Craving cheesecake that's both elegant and indulgent? This Chocolate Chip Cheesecake blends a buttery graham crust with a velvety cream cheese filling studded with mini chocolate chips, then baked in a water bath for flawless texture-no cracks, just creamy bliss. Top it with whipped cream and extra chips for swoon-worthy slices every time.
If you know me then you know I love cheesecake. It is probably my favorite thing to bake. Another thing I love is anything with chocolate chips, like my chocolate chip muffins or chocolate chip pancakes.
Love cheesecake partially because hello it's so thick, creamy, and delicious, but cheesecakes are also a "special" dessert (no offense cookies and brownies), and cheesecake is best when made the day before. I am always busy so being able to make something ahead of time is so important for me.
Baking your cheesecake the day before means it has plenty of time to chill (very necessary) and it is already made so you can focus on other party planning things!
Another chocolate chip recipe you can make the day before is my cookie cake recipe.
Check out all my cheesecake baking tips here.
Behind the Flavor: What Makes This Cheesecake So Rich
- Cream Cheese. completely softened to room temperature- I cannot stress this enough if your cream cheese is not completely softened you will end up with a lumpy cheesecake. Trust me I have tested and baked 100s of cheesecakes!
- Heavy cream + sour cream: These ingredients add richness while keeping the cheesecake silky and slightly tangy.
- Large Eggs. You will need whole eggs and an extra egg yolk, at room temperature. The extra yolk helps provide that cheesecake richness we all love.
- Mini Chocolate Chips. And it couldn't be a chocolate chip cheesecake without chocolate chips. I do not suggest using normal-size morsels, in testing I found that they may sink to low to the bottom of the cheesecake so the mini chocolate chips are the best. I find semi-sweet chocolate goes well with a creamy cheesecake.
Don't miss my bar version, chocolate chip cheesecake bars.
Featured Review
"What an amazing recipe! Followed the recipe to the T and my cheesecake came out flawless. Will be making this again and again!"
Hayden
Step-by-Step: Smooth Cheesecake with Chocolate Chips
Top It Off with Classic Cheesecake Favorites
- I love to top mine with whipped cream, you can use homemade whipped cream, which I always do, but store-bought will work just as fine.
- When ready to decorate the cheesecake. Take it out of the fridge and use an offset spatula to gently loosen the crust from the side of the pan, then release the springform pan.
- Top with fresh whipped cream, I used my homemade recipe and piped with a Wilton 1M tip. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
Make sure to join our Newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.
PrintRecipe Card
Creamy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake with Mini Chips & Whipped Cream
This chocolate chip cheesecake combines a buttery graham cracker crust with a silky cream cheese filling studded with mini chocolate chips. Heavy cream and sour cream create an ultra-smooth texture, while an extra egg yolk adds richness to the custard-like filling. Baked gently in a water bath and chilled overnight, the result is a thick, creamy cheesecake topped with whipped cream and even more chocolate chips.
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Crust
- 125 grams (1 ¼ Cups) Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 2 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 24oz cream cheese completely softened to room temp.
- 150 grams (¾ cup + 1 ½ Tablespoons) Granulated Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3.5oz (⅓ cup) Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 Large Whole Eggs, at room temp.
- 1 Large Egg Yolk, at room temp.
- 130 grams (¾ Cup) Mini Chocolate Chips
Topping
- 1 cup Whipped Cream Homemade or Store-bought
- Handful of Mini Chocolate Chips for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Crust
- Grease an 8-inch springform pan (affiliate link) set aside. Preheat oven to 325F/162C. In a food processor, crush the graham crackers till they become a fine crumb. In a large bowl add the graham crackers and granulated sugar mixing to combine then add the melted butter and press into bottom and slightly up upsides of prepared pan.
- Place in the oven to bake for 5-8 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Let cool while you make the filling.
Cheesecake
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat cream cheese for 2 minutes on medium to high speed. Add granulated sugar and beat for another 2 minutes on low-medium speed. Add heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla extract mixing until fully combined again on low-medium speed. Add in eggs one at a time and mix until just combined, do not over mix. You should have a creamy batter with no lumps. Gently fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Create a water bath by placing the 8-inch pan in a 9-inch (or 10-inch) cake pan- place the cake pan in the roasting pan and fill the 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.
- Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, the middle of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. I use my Thermapen MK4 to check the internal temperature has reached 145F/ 63C. Turn oven off and let cool in the oven for 1 hour then take out of roasting pan and let cool on the counter for 45 minutes to an hour. Finally, wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Topping
- Take the cheesecake out of the fridge and use an offset spatula to gently loosen the crust from the side of the pan, then release the springform pan.
- Top with fresh whipped cream, I used my homemade recipe and piped with a Wilton 1M tip. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Making Ahead of Time: Since cheesecake needs to chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours it is ideal to make it the day before. You could make the cheesecake up to 3 days in advance then top it with the whipped cream and chocolate chips the day of serving.
- Freezing: Cheesecake is an excellent candidate for freezing. You can freeze the whole cheesecake or individual slices. Wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap tightly, twice, then in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped cheesecake in the freezer for up to two months. When you want to enjoy the cheesecake place it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 75
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Kat says
I can’t wait to try this!!! Looks perfect for all ages!
Deborah says
Hi, I am planning to make a 6 inch cheesecake. Can you please recommend baking times?
Thank you!
Deborah
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Deborah! Generally, when making a 6-inch cheesecake I use 16oz of CC opposed to 24oz. You can try but I presume you'd have leftover- in that case, you could make a few cupcake size ones too if you wanted. I would suggest 60-75 minutes of baking time, just the center 2 inches or so should jiggle slightly. You could use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature is between 145-150F- just be careful if you are not planning to cover the top in whipped cream you may see the spot you poked to check. Or check out this recipe https://confessionsofabakingqueen.com/key-lime-cheesecake and omit the key lime and add in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! And please come back and let me know how you liked the recipe XX Liz
Hayden says
What an amazing recipe! Followed the recipe to the T and my cheesecake came out flawless. Will be making this again and again!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you for the lovely review Hayden, I am so pleased you loved this as much as I do!! XX Liz
Rebecca G says
I made this today for christmas and it came out great. Cheesecakes are very intimidating to me but the water bath was a game changer. Great recipe !
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for letting me know Rebecca! I am so happy you enjoyed the cheesecake. Next time would you be so kind as to leave a star rating with your comment, please? It helps other readers quickly see the review. XX Liz
Michelle says
Looking forward to trying this recipe out!
When do you add the egg yolk? After adding each egg in one at a time?
Thank you!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Michelle, thanks for reaching out! You can add the egg yolk after adding each egg or add it with the last egg. Let me know if you have any further questions, and please report back how you like the cheesecake I would love to know. XX Liz
Christina Jordan says
Loved this recipe! The perfect amount of chocolate chips. Decadent and delicious.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thanks so much for coming back to review the recipe, Christina. I am so happy you loved this recipe. Hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy! XX Liz
Anita says
I have a 10 inch springform pan. What would be the adjustments in the recipe and baking time? Thank you, in advance! I am looking forward to making your cheesecake!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Anita, thanks for reaching out. So excited for you to try the cheesecake, it's one of my faves! I would up the ingredients so you don't end up with a thin cheesecake:
* 200 Grams (1 1/2 Cups) Graham Cracker Crumbs
* 3 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
* 3.5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
Cheesecake
* 32oz (2 lbs) Cream Cheese, completely softened to room temperature
* 300 Grams (1 1/2 Cup) Granulated Sugar
* 2oz (1/4 Cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
* 4oz (1/2 cup) Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
* 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
* 4 Large Whole Eggs, at room temp.
* 2 Large Egg Yolk, at room temp.
* 200 Grams (1 Heaping Cup) Mini Chocolate Chips
I would guess to bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 35 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- but be careful when you poke as if you are not covering the top in whipped cream you will see the mark.
