This Halloween Candy Cheesecake has an Oreo crust and vanilla cheesecake base, then can be filled with an assortment of your leftover Halloween candy!
Quick Tips
- Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and scrape the bowl down prior to adding the other ingredients
- Use a water bath method to bake your cheesecake to avoid major cracking on top
- In the recipe, I call for a layer of candy on the bottom and in the middle of the cheesecake, you can also just mix the candy into the cheesecake batter if desired
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Silicone spatula
- 9-inch spring form pan
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Cream cheese– 32 ounces (or 4 bricks)
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Oreo’s– 24 are called for in this recipe, which is less than is in a small (~13 ounce) Oreo package
- Butter– salted or unsalted is OK
- Heavy cream
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips– chopped baking chocolate works as well (you can also use dark or milk chocolate)
- Halloween candy– chop up your favorite chocolate candies to use in this cheesecake! Try fun combos like varieties of m&m’s, Reese’s and Butterfingers, etc.
Try these other recipes that are great for Halloween!
How to make Halloween Candy Cheesecake
This Halloween Candy Cheesecake is fairly simple to make and can be broken down into 4 steps.
- Make the crust and chop the Halloween candy
- Make the cheesecake batter
- Assemble and bake the cheesecake
- Top the cheesecake
How to make the crust and chop the Halloween candy
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, then use a food processor to finely crush the Oreo cookies. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also place the cookies in a gallon bag and use a rolling pin to crush the cookies.
Combine the crushed cookies and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
Press the crust mixture throughout the bottom of a well-greased 9-inch spring form pan. You can use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup to press the mixture throughout the pan.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and set aside.
While the crust bakes, chop up your Halloween candy into small pieces. You will want about 3 total cups of chopped candy.
How to make the cheesecake batter
Add 1-2 inches of warm water to a roasting pan or large rimmed cookie sheet and place on the bottom oven rack. Allow it to heat up for 5-10 minutes before baking your cheesecake. Read more on the water bath method here.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
Add sugar, vanilla extract, flour and salt. Beat on high until smooth. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
Lastly, add in the eggs and beat on low-medium speed until fully combined. Do not over beat. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
How to assemble and bake the Halloween Candy Cheesecake
Sprinkle about one cup of chopped Halloween candy evenly throughout the bottom of the baked Oreo crust (shown below).
Spread half of the cheesecake batter evenly throughout the pan, covering the layer of Halloween candy.
Sprinkle about one cup of chopped Halloween candy evenly over the cheesecake batter (shown below).
Spread the remaining cheesecake batter over the Halloween candy. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles and even out the batter.
Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until there is a 3-4 inch jiggle in the center. Then turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 1-2 hours or until the oven has cooled to room temperature. Once the cheesecake has reached room temperature, cool it in the fridge for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight). Once the cheesecake has chilled you can run a butter knife around the bottom and sides of the pan to release it.
How to top the cheesecake
Place the heavy cream in a small microwave safe bowl and heat for 20-30 seconds or until almost boiling.
Pour in the chocolate chips and stir until the mixture is smooth. Return it to the microwave for 10-20 seconds if necessary and mix until the chocolate is smooth.
Pour the warm chocolate ganache mixture over the chilled cheesecake and spread it evenly. Allow some of it to drip down the sides if desired.
Sprinkle the remaining chopped Halloween candy over the top of the chocolate ganache. Return the cheesecake to the fridge to allow the chocolate to set. Store in the fridge and enjoy chilled.
Try these other delicious cheesecake recipes!
Halloween Candy Cheesecake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Use a food processor to finely crush the Oreo cookies. If you don't have a food processor, you can also place the cookies in a gallon bag and use a rolling pin to crush the cookies.
- Combine the crushed cookies and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
- Press the crust mixture throughout the bottom of a well-greased 9-inch spring form pan. You can use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup to press the mixture throughout the pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and set aside.
- Add 1-2 inches of warm water to a roasting pan or large rimmed cookie sheet and place on the bottom oven rack. Allow it to heat up for 5-10 minutes before baking your cheesecake.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
- Add sugar, vanilla extract, flour and salt. Beat on high until smooth. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
- Add in the eggs and beat on low-medium speed until fully combined. Do not over beat. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
- Sprinkle about one cup of chopped Halloween candy evenly throughout the bottom of the baked Oreo crust.
- Spread half of the cheesecake batter evenly throughout the pan, covering the layer of Halloween candy.
- Sprinkle about one cup of chopped Halloween candy evenly over the cheesecake batter.
- Spread the remaining cheesecake batter over the Halloween candy. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles and even out the batter.
- Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until there is a 3-4 inch jiggle in the center. Then turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 1-2 hours or until the oven has cooled to room temperature. Once the cheesecake has reached room temperature, cool it in the fridge for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight). Once the cheesecake has chilled you can run a butter knife around the bottom and sides of the pan to release it.
- Place the heavy cream in a small microwave safe bowl and heat for 20-30 seconds or until almost boiling.
- Pour in the chocolate chips and stir until the mixture is smooth. Return it to the microwave for 10-20 seconds if necessary and mix until the chocolate is smooth.
- Pour the warm chocolate ganache mixture over the chilled cheesecake and spread it evenly. Allow some of it to drip down the sides if desired.
- Sprinkle the remaining chopped Halloween candy over the top of the chocolate ganache. Return the cheesecake to the fridge to allow the chocolate to set.
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