Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: The tangy, rich cheesecake paired with the sweet chocolate is a perfect match.
Texture: Buttery, crunchy graham cracker crust + thick, luscious, rich cheesecake, all coated in a thin, snappy chocolate coating. Heavenly!
Ease: Super easy – just a bit messy and requires some patience.
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!
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Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites are the absolute perfect dessert for any party or potluck … or just an evening to yourself!
Thick and creamy cream cheese filling with the perfect amount of tang, atop a buttery, crunchy graham cracker crust, all coated in a thin, snappy chocolate coating. Sounds pretty amazing, right?
The homemade cheesecake is such a fun surprise waiting inside these little chocolate parcels. They make fantastic gifts, too! Perfect for Valentine’s Day or Christmas.
Feel free to get creative here, too. You could experiment with adding some caramel, nuts, or mini chocolate chips. You could add some citrus zest or extracts to the cheesecake. Change up the crust to use a different cookie base. Have fun with it – just be sure to freeze the bites well before dipping them in chocolate.
Let me know in the comments below if you give these Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites a try!
How to Make Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites
Tips for Perfectly Smooth Cheesecake
- Be sure to use blocks of full-fat, high-quality cream cheese. Do not use reduced fat or whipped cream cheese. I like Philadelphia brand.
- Be sure your cream cheese is COMPLETELY softened to room temperature.
- Beat it very well with the sugar, but once you add the eggs and flour, only beat until just combined.
- Also, be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl as well as your mixer attachment often, to prevent lumps.
Cheesecake Crust Variations
You can use the same amount by weight of digestive biscuits, vanilla wafers, Biscoff cookies, or any crunchy cookie you prefer! Please note that Biscoff cookies are a little richer than graham crackers (which are drier), so add just enough butter until it holds together when pressed.
Using Coconut Oil + Baking Chocolate for Dipping
Since coconut oil is solid at room temperature, it helps to create a solid coating for the Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites. Use refined coconut oil if you prefer not to have any coconut taste.
What Type of Chocolate for Dipping Cheesecake Bites?
- Don’t use chocolate chips for dipping – chocolate chips contain ingredients that prevent them from fully melting in recipes like chocolate chip cookies – so they don’t melt down as smoothly.
- I like to use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate bars, but any quality baking chocolate is fine – just note that using dark or milk chocolate will alter the overall sweetness of the bites.
- You can temper the chocolate, but these Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites need to be stored chilled because of the dairy in the cheesecake, so tempering isn’t needed – but if you want to go for it anyway, learn How to Temper Chocolate here.
- You could alternatively use candy melts, but I don’t like the way they taste (it’s not real chocolate).
Tips for Dipping Cheesecake Bites in Chocolate
- Keep the chocolate warm. You may need to reheat it if it becomes less pourable halfway through dipping.
- Keep your Cheesecake Bites cold, keeping them in the freezer until just before dipping in chocolate. This will help the chocolate set up more quickly.
- You can use chocolate dipping tools to make your Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites look super neat and professional.
What Pan Should I Use for Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites?
I recommend using a light-colored metal 8×8-inch baking pan. I don’t recommend using darker metal pans, or glass, ceramic, or silicone – learn more about Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans here.
How to Store Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites
Store Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to a month. Please note that the graham cracker crust may soften as the cheesecake bites sit.
More Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love:
- Cheesecake Bars
- Oreo Cheesecake
- Ultimate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Death by Chocolate Cheesecake
- Ultimate Classic Cheesecake
Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 9 whole (135 grams) graham crackers
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 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 (454 grams) semisweet chocolate
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 by 8-inch square baking dish with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a food processor, pulse the crackers until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan using the bottom of a measuring cup or glass. Bake until fragrant, about 10 minutes (longer if using a glass dish). Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Reduce heat to 325°F.
Make the filling:
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, as well as the mixer attachment. 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 cooled crust. Tap against the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (longer if using a glass dish), or until cheesecake is slightly puffed and the center is set. If the center is slightly jiggly, that's fine.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack. Freeze for 3 hours, or until very cold and firm, or overnight.
Coat in chocolate:
- Once frozen, lift the cheesecake out of the pan and gently peel away the foil. Using a sharp knife, cut cheesecake into 36 bite-size squares. If squares become too soft, freeze until chilled again.
- 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 rimmed 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
This post was published in 2015 and has been updated with metric weight measurements, recipe improvements, and additional recipe tips.
Could I make these peanut butter?
Incredible!
I made these just plain without dipping in chocolate and they were great.
Creamy, rich and not overly sweet.
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!
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.
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!!
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 !
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!!
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
Hi, can these be made ahead and frozen? I know sometimes cheesecake doesn’t freeze well. Have you tried?
Thank you!
Can heavy cream be used instead of coconut oil?
Unfortunately, no.
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.
9 whole graham crackers how much is that in grams ? thanks