This Red Velvet Cheesecake is rich, creamy and it’s perfect for a special occasion. It starts with a chocolate Oreo cookie crust, followed by a gorgeous red velvet cheesecake filling and a layer of cream cheese frosting on top.
If you love classic red velvet cake, you’ll recognize all of the flavors here. There’s a little cocoa in the cheesecake along with buttermilk and vanilla, and that tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch.
And that beautiful red color makes this an especially fun cheesecake to serve for Christmas or Valentine’s Day. Make it the day before you plan to serve it so it has plenty of time to chill.
Why You’ll Love This Red Velvet Cheesecake
- It’s a showstopper. That deep red cheesecake with the dark Oreo crust and white cream cheese frosting makes a beautiful presentation when it’s sliced.
- The Oreo crust is easy. There’s no need to pre-bake it. Just press the cookie crumb mixture into your springform pan and add the filling.
- It’s perfect for making ahead. Cheesecake needs plenty of chilling time anyway, so this is an ideal dessert to prepare the day before a party or holiday dinner.
- Cracks don’t matter! One of my favorite things about this particular cheesecake is that the entire top gets covered with cream cheese frosting. No one will ever know if there’s a crack underneath.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Oreo Crust
- Oreo cookies: Use the whole cookies—cream filling and all. You’ll need 17 Oreos.
- Butter: Melted butter holds the cookie crumbs together.
- Sugar: Just a tablespoon adds a little extra sweetness.
For the Red Velvet Cheesecake
- Cream cheese: You’ll need three 8-ounce packages. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature so it blends smoothly.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cheesecake filling.
- Eggs: Four large eggs give the cheesecake its rich texture.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Red velvet is a chocolate-flavored cake, but the chocolate flavor is subtle. Three tablespoons of cocoa are just enough here.
- Sour cream: Adds richness and helps create a creamy cheesecake.
- Buttermilk: An ingredient you’d expect to find in traditional red velvet cake, buttermilk adds moisture and a slight tang.
- Vanilla extract: For flavor.
- White vinegar: Another traditional red velvet ingredient. It adds acidity and works with the buttermilk to create that familiar red velvet flavor.
- Red food coloring: The recipe calls for two 1-ounce bottles of liquid red food coloring to create the dramatic red color.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
You’ll need cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract for a simple cream cheese frosting.
How to Make Red Velvet Cheesecake
- Make the Oreo crust: Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs and combine them with melted butter and sugar. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and press the mixture firmly into the bottom. Don’t bake the crust. Disregard that part of the video. The written recipe is correct—the Oreo crust does not need to be baked.
- Prepare the cheesecake filling: Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed for about one minute. Add the lightly beaten eggs, cocoa powder, sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar and red food coloring. Mix on low speed just until everything is combined. Pour the filling over the Oreo crust.
- Bake the cheesecake: Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven unnecessarily, reduce the temperature to 300°F and continue baking for about 75 minutes, or as needed according to the doneness guidance in your recipe. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes.
- Cool and chill: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan. Let it cool on a wire rack for a couple of hours, until it’s close to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Once thoroughly chilled, remove the sides of the springform pan.
- Add the cream cheese frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread the frosting over the chilled cheesecake and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Start with room-temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese is much more likely to leave lumps in your cheesecake batter.
- Mix gently once the eggs are added. Too much air incorporated into cheesecake batter can contribute to cracking.
- Use whole Oreos. Don’t scrape out the cream filling before crushing the cookies.
- Don’t bake the Oreo crust. It goes directly into the oven with the cheesecake filling.
- Don’t panic about a crack. Cream cheese frosting covers the entire top.
- Give it the full chilling time. Eight hours is the minimum, but overnight is even better.
- Use a clean knife for pretty slices. Dip a sharp knife into hot water, wipe it dry and slice. Clean the knife.
Do I Need a Water Bath for Cheesecake?
You have two options with this recipe.
- For a traditional water bath, wrap the outside of the springform pan very securely with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place it inside a larger roasting pan containing about an inch of hot water.
- The other method—and the one I generally prefer—is to place the cheesecake on one oven rack with a pan of water on the rack underneath. This creates a moist oven environment without putting the springform pan directly into the water.
