The best snickers cheesecake- This easy snickers cheesecake is baked on an Oreo crust. The creamy original cheesecake has chopped mini snickers bars swirled in. It is topped with fresh salted caramel, chocolate whipped cream, chocolate ganache drizzle, and extra snickers.
Why Is This Cheesecake The BEST Snickers Cheesecake?
Snickers are such a classic chocolate candy for a good reason. The mixture of crunch, caramel, and chocolate makes this candy one of the best ones out there. For this cheesecake, I wanted all of those elements throughout and I wanted each bite to feel super rich and decadent.
This creamy cheesecake has mini snickers bars chopped up and swirled into it. Each bite you will get that nice crunch of snickers that is surrounded by super creamy and moist cheesecake. The entire cheesecake is baked on an Oreo crust. There is nothing better than an Oreo crust!
The best snickers cheesecake is topped with fresh salted caramel, which is super easy to make. To make everything even better, it is topped with chocolate whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and more snickers. That is why this cheesecake is THE BEST!
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Making The Oreo Crust
Making an Oreo crust is super simple and only needs 2 ingredients.
- Oreos
- Melted butter
Oreos and butter makes the perfect crust for this cheesecake! To make this crust, start by crumbling the Oreos into fine crumbs. The easiest way to do that is to place Oreos in a food processor and pulse until it is a fine crumb.
I ended up using a family pack of Oreos from the grocery store and it used about ⅔ of the pack for the crust.
Pour the melted butter on top of the cookie crumbs in a medium bowl. Mix both until it resembles wet sand. It should be good and wet before transferring to a spring form pan.
Preheat the oven to 325F; the lower heat is perfect for cheesecake baking. (Less likely to crack if baked on a lower heat) Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with a non-stick baking spray. Then, place a 9 inch parchment circle on the bottom and spray again. These 2 things help to get the cheesecake out of the pan.
Pour the Oreo crumbs into the pan and use your fingers to compact it on the bottom and ¾ up the sides of the pan. Then, use the bottom of a measuring cup to compact the crust down firmly.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes. The reason why you preheat the crust is to help it not be soggy. Only firm crusts here!
Two Techniques For A Water Bath
A water bath is very important to baking a cheesecake that bakes evenly and doesn't crack. I strongly recommend doing one.
There are 2 techniques that you could use for a water bath that are super simple to do. For both techniques you will be heating up hot water in a saucepan until boiling. Then, you can do either of these:
- Pour the hot water in a 12X16 tall pan. Then, place the hot water pan on the bottom rack in the oven and the cheesecake on top rack. This will allow the steam to rise up and create a moist environment for the cheesecake
- Do the same thing with the 12X16 pan. Pour the hot water in the pan about half way up. Then, place the spring form pan inside a 10 inch cake pan. Next, place both pans inside the 12X16 pan. I do this method because I love baking the cheesecake in the middle of all that steam and moisture. The cake pan is to protect the cheesecake from getting any water in.
The traditional way to do a water bath is to wrap the spring form pan in aluminum foil and place it in the big pan of hot water and bake it that way. I don't like doing it this way because every time I would get water in my crust and have a soggy crust! Which is the WORST.
If you do any of those water bath techniques, it will greatly help to prevent cracks in your cheesecake. While the crust is cooling off and before I start the cheesecake batter, I will start to heat up the water for the water bath.
Preparing The Easy Snickers Cheesecake Batter
The first thing I do before starting the batter is chop up the mini snickers bars. I will cut up each snickers into quarters. If the chocolate is melting on you when you are trying to cut them, place the snickers in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm them up.
Next, use a mixer with a paddle attachment and beat the room temperature cream cheese for 2 straight minutes on medium-high. Why so long? The cream cheese will need to beaten to aerate and to smooth out the chunks. Set a timer and wait!
Throughout this process you will want to scrape the bowl several times. The whole idea here is to get the clumps of cream cheese your mixer isn't getting and mix it back in the batter, so your cheesecake batter will be smooth and not clumpy.
Next, add in sugar and beat again for 1 minute. Then, add in the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla. Start by mixing on low, then turn it up to medium-high and mix until it is smooth again. Here is a reminder to scrape the bowl!
Then, add the eggs one at time and mix on low. Only mix until the eggs are incorporated and take it off the mixer.
When you add air to the eggs in the batter, it can create air pockets that will burst in the oven. When that happens, you will get a cracked cheesecake. So, mix the eggs on low and then stop!
Next, fold in the snickers and pour the batter on top of the Oreo crust.
Why Do The Cheesecake Ingredients Have To Be Room Temperature?
I feel I can't stress enough how important this step is! About 2-3 hours before baking, pull all of the dairy ingredients out to get to room temperature naturally. This includes cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and eggs.
This is so important because room temperature ingredients are easier to aerate and blend together. This means there will be WAY fewer clumps in the batter. Cold ingredients seize up, which is why you will get clumps in the batter.
For cheesecakes, this helps to get a smoother batter and helps to prevent cracks from over whipping.
