Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites - Handle the Heat
Filed Under: Candy | Chocolate | Christmas

Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites

By Tessa Arias
  |  
May 1st, 2015
4.98 from 34 votes
4.98 from 34 votes

Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites are the ultimate party food - nothing can beat this rich and flavorful bite-sized dessert. Be warned: these won't last!

Yield: 36 bites

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook: 50 minutes

Tessa's Recipe Rundown...

Taste: The tangy cheesecake paired with the sweet chocolate is a perfect match. Texture: Just wow. Buttery crunchy graham cracker crust + thick, luscious and rich cheesecake + thin snappy chocolate coating = bliss. Ease: Super easy, just a bit messy and requires some patience. Appearance: Absolutely adorable. Pros: Fun bite-sized twist on a classic dessert. These will be gone in about 5 seconds flat at any party. Cons: None! Would I make this again? I've made this recipe multiple times!

These will not last long!! They're the PERFECT party food!

Oh boy do I have a treat for you today. I’ve basically taken one of the most beloved desserts and turned it into candy! I love that I get to do such things for my job. It rarely feels like work, only when I have to do dishes a billion times a day. These cheesecake bites were actually the very first baking recipe I tested out in our new kitchen! Even though our new kitchen is smaller, I find it to be much more functional. I don’t have to pace ten steps just to reach the sink anymore (our old kitchen was very wide and open). It actually kind of reminds me of our little work stations in culinary school! Sometimes smaller is better, just like with these cheesecake bites!
These are TO DIE FOR!! They go fast everytime!
Who doesn’t love cheesecake? It’s even better when it’s bite-sized and covered in chocolate! These popable Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites are the perfect party food for any occasion. They’re positively addicting and will vanish in about 2 seconds flat. I love that you can’t tell what’s inside, they look like a regular ole’ chocolate bite or bonbon type of dessert but the homemade cheesecake is such a fun surprise, and a great little Valentines Day treat! The combination of flavors and textures is fantastic.

By the way, the crust in this recipe is VERY buttery so it stays cohesive and doesn’t crumble as you dip the bites in the chocolate. Also, make sure your bites are as cold as possible before dipping for best results!

These are TO DIE FOR!! They go fast everytime!

Making Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites Recipe
How to make Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites

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These are TO DIE FOR!! They go fast everytime!

4.98 from 34 votes

How to make
Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites

Yield: 36 bites
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Inactive Time 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites are the ultimate party food - nothing can beat this rich and flavorful bite-sized dessert. Be warned: these won't last!

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 9 whole graham crackers (135 grams)
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

  • 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the chocolate coating:

  • 16 ounces semisweet chocolate
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions

To make crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 by 8-inch square baking dish with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or until light golden and fragrant. Reduce heat to 325°F.

To make filling:

  1. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, add in the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, flour, and salt and beat until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Pour the batter over the crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cheesecake is slightly puffed and center is set. If the center is slightly jiggly, that's fine.
  2. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Freeze for 3 hours, or until very cold and firm, or overnight.

To coat in chocolate:

  1. Once frozen, lift cheesecake out of pan and gently peel away foil. Using a sharp knife, cut cheesecake into 36 bite-size squares. If squares become too soft, freeze until chilled again.
  2. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Place parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a baking sheet. Dip cheesecake squares, one at a time, in the melted chocolate. Let the excess drip off and place on prepared sheet. Repeat for all the squares then refrigerate until the chocolate is set. Serve or store the squares in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Recipe Notes

The key to beautiful, easy-to-dip bites is to make sure they're as cold as possible. If they warm up too much pop them back in the freezer until they're firm and frozen again.
Adapted from Taste of Home
Course : Dessert
Cuisine : American
Tessa Arias
Author: Tessa Arias

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Tessa Arias

About Tessa...

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Find Tessa on  

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Recipe Rating




  1. #
    patti — July 20, 2023 at 8:04 pm

    I make these all the time. They turn out perfect. I add 2/3 cups chopped salted cashews between the crust and caramel, and a half cashew on top of the chocolate before it sets( to hold it in place). An excellent sweet and salty flavour. Just made for a wedding and had to omit the nuts( allergy reasons ). Instead of using a pan lined with tinfoil,( which I’ve used several times), I got a silicone mini cupcake pan (24) and when they are cooled, put them in the freezer ( still in the cupcake pan). When completely frozen, they pop out so easy for dipping.(no crumbs or cheesecake sticking to the knife). I only take out a couple at a time for dipping to keep them frozen and use 74 % cocoa bars for dipping. Since I have to omit the salted cashews, after dipping them in chocolate, I drizzled some caramel ( in a piping bag ) over the chocolate ( before it sets) and put a few coarse pieces of pink himalayan salt on top. I find using this chocolate gives you enough time to decorate before it sets. Was suppose to make 30.. but made close to 80, and they will be gone.

