Oreo Cheesecake (No Bake)
An oreo cheesecake like no other: oreo cookie crust, tangy cream cheese filling flavored with oreo cream, and whipped cream dusted with more oreo crumbs. This is a no-bake dessert recipe that sets up nicely for clean, creamy slices.
I started on this oreo cheesecake recipe working from this no-bake cheesecake which I had recently remade and reshot for the blog. There was one main thing I wanted to change about my oreo cheesecake recipe: based on something I did around 17 years ago when I was in college, working at a gelato cafe.
Recipe Origins
At the time I was in charge of making all of the gelato. I’d go in about 3 times a week and churn out the classics: stracciatella, mint stracciatella (one of my favorites), pistachio (another favorite), tiramisu (hated it), all the sorbettos (lemon, strawberry, mango..etc).
Ever the creative, I had wanted to create my own flavors to contribute to the menu: the first was chai (easy because we had all the spices in the back considering we sold hot chai drinks in the cafe section). The second was oreo (I had to request they order oreos for this).
Instead of just adding the oreos to a plain vanilla base, I soaked them in the milk (in our gelato we used only milk, no cream) for a few hours. Then made my gelato base and poured it into the machine to churn.
The goal of this was for the pure oreo; not just bits. The result was a gray gelato that would have been overlooked if not for the decorative oreos on top and the name tag showing its flavor. It was a huge success!
So – this is did for this recipe, except I soak the oreos in the cream because it’s the ingredient with the highest water content. The rest is in line with my no-bake cheesecake and after a chill in the refrigerator it still sets up beautifully and stays creamy.
Recipe Ingredients
Chocolate sandwich cookies (oreos): I tend to use the 365 brand of ‘chocolate sandwich creams’ which are basically oreo dupes but you can use actual oreos as well. The important thing: remove the cream! We have no use for it here and it will compromise the texture of the crust and filling.
Butter: unsalted butter (or salted, but reduce the added salt). Cold is fine – we’ll be melting it.
Salt: fine sea salt.
Heavy cream: or heavy whipping cream. Light cream won’t work as it doesn’t have enough fat in it to thicken so the cheesecake won’t set.
Cream cheese: full fat cream cheese, bring it to room temperature so it will mix well with the rest of the filling.
Sour cream: full fat. It’s fine if it’s cold, it tends to blend easily.
Sugar: fine granulated sugar.
Vanilla: pure vanilla extract.
How to make No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Prep
Grind the cookies into fine crumbs: calculate how much you need and grind after (although if you have leftovers they can be stored and used later). For the crust you’ll need 250g and for the filling 125g (total 375g).
Mix the heavy cream with 125g of the cookie crumbs: stir then cover and set in the fridge for an hour or more. The cookie crumbs will dissolve into the heavy cream. This will be what I call the ‘oreo cream’.
Make the crust
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of a 8 or 9-inch springform pan and secure the ring.
Use the 250g of crumbs to make the crust. Melt the butter in a microwave the stir with the crumbs and a pinch of salt (if the butter isn’t salted).
Press the wet cookie crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, using a measuring cup or bottom of a glass to press them into an even layer.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Out of the oven press it back into place if it has bubbled up. Let cool completely before making the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling
Set the cream cheese in a bowl. It should be at a warm room temperature. Use the back of a spatula or wooden spoon to press it into the bowl – this helps remove lumps.
Add the sugar, salt and vanilla and beat them into cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
-> you can also do this in a stand mixer: use the paddle attachment until the heavy cream is added then switch to the whisk.
Add the sour cream and beat to combine.
Give the chilled ‘oreo cream’ a stir then pour the mixture into the bowl. Whip until you have stiff peaks: the beaters will leave marks that hold shape (it doesn’t slop over immediately when the beaters are removed).
Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and smooth it out into an even layer. Set in the fridge to chill for 6-8 hours or overnight.
Oreo Cheesecake Toppings
Oreo whipped cream: combine 240g or 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons fine granulated sugar, a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla in a food processor. Process on high until thickened, about 1-3 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of oreo crumbs.
Plain whipped cream: follow this stabilized vanilla whipped cream recipe.
Chocolate whipped cream: follow this chocolate whipped cream recipe.
Berries: sliced strawberries, whole raspberries and blueberries would be great on top!
Optional ganache layer
Like I did with my plain no-bake cheesecake, you have the option to set this cheesecake batter on a dark chocolate ganache layer. Once the crust is cool you’ll heat 100-150g heavy cream and pour it over 100-150g (they should be equal) dark or semi-sweet chocolate. Stir until smooth. Let this set in the fridge before making the oreo filling.
Oreo Cheesecake (No Bake) Recipe
Oreo Cheesecake [No Bake]
Ingredients
Crust
- 275g or 2 cups oreo cookie crumbs cream removed
- 87g or 6 tablespoons melted butter salted or unsalted
- Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
Filling
- 240g or 1 cup g heavy cream or heavy whipping cream not light cream
- 125g or 1 cup oreo cookie crumbs
- -
- 452g or 2 bricks full fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 120g or ½ cup full fat sour cream
- 100g or ½ cup fine granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt only a pinch if using table salt
Topping
- 240g or 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fine granulated sugar
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons oreo cookie crumbs
Method
Make the ‘oreo cream’
- Add the heavy cream for the filling into a bowl along with 125g or ½ cup ground cookie crumbs. Stir then cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 1-2 hours. The crumbs will dissolve.
Make the oreo crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Set a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan and clip the ring around it.
- In a bowl combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter, pinch of salt and stir. When you squeeze the crumbs they should hold together. Press half of the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan and the other half up the sides of the ring. Use a measuring cup to help pack it into an even layer.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, this helps ‘set’ the crust. Leave it to completely cool before starting the filling.
Make the filling
- The cream cheese should be at a warm room temperature before beginning. Place it in a large bowl and use a rubber spatula to press it into the bowl - this helps remove lumps. Add the sugar, salt and vanilla to the bowl and use a hand mixer to blend it well until creamy.
- Add the sour cream and blend. Take the oreo cream out of the fridge and stir it, then add it to the bowl. Beat with the mixer until you have stiff peaks: the marks left by the mixer should hold shape.
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth it into an even layer. Leave it to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours (overnight is fine).
Make the topping (optional)
- In a food processor add the heavy cream, sugar, salt and vanilla. Process on high until thickened, about 2 minutes (check it for stiff peaks). Stir in the cookie crumbs. Spread over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Sprinkle additional cookie crumbs on top, if desired.
- Serve and store chilled. The cheesecake will last in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Did you make this recipe?
Share & tag me on instagram @buttermilkbysam
Just about to start making this and I apologize if I’m missing something, but what are you referring to when you say “take the oreo cream out of the fridge”. Thanks!
In step one when you make the oreo cream (the ground oreos and heavy cream) I ask you to chill it in the fridge until it’s ready to use.