This chocolate mint cheesecake is a recent, naturally coloured twist on a traditional, made with none synthetic dyes or alcohol. The creamy, minty filling and chocolate crust make it excellent for St. Patrick’s Day, spring get-togethers, or simply since you’re within the temper for one thing cool and chocolatey. It’s straightforward to make, completely scrumptious, and assured to vanish quick!
St. Patrick’s Day is the right excuse to bask in all issues mint and chocolate, and this chocolate mint cheesecake isn’t any exception! With its scrumptious mint filling nestled in a crisp chocolate crust and topped with a drizzle of chocolate, this dessert is as festive as it’s irresistible.
I’ve all the time liked the mixture of mint and deep chocolate. It jogs my memory of the traditional after-dinner mints my household used to maintain round for particular events. However as an alternative of only a bite-sized deal with, this cheesecake takes these flavors to an entire new stage.
For those who’re in search of extra party-worthy treats, you may also get pleasure from our crimson velvet mini bundt desserts or raspberry white chocolate cookies (excellent for Valentine’s Day, Mom’s Day, or bridal showers), chocolate peppermint cake, limoncello truffles (the final word Christmas treats!). And when you’re within the temper for much more cheesecake, our apple pecan cheesecake or coconut cheesecake with lime glaze are all the time successful!
Causes to Love This Recipe
Ingredient Overview
You should definitely take a look at the total recipe and ingredient record under
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this chocolate mint cheesecake, together with some straightforward swaps in case you want them:
For the Chocolate Crust
- Entire Wheat Pastry Flour. Entire wheat pastry flour kinds the bottom of the crust. You possibly can swap it for all-purpose white flour, white pastry flour, or a 1:1 gluten-free flour mix if wanted.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. Cocoa powder offers the crust its wealthy chocolate taste. Use Dutch-process cocoa for a deeper, extra intense taste.
- Coconut Sugar or Natural Cane Sugar. Coconut or natural cane sugar provides sweetness and is a extra healthful various than brown sugar or white granulated sugar. If wanted, brown sugar or granulated white sugar might be substituted.
- Sea Salt. Sea salt enhances the chocolate taste. Desk salt can be utilized however scale back to ¼ teaspoon because it’s finer.
- Butter. Butter binds the crust collectively and creates the flaky shortbread texture. For those who want a dairy-free various, use strong coconut oil or plant-based butter.
- Vanilla Extract. Vanilla further enhances the chocolate taste. A sprinkle of espresso powder also can deepen the chocolate notes.
For the Mint Cheesecake Filling
- Cream Cheese. Cream cheese kinds the bottom of the cheesecake. Common full-fat cream cheese works, and for a dairy-free choice, use cashew-based or plant-based cream cheese.
- Coconut Sugar or Natural Cane Sugar. Coconut sugar provides sweetness whereas retaining the dessert refined sugar-free. Substitute with powdered sugar for a smoother texture if most popular.
- Peppermint Extract. Peppermint extract brings that signature minty taste. Alter to style, utilizing 1 ½ teaspoons for a milder taste or barely extra for an additional minty enhance.
- Vanilla Extract. Vanilla extract helps spherical out the peppermint taste.
- Spirulina Powder or Matcha. A pure method to obtain the traditional inexperienced shade with out synthetic dyes. For those who don’t have these, you need to use a tiny quantity of pure meals coloring or omit it altogether. Omitting it won’t have an effect on the flavour of the cheesecake.
- Chilly Heavy Cream. Creates the sunshine, fluffy texture. For a dairy-free choice, substitute coconut cream (chilled, then whipped).
For the Chocolate Drizzle
- Natural Darkish Chocolate. A deep, wealthy chocolate drizzle. You possibly can swap it for semi-sweet chocolate if most popular.
- Heavy Cream. Helps create a clean ganache. Dairy-free options embody coconut cream or oat-based heavy cream substitutes.
Step-by-Step Directions with Pictures
This can be a temporary overview. You should definitely take a look at the total recipe and ingredient record under
For the Chocolate Shortbread Crust
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).
For the Filling
For the Chocolate Drizzle
Ideas for Success
- Use Chilly Butter for the Crust. Conserving the butter chilly ensures a flaky, tender chocolate shortbread crust. If it begins to melt whereas mixing, chill the dough for a couple of minutes earlier than urgent it into the pan.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough. Combine simply till the dough comes collectively. Overmixing can result in a tricky crust. If it’s too dry, add chilly water a teaspoon at a time till it holds collectively.
- Permit the Crust to Absolutely Cool. A heat crust may cause the cheesecake filling to melt an excessive amount of earlier than it units. For the perfect outcomes, let the crust cool fully earlier than including the filling.
- Soften the Cream Cheese Correctly. Room-temperature cream cheese blends easily, stopping a lumpy filling. Let it sit out for about half-hour, or microwave briefly 10-second bursts till barely softened.
- Whip the Cream to Stiff Peaks. Correctly whipped cream is essential to a light-weight and ethereal cheesecake filling. Beat till stiff peaks kind, however keep away from overwhipping, as it will probably flip grainy.
- Gently Fold within the Whipped Cream. To maintain the combination fluffy, gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake combination utilizing a spatula, reasonably than stirring vigorously.
- Chill for at Least 4 Hours. Whereas the cheesecake will agency up after just a few hours, chilling in a single day offers it the perfect texture and permits the flavors to meld superbly.
- Soften Chocolate Gently for the Drizzle. Overheated chocolate can seize or flip grainy. Heat the cream simply till sizzling, then pour over the chocolate and let it sit for two minutes earlier than stirring till clean.
