Nutella Cheesecake

This Nutella Cheesecake is rich, creamy, with a chocolate crust, and Nutella swirls baked into the batter.

The cheesecake is topped with more Nutella for an overload of decadence.

Nutella Cheesecake Recipe

I will show you step-by-step how to make this Nutella Cheesecake. The full ingredients list can be found at the bottom of the page, just click the Jump to Recipe button on top.

Make sure to read all the notes at the bottom, and read the recipe thoroughly, to ensure success in your baking.

Chocolate cookie crust

To make the crust for the cheesecake, I used chocolate graham cracker bears. They are easier to find around the stores around me than chocolate graham crackers.

You can also use Chocolinas, chocolate Maria cookies, or Oreos. An Oreo crust would be delicious with the Nutella Cheesecake actually.

Process the cookies until they are turned into a fine crumb in the food processor. Alternatively, you can place the cookies in a ziplock bag, and use a rolling pin to crush them.

Mix the crumbs with melted butter.

Press the crust on the bottom of the cheesecake pan.

I am using a 8″ springform pan that’s 3″ tall. You can use a regular 9″ pan as well.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes in the pre-heated oven.

Let the crust cool down.

Nutella Cheesecake Filling

To make the cheesecake batter, beat the room temperature cream cheese with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes, until creamy. You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer.

Add the sugar and mix to combine. Follow with the sour cream.

Next, add the Nutella to the bowl and mix.

Add the melted and cooled chocolate to the cream cheese mixture. Mix until incorporated. Make sure to scrape the bowl a few times while mixing.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each until incorporated before adding the next one.

Finally, add the salt and the pure vanilla extract.

To assemble

Before pouring the cheesecake batter into the pan, grease the sides of the bowl.

Pour 1/3 of the batter on the bottom of the tin.

Add dollops of Nutella on top of the batter, use a spoon or a knife to swirl it in.

Top with some more batter, followed by more Nutella.

Finish with the remaining batter and remaining Nutella.

Tap the baking pan a few times, and make sure the batter on top is smooth and even.

Baking

Wrap the bottom of the cheesecake with foil. I like to place 3 strips of wide aluminum foil on the counter, two of them crosswise and one on the diagonal on top.

Then, place the springform on top. Fold the sides of the foil to protect the sides of the pan.

Place the cheesecake pan inside a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water in the large pan to form a water bath.

Bake the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour, or more. The cheesecake should be baked until it slightly jiggles in the center, but the sides are set.

Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in there for one hour. The sudden temperature change can make the cheesecake break on top.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Let it cool down a bit, and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours.

You should keep the ring in the springform pan until after chill time is done.

To decorate

To decorate the cheesecake, spread more Nutella on top. You can pipe whipping cream on top also and decorate with cookies or with Ferrero Rocher candies.

I had initially topped the cheesecake with a regular white whipped cream, and some Nutella cookies. But then I had the idea of topping the cheesecake with a chocolate whipped cream because I wanted an extra chocolatey dessert.

And that turned out fantastic, and much more of what I was looking for. But it remains as a suggestion if that’s what you would prefer instead.

Which one do you prefer?

Tips for making cheesecake

• Make sure to use room temperature ingredients. The cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, should be at room temperature.
• Add the eggs one at a time, making sure one egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one.
• Scrape the mixer bowl a few times while making the batter, to ensure the ingredients are fully incorporating together, which will prevent the batter from being lumpy.
• Grease the sides of the pan so the cheesecake doesn’t stick.
• After the cheesecake is done baking, keep it in the oven for 1 hour with the oven off. This will prevent the cheesecake from breaking on top.
• Make sure to use a water bath when baking the cheesecake.
• Don’t remove the ring from the springform pan until chill time is done.

Why did my cheesecake break on top?

The cheesecake can break on top due to these reasons:

• You didn’t grease the pan on the sides, and the cheesecake stuck to the sides.
• If you skip the water bath, the cheesecake can break.
• Over beating the eggs once you’ve added them can be the culprit, because it will cause the cheesecake to expand too much in the oven due to the many air bubbles, and deflate, which will make it crack.
• When you finish baking the cheesecake, if you don’t let it sit in the oven, it can break on top due to the temperature changing abruptly.
• Baking the cheesecake at a high temperature will cause the cheesecake to break. It will bake unevenly, and expand too much in the oven too rapidly, which will cause it too crack.
• Opening the oven door too many times can cause the cheesecake to break due to the sudden temperature change.

If you like this recipe, here are some other recipes you might enjoy:

• Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
• Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
• No-Bake Cheesecake
• Biscoff Cheesecake
• Pistachio Cheesecake

This Nutella Cheesecake tastes amazing, and it has a super rich and creamy texture. If you try this recipe, leave me a comment below, or tag me on instagram, I love to see your creations.

