🎃Halloween Cheesecake Recipe

black cheesecake with white scary eyes on white cake stand

🎃Halloween Cheesecake Recipe

This Scary Eyes in the Dark No Bake Halloween Cheesecake is a fun and easy Halloween dessert! It's a black cheesecake but it tastes like chocolate, has an Oreo cookie crust, and it's the perfect Party Halloween Cheesecake!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, Canadian, North American

Keyword cheesecake, Halloween, no bake

Special Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 30

refrigeration 4

Total Time 4 30

Servings servings

Calories 325kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

springform pan
white fondant * I use Wilton
black edible marker *I use Americolor
electric hand mixer ( or stand mixer)

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter
35 whole Oreo cookies 439 gram package
16 oz cream cheese softened at room temperature 2-8 oz packages
⅓ cup white granulated sugar
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate squares baker's chocolate
1 cup sour cream
7 g -package of gelatin powder
2 tablespoon hot water
2-4 tablespoon super black food coloring * I use Americolor

US Customary - Metric

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Crust:

Place melted butter and Oreo cookies in food processor. Mix on high until combined into crumbs.
¼ cup unsalted butter, 35 whole Oreo cookies
Press the Oreo crumb mixture into an even layer in a prepared 9-inch springform pan.

Cheescake:

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy.
16 oz cream cheese, ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
Beat in sour cream.
1 cup sour cream
Melt chocolate in microwave (in a microwave safe bowl) at 50% power for 2-3 minutes, until just melted (or use a double boiler) and add to cream cheese mixture.
*Be careful that your chocolate, bowls, utensils etc. do not contact water/moisture or your chocolate will seize.
Alternatively, you can melt chocolate in a double boiler.
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate squares
Dissolve 7 g package of gelatin in 2 tablespoon hot water
7 g -package of gelatin powder, 2 tablespoon hot water
Beat gelatin and black food coloring into chocolate cream cheese mixture.
Add food coloring a little at a time (tsp) until you achieve the desired color.
*If you don't want to use as much food coloring, see Top Tip. You can use a chocolate glaze with a little black food coloring or natural cocoa.
2-4 tablespoon super black food coloring
Spoon the chocolate cheesecake batter onto the crust.
Cover and chill in the fridge for at least least 3 -4 hours or overnight.
Unmold and smooth sides and top with a hot cake decorating spatula (see equipment in recipe card) or butter knife.
Roll out the white fondant. Cut little circles in different sizes, with whatever works (I use the bottom of my frosting tips) Then make a cut in them at the top, then draw a little circle for the eyeballs with an edible black marker.
Don't place eyes on cake until just before serving.

Notes

Expert Recipe Tips:

Use room temperature cream cheese: This ensures a smooth, lump-free filling. Cold cream cheese can make the mixture grainy or uneven.
Don’t overmix the batter: Once you’ve added the gelatin, mix just until incorporated to avoid a loose or airy texture.
Add food coloring gradually: Start with a small amount of super black food coloring and increase slowly to reach your desired shade. Using too much can affect both flavor and texture.
Melt chocolate carefully: Chocolate can seize easily if it comes into contact with water or overheats. Melt it slowly at 50% power in the microwave, or use a double boiler for better control.
Chill overnight for best texture: While 3–4 hours is the minimum, overnight chilling helps the cheesecake firm up perfectly and makes for cleaner slices.
Smooth the sides easily: Dip your offset spatula or butter knife in hot water, wipe it dry, then smooth around the edges of the chilled cake for a polished, professional look.
Wait to add fondant eyes: Add them just before serving. Refrigeration can cause condensation, making the eyes bleed or slide off.
Use a high-quality black food coloring or black cocoa: Americolor Super Black gives the deepest color with the least product, but black cocoa powder is a great natural alternative if you prefer to avoid dyes.
Work fondant on a greased or dusted surface: Use shortening or cornstarch on your mat and rolling pin to prevent sticking and tearing when cutting the eyes.
For neat slices: Heat your knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut. Repeat between slices to keep the edges clean and sharp.

Alternatives to Black Food Coloring

I will warn you that because of the black food coloring, this cake will temporarily stain lips, tongues, and teeth. And if you're serving kids, it can get messy with stained hands and furniture, etc... For these reasons and others, not everyone wants to eat or serve black food coloring.

HERE ARE SOME ALTERNATIVES TO USING BLACK FOOD COLORING:

A great alternative is BLACK COCOA POWDER (Dutch cocoa) to get a dark, saturated black color. Here is a simple recipe for naturally black-colored icing:

Black Icing (with Dutch Cocoa Powder)

1 cup powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoon black cocoa
1 ½ tablespoon milk

Mix together and spread on top of the cheesecake. You'll need to at least double it for the top of the cake and maybe triple it if you want to do the sides of the cake.

Another excellent alternative is a Chocolate Glaze. You can also add a little black food coloring if you wish, but you won't need to use nearly as much as I did. *If you use black food coloring it needs to be added to the corn syrup prior to mixing with the butter and chocolate.

Chocolate Glaze:

3 oz. semi-sweet bakers' chocolate, chopped * NOT chocolate chips
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

In a small bowl, melt the 3 oz. chopped chocolate and the butter. Add the corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Unclasp and remove the side of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust of the cheesecake. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate. Pour the glaze on the cheesecake and spread it evenly. Put in the fridge for a few minutes to set.

To serve, run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into slices, heating and wiping the knife after every slice.

Nutrition