Cheesecake is great, brownies are too, but both of them combined? Total bliss. I love this cheesecake because before you cut it, you have no idea that there is a brownie layer. I make the brownies in an 8-inch cake pan so they can be completely encased in the cheesecake, and this is a no bake cheesecake filling that is so smooth and delicious!

Serves 8-10 People

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Bake Time: 50 Minutes

Chill Time: 4 Hours

Total Time: 6 Hrs

Ingredients:

Crust:

22 Oreos (249g)

6 Tbs (85g) Unsalted Butter, Melted

Brownie Layer:

4 oz (113g) Semisweet Chocolate Chips

10 Tbs (141g) Unsalted Butter

¾ Cup (150g) Granulated Sugar

½ Cup (100g) Light Brown Sugar, Packed

½ Tsp (2g) Salt

½ Tsp (1g) Espresso Powder (optional)

3 Large Eggs, Room Temp
1 Tsp (4g) Vanilla Extract

½ Cup (45g) Cocoa Powder

3/4 Cup (90g) All Purpose Flour

Cheesecake Filling:

1 1/3 Cups (320mL) Cold Heavy Cream

32 oz (905g) Cream Cheese, Softened

1 Cup (200g) Granulated Sugar

1/4 Tsp (1g) Salt

1 Tbs (15g) Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1.     Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees F (180C) and grease a 9” round cake pan.

2.     Make the brownies by melting the chocolate and butter together in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Allow to cool to room temperature.

3.     Add the sugar, brown sugar, salt, espresso powder, vanilla, and eggs to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the chocolate and butter, then whisk until smooth.

4.     Whisk the cocoa and flour together, then add to the batter and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

5.     Make the crust by adding the Oreos to a food processor and pulsing until crushed into various small pieces. Add the melted butter and mix until combined.

6.     Press the crust into a 9” springform pan and bake at 350F for 10 minutes, then allow to cool completely.

7.     Make the cheesecake filling by whipping the cold cream until you get stiff peaks, then cover with plastic and set in the fridge for later.

8.     Add the softened cream cheese to a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on a medium speed until completely smooth. Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla and beat again until smooth.

9.     Gently fold in the whipped cream from before until the batter is smooth and light.

10.  To assemble the cheesecake, pour ½ of the batter into the springform pan, smoothing out the top. Cut about 1” off the brownie, making an 8” circle. This helps the whole brownie layer stay totally surrounded by cheesecake filling so it’s more of a surprise when you cut into it. You can save the scraps for decoration!

11.  Place the 8” circle of brownie into the pan, then pour the rest of the cheesecake batter in the pan, smoothing out the top and edges. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is better).

12.  You can top the cheesecake with some fresh whipped cream, crumble the brownie scraps over the top and add some pieces of Oreo as well!

Store in the fridge, covered with plastic, for up to 3 days.