Please do reach out with any further questions or when you make it, I would love to know what you think. xX Liz
Anita says
Thank you so much for the recipe adjustments. The cheesecake was marvelous and my husband is a very happy man!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Oh, that is amazing, thank you so much for coming back to let me know Anita, it makes my day!! 🙂 XX Liz
Margo says
I used your recipe as a base so obviously I can’t fully comment on your exact recipe but the outcome was delicious! Your directions were super easy to follow, I loved your excellent pictures. I rarely bake... I am more of a crafts person but mine turned out well. I used this recipe as a base for a Cadbury Creme Egg I have wanted to try since being inspired by an absolutely delicious no-bake recipe. I thought, why not try baking it so the chocolate is softer and melts in with the cheesecake. So, instead of using chocolate chips I used 320 g of chopped up mini Creme Eggs. Since I was worried about the batter being too thin and my larger chocolate chunks sinking too much instead of the 3 tbsp whipping cream I used sour cream. Other than that, the same. It was fantastic. Thank you so much for posting this wonderful recipe and making it easy to follow!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Margo, thank you so much for coming back to review the recipe, I really appreciate it!! I love the idea for a Cadbury Creme Egg cheesecake sounds divine!! And I appreciate you mentioning the steps, it definitely takes much more time on my end but I feel like its so worth it to show each step so I am pleased to hear they were helpful!! Take care! XX Liz
Jill Reigle says
This recipe turned out silky smooth with no cracks! It was delicious! Thank you for clear directions & your email to advise wrapping the springform in double or heavy duty foil if a larger cake pan isn’t available to put in the roasting pan water bath. Your quick answer to my email was amazing!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Jill, thank you so much for the lovely review, I appreciate it so much! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!! XX Liz
Julie says
I just made this recipe - two days in a row (one for a friend and one for Father's Day). The recipe is easy to follow. I was concerned about getting the cream cheese and eggs to room temperature. I used the microwave to soften the cream cheese the 2nd time I made it, which made prep time much faster. I love your easy method for a water bath using pans instead of foil - I would have skipped it otherwise. My first cheesecake came out perfect with no cracks. My 2nd one is still in the oven. Great recipe and tips for success. Thank you!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review, Julie! I am so pleased you enjoyed the recipe and appreciated all the tips!! Thank you for coming back to rate the recipe, I appreciate it so much! Take care. XX Liz
Hanna says
Hello!
I'm trying your recipe tomorrow, but I don't have a cake pan big enough to fit the springform pan in for the water bath. I'm wondering what an alternative option would be for this step? Thank you so much, I'm so excited to try the recipe.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Hanna! Thanks for reaching out, I am so excited for you to try the recipe!! I would just use heavy-duty foil instead of the second pan- you basically want the springform pan that the cheesecake is incompletely covered so no water seeps inside it when it's in the water bath. Please let me know if you have any other questions and how you like the recipe!! XX Liz
Esther Han says
Hi! Thanks for sharing this recipe. Could you please provide the recipe adjustments for a 9 inch springform pan?
Thank you so much
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Esther, thanks for reaching out. I would try this:* 32oz cream cheese completely softened to room temp.
* 1 Cup (200 Grams) Granulated Sugar
* 2oz (1/4 Cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
* 5oz (2/3 cup) Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
* 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
* 4 Large Whole Eggs, at room temp.
* 2 Large Egg Yolk, at room temp.
* 170 Grams (1 Cup) Mini Chocolate Chips
And the time should be roughly the same I use my Thermapen MK4 to check the internal temperature has reached 145F/ 63C.
