys from Krafty Draft Brew Pub sent me a photo of a dessert he thought his girlfriend would love and asked if I could recreate it — a chocolate covered strawberry baked into a New York-style cheesecake. I stared at that photo in awe. It should honestly be illegal for me not to attempt it.
Being stubborn by nature, I couldn't just copy it — I had to make my own version. So this one is a chocolate cheesecake wrapped entirely around a whole strawberry, set on a chocolate Oreo crust, and finished with ganache and whipped cream. My husband never actually asks for the full play-by-play when I'm brainstorming out loud, but he gets one anyway. "You know, because you asked," I'll say. "But actually, I didn't," he replies. That's true love right there.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs*
- 2 tbsp. butter, melted
For the Filling
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, stems removed
For the Ganache
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For the Whipped Cream
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp. granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the Oreo crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl, then divide evenly between 12 lined jumbo muffin cavities, pressing evenly into the bottom of each.
- 2In a standing mixer, beat 8 oz. of the cream cheese, the cornstarch, and 2/3 cup sugar with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add the cocoa and another 8 oz. cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar, beat until smooth, then add the remaining cream cheese and sugar.
- 3Slow the mixer to stirring speed, add the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides between additions. Slowly add the heavy cream just until mixed in (don't overmix).
- 4Spoon a small amount of batter into each muffin cavity to form a base. Place one strawberry into each cavity, flat side down, then cover completely with the remaining batter.
- 5Bake for 22-25 minutes, just until the cheesecakes start to puff up with small cracks on top. Cool in the pan for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for 3-4 hours until fully set before removing from the pan.
- 6For the ganache: heat the heavy cream until bubbling, then pour over the chocolate chips and whisk until melted and smooth. Spoon over each cheesecake in a smooth layer.
- 7For the whipped cream: beat the heavy cream and sugar at high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe on top of the ganache layer with a cake decorating tip.
Tips
- When making Oreo crumbs, grind up the whole cookies, cream filling and all — a food processor makes quick work of a big batch to keep on hand.
Storage & Reheating
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
