Chocolate amaretto cheesecake is a delicious dessert that everybody loves--and it doesn't require a water bath!
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Prep Time45minutes
Cook Time45minutes
Chilling Time8hours
Total Time1hour30minutes
Servings8
AuthorKelsie
Ingredients
Crust
1 1/4cupsgraham cracker crumbs
3tablespoonsgranulated sugar
6tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
Filling
3(8-ouncpackages full fat cream cheeseat room temperature
2/3cuppowdered sugar
4large eggsat room temperature
5ouncessemisweet chocolatemelted and cooled slightly
1cupsour cream
1/2cupamaretto
1/4cupunsalted buttermelted
1/4teaspoonsalt
Topping
1/2cupheavy cream
4ouncesdark chocolatefinely chopped
2teaspoonsamaretto
Instructions
Crust
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a mixing bowl and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom and a little bit up the sides of the prepared pan.
Freeze the crust for at least 10 minutes; leave in the freezer while you work on the filling.
Filling
Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the chocolate, sour cream, amaretto, butter, and salt. Beat on low speed until well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Pour into the crust and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the edges are set but the middle still jiggles a little when you tap the sides of the pan.
Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature, then cover loosely and refrigerate overnight. (Don’t worry if the cheesecake cracks—no one will see once it’s covered with the ganache topping.)
Topping
After the cheesecake has chilled, make the topping.
Place the chopped chocolate in a small mixing bowl.
Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan set over medium heat and warm the cream until it just begins to steam. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes.
Whisk until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, then whisk in the amaretto to combine.
Pour over the chilled cheesecake and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the topping. Slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
I recommend using good quality chocolate rather than chocolate chips in both the cheesecake and the ganache. Trader Joe's Pound Plus is my favorite but Baker's is another good option. Chocolate chips will work in a pinch but using good chocolate improves the cheesecake's flavor.
Uneaten cheesecake can be stored, loosely covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months.
See the body of this post for instructions for freezing your cheesecake if you want to make it ahead.