It’s my belief that the holidays are for indulging. In family, fun, and of course, food! While I love a good pie, there are few things that are less “indulgent” than chocolate and cheesecake.Â The best part about cheesecake is that it’s eaten as a splurge almost always. There are no “healthy alternatives” when it comes to this comfort food, so if you’re going to enjoy a slice you may as well do it big! Enter my Double Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Cheesecake – the perfect addition to your holiday dessert table!

Double dark chocolate cinnamon cheesecake — double dark chocolate cinnamon cheesecake

There are a few words I would use to describe this cheesecake. Decadent, because it has not only one unique incorporation of dark chocolate, but two. Fluffy, so much so that one bite of it’s delightful thickness fills up an entire long-leg fork. Rich, because it’s ratio of chocolate to buffers is perfectly weighted to the former. Finally, nostalgic, because the subtle notes of cinnamon delight your senses with the warm aroma of holiday spice. The carefully selected flavors in this cheesecake are perfectly crafted.

Making the Cheesecake

One of the best parts about this cheesecake recipe is that it is easy to make! It does not require any fancy equipment and involves just ten simple ingredients.

You Need:

Butter
milk
cream cheese
sugar
cocoa powder
Ghirardelli chocolate chips
eggs
heavy cream
cinnamon
oreo crumbs

You may already have all of these in your kitchen! That is the beauty of this recipe… it’s a quick trip to the grocery store and anyone can do it.

double dark chocolate cheesecake — double dark chocolate cinnamon cheesecake

Typically, a perfect “cheesecake” texture is achieved by baking in a double boiler. But I know that if I see a recipe call for this step, I’m moving on to the next one. With a little experimenting, I’ve discovered a few tricks to achieve that “nearly flawless” fluffy and creamy texture you want your cheesecake to embody! To bake the cheesecake, I use a 9″ springform pan, but you can also use any round baking dish of similar size. Here are my tips:

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Baking Tips:

Set, close, and leave. Do not open the oven until the cheesecake has baled for at least the minimum recommended time of 55 minutes. Opening once leads to opening twice, and the more you open the oven the more you compromise the slow and steady bake you need to achieve that perfect texture!
Once the timer goes off, look for the following signs to check for doneness. First, look at the center – if it appears to have a shiny “wet” spot, don’t bother opening the oven. Leave it be for 3-5 more minutes.
If it seems that the “wet spot” is fading or gone, you can proceed to the “wobble test”. Execute the “wobble test” by lightly shaking the pan and looking for a “jiggle” in the center. When a cheesecake is nearly done, it will “wobble” just slightly!
Once you have achieved that “slight wobble” and “faded wet spot”, you can turn off the oven, crack it, and allow your cheesecake to sit in there for 15-20 more minutes. This is “insurance” without overcooking.
If you feel like you’ve overshot the bake time too far, you probably have! It is better to turn off the oven too early rather than too late. If you feel as though you turned it off too soon, leave it in the cracked oven for longer. Or, turn the oven off and keep the door shut for 10 minutes or so.

dark chocolate cheesecake easy — double dark chocolate cinnamon cheesecake

So how about that recipe? I can’t wait to share it with you! Find my Double Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Cheesecake below!