Oreo Cheesecake

May is the month of birthdays in my household. Both kids have theirs almost back-to-back. As is tradition, I let them pick a cake of their choice. This year the young man, after some serious oscillation, decided on Oreo Cheesecake.

The cake has all the usual trappings of a cheesecake - incredibly luscious texture with a hint of creamy tanginess. Yet, the Oreo cheesecake is much more decadent and richer. 

I’ve baked plenty of cheesecakes to know the difference. Even I, someone who is not a big fan of Oreos, loved it. No bones about it. 

The velvety mouthfeel of the cookie peeking through layers of cream made it dangerously addictive. The kids consider Oreo the perfect cookie, so needless to say, they were on cloud nine.

How to make Oreo Cheesecake?

This is our second year celebrating birthdays in lockdown. We might not have gone out and gone big, but I am immensely grateful that the four of us and my mom, who lives right next door, are together. 

I also take comfort in the fact that there is food on the table and a delicious, gorgeous cake that turns the table into a spectacle of silence with just a look.

Make the crust

With cheesecakes, I start with the crust. It saves time.

• Crush Oreo biscuits and combine them with melted butter.
• You’re looking for an evenly mixed, uniform crumb that’s damp.
• Pack the mixture tightly onto the base of your pan. Press it down. 
• Like with all my other cheesecake recipes, I used an 8-inch spring bottom pan.
• Bake for about 10 minutes.

Quick tips:

All the ingredients you use should be at room temperature, from the cream to the egg. That’s how you get the best cheesecake texture. Plus, making the filling becomes way more manageable.

Line the base and the outside of your loose-bottom pan with foil. Trust me, it’ll save you a lot of cleaning headache if the batter leaks out. 

Prepare the cheese filling

• In the time the crust bakes, beat cream cheese and raw sugar with an electric beater.
• Once the mixture is smooth, add two eggs to it. Do it one at a time.
• Mix in vanilla extract and a little bit of all-purpose flour and cream. 
• Your mixture should be nice, smooth, and a bit thickish. 
• Now fold in chopped Oreos. You have two choices here:
  • Chop them finely.
  • Chop them roughly. I opted for this because I wanted to get chunky pieces of the cookie with each bite of the cake. 

Quick tip:

Never overbeat a cheesecake mixture. The trick to a dense and moist cheesecake is less aeration. The more you beat, the more air it incorporates – not something you want. 

Baking the Oreo cheesecake

• By now, the crust would be done. Pour the batter on top of it. 
• For that extra punch of Oreo flavor, sprinkle some more chopped cookies on top. 
• Bake for a good 45 to 50 minutes.

Quick tip:

Always bake a cheesecake at a low temperature. It’s key to a moist cake and not a dry one.

Tricks to baking a cheesecake

• As tempting as it may be to check on the cake, cheesecakes are not happy with interference while baking. I was distracted and forgot about the rule and opened the oven midway. Hence, mine cracked. Not that it bothers me.
• To prevent overheating and fissures in the cake, which tends to happen with cheesecakes, turn off the oven when the cake is still wobbly with a springy center. Leave the cake inside the oven but with the door cracked open for at least 30 minutes. 
• Let the cheesecake cool before you take it out of the cake pan. The center will fall a little. But that’s usual for cheesecakes and not a cause for worry. 
• Always, I repeat, always chill a cheesecake overnight. It helps set the cake and give a firmer consistency, so it doesn’t fall apart when you cut the first slice. 

Variations of Oreo Cheesecake

I do enjoy making eggless cheesecakes. But I didn't have the energy to experiment this time. Plus, I feel it is the eggs that lend it a richer taste. But if you want to make an eggless cheesecake, follow any one of the recipes:

• Cheesecake Swirl Brownie
• No-Bake Jamun Cheesecake
• Saffron Cardamom Cheesecake recipe

I stuck to the regular Oreos for the recipe, but chocolate Oreos will be an excellent substitute. Or you can use Marie biscuit with cocoa powder to get that chocolatey kick as I did in my:

• Espresso Cheesecake
• Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

My preference is always raw sugar, but regular white sugar works exceptionally here. Keep in mind that I cut the amount of sugar by 1/4th because the cookies have enough sweetness of their own. 

More cheesecake recipes:

• Cinnamon Cheesecake with roasted figs for a touch of uniqueness.
• Burnt Basque Cheesecake for when you want to throw the cheesecake playbook out.
• Baked Ricotta Mango Cheesecake if you’re in the mood for baking with seasonal fruit.
• No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bites when a cake is not on the menu, but a treat is.
• Chocolate Cheesecake Popsicles to fight the roaring high temperature.

Serving the Oreo Cheesecake

The Oreo cheesecake is definitely a once-a-year birthday treat. The dark Oreo base gives the cake a crunchy crust, acting as the perfect counterpoint to the velvety feel of the cream cheese.

I strongly recommend making it the night before. It’s nicely chilled the next day, and all you have to do is dress it up for the occasion. You can drizzle it with chocolate or strategically place chopped Oreos to mask the cracks as I did!