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A close-up of the final Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake slice, highlighting the creamy filling, raspberry swirls, and glossy ganache with raspberry and mint garnish.

Easy Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

This Easy Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake is rich, silky, and swirled with bright raspberry sauce for the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. It’s a treasured family dessert I make with my daughter Olivia, creating sweet kitchen memories one slice at a time.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked chocolate cheesecake, chocolate raspberry cheesecake recipe, Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, family dessert recipe, Oreo crust cheesecake
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 495kcal
Cost: $18

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch Springform Pan Wrap with foil for the water bath
  • 1 Large roasting pan For water bath
  • 1 Electric mixer Hand or stand mixer
  • 1 Food Processor For crushing Oreos
  • 1 Fine-mesh strainer For smooth raspberry sauce
  • 1 Rubber spatula Kid-friendly helper tool

Ingredients

For the Oreo Crust

  • 24 cookies Oreo cookies With filling
  • 5 tablespoons butter Melted
  • 1 pinch salt Optional

For the Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

  • 24 ounces cream cheese Softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs Room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream Room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces dark chocolate 60–70% cacao, melted
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder Optional
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder Unsweetened

For the Raspberry Swirl

  • 2 cups raspberries Fresh or frozen
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch Mixed with water

For the Chocolate Ganache

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate Chopped
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Wrap the bottom and sides of your springform pan tightly with foil. My Olivia always calls this the “raincoat step” because it keeps water out during baking.
  • Blend the [Oreo cookies], then stir in the [butter] and [salt]. My daughter loves pressing the crumbs into the pan, it’s her “pie shovel” job.
  • Bake crust for 10 minutes, then allow to cool while preparing the filling.
  • Simmer [raspberries], [sugar], [water], and [lemon juice] for 5 minutes. Strain seeds, return to heat, and thicken with [cornstarch]. Olivia always sneaks a spoonful, it’s our “quality check.”
  • Beat the [cream cheese] and [sugar] until smooth. Add [eggs], then [sour cream] and [vanilla].
  • Whisk [dark chocolate], [cocoa powder], and [espresso powder], then blend into batter.
  • Pour half the batter into crust. Spoon raspberry sauce and let your little helper swirl with a butter knife. Repeat with remaining batter.
  • Place in roasting pan, surround with hot water. Bake 60–70 minutes until center jiggles slightly.
  • Turn off oven, crack door for 1 hour. Chill at least 8 hours. This is the hardest waiting lesson for kids!
  • Heat [cream], pour over [chocolate], stir in [butter]. Pour over cheesecake.

Notes

  • This cheesecake must be made one day ahead for best texture and flavor.
  • For a no-bake version, set with gelatin and chill 6 hours.
  • Swap raspberries for strawberries, blackberries, or cherries.
  • Store covered in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze for 2 months.
  • Serve with vanilla ice cream or coffee for family dessert night.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3mg