This easy, chocolatey no bake Nutella cheesecake recipe makes the perfect treat for birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any occasion! A cookie crust and fluffy cream cheese filling garnished with shiny chocolate glaze make a show-stopping homemade treat. Truly one of the best flourless chocolate cake recipe I ever made.
Hey Foodies!
If you’ve been here before, you may know about my love for cheese. I even wrote a book about it! One of the best ways to add more cheese to your life is with cheesecakes. This sweet take on my favorite ingredient is light, fluffy, coated in nutty chocolate and super easy to make.
If you’re looking for a no-oven dessert recipe for the holidays or any day, this no bake Nutella cheesecake recipe is for you. It’s easy to make vegan, paleo, or gluten-free so it can satisfy all tastes.
Ready to get mixing? Start with my best Tips & Tricks to make this easy chocolate cheesecake recipe.
Best Tips & Tricks for this Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
1. Which ingredients can be replaced in this easy chocolate cheesecake recipe?
For a richer cheesecake filling, replace half of the cream cheese with tangy mascarpone. If you do this, I suggest adding 2.5 grams more powdered gelatin.
You can substitute the oatmeal chocolate crackers with oreo cookies. See Tip #7 below for my easy how-to.
And if you like a boozy cheesecake glaze, you can add 1 teaspoon of rum extract to the glaze.
You can also replace hazelnuts with any other nuts. For a nut-free flourless chocolate cake recipe, you can skip the nuts altogether.
2. How to decorate this no bake Nutella cheesecake?
I love to sprinkle the cake with a handful of coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Fresh berries, especially plump ripe strawberries, also make a beautiful decoration.
Other ideas for decorating no bake chocolate cheesecake:
- Chocolate shavings
- White chocolate drizzle
- Coconut flakes
- Rainbow sprinkles (perfect for a birthday cheesecake!)
- Sugar pearls (for Christmas cheesecake)
3. How to store flourless chocolate cake?
Keep the cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze individual slices (wrapped well in plastic wrap) for up to 1 month.
4. Can you make this no bake chocolate cheesecake recipe dairy-free?
Yes! To make it dairy-free, replace the butter with vegan butter and the cream cheese with a dairy-free version. Nutella contains milk powder and whey, though. You can substitute it with your own homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread, using this recipe.
Homemade Nutella Recipe:
- 1 1/2 cups (215g) roasted hazelnuts, skin removed
- 3/4 cup (118 grams) coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil*
- 6 tbsp coconut milk
- In a food processor*, process the hazelnuts into nut butter, about 10-15 min depending on the power of your food processor. Stop and scrape the bowl of the processor a few times.
- When the texture is smooth, add the remaining ingredients except for the coconut milk.
- Start processing and add the milk slowly until it reaches a creamy consistency.
- This will make about 1 1/2 cups of homemade Nutella.
These changes will make the cake dairy-free but not vegan! While the recipe is already egg-free, to make it 100% vegan, you’ll have to remove the gelatin or replace it with plant-based collagen powder. If you omit the gelatin, the cake might not hold that well and the texture will definitely be softer. Store it in the freezer and take it out just before serving to avoid a … meltdown.
5. Can you make this no bake Nutella cheesecake recipe Paleo?
Yes, for a paleo version, follow the instructions above to make a dairy-free no bake cheesecake. Also, replace the sugar with coconut sugar.
6. Can you make this easy chocolate cheesecake recipe gluten-free?
Yes, just use gluten-free crackers! Gluten-free graham crackers are perfect for a wheat-free cheesecake crust.
7. Want to add a graham crust or Oreo crust to your no bake chocolate cheesecake recipe?
For a graham cracker crust, use graham crackers instead of oatmeal chocolate crackers and add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the crust.
For an Oreo crust, add Oreo cookies instead of the chocolate cookies! Did you know that Oreos are vegan?
8. Can you make this flourless chocolate cake recipe without topping?
The chocolate topping gives the cake a beautiful mirror glaze, that makes it look like it’s coming straight from the shelves of a fancy pastry shop.
But if it’s too much chocolate for you, you can easily remove or replace it with your favorite decorations. The cheesecake will still hold up well.
Related Recipes:
- Keto Chocolate Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mini Pavlova Cake Recipe (Video)
- Easy Vegan Chocolate Brownies
That’s all I have for you today, dear Foodies. So have fun making this decadent no bake chocolate cheesecake recipe!
If you love this Nutella cheesecake recipe video, be sure to follow along on YouTube for more cheesy recipe videos.
No Bake Nutella Cheesecake Recipe (Flourless Chocolate Cake)
Ingredients
For the base:
- 8 oz (225g) oatmeal chocolate crackers
- 1/2 cup (60g) roasted or raw hazelnuts
- 3.5 oz (100g) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 18 oz (500g) Philadelphia cream cheese
- 2 oz (55g) powdered sugar
- 14 oz (400g) Nutella
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 envelope (5g) gelatin powder - + 2 tbsp water
For the Nutella topping:
- 1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (155g) Nutella
- 1/3 envelope (3.3g) gelatin powder - + 1 tbsp water
Optional:
- a small handful of chopped hazelnuts - to decorate
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Place the crackers and hazelnuts in a food processor.
- Pulse until crumbs form. Add melted butter and process until the mixture looks like wet sand.
- Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch (20-21 cm) springform pan. Press evenly onto the bottom to make a crust. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the filling:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cheese cream and powdered sugar.
- Mix in the Nutella, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.
- In a small jug, quickly whisk together the water and gelatin. Add it to the bowl with the cheesecake filling and whisk on high speed until smooth.
- Remove the pan with the cheesecake crust from the fridge.
- Pour the Nutella filling into the crust, then gently tap a few times on the counter to pop any air bubbles out.
- Freeze the cheesecake for 3 hours or until fully set.
To make the glaze:
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over low heat. Don't let it boil, you only need it hot.
- Meanwhile, whisk the gelatin with a bit of water in a medium bowl. Add the Nutella and hot cream to the gelatin. Whisk until well incorporated and smooth.
To assemble the chocolate cake:
- When the chocolate cake is fully set, remove the sides of the springform pan.
- Place the chocolate cheesecake on a rack with a rimmed tray underneath. Pour the Nutella glaze over the top of the cheesecake making sure to coat evenly on all sides.
- Sprinkle with a small handful of chopped hazelnuts, if desired.
- Transfer to a platter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Recipe Notes
- For ingredient swaps, check out Tip #1.
- Tip #2 has my decoration recommendations for stunning no-bake chocolate cheesecake.
- For storage instructions, read Tip #3.
- Tip #4 includes how to make this flourless chocolate cake recipe dairy-free.
- Looking for a paleo chocolate cheesecake? Read Tip #5.
- Gluten-free instructions are in Tip #6.
- Tip #7 includes how to make a graham cracker or Oreo crust.
- For a topping-free cheesecake, see Tip #8.
Nutrition
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Is there a recommended way to substitute agar in place of the gelatin? This looks so irresistible that I’d love a vegetarian version for a special occasion.