No Bake Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

This soft and creamy no bake chocolate peppermint cheesecake has a smooth and creamy filling. It’s a great make ahead dessert in just 25 minutes prep.

No-Bake chocolate peppermint cheesecake is a perfect Christmas or holiday treat to make with the kids. This dessert has a chocolate cookie crust and a creamy chocolate cheesecake filling with peppermint flavor.

The chocolate ganache with crushed candy canes on top give it a pretty look and a decadent taste. And if you love this flavor combo, try our peppermint cloud cake.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients needed:

• Use full fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture, but reduced fat will work as well.
• Hershey’s Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder works well.
• Whipped topping is a pre-made frozen topping such as Cool Whip.
• Brach’s sells pre-crushed peppermint pieces in a bag if you don’t want to crush candy canes.

How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

Make the crust.

• In a medium bowl, stir the cookie crumbs and melted butter together until they are well-mixed.
• Press the crumbs firmly into the springform pan, then set the crust in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.

Make the ganache.

The ganache goes on the top of the cheesecake, but you’ll make it before the filling so that it can cool off.

• Place the chocolate chips into a small or medium heat-proof bowl.
• Heat the heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until the cream starts to simmer around the edges of the saucepan. Do not let the cream boil.
• Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and add the tablespoon of butter. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then add the peppermint extract and stir until the chocolate is smooth and the butter has melted. Let the ganache cool to room temperature.

Make the cheesecake filling.

• In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, heavy whipping cream, and peppermint extract, and mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
• Add the whipped topping, and continue mixing with the electric mixer on low speed until combined.

Assemble the cheesecake.

• Pour the cooled chocolate ganache over the cheesecake. Sprinkle some of the crushed candy canes on top, and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or better yet, overnight, until the ganache has set.
• Remove the ring of the springform pan, and sprinkle additional crushed candy canes on top.

Lighten it up.

Looking to save calories? I can help! Although full fat and full sugar ingredients will always have the best flavor and texture, you can lighten this dessert up(of course I recommend making it as stated below first!):

• Use gluten free Oreo cookies for the crust.
• Use low fat or fat free cream cheese.
• Leave the tablespoon of butter out of the chocolate ganache. It will work just as well.
• In the filling, lower the sugar to ½ cup. You still have the sweetness from the whipped topping adding to the the flavor, so you may not miss it.
• Fat free or low sugar Cool Whip can be substituted for the original version.

Storage Instructions

• Room temperature: Do not store this cheesecake at room temperature. It must be refrigerated.
• Refrigerator: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Cover with plastic wrap and foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.

No Bake Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

5 from 2 votes

This soft and creamy no bake chocolate peppermint cheesecake has a smooth and creamy filling. It's a great make ahead dessert in just 25 minutes prep.

Servings 12

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Chill time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

---

Print RecipePin RecipeReview Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

For the crust:

• 2 cups Oreo crumbs* 24 cookies
• 5 tablespoons salted butter melted

For the chocolate ganache:

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon salted butter

For the cheesecake filling:

• 24 ounces cream cheese 3 packages at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 8 ounces whipped topping thawed and divided
• Crushed candy canes or other peppermint candy

Instructions

 

Make the crust:

• Grease a 9-inch springform pan with shortening.
• In a medium bowl, stir the cookie crumbs and melted butter together until they are well-mixed.
• Press the crumbs firmly into the springform pan, then set the crust in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.

Make the chocolate ganache:

• While the crust is freezing, make the chocolate ganache. Place the chocolate chips into a small or medium heat-proof bowl.
• Heat the heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until the cream starts to simmer around the edges of the saucepan. Do not let the cream boil.
• Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and add the tablespoon of butter. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then add the peppermint extract and stir until the chocolate is smooth and the butter has melted. Let the ganache cool to room temperature.

Make the cheesecake filling:

• As the ganache is cooling, make the cheesecake filling. In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, heavy whipping cream, and peppermint extract, and mix with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on low speed until smooth.
• **Add the whipped topping to the cream cheese mixture, and continue mixing with the electric mixer on low speed until combined.
• Spoon the cheesecake batter over the cookie crust, and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
• Pour the cooled chocolate ganache over the cheesecake. Sprinkle some of the crushed candy canes on top, and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or better yet, overnight, until the ganache has set.
• Remove the ring of the springform pan, and sprinkle additional crushed candy canes on top.
• Serve chilled. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

*I crushed 24 Oreo cookies in my food processor.

**Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture with a rubber spatula or on the lowest speed of the hand mixer. If you mix too much too quickly, the whipped topping may deflate.

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the cheesecake being cut into 12 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cheesecake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 1156IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 4mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 575

Keyword cheesecake, no bake cake

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Other Cheesecake Recipes to Love

Crazy for cheesecakes? We’ve got no bake cheesecake, instant pot cheesecakes and healthy cheesecake too! Find a new one to try.