Baking with Dragons: Oreo Cheesecake

With Thanksgiving being right around the corner, you should treat yourself to some dessert (even if you are not celebrating this year)! This easy recipe for cheesecake is perfect if you are craving something sweet. There is no baking required (so no need to clean your oven for this). You can make a regular cheesecake by substituting the Oreos for Honey Graham crackers as the base. In this recipe, we will be using Oreos for the base and toppings!

What you will need:

• A 5-inch cake pan (preferably springform to easily get smooth sides)

• 10-12 vanilla Oreo cookies (a good amount to cover the base of the pan)

• 2 tbsp of melted butter

• 100 g of cream cheese (room temperature)

• 3 tbsp confectioners sugar (also known as powdered sugar)

• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

• 250 ml of heavy whipping cream (chilled)

1. Put the Oreos in a ziplock bag. Get a tool with a hard, flat surface. I suggest using a meat tenderizer for this step. Using all your pent up anger, smash them cookies! >:0 Break the Oreos up until they become fine crumbs.

2. Transfer the Oreo crumbs into a bowl and add your melted butter. Mix! The butter will be the glue to stick the crumbs together and shapen the base. Once mixed, add the crumbs into the pan and flatten it. Make sure to cover the entire bottom part of the pan. Set it aside in the freezer to get the base hardened when finished.

3. In another bowl, add your chilled cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until they’re well combined. Next, add your whipping cream and beat with a whisk or hand mixer.

4. Take out your chilled pan, and add the cream cheese mixture into the pan. Smooth the layer with a rubber spatula. This is the part where you can add whatever toppings you’d like! I like to top it off with chocolate ganache, which can be easily made by simmering heavy whipping cream in a pot and pouring it over a bowl of chocolate chips. I also like to add pieces of fruit such as strawberries and raspberries.

5. Place your cake in the freezer for an hour or two to get it nice and chilly. And that’s it!

I give credit to David Hood for making this great recipe. You can check out his other recipes on his website or Youtube channel. Stay safe, everyone, and have a great Thanksgiving!