No-Bake Black Forest Cheesecake Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
No oven, just chilling and folding magic. Uses Oreo crust but swap with graham crackers if needed. Cream cheese whipped with sugar then split. Half gets melted bittersweet choc, half stays pure. Fold in thawed whipped topping gently; don’t deflate or you lose that airy texture. Layer chocolate first in crust then plain. Chill long, at least 7 hours but overnight best. Top with cherry pie filling, focus on cherries, no slimy sauce lakes. Optional chocolate curls made from melted chocolate and a dab of coconut oil instead of shortening for subtle flavor tweak. Freeze curls so they keep shape. Balance of creamy, fruity, and bitter.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#no-bake
#cheesecake
#dessert
#black forest
#chocolate
#cherry
#oreo crust
#easy dessert
Starting with an Oreo crust—it’s the base you can count on. Cream cheese whipped fluffy but not grainy. The sugar amount cut slightly from original; your sweet tooth will thank you. Melting chocolate low power prevents scorching, keeps shiny. Splitting batter saves fiddly mixing later. Folding in whipped topping gently, a skill all cheesecake makers must master. Chocolate layer bottom, helps anchor. Chill at least 7 hours—not optional if you want slices that hold. Cherry pie filling mounded generously, drained; watching syrup is key or crust drags. Chocolate curls made with coconut oil, freezing temp-sensitive, bite-size garnish that looks store-bought. Doing curls wrong means shards—still tasty but less wow factor. Fresh cherry substitute included if canned filling not your style. Future try? Infusing vanilla into whipped topping for hint extra depth. Worth the hold, better than rushing the set.
Ingredients
- 1 pre-made Oreo cookie pie crust; or graham cracker crust for milder base
- 16 ounces cream cheese; softened to room temp, no lumps
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar; cut back to 1/2 cup if you like less sweet
- 1/2 cup sour cream; full fat for richness
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; pure, always
- 3 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate bar; chopped into small chunks
- 1 cup thawed whipped topping; Divide into two equal portions; use cream or non-dairy
- 1 heaping cup canned cherry pie filling; mostly cherries, drain excess syrup
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces; for curls
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil; substitute vegetable shortening for curls
About the ingredients
Cream cheese softened well avoids lumpy mixture. Granulated sugar amount shows in sweetness balance; tweak if you prefer less. Sour cream adds tang and smoothness—can swap for Greek yogurt in pinch but note thicker texture, might need slight thinning. Vanilla extract always pure to avoid chemical or artificial aftertaste. Chocolate bar chopped finely melts evenly; avoid chocolate chips here—they don’t melt the same. For whipped topping, thaw fully from frozen; cold whipped cream will not fold in, leads to uneven layers or clumps. Cherry pie filling drained carefully; liquid dilutes firmness. For curls, coconut oil choice adds subtle nutty aroma and smoother melt than shortening; texture differs but flavor upgrade. Alternatively, skip curls entirely and dust with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings. Crust substitution with graham cracker allows lighter base but less chocolate punch. Prep chocolate in small increments to avoid overheating; overheated chocolate becomes grainy and dull.
Method
- Prepped the crust first. Removed its plastic cover, set it aside, no cracks or holes in crust. If graham crackers, press firmly into pie plate with flat bottom to avoid soggy edges later.
- In large bowl, cream cheese and sugar whipped with hand mixer medium speed about 55 seconds or until fluffy but not overbeaten. Important not to heat mixture or get grainy. Visual: pale lighter, some volume, no sugar grains visible.
- Add sour cream and vanilla. Mix another 25 seconds. Careful to combine fully. The sour cream adds acidity and moisture, keeps batter tangy, balances sugar.
- Divide the mixture equally into two big bowls. Splitting flavors here. Each mixture the same weight — eye it or use scale.
- Into a small microwave-safe bowl, rough chopped semi-sweet chocolate heated at 60% power for 55 seconds. Stir. If not smooth, zap another 35–50 seconds same power. Stir until melted, shiny, no lumps.
- Fold melted chocolate gently into first half cream cheese bowl. Watch folding technique; no beating or mixing too fast. You want marbled effect gone, uniform color, glossy sheen. Texture thicker now, more dense.
- Equally divide thawed whipped topping between the two bowls. Gentle folds with spatula, bottom-to-top turning, rotating bowl, keeping air in. Do not rush or batter deflates, and it loses that light levity. The white layer stays delicate, fluffy; chocolate more robust but still airy.
- Spread chocolate layer evenly into cookie crust base. Use offset spatula, tap pie plate gently to settle air pockets. No lopsided edges. Chocolate layer a firm base for white.
- Top that with the plain mixture; smooth out carefully, even thickness, clean edges. Take time here. Similar to frosting cake layer, but no crumbs allowed.
- Take the plastic lid from crust package. Flip it over; it fits perfectly like pie lid. Cover pie tightly. Refrigerate minimum 7 hours; 8 to 10 hours best overnight. Texture firms up; tastes meld and deepen. If hurry, 6 hours okay but slice carefully.