- And there’s actually a third option: skip the water altogether. Several readers have reported that using the water bath resulted in a soggy crust. Since you’re covering the top of this cheesecake with frosting anyway, a small crack isn’t disastrous.
How to Tell When Cheesecake Is Done
Bake until the edges appear set and the center is nearly set. The very center may still have a slight wobble when the pan is gently moved.
Then it gets another 30 minutes in the turned-off oven and a long refrigerator chill.
What If My Cheesecake Cracks?
Don’t worry about it! Cracks are largely cosmetic with this recipe because you’re going to spread cream cheese frosting over the entire top anyway.
The flavor won’t be affected, and once it’s frosted, no one will know there was ever a crack.
How to Store Red Velvet Cheesecake
Keep the cheesecake covered and refrigerated. Since both the filling and frosting contain cream cheese, it shouldn’t be stored at room temperature for extended periods.
For the best texture and flavor, I’d plan on enjoying it within about 4 to 5 days.
You can also freeze cheesecake. For individual portions, freeze slices until firm and then wrap them well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does red velvet cheesecake taste like?
It has the creamy richness of classic cheesecake with the subtle cocoa, vanilla and tangy flavors associated with red velvet cake. The chocolate Oreo crust adds more chocolate flavor, while cream cheese frosting gives it the classic red velvet finish.
Why do you put vinegar in red velvet cheesecake?
Vinegar is a traditional red velvet ingredient. In this cheesecake, the small amount contributes acidity and complements the buttermilk and cocoa.
Can I make this without red food coloring?
Yes. The food coloring creates the signature red velvet appearance, but leaving it out won’t prevent the cheesecake from baking properly. The finished cheesecake simply won’t have that dramatic red color.
Can I use a graham cracker crust?
Yes. Your original recipe notes that chocolate graham cracker crumbs or regular graham cracker crumbs can be substituted for the Oreos.
Can I leave off the frosting?
Absolutely. The cream cheese frosting makes this cheesecake especially decadent, but the cheesecake can be served without it. Prefer a thinner layer of frosting? Make half of the frosting recipe. The full recipe creates the thick layer shown in the photos.
Can I make Red Velvet Cheesecake ahead of time?
Yes—in fact, it’s preferable. The cheesecake needs at least eight hours to chill, so making it the day before serving works beautifully.
Is Red Velvet Cheesecake good for Christmas?
It’s a great Christmas dessert because of its beautiful red-and-white color. It’s equally fitting for Valentine’s Day, and your current post also suggests New Year’s Eve.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Red Velvet Cheesecake
Video
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 17 OREO cookies (don't remove the cream), crushed into crumbs
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
CHEESECAKE:
- 24 ounces (3 packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 ounces red food coloring (two 1-ounce bottles)
FROSTING:
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- mint sprigs for garnish, optional
Instructions
PREPARE THE CRUST:
- Stir together the Oreo crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray, and then press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan. NOTE: the video for this recipe shows that you have to bake the crust. That's an error. You DO NOT have to bake the crust!
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare a water bath: Fill a large roasting pan (big enough for springform pan to fit into) with about 1-inch of water. Place in the oven and allow to preheat along with the oven. Alternately, if you don’t want to put the cheesecake INTO a water bath, you can put the pan on a lower rack and plan to bake the cheesecake on a rack ABOVE the bath.
PREPARE THE FILLING:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese and sugar at medium-low speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs and remaining cheesecake ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined. Pour the batter into the prepared crust.
BAKING:
- If using the WATER BATH method, take out two sheets of heavy duty foil and layer them on top of one another. Place the springform pan on top of the foil and wrap the foil gently around the pan and up the sides. Make sure that there are no tears or holes and that the foil comes all the way up around all sides of the cake. Carefully place the foil-protected pan into the water bath in the preheated oven. Alternately, if not using a water bath, just place the springform pan on a rack above the pan of water.NOTE: There are a few people who have shared that the water bath method didn't work well for them– that it made the crust too soggy. You are welcome to bake this without a water bath. If it cracks on top, it's okay since you will be covering it with icing.
