Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake

This red velvet Oreo cheesecake is made with a thick, tangy red velvet cheesecake filling and an easy, 2-ingredients Oreo cookie crust. It's a stunning dessert that is perfect for holidays or special occasions.  

Red velvet cake and cheesecake are together at last in this red velvet Oreo cheesecake! The striking red velvet cheesecake filling has all of the flavors of a red velvet cake plus a tangy cream cheese frosting combined into one. The Oreo cookie crust is easy to make and is the perfect vessel for this cheesecake!  

What You Need to Make Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake

Oreo Cookie Crust

• Oreo cookies: Regular Oreo cookies, with filling, crushed into fine crumbs. 
• Butter: Melted and slightly cooled. Salted or unsalted butter is fine.    

Red Velvet Cheesecake Filling

• Cream cheese: Brick-style, full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature. Leave the cream cheese out of the fridge for at least an hour before using it. You can also speed up softening by placing the foil-wrapped package in a plastic bag and setting the bag in a bowl of lukewarm water for a few minutes.   
• Sugar: Granulated.
• Cornstarch: Makes the filling stronger and less likely to crack.   
• Cocoa powder: Natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted to get rid of any clumps.  
• Salt
• Sour cream: Full-fat and room temperature. Take the sour cream out of the fridge at the same time you take out the cream cheese so it's not too cold when you add it in. 
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs: It's crucial to use room temperature eggs for cheesecake. Set the eggs out on your counter for at least an hour, or quickly bring them to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of lukewarm water for a few minutes. They shouldn't feel cold at all when you hold them.
• Red gel food coloring: Gel coloring is always preferred for baking, since it's stronger so you don't need to use as much of it. You can buy individual bottles of gel coloring at most craft stores. 

Water Bath for Cheesecake

A water bath (bain-marie) is a French method of baking something surrounded by boiling water. It allows for slow, gentle, even cooking, which is perfect for delicate desserts like cheesecake. Basically, no matter how hot your oven is, the temperature of the water won't get any higher than 212°F (100°C). Without a water bath, the outside of the cheesecake would be over baked and cracked before the center could finish baking.  

• To keep water from seeping into the pan from the water bath, make sure you wrap it well with several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. *Note: No matter how well you wrap your springform pan, there's still a chance of water leaking in and ruining your otherwise perfectly good cheesecake. This has happened to me a few times, so now I always follow a trick I learned thanks to lifeloveandsugar, which is to tie a slow cooker liner around the pan first and then wrap it with aluminum foil. My cheesecakes have been perfectly dry ever since!

How to Prevent Cracks in Cheesecake

Don't overmix: Overmixing creates pockets of air in the batter that can rise up during baking and turn into cracks. This is especially true once the eggs are added. So add them last and mix the batter as little as possible once they're added. 

Don't open the oven door: At least not for the first hour, which is when the cheesecake is the most delicate. Opening the door causes a sudden change in temperature which can lead to cracks.

Don't overbake: The cheesecake is done when there is a slight wobbly center and the edges are set. It will continue to bake and become set as it cools. If you're unsure, it's usually better to under bake a cheesecake than it is to overbake one.  

Cool the cheesecake slowly: Sudden changes in temperature are a big reason for cheesecakes cracking. The best way to avoid this is to cool the cheesecake very slowly. When you turn the oven off, leave the cheesecake in with the door cracked open for about an hour. Then take the cheesecake out of the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature for another 1-2 hours before refrigerating. It shouldn't feel warm at all when you put it in the fridge.

How to Make Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake

Arrange your oven rack to the bottom position and preheat your oven to 325°F. Start boiling water for the water bath. 

Prepare the Springform Pan

Line the bottom of an 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray the sides with non-stick spray.

Wrap the pan with at least 4 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, and then tie an oven liner around the pan to prevent water seeping in from the water bath. The oven liner is the best way to make sure the cheesecake stays completely dry inside the water bath. If you don't have one, make sure the pan is wrapped very well with several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Without the liner, water from the water bath always leaks into the first few layers of foil. 

Make the Oreo Cookie Crust

Add the Oreo cookies to a food processor and pulse them into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix until evenly combined. Pour the crust into the prepared springform pan and use the flat side of a glass or measuring cup to pack it down evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.

Pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes while you make the filling. 

Make the Red Velvet Cheesecake Filling

1. Use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth without any lumps. Wipe any lumps of cream cheese off of the mixer and the sides of the bowl, then add the granulated sugar, sifted cocoa powder, salt, and cornstarch and mix until combined and smooth.
2. Wipe the sides of the bowl, then add the room temperature sour cream, vanilla extract, and red gel coloring. Mix until smooth and add a few drops more red coloring until you're happy with the color. Keep in mind the color will deepen and darken during baking.
3. At this point, make sure the cheesecake batter is completely smooth and well combined, because you want to mix as little as possible once the eggs are added.
4. Add the room temperature eggs, one at a time, and mix on low speed or use a whisk to mix them in by hand until just combined after each. Once all of the eggs are added, mix until smooth and wipe the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
5. Pour the batter into the springform pan over the pre-baked Oreo crust. Bang the pan on your counter a few times, you should see bubbles of air rise to the surface and pop.   

Bake

1. Place a large roasting pan inside your oven on the bottom rack. Add about an inch of boiling water to the roasting pan and then carefully set the cheesecake inside the pan of water.
2. Check the cheesecake after 1 hour of baking. If it looks set around the edges with a slightly wobbly center, then it's done. If it's still wobbly all over, keep baking and check on it again in 5-minute intervals until it's done. Mine needed 1 hour and 15 minutes total. 
3. Once it's finished baking, turn the oven off, crack the door, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour to cool to room temperature.
4. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and the water bath, but don't take it out of the springform pan yet. Allow it to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating. At least 1 hour. 
5. Keep the cheesecake in the springform pan and refrigerate overnight before serving. 
6. When ready to serve, remove the sides of the pan and use a large, sharp knife to slice the cheesecake. Run the knife under hot water and wipe it clean in between each slice. 

Cover leftovers and keep in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can also freeze the cheesecake for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to serve.  

More Cheesecake Recipes

• Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake 
• No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake
• Lemon Cheesecake
• Strawberry Cheesecake
• Caramel Cheesecake
• Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
• White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake