Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe – In The Oven

If you love chocolate chips and cheesecake, this chocolate chip cheesecake recipe is sure to please. Nothing like the taste of rich morsels mixed with creamy cheesecake filling to satisfy the tastebuds.

There are chocolate chip cheesecake recipes that have been around for years so it really is a classic cheesecake recipe. After a few trial and error cheesecakes, I have come up with my own version. This has become one of our favorite desserts!

I cooked this in a 7×3 inch push pan. It could also be done in a springform pan if that is your pan of choice. You just need to make sure it is deep enough.

To get this recipe just right it works best when you cook it at low heat for a longer period of time. It also works best when you cook it in a water bath.

What Is Water Bath & How To Do It:

If you are not sure what a water bath is, let me explain it. It is used for baking to keep the edges from what you are baking from getting dry and crusty.

It is simple to do. You just wrap the bottom of your cheesecake pan with foil to make sure no water gets in. Then place your pan inside of another oven-safe dish or pan slightly larger than your cheesecake.

Then put water in the second pan. You want to fill it about 1/4 inch below the top of your foil as you do not want the water to go over the foil when it boils.

As it is cooking the water will turn into hot water and boil and release steam up the sides of pan. Your cheesecake will cook and will come out without those dark brown crusty sides.

This method is used with lots of baking products and not just cheesecakes. If you are baking something that does not have a removable bottom to the pan, such as a cake pan, you do not need to wrap with foil.

Simply just place one pan inside of another and add water.

What Ingredients Will I need?

This simple recipe only uses simple ingredients. You will need:

Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients:

• Graham Crackers
• Butter

Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:

• Cream Cheese
• Vanilla
• Sour Cream
• Eggs
• Splenda or Sugar
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or chips of choice

How To Make This Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe

Heat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 7″x3″ cheesecake pan. 

Crush your graham crackers in the food processor until they are fine crumbs. Then combine crumbs and melted butter until it is mixed well.

Then pack the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Make sure it is packed well. Set aside.

In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese so that it is creamy and not just a block. Then add in vanilla extract, eggs, sour cream, and sugar. Mix at medium speed until blended.

Stir in 1/4 cup chocolate chips into the cheesecake mixture. Then pour batter over the crust. Be sure to scrape batter from sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top of the batter. They will sink just slightly when cooking.

If you want them to be more inside and not right at the top, you can slightly push them in if you wish. I liked mine on the top so you can see them.

Wrap the bottom of the pan in aluminum foil and place in a water bath (see notes above or check out this post on water bath baking). Place in preheated oven and bake for one hour and ten minutes. Then turn the oven off and leave the door closed for thirty minutes.

The top of the cheesecake should be a nice golden brown color when done.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on the counter until it is room temperature and you can handle it with your hands. Then place in the fridge to chill the rest of the way.

Can You Use Different Chocolate Chips?

Yes! We made this using normal chocolate chips but it also works really with mini chocolate chips. You could also change it up if you want and do a mix of a handful of chocolate chips and a handful of peanut butter chips!

If you want it to be loaded with chips, feel free to add a little extra if you like.

Can You Add Toppings To Cheesecake?

You can! This is such a great recipe as it can be served as or it can be topped. One of the best topping options we have found is whipped cream. It can be store-bought or make your own using heavy cream.

Another great topping option is ice cream!

Can This Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe Be Made As Cheesecake Bars?

Yes! With a little adjusting, these can be made as chocolate chip cheesecake bars. You made need a few more crackers and butter to make a little larger crust. 

Grease a glass square roasting pan. Something like a 9×9 size. Then press crust mixture into the bottom before pouring the cheesecake mixture over the top.

When making these as bars, using a larger glass dish will mean the cheesecake layer will not be as deep. That means you would bake it at 350 instead and it should only take about 30 to 40 minutes.

When making bars, you can bake them in the dish without using a water bath.

Do You Have To Make With Graham Cracker Crust?

No! If you are not a fan of graham crackers, this recipe will also work really well when you use chocolate sandwich cookies or oreo cookies in their place.

You just crush them up (cream and all) just like you would the crackers. Then mix with butter and press into the bottom of the pan.

How To Store This Delicious Chocolate Chip Cheesecake:

If this is not the first cheesecake recipe you have made, I am sure you know leftover cheesecake needs to be stored in the fridge.

For best results, this chocolate chip cheesecake recipe should be covered in plastic wrap or placed in an air-tight container before placing it in the fridge.

You can also freeze cheesecakes like this one.