This intense chocolate cheesecake is very creamy and has Irish cream liquor. It's a dessert to make for special occasions like St. Patrick's or Father's Day. I like to have one frozen on a regular basis, as it's a favorite dessert for special dinners and celebrations at our house.
Intense and creamy cheesecake
After several failed attempts - too dense, too bland, too sweet - I finally have the creamy chocolate cheesecake with Baileys Irish cream I always wanted.
You might find out that you don't want a regular chocolate cheesecake as much. And if you're in the mood to celebrate St. Patrick's, this is a masterpiece, similar to the Chocolate Guinness Cake that is a twist on the popular devil's food cake recipe and looks like an Irish coffee.
- Super creamy - it is dense but soft with a wonderful creamy texture.
- Intensely chocolate - the chocolate flavor is deep but just sweet enough.
- Baileys - the flavor of this wonderful Irish cream liquor shines through without overpowering the whole cake. It took me a while to get here, let me tell you.
- Cream topping - it is an extra layer that adds a lot of balance to the whole cheesecake. Don't skip it.
What is Baileys?
It's an Irish cream liqueur. It is thick in consistency and has a color similar to tea with milk. It has a sweet, unique flavor. I taste whisky, dairy, vanilla and the slightest touch of cocoa.
Baileys is a trademark name, but it's often used as a generic. You can buy it or make a similar version at home (if you're interested, check out this recipe for Homemade Irish cream or Baileys).
Ingredient list
Except for the liqueur, the ingredients are simple.
- Cookies: use chocolate digestive biscuits or wafers, plain ones.
- Unsalted butter.
- Semisweet chocolate.
- Baileys: this unique Irish cream liquor should not be substituted. Though some brands try to recreate it, they're not the same.
- Cream cheese: regular, full-fat.
- Sour cream: regular, full-fat.
- Cream: heavy whipping or heavy cream work.
- Sugar: white, granulated.
- Eggs: large, fresh.
- Vanilla extract.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
How to achieve a creamy consistency
We all want creamy cheesecake, right? Achieving it is not hard, but a few details must not be overlooked.
- Baking temperature: I bake it at our usual 350° for about ten minutes at the beginning but then turn down the oven temperature and let it continue to bake slowly. This way, there's no need for a water bath, which can be pretty annoying.
- Cooling down: the oven is turned off, and the cheesecake is left inside with the door closed for another hour. Then, it needs to cool completely to room temperature before you chill it. Why? because it needs to cool down gradually. She's not friends with sudden changes in temperature.
- Refrigeration: once it's cooled down it goes into the refrigerator, well wrapped. At least 8 hours for best results. I never leave it less than 12 hours, and usually a day or 2. Trust me, it all helps to get that creamiest consistency possible.
I have a recipe for an 8-hour cheesecake. The creaminess is out of this world, unlike anything I ever tasted! That's what slow baking does.
Steps to make chocolate cheesecake with Baileys
This incredible chocolate dessert has three parts: the cheesecake base, the creamy filling, and the boozy topping.
Crumb base
It's a mix of ground chocolate wafers and butter baked for a short time. This makes the crust firm enough to hold the filling and to easily remove it from the springform pan when ready to serve. You won't be able to cover more than ½ to 1 inch, and that is fine.
Chocolate filling
It's dark and so unctuous that you might want to eat it with a spoon from the bowl. When you pour it into the cake pan, it will pass the cookie crust mark, and that is fine.
Baking
The cheesecake will develop a thin layer during baking and slightly crack around the edges. Spread the topping while the cheesecake is still hot so it sets up with the residual heat.
Topping
The cheesecake will develop a thin layer during baking and slightly crack around the edges. Spread the topping while the cheesecake is still hot so it sets up with the residual heat.
Decoration
Drizzle some chocolate sauce or ganache before serving for a nicer presentation and extra chocolate flavor.
Serving ideas
I like to have cheesecakes frozen at all times. It will save you when you need a last-minute dessert or when you need to have the dessert made in advance.
That said, this particular Baileys cheesecake recipe is the perfect dessert because it's chocolate and has liquor, which makes it sophisticated and different.
- Whole cheesecake: I add a touch of chocolate ganache on top before serving it and sometimes sprinkle some chocolate shavings or curls on top.
- Plated dessert: serve it in slivers with some whipped cream and berries on top.