  2. #
    Heike — May 17, 2023 at 8:39 pm

    Can you make ahead and store in the freezer? If yes how long can you store?

    • #
      Kiersten @ Handle the Heat — May 19, 2023 at 8:30 am

      Hi Heike! We haven’t tried that, so we can’t say for sure! I don’t see why that wouldn’t work for at least a month or so, though, as long as they’re well-wrapping in plastic wrap or a good airtight container, to prevent freezer burn 🙂

  3. #
    Teena — May 7, 2023 at 8:33 am

    These were such a big hit! I even forgot to add the sour cream. I also swapped the graham crackers for gluten free Oreos for a gluten free version. (I did reduce the amount of butter by 2 tablespoons to accommodate for the Oreo filling. I might want to reduce that a bit more next time.) After I cut them into 36 pieces I left them in the freezer and dipped 6 to 8 at a time with a fork to keep them from melting, then after they dried I put them in decorative regular sized cupcake holders for easy access. It was requested again for next week’s tea. I’ll probably make a double batch and decorate them!

  4. #
    Pam — January 26, 2023 at 1:56 pm

    Excellent. I switched it up a bit on half of them; drizzled with caramel, chocolate, and chopped pecans. I placed them in gold, mini cupcake liners, they look great and taste yummy!!

  5. #
    Kristin — January 4, 2023 at 12:57 pm

    These are excellent! The coconut oil added to the chocolate really thins out the chocolate and makes the perfect dipping consistency – never done that before and loved that trick! Followed everything exactly as written and they came out perfectly!

  6. #
    Nicole Wolff — July 17, 2022 at 2:57 am

    Hello,

    I have made this about 4 or 5 times. Obviously, they rock and everybody loves them.(And really, I mean how could you not?)

    My question involves the dipping. Every time I make them, I think maybe my technique will improve. It doesn’t. I use the coconut oil,. make sure they are good and frozen, but still, the end result is about half look like crap. I have tried various tools, from tooth picks to corn husk thing’s, to crab pullers whatever they are called, but nothing really works that great.

    I really don’t want to just accept that half of everything I bake is going to look like shit. I should at least be able to improve my ratio to something like 30%. What am I doing wrong? How can I improve my cheesecake chocolate dipping skills? What tool works best? Also, towards the end, I find I have graham cracker crumbs in the remaining chocolate, and this really has a detrimental effect on the dipping presentation. How can I avoid this?

    • #
      Kiersten @ Handle the Heat — July 19, 2022 at 2:05 pm

      Hi Nicole! I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe, even if you’re having some issues with the dipping aspect! I hope I can help you improve this with some of the tips I have included here, along with a couple of links to dipping tools we have found super helpful for tasks like this!
      – If your cheesecake bites are completely frozen, be sure to work in batches to dip them in the chocolate coating, so the rest stay frozen while you dip just a few at a time.
      – That being said, dipping frozen treats into hot chocolate can cause the chocolate coating’s temperature to drop quickly, making it thicken up, and making it much more difficult to dip as time goes on. Are your cheesecake bites starting out looking great as you dip them, and then getting worse as you continue to dip? It might be worth reheating the chocolate/coconut oil mix a little (being careful not to overheat and burn it!) in between small batches of dipping, so the coating stays nice and liquidy as you continue to dip.
      – The thickening chocolate could also be the reason you find more graham cracker crumbs in the remaining chocolate; as it thickens, it will start to pull crumbs away.
      – Here are a couple of dipping tools we find helpful: these Wilton tools are fantastic, and are angled a little, so you can more easily dip them into a bowl of melted chocolate. You may be able to find them in craft stores or cake supply stores, but otherwise, you can purchase online via that link. Alternatively, these tools on Amazon are also great, despite not being slanted like the others.
      I hope something here helps you! If not, please feel free to reach out to us again and we can continue to help troubleshoot – we are always more than happy to help!! Good luck and happy baking 🙂

  7. #
    becca — February 20, 2022 at 6:06 pm

    Can i make this without the crumbs?

