Chocolate Orange No-Bake Cheesecake

✏️ Recipe creation

I’m a huge chocolate and orange fan. Just check out my favourite chocolate orange cake and chocolate orange cupcakes and you’ll know what I mean!

This cheesecake makes one of the best easy no-bake desserts. This recipe uses orange zest and orange extract for a full zesty flavour!

It’s also a dark chocolate version of my favourite white chocolate orange cheesecake recipe.

This simple cheesecake is great served after a family dinner or for special occasions, dinner parties and potlucks.

Personally, I love making this chocolate orange cheesecake as a Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert – such a festive flavour combo! As a no-bake dessert, it saves on oven space and can be made in advance and left in the fridge!

🥘 Ingredients

This chocolate orange cheesecake recipe calls for the following ingredients:

1. Base:

• Graham crackers (or digestive biscuits)
• Butter: use unsalted for a low-salt and sweeter base.

2. Cheesecake Filling:

• Dark semi-sweet chocolate: use cooking chocolate or melting wafers for ease of melting.
• Cream cheese: must be full-fat cream cheese (I like Philadelphia for its low water content too). Use room temperature for ease of mixing.
• White sugar: finely ground sugar such as caster.
• Orange extract: choose extract over essence for better flavour.
• Orange zest: finely grated.
• Heavy cream (e.g. double cream): use cold cream straight from the fridge for whipping success.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Top tip: For accuracy, it’s best to weigh your ingredients rather than using cups.

♻️ Substitutions/Variations

Ingredient substitutions

You can use graham crackers or digestive biscuits for your cheesecake base. Alternatively, choose your favourite cookie like Oreos or even ginger cookies for a more festive twist!

For more chocolate orange flavour, you can swap half of the semi-sweet chocolate for your favourite orange chocolate. Terry’s chocolate orange or Lindt orange dark chocolate work a treat!

You can swap the white sugar for powdered confectioners’ sugar or light brown soft sugar.

If you don’t have any oranges to hand, you can swap the orange zest for another 1 teaspoon of orange extract.

Flavour options

You can change up your cheesecake filling by adding extra flavours.

For a boozy chocolate orange cheesecake, why not beat in 1-2 tablespoon of Baileys Irish cream liqueur, Cointreau triple sec or Grand Marnier orange liqueur to your cream cheese mixture before you add the melted chocolate?

You can also add chocolate chips to your finished cheesecake mixture before you add it to your tin. This will give your chocolate orange cheesecake a tasty texture!

📖 Method

Base

Step 1: Place the cookies/biscuits into a food processor or blender and whizz until you get fine crumbs.

Step 2: In a medium heatproof bowl, melt the butter in a microwave.

Step 3: Stir the crushed cookies into the melted butter until combined.

Step 4: Press the cookie mix into a lined tin (see tips), using the back of a spoon or measuring cup to help firmly press down. Put this in the freezer while making the cheesecake filling.

Cheesecake filling

Step 5: In a microwave (20 secs at a time) or over a double-boiler, gently melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Set this to one side to allow it to cool to room temperature.

Step 6: Whip the cold cream for several minutes, using an electric mixer or stand mixer, until it forms soft peaks.

Steps 7 - 8: In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, orange extract and orange zest until smooth and fluffy.

Step 9: Beat the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mix until combined.

Step 10: Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mix until smooth (i.e. white streaks have disappeared).

Step 11: Spread the filling evenly over the chilled base, smoothing gently, then cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 3hrs or overnight.

Step 12: After this has set and is firm to the touch, you can remove your cheesecake from the tin and decorate it then enjoy!

💭 Top tips

• Using a springform tin (or loose-bottom tin) is easier to get your cheesecake out after.
• Check out these springform pan lining tips to see how best to line your cheesecake tin.
• Instead of a food processor, you can crush your cookies by placing them into a plastic food bag and bashing them with a rolling pin.
• To help your cheesecake set, whip your cream to soft peaks and fold it into your chocolate orange filling mixture gently.
• To prevent a soggy base, check whether your cookie base layer is completely cool before you add the filling. If not, pop it back into the fridge for another 10mins until cold.
• Where possible, make your chocolate orange cheesecake the day before serving. Setting it overnight means you can be sure it’s nice and firm.
• To remove your chocolate orange cheesecake from the springform pan, run a knife or spatula around the edge. Place the cheesecake on top of a mug or cup. Unclip the pan and slowly lower the sides of the pan down.
• Decorate your chocolate orange cheesecake with a twisted slice of orange, more zest, or candied peel. Alternatively, top with Terry's chocolate orange pieces, chocolate ganache (like the one in this Bailey’s chocolate cheesecake recipe) or decorate with this easy orange buttercream.

❔ Recipe FAQs

🧁 Other goodies

Looking for some more easy desserts?

Check out these easy no-bake cheesecake recipes for more delicious dessert ideas for special occasions:

• Terry’s white chocolate orange cheesecake – perfect for Christmas with its snowy look!
• Pumpkin pecan cheesecake – so delicious with its pumpkin spice filling and pecan praline topping like a Cheesecake Factory copycat!
• Gingerbread orange cheesecake – another festive delight with a ginger cookie base and creamy orange filling. Top with gingerbread men for Christmas dessert heaven!

For more cheesecakes check out my full collection of the best cheesecake recipes.

Or for more festive treats, check out these Christmas and The Holidays recipes (including some delicious mince pie orange blondies) or this collection of the best no-bake Christmas dessert ideas!

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