Red Velvet Cheesecake (2024)

Imagine the tangy, chocolaty flavors of a red velvet cake infused into a creamy cheesecake. That’s exactly what you get when you bake this contest-winning red velvet cheesecake recipe! It’s a crowd-pleaser through and through, appeasing both cheesecake and red velvet cake fans alike. We opt for an Oreo crust to pair with red velvet’s cocoa powder and finish the cheesecake with a typical red velvet cake cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients for Red Velvet Cheesecake

• Crust: This red velvet cheesecake recipe has a crispy, chocolaty Oreo crust made from crushed Oreos, melted butter and sugar. Crush the Oreos in a food processor or tightly close the Oreos in a resealable bag and whack them with a rolling pin.
• Cream cheese: One of our best cheesecake tips is to use room-temperature ingredients, especially cream cheese. Softened cream cheese will whip up much more easily and not hold on to unsightly lumps that are hard to beat out of the batter.
• Sugar: You’ll need 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar to sweeten the cheesecake batter, plus 1 tablespoon for the crust. Don’t substitute brown sugar or you may discolor the cheesecake batter.
• Sour cream: We love including sour cream in cheesecake recipes. The tanginess brightens the rich, sweet flavors just a bit so the cheesecake isn’t so heavy.
• Buttermilk: A traditional red velvet cake uses buttermilk, so we made sure to include this ingredient to mimic the traditional flavor as much as possible.
• Cocoa: If you weren’t aware that cocoa powder is in every red velvet cake—surprise! When red velvet cakes were first invented, bakers at the time loved using cocoa powder because it created a “velvety” texture and flavor, partially lending to the cake’s namesake.
• Vanilla: Along with bitter cocoa powder and tangy buttermilk, the cheesecake is flavored with vanilla extract for a subtle, floral sweetness.
• Eggs: Lightly beat the four eggs together so they don’t have to be mixed as much once in the cheesecake batter. The more air you whip into your cheesecake batter, the more you increase the likelihood of your cheesecake puffing, deflating and, ultimately, cracking.
• Red food coloring: Yes, you will need one whole bottle of red food coloring. And, yes, that seems like an excessive amount. However, that’s typical of red velvet cake recipes. Most recipes even call for two!
• Frosting: Most people prefer their red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, so that’s what we went with for this red velvet cheesecake recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the pan

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a greased 9-inch springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 inches square). Securely wrap the foil around the pan.

Editor’s Tip: The point of the foil is to prevent the water bath from seeping into the cheesecake. If you don’t have foil on hand, place the springform pan inside a slightly larger round pan for the same security.

Step 2: Create the crust

In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and sugar. Press the crust onto the bottom of the prepared pan.

Editor’s Tip: For the most even crust possible, spread and press the crust into the springform pan with a measuring cup. Don’t pack it in too tightly, though, or else the crust will be very difficult to cut into after baking.

Step 3: Mix the cheesecake filling

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, buttermilk, cocoa and vanilla until smooth and lump-free. Add the eggs, and beat on low speed just until combined. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the food coloring. Pour the filling over the crust.

Editor’s Tip: Feel free to whip the cream cheese and sour cream together first to really get all the lumps out before adding the other ingredients. Also, once the eggs are added, do as little mixing as possible. Over-whipping eggs in a cheesecake batter will cause the cheesecake to rise and deflate during baking, creating cracks.

Step 4: Make the hot water bath

Place the springform pan in a large baking pan. Pour 1 inch hot water into the larger baking pan.

Editor’s Tip: This is how you make a cheesecake water bath! A water bath helps the cheesecake bake more evenly. Plus, the steam it creates in the oven prevents the cheesecake from drying out and cracking.

Step 5: Bake the cheesecake

Bake the red velvet cheesecake until the center is just set and the top appears dull, 60 to 70 minutes.

Step 6: Chill overnight

Remove the springform pan from the water bath. Cool the cheesecake at room temperature on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake from it. Cool the cheesecake at room temperature for one hour longer.

Once the cheesecake is completely cooled to room temp, cover it with storage wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight. Remove the side of the springform pan.

Step 7: Decorate with the frosting

In a small bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Frost the top of the cheesecake. Keep the cheesecake refrigerated until serving.

Recipe Variations

• Try another crumb crust: Want a crust that doesn’t use Oreos? No problem! Try other crumb crust ingredients like Nilla wafers, ground nuts or the classic cheesecake graham cracker crust. Or, forget the crust and create red velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting.
• Decorate with a whipped topping: We understand that cream cheese frosting on a cream cheese-filled cheesecake might be too rich for some. Omit the frosting and decorate it with homemade whipped cream or a thawed whipped topping (like Cool Whip) instead.
• Garnish with extras: We love how white or dark chocolate shavings look on top of this red velvet cheesecake recipe. You could also press extra Oreos into the frosting or sprinkle Oreo crumbs all over. Fresh fruit like raspberries or strawberries (or chocolate-covered strawberries) are the perfect decoration if this is a Valentine’s Day dessert. Or, simply have fun with your frosting and use a piping bag to create rosettes or stars.

How to Store Red Velvet Cheesecake

To store red velvet cheesecake, gently cover it with storage wrap or place individual slices in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to four days.

Can you freeze red velvet cheesecake?

Yes, you can freeze red velvet cheesecake. Place the cake, uncovered, on a baking pan and freeze it for an hour. Then, wrap the cheesecake in a layer of storage wrap, followed by an outer layer of aluminum foil. The cheesecake can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to serve it.

To freeze individual slices, place the slices in an airtight container and freeze them for up to two months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature for one hour.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Tips

How can you tell when the cheesecake is done baking?

A cheesecake that’s baked in a water bath will be just set across the top and appear dull, not shiny. Another trick to know when a cheesecake is done cooking is to perform the cheesecake wobble test! Take a wooden spoon, open the oven door and give the cheesecake pan (not the water bath pan) a gentle but firm rap. The cheesecake should have a subtle wobble, not a rippled jiggle.

Can you make the crust thicker?

Absolutely! If you’d like a bit of a thicker cheesecake crust for this red velvet cheesecake recipe, double the measurements of the crust ingredients.

Watch how to Make Red Velvet Cheesecake