- Bake for 10 minutes; then reduce heat to 300°F. Bake for an additional 75 minutes or until the center is firm (it might take 15 minutes more or so… you don't want the cheesecake to be jiggly in the middle). Turn the oven off. Let the cheesecake stand in oven for 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a wire rack. Run a thin knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake. Cool on the rack for a couple of hours, until the cheesecake becomes close to room temperature. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours (or overnight). Remove the sides of the springform pan.
PREPARE THE FROSTING:
- Beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cheesecake. Garnish, if desired. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use room-temperature cream cheese for the smoothest cheesecake filling.
- Crush the whole Oreo cookies, including the cream filling.
- The Oreo crust does not need to be pre-baked.
- After adding the eggs, mix the batter on low speed just until combined.
- A water bath is optional. You can also place a pan of water on the rack below the cheesecake or bake without water.
- Don’t worry if the cheesecake develops a crack—the cream cheese frosting will cover it.
- Chill for at least 8 hours or overnight before frosting and serving.
- For clean slices, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
- If you prefer less frosting, make half the frosting recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was a huge hit, made for my daughter in law’s birthday. Did have to bake for 45 ADDITIONAL minutes though and yes, I do have an oven thermometer which read correctly. Not sure why….. but who cares now that I know how long to bake it. May
use the 2 Tbsp flour mentioned in an earlier post, next time and use the non emersed water bath method.
THANKS!
I made this tonight! It was awesome and received a lot
Of compliments. I actually made the cake
Yesterday and iced it today. I doubled the icing recipe slapped a crumb
Coat on all over sides and top and chilled
For about an hour and then finished icing. It had a small
Amount of icing left but I definitely needed the
Doubled amount to cover the whole cake.
I have made this cheesecake many times now and it is always amazing. I just thought I should let you know how much I appreciate your recipe and say thank you, all the way from Berlin!
Thanks so much!
First time making a red velvet cheesecake. Turned out perfect and very creamy!! Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
I came across this recipe on Pinterest, and I compared to Food Networks, ultimately this seemed like the better recipe(they don’t have you add sour cream or buttermilk, and the good recipes ask for those). My husband saw the photo and immediately wanted that cake for his Birthday . I added just an extra half a tsp of cocoa(to humor my husband), and I was too lazy to buy red food coloring so I only used .25 ounces (Walmart brand too), but it still came out pretty red velvet looking. As for the water bath(I wanted to do one because the last cheesecake I made sank a little), I didn’t have a roasting pan, but after talking to my best friend, she said her dad would just put a 9×13 casserole dish of water on the bottom rock. So I did that, and put the cheesecake on the middle rack. It came out so perfect!
Awesome!
Hi I am from Kuwait. There was a local baking competition, and i decided to made this cheesecake recipe. You know what, I actually won! I won a Samsung S3. I couldn’t believe it. Everyone said It’s perfect. Decadent. Delicious. Delectable. Personally there is not a thing I would change about this recipe. I only a different decoration, bu that was it. Btw, my cheesecake had no cracks also. You can see my photos here: http://ibakeq8.blogspot.com/2012/12/celebrating-wataniya-telecom-birthday.html
What fabulous news! Congrats on your baking success with this recipe!
Have you ever tried to make this or any cheesecake recipe fat free or low-fat? If so, does it taste rich? I am going to try to make this fat free/low-fat.
I haven’t tried it low fat!
Lori, if I substitute gel food coloring for the liquid food coloring (which would require less), do I need to add additional liquid to make up for the reduction of two ounces (quarter cup) of liquid food coloring?
I’m not sure since I haven’t tried it. I would think it would be okay without adding any extra liquid though.
Made this for our Christmas Celebration and it was a HUGE hit. Thank you so much for sharing!! An alternative to the water bath that I’ve been doing for years is to put a large glass bowl full of water on the bottom rack of the oven. Helps keep moisture in the oven, similar to the water bath, without the hassle.
Hello! Can’t wait to make this for our christmas day dessert! Just wonder where you would store it once it’s cooked and how log it would last for, if needs be!!
Thanks
Store in the refrigerator. I’d make it up to 24 hours before serving.