Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffle Cheesecake
Jane Mitchell, my roommate from college, told me about a cookie dough cheesecake that she recently ate in New Hampshire. It sounded delicious, even though, after grilling Jane for very specific details, I was still left with more questions than answers.
This happened about the same time that I blogged about my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles. The feedback I got from them was overwhelmingly fabulous. Putting these two thoughts together, I decided to take those incredible Truffles and combine them with other ingredients to create a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffle Cheesecake. Have I left you staring at your computer wondering what the heck I am talking about? Allow me to explain.
The directions for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles are very easy to follow and they must be made before assembling the cheesecake (or at least the inside part of the truffles must be done first.) The important part to keep in mind is that some of the ‘naked’ frozen truffles will be used in the batter of the cheesecake, while 14 of the ‘dipped’ truffles will go on top of the finished product.
For the cheesecake I opted for a graham cracker crust and a fairly traditional filling. I went a bit heavier on the vanilla than normal, because I believe that the best chocolate chip cookies are such, because of their vanilla flavor and aroma.
Sixteen frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls are folded into the filling before it is transferred to the pan (the other balls are dipped into melted chocolate to become decadent Truffles.) Evenly distributing the balls ensures that everyone gets at least a part of the cookie dough with his/her piece. After the cheesecake is baked, cooled, refrigerated and transferred out of the pan, a chocolate ganache is drizzled over the cake.
I could have said that the cake was finished like this, but seriously, would that sound right to you? NO! I topped the cheesecake with 14 of the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles, and rest assured, I am ‘over the moon’ happy I did.
My thanks to Jane for describing a cheesecake in such a way that I was left with no choice but to imagine what it should look and taste like. I have no idea if my creation is really similar to Jane’s or not, but I am mighty thrilled with this decadent dessert.
| Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffle Cheesecake | | Print |
- Chocolate chip cookie dough truffles:
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1¼ cups plus 1½ cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- Crust:
- 5.35 ounces graham crackers (10-1/3 crackers)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Cheesecake:
- 4 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 16 frozen chocolate chip cookie dough truffles, minus the final chocolate dipping
- Topping:
- 2 ounces chocolate semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- For the chocolate chip cookie dough truffles:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the butter, brown sugar and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Beat until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add in vanilla and then the flour. Lastly, blend in 1¼ cups chocolate chips.
- Use a small cookie dough scoop (2 teaspoons per scoop) to scoop the dough onto the prepared pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before preparing the cheesecake or dipping the scooped dough into chocolate.
- Reserve 16 cookie dough scoops for the cheesecake. Keep them frozen.
- Melt the remaining 1½ cups chocolate chips. Dip the 24 remaining cookie dough scoops, one at a time, into the chocolate. Cover with chocolate and use a fork to transfer the truffles back to the parchment lined pan. Freeze until the chocolate is set. Transfer the truffles to a plastic freezer bag and store in the freezer until needed.
- For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Set aside a 10” round baking pan.
- Combine the graham crackers and sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until it is the consistency of powder. Add the melted butter and pulse on/off until well blended. Grease the baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the crust mixture to the pan and pat evenly onto the bottom. Set aside.
- For the filling:
- Combine the cream cheese and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Cream the mixture until light and fluffy, about three minutes, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla and heavy cream. Fold 16 frozen chocolate chip cookie dough scoops (not dipped in chocolate) into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, making sure that the cookie dough scoops are evenly distributed.
- Bake in 325° oven for 50 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a cooling rack. Refrigerate 5 hours or overnight.
- Cover a 12” round cake board round with plastic wrap. Place the cheesecake in a larger pan. Fill halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan with very warm water. Let sit for 20 - 30 seconds. Take cheesecake out of the water and dry the pan. Cover with the 12” covered cake board and turn upside down. Tap firmly once or twice against the countertop to loosen the cake from the pan. Remove the cake pan. Place a serving plate over the bottom of the cheesecake and invert. Prepare the topping.
- For the topping:
- Melt the chocolate and whipping cream together in the microwave. Stir to combine and transfer to a small plastic freezer bag. Cut off a small corner off the bag and drizzle the chocolate topping over the top of the cheesecake.
- Arrange 14 chocolate chip cookie dough truffles around the top edge of the cheesecake. Refrigerate.
- Allow the cheesecake to sit outside the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
- Betsy's tidbits:
- Click on "Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles" within the blog to see the step by step photos for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles.
- The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles recipe makes 45-48 truffles.
- A 10" springform pan may be used to make the cheesecake.