Let me know if you have any other questions or if you make it, I would love to know what you think! XX Liz
Mireille says
Thanks for the inspiration! I made my version and turned out delicious!! Thanks
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Mireille, thank you so much for the lovely review. So happy to hear you were able to make your own version!! Take care. XX Liz
Lou Anne Lough says
This is a great recipe and it was a hit with the family, perfect dessert for the birthday celebration. Your water bath technique is a game changer, no cracks and it looked perfect. I have already passed it on to 2 people! I do have a question, my chocolate chips all sank to the bottom and created a delicious chocolate layer but I wanted the chips to be throughout the cheesecake in your picture. I did add a little extra chips into the batter, any suggestions for keeping the chips throughout so it is a delicious treat in every bite? Thanks for the sharing the recipe, I will be making more!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Lou Anne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe and appreciated the water bath tip! Did you use mini chocolate chips, larger normal size chocolate chips I would expect to be too heavy and would all drop, or adding additional could be too heavy. You could try using a teaspoon or two of flour to toss the chocolate chips in before adding to the batter, this is what I do for my muffins to prevent the fruit form all dropping to the bottom. Please let me know if you have any other ques3tiosn!! Take care XX Liz
Sandra says
I have made so many chocolate chip cheesecake recipes and the chips always end up sinking to the bottom!! So, I too would love any suggestions to solve this problem. Regardless, this is THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE recipe I have ever made by far!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Sandra, thank you so much for coming back to leave a review, I truly appreciate it!! I never have problems with them sinking. I would stick to mini chocolate chips only because regular size chocolate chips are too heavy. Another insurance would be to coat the mini chocolate chips in a tablespoon of flour before you fold them into the cheesecake batter to try and prevent them from sinking. Please let me know if you have any other questions or if you try the recipe again! Take care. XX Liz
Patricia says
I make this delicious cheesecake with a gluten free crust.
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
3 T brown sugar
6 T melted butter
Mix ingredients, press into bottom of pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 325 and let cool while preparing cheesecake filling.
Almond and chocolate flavors together are soooo very good,
Ashley says
Would you be able to do this in a 9x13? Any adjustments needed? Thank you!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Ashley, I have never done that but you could try. I would probably want to do 4 (8oz) packets of cream cheese for that size pan so I would times the ingredients all by 1.33 to get the right ratios, but double the crust recipe. Then expect your baking time to be less since it will be less thick. I would guess Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the center stops jiggling a lot. Open the oven door and let the bars cool inside for 45 minutes. Then set the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes, then place in the fridge to chill for 6 hours or overnight. Let me know if you have any other questions or if you try the recipe! XX Liz
Nina says
Hi! What size springform pan is this recipe for?
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Nina, the recipe calls for an 8-inch springform pan. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you try the recipe! Thank you! XX Liz
Kathy says
I have made this recipe many times and absolutely love it. Do you think I could use the recipe for cupcake size cheesecakes?
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Kathy, so glad to hear you have enjoyed the cheesecake! You can totally make minis- use this recipe as a guide https://confessionsofabakingqueen.com/mini-cheesecakes Please let me know if you have any other questions and report back on how you get on! XX Liz
Kathy says
Recipe was perfect! Exactly what I was looking for! Cupcakes were a big hit so I’ll definitely save this recipe! Thank you so much.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Yay! Thank you so much Kathy, so pleased you enjoyed the recipe as cupcakse too. XX Liz
Kathy says
In the oven now!!
T Thompson says
Just made it. Recipe was easy to follow and with a stand mixer came together in no time. I didn't water bath mine but put a pan of water on the rack underneath. My oven runs hot so I tuned it down to 300. Made a nice caramel pecan sauce to top. Looks and tasted delish
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review! A caramel pecan sauce on top sounds perfect, gotta try that!! Take care. XX Liz
VohammieF says
HI, I MADE THIS ON SATURDAY. IT TURNED OUT DELICIOUS. OMG! I DIDNT CHANGE ANYTHING. I WAS SKEPTICAL ABOUT MY 9IN SPRINGFORM PAN WITH MAKING ANY ADJUSTMENTS. AND IT WASNT THIN AT ALL. VERY RICH AND DECADENT. I COOKED FOR 70 MIN AND PERFECT NO CRACKS OR NOTHING I WILL BE MAKING AGAIN AND USING THE MODIFIED ONE FOR 9IN PAN... OH I DID ADD MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS AND CHOPPED WALNUTS ON TOP. AND MADE MY OWN GANACHE ALSO. VERY GOOD. THANKS FOR SHARING.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you for the 5- star review Vohammie! So glad you enjoyed the cheesecake! The walnut addition sounds fantastic! Happy Baking! XX Liz