You want to serve your visitors a decadent dessert, but you don't have the time to spend all day in the kitchen. You need to look no further than this simple recipe for chocolate strawberry cheesecake! This dish is the ideal marriage of rich and delicious flavors, with a velvety chocolate crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and fresh strawberries. The best part is that it doesn't need to be baked, making it a quick and straightforward dessert option for any event. This chocolate strawberry cheesecake is a must-try recipe that will satiate your sweet craving, whether you're throwing a dinner party or just want to treat yourself.

Easy Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

• cooking spray
• 1 (9-ounce) box chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco® Famous Chocolate Wafers)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Cheesecake:

• 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
• 5 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 drops of pink gel food coloring

Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 (4 ounces) bar semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 10 whole and halved strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Set the oven's temperature to 325 °F (165 °C). Heavy-duty aluminum foil should be wrapped twice around the outside of a 9-inch springform pan lightly coated with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine the cookies, melted butter, and sugar. Press down on the prepared pan's bottom and 1-inch-high sides.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes in a preheated oven, or until the crust is golden. Move to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes.

Reset the oven's temperature to 325°F (165°C).

In a food processor, puree the chopped strawberries for about a minute, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Separate the strawberry puree.

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese for two to three minutes, or until it is creamy. Add sugar and flour gradually while beating for approximately a minute or until smooth. One at a time, add entire eggs, beating after each addition on low speed just until combined (do not overbeat). Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition only until combined.

On low speed, blend in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice together with the reserved strawberry puree. Add food coloring gel and whisk until the desired hue is achieved.

The batter will fill the prepared pan; pour it all in. In a big roasting pan, place the cheesecake. Put the roasting pan containing the cheesecake in the preheated oven, and then fill the roasting pan with very hot water until it reaches the sides of the cheesecake.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the center is almost set but still jiggling. After turning off the oven, let the cheesecake inside for 15 minutes with the door closed.

After taking the cheesecake out of the oven, carefully run a knife around the outside edge to help it release from the pan's edges. (Never take the pan's sides off.) In the pan, cool fully on a wire rack for about two hours. Cool for 8 to 24 hours while covered with aluminum foil.

To make chocolate ganache topping, heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. In a tiny heatproof bowl, add the chopped chocolate. In a bowl, place the chocolate. Pour the heated cream over it. Blend the chocolate mixture completely. Allow mixture to cool for 20 minutes, whisking regularly, until just warm.

Put the cheesecake together by dipping a few entire strawberries in ganache and chilling them until you're ready to top it. Cheesecake should be placed on a serving tray when the pan edges are removed. Pour ganache over the cheesecake slowly, spreading it to the edges using a tiny offset spatula. For an hour, chill.

Add whole, chopped, and chocolate-covered strawberries to the cheesecake as garnish