    • #
      Emily — February 23, 2022 at 2:47 pm

      We haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure! Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂

  8. #
    Jen — February 12, 2022 at 4:33 pm

    I made these last year for a party and all the quests requested to the host that I make them again this year. They are so deliciously addicting!

    • #
      Emily — February 14, 2022 at 10:23 am

      So happy to hear they were such a hit! Thanks for taking the time to comment and let us know, we appreciate it! 🙂

  9. #
    Penny Oberdank — February 2, 2022 at 11:15 am

    Hi Tessa. I have made these many times and they are always a big hit. I was thinking of adding some mini chocoalte chips to them, do you think that would work okay?

    • #
      Emily — February 2, 2022 at 2:54 pm

      Hi Penny! So glad you love them! We haven’t tried adding mini chocolate chips to this recipe, but it sounds delicious! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂

  10. #
    Annelise — January 5, 2022 at 3:09 pm

    This is a great recipe for a gathering! The cheesecake comes together easily and bite size portions are great. It was also easy to add sprinkles to the chocolate and a layer of caramel sauce between the cheesecake and chocolate to add more color and flavor to the vanilla base.

    • #
      Emily — January 5, 2022 at 5:03 pm

      That sounds amazing!! What a great idea, thanks so much for sharing! Happy you loved this recipe 🙂

  11. #
    Allyn — December 28, 2021 at 2:00 pm

    Is there something I can substitute for the coconut oil?

    • #
      Emily — December 28, 2021 at 3:46 pm

      You could try tempering the chocolate instead! Check out our tutorial on how to temper chocolate here. You will still need to store the bites in the fridge as the filling contains cream cheese/sour cream, though tempering the chocolate will give you that lovely snap when you bite into them 🙂 Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

  12. #
    Christine — December 28, 2021 at 1:13 pm

    Are there any substitutes for coconut oil?

    • #
      Emily — December 28, 2021 at 3:45 pm

      Unfortunately, no, though you could try tempering the chocolate instead. Check out our tutorial on how to temper chocolate here. You will still need to store them in the fridge as the filling contains cream cheese/sour cream. I hope that helps!

  13. #
    Jenny W. — December 26, 2021 at 12:54 pm

    These were so good! I made these for Christmas and they were a big hit. Everyone loved them, especially since they were bite sized.Sometimes it’s nice to have a few bites of a dessert instead of a whole piece. I found your recipe to be easy to follow and they turned out perfectly. A stash of these would be nice to have in the freezer. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I will definitely be making these again!

    • #
      Emily — December 27, 2021 at 10:45 am

      So happy to hear that! Thanks so much for the rave review 🙂

  14. #
    Carol — November 8, 2021 at 4:40 pm

    Can you make more at a time? Double?

    • #
      Emily — November 9, 2021 at 11:43 am

      Hi Carol! We haven’t tested that, but a 9×13 pan should work for doubling the recipe. Please let us know how it goes!

  15. #
    Avinell — November 4, 2021 at 12:08 pm

    I’m in a pinch and don’t have time for these to freeze for 3 hours before putting the chocolate. So you think it would work if I just add a layer of chocolate to the top?

    • #
      Emily — November 5, 2021 at 9:34 am

      Hi Avinell! The 3 hours is necessary for the cheesecake to fully set and freeze; otherwise, you’ll have a very difficult time coating the bites in chocolate. You’re welcome to try adding just a layer of chocolate on top instead, though the outcome will be different (but still delicious!). Good luck!

  16. #
    Laura — June 30, 2021 at 9:12 pm

    Could you please clarify what 9 graham crackers looks like? Is that individual crackers or sheets? And/or how many cups (or grams) of crumbs do you end up with once crushed?

    I see other people have asked this question but haven’t seen any response. It seems an important one as you mention the crust is specifically formulated to withstand dipping in chocolate without crumbling.

    Thank you! Looking forward to making and trying these.

    • #
      Tessa — July 6, 2021 at 9:54 am

      Hi Laura, I have the grams added to the ingredient list now 🙂 9 whole graham crackers means 9 sheets. Enjoy your cheesecake bites!

