No bake Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake is so quick and easy to make when you lack the time to cook a crust and need some holiday dessert help stat!
Silky smooth, decadently delicious, with a sweet and tangy taste, this chocolate mint cheesecake has a fluffy filling that sits atop an Oreo cookie base, sprinkled with crushed candy, and served in time for Christmas.
No Bake Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake
Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake with Oreo cookie crust is my favorite fuss-free Christmas dessert, made so much faster and easier than a classic cheesecake because there’s no water bath, cooking, or baking needed!
This simple recipe is prepared in under 20 minutes using cream cheese, cocoa powder, sugar, sour cream, and whipped topping to form the light and fluffy filling; it sits inside a 2 ingredient crunchy chocolate cookie crust and is covered in plenty of peppermint candy pieces.
If you’re still baking a mint chocolate cheesecake the old-fashioned way, it’s time to rethink your time-consuming recipe and turn a difficult dessert into an easy peppermint cheesecake.
Chocolate mint Christmas desserts are the perfect ending to any dinner, especially when your oven is occupied with other holiday dishes and you need a no-bake dessert.
Why We Love This Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe
- Quick and easy to make in under 20 minutes.
- Uses simple kitchen staple ingredients.
- Sets in the freezer while you walk away, without worrying about a water bath or turning on the oven to cook and bake a crust.
- Egg-free and can be made gluten-free with a cookie swap.
- Crunchy peppermint pieces and creamy cheesecake filling is the perfect holiday combination.
- Delicious dessert for Christmas, fall and winter celebrations, or serving during the holiday season.
Other Easy Christmas Recipes
Ingredients
- Dark Chocolate Oreo Thins
- Salted butter: You can also use unsalted butter and a pinch of salt.
- Cream cheese
- Cocoa powder
- White granulated sugar
- Sour cream: You can substitute whole, full-fat plain greek yogurt if needed.
- Whipped topping, Cool Whip, or a homemade whipped cream
- Peppermint candies: You can use candy canes or hard peppermint discs for this recipe.
Substitutions and Additions
- Make It Mintier: For an even mintier flavor, use thin mint Oreos or regular mint Oreos. You can also add in about ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract with the melted butter to your cookie crumbles.
- Create Your Crust: You can substitute the Oreo cookies with vanilla wafer crumbs or crushed graham crackers, or even use a pre-made cookie crust if you prefer.
Recommended Tools
- 9 inch springform pan
- Food processor
- Plastic wrap
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
- Measuring tools
- Mixing tools
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
- Create The Crust: Pulse the Oreos into crumbs and combine with melted butter. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a springform pan. Cover and chill while making the filling.
- Form The Filling: Beat together the cream cheese, cocoa powder, and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sour cream and then fold in the whipped topping until smooth, and creamy.
Pro Tip: Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice with a spatula while mixing to get all ingredients well blended. - Assemble: Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared crust and spread whipped topping in an even layer over the top. Cover and freeze for 1 hour or refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Serve: Remove the plastic wrap and the outer rim of the pan and sprinkle the top with the peppermint candies. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tip From Our Recipe Developer
- Make sure your cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature before making the filling.
- Do a lot of scraping with a spatula to make sure that everything is well incorporated and that you don’t end up with big lumps of cream cheese or cocoa powder in your mixture. Although a stand mixer is a great way to beat together the ingredients, sometimes it leaves little pockets that aren’t reached by the beater.
- Be sure to give your cheesecake time to fully set.
- Don’t put on the peppermint candy until you’re ready to serve your cheesecake. If it is put on the whipped cream and then left to set in the refrigerator, it tends to “melt” in a way that looks oozey. It’s a prettier presentation if you add the candy just before serving. It adds a delightful crunch as well.
How Long Does My Cheesecake Need to Set?
This is a large dessert and it needs several hours to set fully. If you want to set it up more quickly, you can put it in the freezer but be careful that you don’t forget it.
There is no quick way to thaw a frozen cheesecake that won’t compromise the texture. You can always put the cheesecake in the freezer for an hour and then store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
How Do I Remove My Cheesecake from the Springform Pan?
To remove your cheesecake from the springform pan, you must first make sure the cheesecake has been properly chilled and is still cold. Then, unbuckle the springform pan and remove the circular band.
If it sticks, you can run a small knife around the inside edge of the pan, starting at the top and working your way down. Transfer your cheesecake to the serving dish and slice.
Storage
- To Store: Store your cheesecake, well wrapped in an airtight container, for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your cheesecake in a freezer-safe container or bag for 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Other Easy Cheesecake Recipes
- Brownie Bottom Cheesecake
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Easy no-bake cheesecake bites
- Reese’s Cheesecake
- Reese’s No-Bake Cheesecake
- No Bake Kit Kat Cheesecake
- Chocolate Layer Cheesecake
- Bailey’s Cheesecake
Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 13 ounce package Dark Chocolate Oreo Thins
- 6 Tablespoons (¾ stick) salted butter melted
- 12 ounces (1½ 8-ounce) packages cream cheese softened
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 16 ounce tub whipped topping divided
- ⅓ cup peppermint candies crushed
Instructions
- Place the Oreos in a food processor and process until completely crumbled.
- Pour in the melted butter and pulse until combined.
- Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer to chill while making the cheesecake filling.
- To make the filling, beat together the cream cheese, cocoa powder and sugar in a large mixing bowl with a hand or stand mixer until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice with a spatula while mixing to get all ingredients well blended.
- Add and beat in the sour cream until combined and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Gently fold in 3 cups of whipped topping until you have a smooth, creamy mixture.
- Scoop into the prepared crust and gently spread into an even layer.
- Clean the sides of the pan, wiping off any extra cheesecake smears, and then spread the remaining whipped topping onto the top of the cheesecake in an even layer.
- Cover again with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour or refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and the outer rim of the pan and sprinkle the top with the peppermint candies.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store your cheesecake, well wrapped in an airtight container, for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your cheesecake in a freezer-safe container or bag for 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Make sure your cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature before making the filling.
- Do a lot of scraping with a spatula to make sure that everything is well incorporated and that you don’t end up with big lumps of cream cheese or cocoa powder in your mixture. Although a stand mixer is a great way to beat together the ingredients, sometimes it leaves little pockets that aren’t reached by the beater.
- Be sure to give your cheesecake time to fully set.
- Don’t put on the peppermint candy until you’re ready to serve your cheesecake. If it is put on the whipped cream and then left to set in the refrigerator, it tends to “melt” in a way that looks oozey. It’s a prettier presentation if you add the candy just before serving. It adds a delightful crunch as well.