- Frozen: cut it into squares and serve it straight from the freezer for a semifreddo-like version. If you want to cut squares, make it as a sheet cake-similar to the Best Baked Cheesecake.
- Dessert table: serve small squares (finger-food style) with coffee alongside shots of Baileys. Remember it needs to be served cold, so plan ahead.
Storing cheesecake
- Refrigerator: well wrapped it keeps for 1-2 weeks.
- Freezer: this is my favorite way of storing this chocolate cheesecake (or any other for that matter). Wrap it well, first in plastic and then in aluminum foil. It keeps for a month. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, but remember that it's best served somewhat cold.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Chocolate cookie crust: do not use sandwich cookies (such as Oreo cookies) because they create an overly greasy base that doesn't really go with the cheesecake mixture, flavor-wise. I sometimes add a few tablespoons ground cocoa nibs for an even deeper flavor.
- Liqueur: the boozy part works because it's Bailey's Irish cream and it's sweet and not overly strong. It's not a recipe to make with the same amount of Irish whiskey or bourbon unless you like a very strong flavor. For that, you can try the phenomenal Hot Chocolate Bourbon Cake, probably my favorite one ever.
- Mini cheesecakes: these are a good idea if you want each person to have an individual dessert or to freeze in portions. Use small pans with removable bottoms, and remember that you will have to bake cheesecakes for a shorter time.
Related recipes you might like:
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Chocolate Irish Cream Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the cookie base:
- 2 cups ground chocolate wafers
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the cream cheese filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, 2 bricks, at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , or ¾ teaspoon vanilla paste
- ½ cup Baileys, Irish cream liqueur
- ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
For the topping:
- ¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Baileys , Irish cream liqueur
For the chocolate drizzle:
- ½ ounce semisweet chocolate, melted
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
For the cookie base:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Have ready a 9 or 10-inch (24cm) springform cake pan with removable bottom.
- Stir 2 cups ground chocolate wafers with ½ cup unsalted butter, and mix until the mixture looks like wet sand.
- Put this mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. It will only cover about an inch up the sides.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack while making the filling. Don't turn the oven off.
For the filling:
- Beat 16 ounces cream cheese in a large bowl on low speed until very smooth. You can use an electric mixer or wire whisk. If the cheese is at room temperature, mixing it by hand should not be a problem.
- Gradually add ½ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar and beat until well incorporated.
- Add 3 eggs, mixing until incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add melted 12 ounces semisweet chocolate and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and mix.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , ½ cup Baileys and ½ cup heavy cream, stirring to incorporate well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C), turn the oven down to 280ºF (140°C) and bake for another 40-45 minutes. (This can vary depending on your oven). At this point, the cheesecake should jiggle in the center. Don't be tempted to bake it longer.
- Turn the oven off and, leaving the door ajar, let the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. The residual heat will keep on baking it.
- Prepare the topping (below) a few minutes before taking it out of the oven. Spread it carefully almost touching the edges.
- Cool to room temperature, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. I recommend 1 day of refrigeration for the creamiest consistency.
- Run a small knife around the edges to loosen up any bits that might be stuck, remove the cheesecake from the cake pan, transfer to the serving plate, and drizzle with chocolate ganache.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated, covered in plastic wrap.
For the topping:
- Mix ¾ cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons Baileys in a small bowl. You can add a few drops of vanilla extract if you want to. I normally don't.
For the chocolate drizzle:
- Chop ½ ounce semisweet chocolate and put it in a small bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons heavy cream in the microwave or stovetop. Just before it boils, pour it over the chocolate.
- Whisk until chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. If you want it thinner in consistency add more cream or milk.
- Drizzle over sour cream topping when the cheesecake is cold.
sandra says
I still have the cake in the oven so cannot say yet how it is going to turn out. But someone visited while I was in the middle of baking it and I just discovered I left the melted margarine in the microwave instead of putting it in my filling. Hoping this will not ruin the consistency???
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Sandra! It shouldn't ruin it. It adds unctuousness and richness, but the cheesecake will still be creamy and wonderful. Make sure you don't overbake it, cool it down and refrigerate it as instructed. Happy baking.
Diane says
This recipe is amazing. I made it yesterday & we tasted it this morning when cutting into slices, it's creamy and such a great addition to my recipes as a keeper. My husband said this one is sooooo good & I will pass this on to family, too. Thank you for the recipe. I only made the crust & cheesecake not the toppings and it is that good that it needs nothing more.