  17. #
    Katie Jensen — March 3, 2021 at 11:22 am

    This recipe is so delicious! I love that they are bite-sized treats. Last time I made it, I ran out of graham crackers and had to use biscoff cookies I had left over from another recipe and the flavors worked really well. Highly recommend this recipe.

    • #
      Tessa — March 3, 2021 at 1:48 pm

      So glad to hear this, Katie!

  18. #
    Lana — February 16, 2021 at 6:52 pm

    These turned out awesome! I ate most of them myself

    • #
      Tessa — February 17, 2021 at 1:40 pm

      So glad you enjoyed!

  19. #
    Jane Garrett — February 6, 2021 at 8:12 am

    These are truly fabulous! I made one minor change: in place of the semisweet chocolate and coconut oil, I dipped the cheesecake bites in Ghirardelli’s dark chocolate melting wafers (melted).
    This is a keeper!

    • #
      Tessa — February 8, 2021 at 1:51 pm

      So glad you enjoyed this recipe!

  20. #
    Lindsay F. — January 25, 2021 at 4:11 pm

    Yummy! I’m pregnant and was going to make these as a treat too keep in the freezer for my husband. Do the final bites freeze well?

  21. #
    Tori Caringella — January 22, 2021 at 7:41 am

    These look delicious!! How long do these keep in the fridge or can they be stored in the freezer? I’m making them for myself and don’t want any to go to waste 🙂

  22. #
    Coleen Barnes — January 21, 2021 at 2:27 pm

    Hi Tessa! I am wondering if it works to double this recipe and use a 9X13 inch pan as I would like to serve this for a birthday party for 15 people and the host requested larger squares.

    • #
      Tessa — January 22, 2021 at 11:44 am

      I haven’t personally tested that, but I believe it should work! Enjoy!

  23. #
    Noreen — January 10, 2021 at 8:41 am

    Made these for New Years Eve dessert. They were sooo delicious! Couldn’t keep my hands out of them.

  24. #
    CG — January 6, 2021 at 8:07 am

    Heavenly! I added a layer of dairy caramel cream on the crust for even more flavor.

    • #
      Tessa — January 6, 2021 at 12:12 pm

      That sounds amazing!

  25. #
    Gwyn — January 2, 2021 at 3:26 pm

    Delete my comment! Don’t know what I was thinking ‍♀️ Thinking in tablespoons. SORRY

  26. #
    Gwyn — January 2, 2021 at 2:20 pm

    I made these for Thanksgiving and they were awesome. The recipe calls for 1cube (4oz). I think I used one cube (8oz) because I thought it seemed too much for a graham cracker crust, but still delicious. I am in California, but I’m guessing the 4oz is correct and not necessarily the one stick depending on where one lives even in U.S.?

  27. #
    Roberta — November 22, 2020 at 6:37 pm

    Can you add liquid eggnog to these?

  28. #
    AMS — November 22, 2020 at 1:35 pm

    I HIGHLY recommend this recipe. They are perfect and a huge hit. Definitely made a mess while chocolate coating them but worth it. Be warned that if you take them anywhere they will be gone extremely fast and you’ll be asked to bring them over and I again.

    • #
      Tessa — November 23, 2020 at 4:28 pm

      I’m so happy to hear you loved this recipe!

  29. #
    Lea — October 29, 2020 at 5:21 am

    Hey Tessa! I just made the batter but it was too runny like heavy cream consistency, is that okay? What could be the reason for that?

  30. #
    Carmen — September 7, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    Could I make these peanut butter?

  31. #
    Jacqueline F — September 5, 2020 at 2:48 pm

    Incredible!
    I made these just plain without dipping in chocolate and they were great.
    Creamy, rich and not overly sweet.

  32. #
    Vaishnavi — August 20, 2020 at 10:48 am

    I made this today, and it was so good! I was scared the chocolate coating would be too sweet, but it pairs so well with the cheesecake. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe!

  33. #
    Penny L Oberdank — July 28, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    I love this recipe! I have made these quite a few times. Once I make them for anyone, they become a requested item. I cut them into squares before I freeze them. I found it really hard to cut when they are frozen. And this way they stay really cold while I’m dipping. And I usually use Ghirardelli chocolate melts for the dipping.

  34. #
    Mary M. — April 24, 2020 at 2:01 pm

    I’ve made these many times. I do love them dipped in chocolate, but I use this recipe anytime I want to make cheesecake bars. My family likes a fruit topping so I usually do that, but this is the PERFECT cheesecake bar. I love how well the crust stays together too. It’s just so good! make them!!