- Slice with a Heat Knife. For clear slices, run a pointy knife beneath sizzling water, wipe it dry, and slice. Repeat between cuts for picture-perfect servings.
- Customise the Mint Taste. For those who favor a milder mint taste, scale back the peppermint extract barely. If you want it stronger, you possibly can add a bit extra to fit your style.
Storage
Fridge: Retailer the cheesecake lined within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Use an hermetic container or cowl the pie dish tightly with plastic wrap to maintain it recent and stop it from absorbing any odors from the fridge.
Freezing: This cheesecake freezes nicely! For the perfect outcomes, freeze it earlier than including the chocolate drizzle. Wrap your entire cheesecake (or particular person slices) tightly in plastic wrap, adopted by a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for as much as 2 months.
Thawing: To get pleasure from from frozen, switch the cheesecake to the fridge and let it thaw in a single day. For those who’ve frozen particular person slices, they need to thaw inside 1–2 hours at room temperature.
Serving from the Fridge: The cheesecake is greatest served chilled. If it’s been within the fridge for just a few days, let it sit at room temperature for five–10 minutes earlier than slicing for the creamiest texture.
Chocolate Drizzle After Freezing: If freezing with out the chocolate topping, after thawing put together the drizzle and apply it earlier than serving.
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For the Chocolate Shortbread Crust:
- 1 cup entire wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose) (Observe 1)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or natural cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup butter cubed. Have to be chilly.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons chilly water as wanted (Observe 2)
For the Mint Cheesecake Filling:
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened (Observe 3)
- ¾ cup coconut sugar or natural cane sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons peppermint extract (Observe 4)
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon spirulina powder or matcha for pure inexperienced shade, non-compulsory (Observe 5)
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream chilly
For the Chocolate Topping
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces natural darkish chocolate (70% cacao or larger), chopped
Garnish (non-compulsory)
- Recent mint leaves
- Darkish chocolate shavings
- Cacao nibs
Put together the Chocolate Shortbread Crust
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In a mixing bowl, whisk collectively the 1 cup entire wheat pastry flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ cup coconut sugar, and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
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Minimize within the chilly ½ cup butter with a pastry cutter or fork till the combination resembles coarse crumbs. (Or pulse in a small meals processor for even distribution.) (Observe 6)
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Stir within the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons chilly water, including extra if wanted, till the dough simply comes collectively. (Observe 2)
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Press the dough evenly right into a 9-inch pie pan. Prick the underside with a fork to stop air bubbles. (Observe 7)Elective: Collect the dough right into a flattened spherical and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper earlier than urgent it into the pan for a neater look.
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Bake for 12–quarter-hour till set. Let cool fully. (Observe 8)
Make the Cheesecake Filling
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In a big mixing bowl, beat the 12 ounces cream cheese, softened till clean. (Observe 3)Add the ¾ cup coconut sugar and proceed beating till totally integrated.
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Combine within the 2 ¼ teaspoons peppermint extract, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 ½ teaspoon spirulina powder or matcha if utilizing. (Observe 5)
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In a separate bowl, whip the chilly 1 ½ cups heavy cream till stiff peaks kind. (Observe 9)
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Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake combination till clean and fluffy. (Observe 10)
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Unfold the filling evenly into the cooled crust. Chill for no less than 4 hours, or in a single day, to set. (Observe 11)
Put together the Chocolate Topping
Garnish & Serve
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Embellish with recent Recent mint leaves, Darkish chocolate shavings, or Cacao nibs, if desired.
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For the cleanest slices, use a pointy knife and wipe between cuts. (Observe 14)
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Serve chilled and luxuriate in!
- You possibly can substitute all-purpose flour for the entire wheat pastry flour.
- The dough ought to maintain collectively when pressed however not be sticky. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time till the fitting consistency is reached.
- Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for half-hour, or microwave briefly 10-second bursts till simply gentle.
You need to use dairy-free cream cheese and swap heavy cream with coconut cream. - You possibly can modify the peppermint taste by decreasing it to 1 ½ teaspoons for a milder taste or improve barely in order for you it stronger.
- The spirulina or matcha is non-compulsory for pure shade. You possibly can omit it. The cheesecake will style the identical with out it. If you need the inexperienced shade, you possibly can add a drop or two of inexperienced meals shade till the cheesecake is the colour you need.
- A meals processor ensures even mixing, however utilizing a pastry cutter or fork additionally works nicely.
- Pricking the crust with a fork prevents air bubbles from forming and retains the crust from puffing up whereas baking.
- The crust ought to look set and dry however not really feel exhausting. It’s going to agency up because it cools. If it feels too agency proper out of the oven, it might be overbaked.
- Use a chilly bowl and beaters for greatest outcomes. Whip simply till gentle, barely curled peaks kind. If it appears lumpy or grainy, it has been overwhipped.
- Folding the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling retains the feel gentle and ethereal as an alternative of dense. Use a spatula and fold gently.
- Chill the cheesecake no less than 4 hours however in a single day is greatest for a agency texture. For the cleanest slices, use a pointy knife and wipe between cuts.
- Heat the heavy cream gently in a saucepan over low warmth or microwave in 10-second bursts till sizzling however not boiling.
- If the chocolate doesn’t soften easily, stir gently and keep away from whisking too quick, as this will trigger the ganache to interrupt. If it turns into too thick or grainy, stir in 1 further teaspoon of heat cream till clean.
- Use a really sharp knife and wipe it clear between slices to maintain the sides clean.
- If you need a clear drizzle, use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a small gap minimize within the nook.
Energy: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fats: 41g | Saturated Fats: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 11g | Trans Fats: 0.4g | Ldl cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1388IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 10 servings
Energy: 515kcal