- When pie is chilled, mound cherry pie filling into the center. Leave 1.5 inch border rim for curls. Drain most syrup; soggy edges ruin firm crust. Plump cherries pile, not scatter.
- For curls: toss semi-sweet chocolate pieces with coconut oil in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 50 seconds full power. Stir melting chocolate; glossy, pourable but not runny.
- Pour melted chocolate onto rimmed baking sheet inverted (bottom side up). Spread thin and even with offset spatula. Layer no thicker than 1/8 inch; too thick, curls break.
- Freeze tray 4 to 6 minutes. Finger test: touch lightly, impression stays but no dent. Chocolate should be pliable, not frozen solid.
- Use sharp straight spatula, push up from bottom edge in small sections to release delicate curls. If chocolate cracks, leave out 2 minutes, test again; temperature critical for curls, too cold brittle, too soft no shape.
- Store curls on freezer-safe plate in freezer until garnish time. Place curls gently on pie rim just before serving. They add texture, subtle snap.
- Chilling long and slow makes difference. Kept cheesecake dense enough to slice clean, but light with whipped topping. Sour cream tang cuts richness. Semi-sweet chocolate balances sugar from cherries and crust.
- If no cherry pie filling, use fresh pitted cherries with bit of cornstarch and sugar heated to thick syrup as homemade option—fruit-forward approach.
- Final thoughts: folding whipped topping is delicate; overmix and cake deflates, undermix and layers separate. Practice makes progress. Chocolate curls, worth effort, but broken shards edible fallback with whipped cream dollop.
- If crust soggy, bake crust blind 7 minutes before adding filling next time. For now, no bake important for creamy texture.
Cooking tips
The key step is beating cream cheese and sugar just right—overbeating warms mixture, losing body; underbeating leaves gritty sugar and uneven sweetness. Dividing mixtures early lets you work two flavors parallel, speeds assembly. Melting chocolate low-medium power in microwave with pauses allows control; stirring crucial to distribute heat evenly. Folding whipped topping demands patience; slap-fold with spatula, bottom-to-top gently, keep air stable. Err on side of underfolding to maintain loft. Chocolate layer first sets base, prevents mixing of layers. Covering pie with original plastic lid keeps moisture locked; no plastic wrap that clings to surface, traps condensation. Refrigeration time flexible but firm set depends on chilling. Canned cherry filling should be mostly cherries, excessive syrup will weigh down pie edges, cause sogginess—drain in sieve or towel. Chocolate curls technique relies on temperature control; if too hard, breaks; too soft, no curl. Test with finger pressure, cold-storage timing. Curls elevate presentation but omit if time-crunched; maybe serve with toasted nuts. Chill curls in freezer until just before decorating to maintain snap and appearance. Leftover curls store well frozen in airtight container. Timing and sensory cues trumps exact minutes; learn to trust look, feel, touch.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Whip cream cheese and sugar just right - fluffy but avoid overbeating or grainy mix. Feel the texture - pale, slightly airy, no sugar grains left. If still gritty, keep mixing but watch temperature, heat kills lightness.
- 💡 Microwave chopped chocolate on medium power in increments. Stir often; shiny smooth is goal. If still clumpy, zap short bursts 35 to 50 seconds; overheating dulls and grainy bits form. Patience here pays in glossy layers.
- 💡 Folding whipped topping needs soft touch. Use a spatula, fold bottom to top, rotate bowl. No rush, air loss ruins lightness. Tend to underfold rather than overfold or mixture falls flat. Textures differ between chocolate and plain layers; handle separately.
- 💡 Cherry pie filling must be mostly cherries with minimal syrup. Drain thoroughly. Excess liquid kills crust firmness. If no canned filling, use fresh cherries with quick cornstarch syrup thickener. Plump cherries piled center, avoid spreading too close to edges.
- 💡 Chocolate curls tricky. Melt chocolate plus coconut oil; pour thin on inverted baking sheet. Freeze briefly - pliable but no dent with finger. Lift carefully with sharp spatula bottom edge, cracks mean too cold or hot. Store frozen until plating.
Common questions
Can I swap Oreo crust?
Yes, graham cracker crust gives milder taste. Press firmly to prevent soggy edges. If crust soggy, blind bake 7 mins next time improves hold but shifts no-bake nature.
How to avoid deflated whipped topping?
Fold gently, no fast mixing. Use spatula, slow strokes bottom to top. Overmix flattens, undermix separates layers. Patience controls light airy texture in final cheesecake.
What if chocolate curls break?
Usually temp problem. Warm to room temp 2 minutes, retest pliability. Too cold brittle. Too warm—no shape. No curls? Use chocolate shavings or dust cocoa powder instead.
How to store cheesecake leftovers?
Refrigerate covered with original pie lid or airtight container. Can freeze but texture may change. Chocolate curls keep frozen separately, place just before serving for snap.