Nutella Cheesecake

Camila Hurst

This Nutella Cheesecake is rich, creamy, with a chocolate crust, and Nutella swirls baked into the batter.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Resting time 7 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 340 kcal

Ingredients

  

Chocolate Cookie Crust

• 2 1/2 cups chocolate bear grahams 200 grams read notes
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter melted (98 grams)

Cheesecake batter

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (85 grams)
• 907 grams cream cheese softened 4 packages of 8 oz. each
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
• 1 cup Nutella hazelnut spread 280 grams
• 1/2 cup sour cream 120 grams
• 4 large eggs room temp
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

For swirl

• 3/4 cup Nutella 210 grams

Chocolate Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream 240 ml
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 22 grams
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar 15 grams

Topping

• 1/2 cup Nutella hazelnut spread 140 grams
• 9 Ferrero Rocher candies

Instructions

 

Chocolate Cookie Crust

• Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF.
• Place the graham cracker in a food processor and process to obtain fine crumbs.
• Melt the butter and mix with the crumbs.
• Press the mixture on the bottom of an 8” or 9” cheesecake pan. If using an 8” springform pan, it must be deep.
• Bake the crust in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove it from the oven and let it cool down.

Cheesecake Batter

• Grease the sides of the pan with oil spray after baking the crust.
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted. Set aside and let it cool down.
• Beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes with a mixer at medium speed, until creamy.
• Add the granulated sugar to the cream cheese and beat for another 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Scrape the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds.
• Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl.
• Add the Nutella and mix to combine.
• Next, add the melted chocolate to the bowl and mix.
• Make sure to scrape the bowl a few times during the mixing process, to avoid the cream cheese from forming lumps in the batter.
• Add the eggs to the batter, mix just until combined. It’s best to add one egg at a time, waiting for one egg to be incorporated before adding the next one.
• Avoid over mixing once the eggs are added, to prevent cracking of the cheesecake.
• Add the vanilla, salt, and mix briefly.

To assemble

• To assemble, pour 1/3 of the cheesecake batter on the bottom of the cooled crust.
• Spread spoonfuls of Nutella on top. Use a knife or a small offset spatula to swirl the hazelnut spread with the batter.
• Pour another 1/3 of the batter on top.
• Follow up with more spoonfuls of the Nutella, swirling the batter right after.
• Continue to do this, until you are out of batter and Nutella. Make sure the Nutella swirls on top are covered with cheesecake batter, otherwise the cheesecake will have cracks.
• Tap the pan a few times.

Baking

• Wrap the bottom of the pan with a few layers of aluminum foil.
• Place the pan in a larger roasting pan, and add hot water to the roasting pan, to form a water bath. This is very important so the cheesecake doesn’t crack.
• Bake the cheesecake in the pre-heated 325ºF oven for 65 to 85 minutes.
• To check if the cheesecake is done baking, give the pan a little wiggle, it should jiggle slightly in the center, but the edges should look set.
• Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in there for 1 hour.
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
• Don’t remove the ring from the springform pan until after the chill time.

Chocolate Whipped Cream

• Beat the heavy cream, cocoa powder, powdered sugar with a mixer. Start on low and raise the speed to medium-high until the cream is thick and incorporated.
• It should take just 3 minutes or so to achieve stiff peaks.

To decorate

• Before serving, spoon the Nutella on top of the cheesecake.
• Spread with a spatula.
• Pipe the Chocolate Whipped Cream on the cheesecake, and place the Ferrero Rocher on top.

Notes

Chocolate bear grahams: The bears are measured in cups before being processed into crumbs. Check below for substitutions.

Crust: If you can’t find the chocolate graham cracker bears, you can use regular chocolate graham crackers, Chocolinas, chocolate Maria cookies, or Oreos. You can also use digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers for the cheesecake and make a plain crust that’s not chocolate flavored if you wish.

Storage: You can store the Nutella Cheesecake in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days, covered in an air tight container. The cheesecake can also be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to place it in an air tight container. You can also freeze the cheesecake first, then once it’s frozen, wrap it with plastic wrap very tightly and then place in an air tight container. This will extend its freezer shelf life.

Chilling: Don’t remove the ring from the cheesecake pan until after you are done chilling the cheesecake in the fridge.

Greasing: I like to grease the sides of the cheesecake pan only after the crust is baked. If I grease the pan before pressing the crust on the bottom of the pan, two things happen. One it’s very hard to make the crust stick to the pan, and two, the crust ends up soggy. Which is why I don’t grease the pan before adding the crust.

Keyword cheesecake, nutella