Baileys Cheesecake

This gorgeous Baileys Cheesecake recipe will make all your St. Patricks Day dessert dreams come true. Step by step photos teach you how to bake this delicious Irish cream cheesecake!

My favorite crust for cheesecakes is an Oreo cookie crust so naturally, I chose that for this St. Patrick Day cheesecake. This cheesecake boasts the classic Irish cream flavor in two ways; first, the cheesecake itself is baked with a generous serving of Baileys then the cheesecake is topped with a chocolate ganache that has been spiked with Baileys. Talk about heaven on earth! If you are not looking for a cheesecake that has a boozy flavor then check out my classic vanilla bean cheesecake or chocolate cheesecake recipe!

Ingredients

I am not going to lie cheesecakes take some love and effort. Once you're used to making them they get much easier but if it's your first time take your time with making sure ingredients are at room temperature and do not rush the cooling process.

There are three components here a crust, filling, and topping.

The crust is made up of crushed Oreos and melted butter, simple but delicious!

For the cheesecake filling you'll need:

• Cream Cheese. For the cheesecake, you need to ensure it is completely softened to room temperature. I normally take the blocks out of the fridge and chop them up into chunks, lay them out in a single layer, then let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so. You can do this somewhat quickly by placing the wrapped cream cheese blocks in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes, be careful as if you let it sit in too hot of water or for too long the cream cheese will go too soft!
• Granulated Sugar. You just need regular old granulated/white sugar or caster sugar.
• Baileys Irish Cream. Wouldn't be a Baileys cheesecake without Baileys Irish Cream!
• Sour Cream. I love adding sour cream to cheesecakes the tang goes perfectly with the cream cheese. Not to mention it helps give a beautiful creamy texture.
• Pure Vanilla Extract. Use the real stuff, it compliments the Baileys flavor profile.
• Large Eggs. You'll need two whole eggs and two additional egg yolks. You can save your egg whites for making my Baileys Swiss Meringue Buttercream or meringue cookies! Your eggs need to be at room temperature, you can do this quickly by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes before using.

You could leave the cheesecake as is but I prefer to top the cheesecake with a ganache and whipped cream.

To make a Baileys chocolate ganache. You'll need:

• Chocolate. I prefer to use high-quality good chocolate, I use Callebaut Chocolate Callets or a great chocolate bar chopped into small pieces. You could use chocolate chips if desired but it's not my preference.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. You'll need to warm the cream first!
• Baileys Irish Cream. We add this at the end of the ganache to ensure that the full Irish Cream flavor is strong!

You can use store-bought whipped cream or make a batch of my easy homemade whipped cream.

Instructions

First things first, preheat the oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9-inch springform pan then set aside. I know its a pain to have to use a special pan but a springform pan is key to cheesecake recipes, trust me!

In a food processor pulse the Oreos until a fine crumb is formed or you can place them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush the Oreos and get out some built-up anger LOL!

Once the crumbs are evenly combined add melted butter to crumbs. Mix until a wet sand texture is formed. Press the crust crumbs into the bottom and slightly up the upsides of the prepared pan.

Bake the crust for 5-8 minutes, this just really sets the crust. Let cool on a wire rack and reduce oven temperature to 325F/ 163C.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes at low speed. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl, tt should be smooth with no lumps.

Add the granulated sugar and beat for another 2 minutes at a low speed. This will really loosen the texture of the cream cheese.

Add the Baileys, sour cream, and vanilla extract- mixing until fully combined. Don't over beat.

Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly combined.

Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Do not mix on high or over mix here, when you add the eggs in you don't want to mix too much as it can add more air to the batter which could create air bubbles and cracks in the cheesecake.

You should have a creamy batter with no lumps. I like to tap the bowl on the counter a few times to help any air bubbles come to the surface and pop.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Now you need to make a water bath. Place 9-inch springform pan in a 10-inch cake pan- place cake pan in roasting pan and fill roasting pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the cake pan.

This prevents ANY water from getting in the cheesecake and you don't have to wrap everything with foil. If you don't have a larger cake pan you could use a larger deep oven-safe frying pan OR you can wrap the springform pan in heavy-duty aluminum foil be careful to ensure there are no tears in the foil.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes, the middle 2 inches of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is 140-145F.

Turn the oven off and open the door so it is cracked open, let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour then take it out of the roasting pan and cool on a wire rack for another hour. You really want the cheesecake to cool completely before putting it in the fridge to help prevent cracks. Then wrap cheesecake with plastic wrap. Let chill in the fridge overnight or at least 6 hours.

Once the cheesecake is chilled prepare the boozy chocolate ganache. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat warm the heavy cream. In a bowl add the chocolate, after the cream is warmed pour on top of the chocolate.

Let sit for 5 minutes then whisk everything together until evenly combined and glossy. Now whisk in Baileys until fully combined. 

Take the cheesecake out of the fridge and use an angled spatula to gently release the crust from the sides of the springform pan, then release the pan and use the spatula to gently release the crust from the bottom of the pan, if you wanted to serve it on a different plate. I like to use a cake lifter to transfer the cheesecake, do this very carefully and gently!

Pour chocolate ganache on top and pipe whipped cream around the edge, use a Microplane zester to grate chocolate on top of the whipped cream, if desired. Let the cheesecake chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

To ensure you have pretty slices use a hot clean knife to cut slices of cheesecake and clean the knife in between each slice.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

How to freeze

Cheesecake can be frozen! 🙂 You can freeze cheesecake whole or in slices.

To freeze a whole cheesecake I suggest freezing without the toppings. After the cheesecake has chilled in the fridge wrap it tightly in plastic wrap twice, then wrap it in aluminum foil. To make sure the cheesecake stays in its best shape I will often place the cheesecake on a cake board before wrapping it in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to a month. To thaw take the cheesecake out of the freezer and place it in the fridge overnight.

To freeze slices of cheesecake take a slice of cheesecake and place it on a plate or tray and flash freeze for an hour or two. Then place frozen slices of cheesecake in a freezer-safe container. Or you can wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap, twice.

To thaw a slice of cheesecake let it sit on the counter at room temperature for a couple of hours.

More St. Patricks Day Recipes

These Baileys Chocolate Cookies are a fan favorite this time of year.

For another show-stopping Paddy's day treat try my Guinness Chocolate Cake.

My friend Tanya makes these gorgeous Salted Caramel Baileys Brownies!

Check out all of my cheesecake recipes here.

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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