Chocolate Chip Cheesecake is the perfect choice when you’re craving a little chocolate, but your other half wants a plain cheesecake. The crust really puts this cheesecake over the top with its combination of vanilla wafers, coconut flakes, and pecans. It’s really quite delicious.
I’ve been making this cheesecake for many years. It’s not the great big New York Style cheesecake that takes 5 blocks of cream cheese. But it’s still quite tasty and a nice in-between dessert for those who enjoy both chocolate or plain cheesecake.
Instructions For Making This Recipe
Preheat oven to 325°F. To begin, gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the 9″ springform pan and secure with the locking device.
This is an optional step, but it will allow you to easily transfer the cooked cheesecake to a serving plate without any mishaps.
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Prepare the Ingredients
Place vanilla wafers in a quart freezer bag and finely crush the cookies with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizing mallet. Another option is to use a food processor to crush the cookies.
I’ve also used graham crackers in place of the vanilla wafers, which works fine. I do think that the vanilla wafers gives the crust an extra-special something, though.
Using a nut chopper or knife and cutting board, finely chop the pecans.
Make the Crust
In a medium mixing bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, shredded coconut, granulated sugar, and baking cocoa. Add melted butter and mix well.
Press the crust onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the granulated sugar, and then add large eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions. Stir in vanilla extract.
Finish by folding in miniature chocolate chips until incorporated.
Pour the batter into prepared crust, carefully spreading the cream cheese mixture to the edges and leveling it with a rubber spatula. Try not to touch the edges of the pan, which will cause excess sticking when baked.
Bake the Cheesecake
Place a pan of hot water on the rack below the pan to help prevent the top of the cheesecake from cracking. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until center is nearly set. Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to cool for an hour.
Allowing the cheesecake to set in the oven for an hour after it has baked also helps reduce the chance of it splitting on top.
Remove from oven, and carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Let cool completely.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and lift the cheesecake up with the parchment paper. Carefully, transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.
Serve the Chocolate Chip Cheesecake on pretty dessert plates, such as this Polish Pottery Dessert Plate – Precious Pentas pattern.
This recipe will serve 16 people.
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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
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Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
- 1/3 cup flaked coconut
- 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
- 1/3 cup butter (melted)
Cheesecake
- 24 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. To begin, gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the 9″ springform pan and secure with the locking device.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Place vanilla wafers in a quart freezer bag and finely crush the cookies with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizing mallet. Another option is to use a food processor to crush the cookies for a total of 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs.
- Using a nut chopper or knife and cutting board, chop 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans.
Make the Crust
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, 1/3 cup flaked coconut, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 3 tablespoons baking cocoa. Add to this 1/3 cup butter (melted) and mix well.
- Press the crust onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened 24 oz cream cheese until smooth. Mix in 1 cup granulated sugar, and then add 4 large eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Finish by folding in 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into prepared crust, carefully spreading the cream cheese mixture to the edges and leveling it with a rubber spatula. Try not to touch the edges of the pan, which will cause sticking when baked.
Bake the Cheesecake
- Place a pan of hot water on the rack below the pan to help prevent the top of the cheesecake from cracking. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until center is nearly set. Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to cool for an hour.
- Remove from oven, and carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Let cool completely.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and lift the cheesecake up with the parchment paper. Carefully, transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate. Serves 16.