Baking The Best Snickers Cheesecake
Before baking, prepare the water bath like I mentioned above. Then, bake the cheesecake for 90-100 minutes.
The cheesecake is done baking when the edges are set and the middle has a slight jiggle. If the middle is really jiggly, bake for another 5-10 minutes and check again.
When the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven and crack the oven door. Then, let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 30 minutes before taking out and transferring to a cooling rack.
Why let the cheesecake sit in the oven? When it is sitting in the warm environment, it lets the cheesecake cool slowly and slightly cook at the same time. This is very important because it helps to prevent cracks. When the cheesecake is forced to cool more rapidly, it can crack.
The cheesecake will need to chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours to overnight before taking it out of the pan and decorating. Before it goes in the fridge, make sure it has cooled completely.
How To Make Salted Caramel
I have decided that salted caramel is my new favorite thing! I have made a regular caramel for my Turtle cheesecake that tastes very sweet. This recipe however adds salt and vanilla which helps balance the sweetness. This salted caramel is amazing and super easy to make.
First thing, before anything else, prepare your ingredients and have them ready. Once the sugar is done melting, it will need all of the ingredients added fast, so have them ready.
Also, make sure the heavy cream and butter are room temperature. Cold butter and cream will make the caramel seize up and clump.
Start by using a sauce pan over medium heat. Heat up the sugar until melted and smooth. When it first starts to melt it will start to be clumpy, but keep whisking until smooth. This process takes about 10 minutes.
Once the sugar is all melted, let it sit and boil until the sugar turns to an amber color. Fair warning, this takes less than a minute. It happens fast, so don't walk away or it may burn.
Next, add in the cubed butter and whisk continulously. The caramel will be very bubbly as it reacts to the butter, but keep whisking.
Then, add ½ of the cream and whisk well again. The caramel will again be bubbly, once it calms down add in the rest of cream. You don't do it all at once, because it can clump up if it all goes in at once.
The caramel at this point will be a golden amber, the perfect caramel color. Next, add in the salt and vanilla. Pour the caramel in a glass jar and let cool for 30 minutes. It is going to be HOT!
When I made the cheesecake, I used the caramel right away once it cooled down. If you aren't using it right away, then cover your glass jar and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
How To Make The Perfect Chocolate Whipped Cream
I used this chocolate whipped cream on my Triple Chocolate Cheesecake recipe, and it is a huge hit.
My best tips on making whipped cream are to use a mixer and use a metal bowl. This lets you take the metal bowl and whisk attachment and place them in the freezer for 10 minutes. A cold bowl really helps to whip up the whipped cream faster and easier.
Next, pour the heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla in the cold bowl. Start by mixing on medium-low until the dry ingredients get mixed in.
Then, turn up the speed to high and let it beat until stiff peaks form. We are piping it later so we want it to be stiff!
If you aren't using the chocolate whipped cream right away, keep it in fridge. If you keep it in fridge too long and it starts to soften, whip it again in the mixer until stiff peaks form again.
Chocolate Ganache Drizzle.
I use a chocolate ganache drizzle for so many things! It is super simple to make and it looks/tastes fantastic.
To start, pour chocolate chips in a medium bowl and set aside. Then, use a sauce pan on medium-low heat and heat up the heavy cream until hot and steaming.
Once the cream is hot enough, pour it over the chocolate chips. Then, let it sit for 1 minute and 30 seconds. This allows the hot cream to melt the chocolate. Next, stir continuously until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.
If you aren't using the chocolate right away, you can heat it for 15 seconds in the microwave to get it nice and warm again.
Assembling The Best Snickers Cheesecake
Once you make all of the other ingredients, it is super easy to decorate this amazing cheesecake.
- First, take the spring form pan off of the cheesecake. Then, remove the parchment paper off of the bottom. I do this by tilting the cheesecake on the side and prying the bottom of the pan off.
- Pour the caramel over the top of the cheesecake. Take an icing spatula and smooth it evenly over cheesecake. I will then bring the caramel over the edge of the crust, so it drips down the sides.
- Use a piping bag and pipe the whipped cream on top of the caramel. I used a Wilton 1M tip to make the border.
- Use a piping bag, squeeze bottle, or spoon to drizzle the chocolate ganache on top of the caramel and whipped cream.
- Scatter chopped mini snickers bars on top of the cheesecake and you are all done.
I noticed that the caramel will be very runny ( which is delcious!), but I recommend sticking the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. It should remain in the fridge until ready to serve.
Why This Is The Perfect Dessert to Make Ahead
This recipe is perfect for birthdays and special holidays because it can be made ahead and doesn't have to eaten right away.
When I make a cheesecake, I bake the cheesecake 3 days before the event, prepare the decorations 2 days ahead, and decorate it 1 day before the event.
To store the cheesecake in the fridge, I usually cover it in aluminum foil until I'm ready to use it.
Then, once it is all decorated, I store it in a cake carrier until it is time for the event.
Can I Freeze Cheesecakes?
