A no-bake chocolate cheesecake with an Oreo cookie crust, dark chocolate, mascarpone, marshmallows and a touch of espresso. Rich, velvety and utterly indulgent, this easy no-bake cheesecake is foolproof and requires very little effort.
Who doesn’t crave a bit of chocolate now and then?
I’m a huge fan of no-bake desserts. I love their creamy texture, minimal effort and bold flavours. To me, “no bake” means no oven is required — melting chocolate on the stove is perfectly acceptable.
This recipe is called a no-bake chocolate cheesecake even though it doesn’t use cream cheese. Instead, creamy mascarpone is folded into the filling, along with a secret ingredient I adore: marshmallows.
The marshmallows melt into the chocolate, creating a vanilla-scented, thick, indulgent filling. It’s seriously delicious. I also add strong espresso for a subtle kick, but you can skip it if you prefer.
Tip: If you don’t want coffee flavour, substitute the espresso with water for an equally intense chocolate cheesecake.
How To Make A No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake – Step By Step
Begin by melting half the butter in a saucepan. Place whole Oreo cookies (including the filling) in a food processor and blitz until you have fine crumbs, adding the melted butter while processing.
Press the crumbs into a lined 8.5 inch / 22 cm cake tin using the back of a metal spoon to form an even, compact base. Chill the base in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Cut the remaining butter into cubes, chop the marshmallows and break the chocolate into pieces. Add the butter, marshmallows, chocolate, water and espresso to a large saucepan over low–medium heat. Stir constantly until everything has melted and the mixture is smooth. When only a few marshmallow lumps remain, remove the pan from heat and stir in the mascarpone until fully combined.
Tip: If small marshmallow lumps remain, return the pan to the heat briefly and stir until smooth. A tiny pinch of sea salt flakes enhances the chocolate flavour.
Remove the chilled base from the fridge and pour the warm chocolate filling over it. Return the tin to the fridge to set for at least 1 hour, preferably 2–3 hours. Dust with unsweetened cocoa powder before serving, if desired.
More Chocolate Dessert Ideas
- Chocolate panna cotta
- Homemade Nutella-style chocolate spread
- Thick Italian hot chocolate
- Chocolate-hazelnut ice cream
- Tiramisu ice cream
P.S. I fussed over the frosting edges but decided not to rework them — one wrong move and I’d have a sticky mess. Imperfect frosting still tastes amazing, so don’t stress.
Enjoy the cheesecake, and feel free to share any frosting tips!
If you try this no-bake cheesecake, please rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it went — I love hearing from you!
Step By Step Photos Above
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No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
By Emily
Ingredients
- 24 Oreo cookies (264g)
- 4.9 oz (140g) butter, divided
- 10.5 oz (300g) good quality dark chocolate
- 6.1 oz (175g) marshmallows, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup (110g) mascarpone cheese
- 2 tbsp strong espresso (or water)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) water
- 1 very small pinch smoked sea salt flakes (or regular)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting (optional)
Topping (optional)
- 4 heaped tbsp ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp fine granulated sugar
Instructions
- First, melt half of the butter in a saucepan. Add the Oreo cookies (whole, with filling) to a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs while adding the melted butter.
- Press the crumbs into a lined 8.5 inch / 22 cm cake tin to form an even base. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Cut the marshmallows into small pieces and break the chocolate into chunks. Add the marshmallows, chocolate, espresso, water and the remaining cubed butter to a large saucepan.
- Melt over low–medium heat, stirring until everything is smooth. When only a few marshmallow lumps remain, remove from heat and stir in the mascarpone.
- Add a tiny pinch of sea salt to enhance the chocolate flavour. If marshmallow lumps persist, heat briefly and stir until fully melted.
- Pour the chocolate filling over the chilled base and return to the fridge to set for at least 1 hour, preferably 2–3 hours. Dust with cocoa powder before serving if you like.
For topping (optional)
- Whisk ricotta until smooth, add sugar and sifted cocoa powder, taste and adjust sweetness. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe around the cheesecake edge.
Notes
Tips
- Add orange zest, mint, vanilla or other flavourings to the chocolate mixture to vary the flavour.
- Use water instead of espresso if you prefer no coffee flavour.
- Overall time excludes chilling time.
- This cheesecake freezes well: cut into portions, wrap in parchment and seal in a container. Thaw completely before serving.
Equipment Used
- 8.5 inch / 22 cm cake tin
- Spatula and food processor
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I typically use extra virgin olive oil unless stated otherwise.
- I recommend using quality canned tomatoes when a recipe calls for them.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless noted.
- All recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven when baking is required.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 30 g |
Protein: 3 g |
Fat: 21 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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