  35. #
    Rosa — December 30, 2019 at 2:25 pm

    Can I bag these up in goodie bags after cut and frozen ? Or will they become sticky ? What is the best way to give these as a gift ? Thanks !

  36. #
    Erin M — December 23, 2019 at 1:36 am

    I made these this weekend and they were so much easier than I thought they’d be! I made and froze the cheesecake last week and cut them and dipped them yesterday – the chocolate coating was so easy to work with! Thanks for another great recipe!!

  37. #
    Sheri — December 18, 2019 at 7:23 pm

    Can’t wait to get started on these.making them for a large family Christmas gathering.will let you know how they turn out.wish me luck.i will need it.lol

  38. #
    Tammy.NYCgirl — December 18, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    Hi, can these be made ahead and frozen? I know sometimes cheesecake doesn’t freeze well. Have you tried?
    Thank you!

  39. #
    Nancy — December 1, 2019 at 5:22 pm

    Can heavy cream be used instead of coconut oil?

    • #
      Tessa — December 2, 2019 at 11:31 am

      Unfortunately, no.

  40. #
    Andrea Tyler — November 28, 2019 at 1:35 pm

    I decided to try this recipe this year for family Thanksgiving. It turned out perfectly! Super easy to do. I used crushed oreos to make the crust instead of graham crackers…mmmmmm.

  41. #
    DIANA Taylor — October 4, 2019 at 6:43 am

    9 whole graham crackers how much is that in grams ? thanks

  42. #
    DIANA Taylor — October 4, 2019 at 5:17 am

    is it 8 oz of cream cheese or 16 im confused

  43. #
    Andi — August 28, 2019 at 7:39 am

    These were delicious! I made them exactly as the recipe stated. The cheesecake texture was perfect. It was a little messy and difficult to cut them up into squares, but they turned out looking ok. The chocolate coating was thick enough and hid a few mistakes. Personally, I am not a big fan of coconut flavoring, but I ate these little suckers out of my freezer like candy. I COULD NOT stop. Even so, next time I might try decreasing the amount of coconut oil.

  44. #
    Diana Taylor — July 17, 2019 at 10:26 am

    those look amazing im going to try to make them one of these days .. i have to ask you this where do u buy your chocolate from? and which one is the best to buy .. i’m in Canada Toronto .. chocolate makes everything taste good.. u need to have good chocolate brand to make things taste good ..

  45. #
    J — July 12, 2019 at 11:21 pm

    So delicious and easy! I put these on a stick upside down (so the graham cracker prevents the cheesecake from sliding down the stick) and then dip it in chocolate and various toppings.

  46. #
    David Desuoza — July 6, 2019 at 3:57 am

    I really like this post, and recipe. Thank you so much for putting together with a video and instruction.Thanks for sharing this.

  47. #
    Diana Taylor — July 3, 2019 at 8:03 am

    those look amazing im going to try to make them one of these days .. i have to ask you this where do u buy your chocolate from? and which one is the best to buy .. i’m in Canada Toronto .. chocolate makes everything taste good.. u need to have good chocolate brand to make things taste good ..

  48. #
    Justina — June 27, 2019 at 6:38 am

    Excellent and easy recipe. I made them already for 2 events and both times I brought home an empty tray.

  49. #
    Bee — April 22, 2019 at 6:43 am

    I am going to have this for desert tonight, it’s awesome.

  50. #
    Pam — April 17, 2019 at 12:48 pm

    I just made these today. Delicious. Thank you for sharing

  51. #
    Lily Ratcliffe — February 17, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    Made these for valentines day and my mamas birthday and they were awesome. I made 4 different toppings. You can add peanut butter or jam or anything to the top of the squares, refreeze for a few minutes and then dip in the chocolate.

  52. #
    Chris — February 15, 2019 at 11:32 am

    After trial and error, I found that if you are adept with chopsticks, you can use those to dip the bites in the chocolate mixture. Doesn’t leave the holes in them, that a fork or toothpick does.

  53. #
    Bree — February 6, 2019 at 3:48 pm

    Hi Tessa! This might be a silly question, but I was wondering if these would work with mini muffin pans?
    I need to make round individual bites for a company party. Let me know! I can’t wait to try them.

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