Yes! You can freeze the cheesecake. Before you decorate it, and after it chills in the fridge for the inital 6 hours, you can place it in the freezer. First cover it cling wrap and then in aluminum foil. It will be good for about 30 days.
To thaw the cheesecake, place it in the fridge for 24 hours before you decorate and serve it.
Other Cheesecake Recipes To Try:
- Blueberry Swirled Cheesecake
- Monster Cookie Cheesecake
- Nutella Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie Bars
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats and leave me a review below if you made this cheesecake. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
The BEST Snickers Cheesecake
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 3 cups Oreo crumbs
- 6 TBSP Melted unsalted butter
Snickers Cheesecake
- 24 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup White granulated sugar
- ½ cup Sour cream room temperature
- ½ cup Heavy cream room temperature
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 3 Large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups Mini snickers bars chopped
Salted Caramel
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 5 TBSP Unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup Heavy cream room temperature
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 1 cup Heavy cream cold
- 5 ½ TBSP Powdered sugar
- 3 TBSP Cocoa powder
- ½ tsp Pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Drizzle
- ½ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup Heavy cream
- Extra snickers for topping
Instructions
Oreo Crust
- Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with non stick baking spray. Place a 9 inch parchment circle on the bottom of the pan and spray again.
- Use a food processor to pulse Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. There should be a total of 3 cups of Oreo crumbs.
- Combine Oreo crumbs and melted butter together. Pour all of the Oreo crumbs into the spring form pan.
- Use your fingers to compact the crust on the bottom and up ¾ the sides of the pan. Then use the bottom of the measuring cup to compact the crust including the edges.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes.
Snickers Cheesecake
- While the crust is cooling, start on the cheesecake batter. Chop up 2 cups of mini snickers bars. I cut each mini snickers bars into quarters.
- Before starting the cheesecake batter, heat water in a saucepan for the water bath. You will pour the hot water in a tall 12X16 pan about half way up. You can place the pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven and the cheesecake on the top rack. Or, you can place spring form pan in a 10 inch cake pan and place that in the hot water pan.
- Using a mixer on medium-high, beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes. The cream cheese should be light and fluffy. Add in the sugar and scrape the bowl. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together for 1 minute.
- Add in the vanilla, sour cream, and heavy cream. Beat on medium for 1 minute until the sour cream is smooth. Make sure to scrape the bowl several times through this whole process.
- Add in the eggs one at time and mix on low. As soon as the eggs are combined take the bowl off the mixer. Then, fold in the chopped snickers bars. Use the water bath as directed above.
- Bake for 90-100 minutes. The cheesecake is done baking when the edges are set and there is only a slight jiggle in the middle. When the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven and crack open the oven door. Let the cheesecake sit for 30 minutes in the oven before transferring the cheesecake on a cooling rack.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely on a cooling rack before covering it and chilling in the fridge. It needs to chill for 6 hours to overnight before taking out of the spring form pan.
Salted Caramel
- Cut room temperature butter into cubes and set aside. Prepare the heavy cream, salt and vanilla so it is ready to go for the caramel because it bakes fast once the sugar is melted.
- Using a sauce pan over medium heat, heat the sugar until it is melted and smooth. It will start to clump up, but will melt completely. Make sure to whisk continuously.
- Once the sugar is melted, stop whisking and let the sugar cook until it becomes amber in color. Don't walk away from your stove because it takes 1 minute or less for the sugar to heat up. Take the pan off the heat.
- Immediately pour in the cubes of butter and whisk continuously until the butter is melted. The caramel will become very bubbly.
- Immediately after that, add in half the cream and whisk continuously. Then, add in the rest of the heavy cream and whisk again. The caramel will be very bubbly when you add the heavy cream, but will stop once it is all mixed in. The color will be an amber color that is perfect for caramel.
- Add in the salt and vanilla. Pour the caramel in a glass jar and let cool for 30 minutes before using. For storage, cover the glass jar and let sit for up to 3 days at room temperature.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Place metal bowl and whisk attachment for a mixer in the freezer for 10 minutes before using.
- Pour cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla in the cold metal bowl. Whip on medium for 1 minute or until the dry ingredients become incorporated. Then, beat on high until stiff peaks form.
- Keep the whipped cream in fridge until ready to use.
Chocolate Ganache Drizzle
- In a small bowl, pour the chocolate chips and set aside.
- Using a sauce pan over medium-low heat, heat the heavy cream until it is hot and steaming. Once it is hot, pour over the chocolate chips.
- Let the mixture sit for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Then, use a rubber spatula and mix continuously until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. If chocolate cools down too much before using, you can heat it in microwave for 15 seconds.
Assembly
- Take the spring form pan off of the cheesecake and take off parchment circle.
- Pour caramel on top of the cheesecake and use an icing spatula to smooth it evenly.
- Pipe the chocolate whipped cream ( I used the wilton 1M tip) on the cheesecake.
- Drizzle the chocolate ganache on top of the caramel and whipped cream. You can use a squeeze bottle, piping bag, or a spoon.
- Place extra snickers on top of the cheesecake.
- Keep the cheesecake in the fridge until ready to serve.
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