Red Velvet Cheesecake

This Red Velvet Cheesecake recipe is perfectly, smooth, creamy and rich with the hint of chocolate flavor and a crisp chocolate cookie crust.

Red Velvet Cheesecake!  Yes, there is a thing called red velvet cheesecake, and it is quite heavenly if I do say so myself.  I baked this delight up specifically for Valentine’s Day but this is a great recipe for any special occasion.

The Heart and Soul of the Best Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe

Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Elegance meets Classic Cheesecake

Primary Cooking Method: Baking

Dietary Info: Indulgent Dessert

Key Flavor: Velvety red velvet, rich chocolatey crust, and tangy cream cheese.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Key Ingredients

• Crushed Chocolate Cream Sandwich Cookies: The base of all good things, bringing that crunchy, chocolatey goodness.
• Cream Cheese: The heart and soul of any cheesecake, bringing that creamy, tangy flavor.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: For that luxurious, rich texture.
• Large Eggs: The binding force that gives structure to our creamy dream.
• Sour Cream: Adds a subtle tang and extra creaminess to the cheesecake.
• Cocoa Powder: A hint of chocolate because red velvet and cocoa are besties.
• Red Food Coloring: This is where the magic happens – turn that batter into a ravishing red!

For the Whipped Cream Cheese:

• Cream Cheese: Because why stop at just a cheesecake? Let’s add more creamy goodness!
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetening up our topping just right.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: Whipped into fluffy perfection to create a cloud-like topping.

How to Make Red Velvet Cheesecake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Thoroughly spray a 10-inch springform pan with non-stick baking spray.
3. For the crust: Whisk together chocolate cookie crumbs and sugar with melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 10 minutes.
4. For the cheesecake filling: Mix cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until completely blended and smooth. Add in heavy cream, and then add in eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Lastly, pour in sour cream, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, red food coloring, and flour. Mix until entire batter is smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Carefully pour batter into the prepared pan.
   (Optional) Water bath: Place cheesecake pan inside a larger pan and slowly fill the large pan with boiling water halfway up sides of the springform pan. This step isn’t necessary because the cheesecake bakes up nicely with no cracks without it but if you want extra assurance, you should add the water bath.
5. Bake cheesecake for 1 hour. Turn oven off and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 4 additional hours.
6. Remove cheesecake from oven after 4 hours and rest on the counter until it is completely room temperature. Chill the cheesecake by placing in the refrigerator and chilling overnight.
7. For the Whipped Cream Cheese: In a medium-sized bowl add cream cheese and mix on high speed. Slowly add sugar and beat for 5 minutes until completely smooth. Lastly, add heavy whipping cream and beat on high speed until cream cheese is fluffy and high peaks have formed. Top cheesecake with whipped cream in decorative pattern and serve.

How to Store

You can keep any leftover Red Velvet Cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure not to leave an uncovered cheesecake out at room temp for longer than 2 hours. 

To freeze, place it in the freezer without the whipped cream until it’s frozen solid. Wrap the cheesecake with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil. It will keep frozen for 2-3 months. When you are ready to serve, allow the cheesecake to thaw out overnight in the refrigerator and then decorate it. 

Favorite Cheesecake Recipes

If you like this recipe, then I know you’ll enjoy some of my other cheesecake recipes below.

• Vanilla New York Cheesecake
• Peach Cobbler Cheesecake
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake
• Spiced Sweet Potato Cheesecake
• Oreo Cheesecake