This Bailey's cheesecake is made with an Oreo crust, Bailey's cheesecake filling, topped with Bailey's chocolate ganache and whipped cream.
This cheesecake is the ultimate grown-up dessert and is perfect for St Patrick's day! It is always a crowd-pleaser and is perfect for cheesecake and Irish cream lovers!
This indulgent treat is a perfect blend of sweet and tangy, with a buttery oreo crust holding together a luscious filling made with cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and of course, Baileys.
The addition of Baileys adds a delightful twist to the classic cheesecake recipe, giving it a distinctively rich and boozy flavor.
Whether enjoyed on its own or paired with a dollop of whipped cream or chocolate sauce, this cheesecake is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth craving.
If you like creamy and boozy desserts, check out our easy tiramisu cups, easy tiramisu, and our tiramisu cake.
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Why this recipe works
- Flavor- This cheesecake is creamy and flavorful and is made with baileys in the cheesecake filling and in the chocolate ganache.
- Ease- this cheesecake uses simple ingredients and is super straightforward and easy to make.
- Coffee and baileys cheesecake filling- this cheesecake is made with a silky smooth and creamy cheesecake filling that has baileys and coffee in it for the most delicious flavor combo.
- No water bath- you do not need a water bath to make a perfect no-crack cheesecake! This cheesecake is baked over low heat to prevent it from cracking.
- Oreo crust- this cake is made with a buttery two ingredient oreo crust that can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free Oreos.
What is Bailey cheesecake?
Bailey's cheesecake is a delicious cheesecake made with a base of a classic cheesecake filling, but instead of using heavy cream in the filling, it uses Baileys Irish cream.
This cheesecake is made with a delicious Oreo crust and is topped with a 3 ingredient chocolate ganache that is also made with baileys, and topped with freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and efficiently.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the crust
Oreo cookies- we used Oreo cookies for this cheesecake because we like the chocolaty taste of Oreo cookies, but you can use any kind of chocolate digestive biscuits.
Melted butter- melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds pulses, to make sure that the butter doesn’t boil up and explode in the microwave (been there done that), or melt it on the stovetop.
For the filling
Cream cheese- the most important ingredient in this recipe, is cream cheese. Make sure that you are using full-fat cream cheese, for a cheesecake with no cracks, it's important that you use full-fat cream cheese and make sure that it’s at room temperature.
Baileys Irish cream- this liquor has a luxurious blend of Irish whiskey and cream, adding a rich, velvety texture and indulgent flavor to this cheesecake.
Granulated sugar- you will need one cup of granulated sugar for this recipe. The cheesecake will be sweet, but not too sweet. One cup of sugar is the perfect balance of sweetness for this recipe.
Eggs- you will need 4 large eggs for this recipe. To get a perfect classic cheesecake, make sure that the eggs are at room temperature.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor. You can use regular vanilla extract or vanilla bean extract.
Sour cream- we suggest using full-fat sour cream for this recipe. The sour cream makes the cheesecake batter creamier and lighter.
Espresso powder- use your favorite espresso powder, you can use decaf or regular!
Kosher salt- you will need ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to balance out the sweetness.
For the chocolate ganache
Chocolate- use the best quality semisweet or dark chocolate bars for the best flavor. using the best quality dark chocolate is very important in this recipe.
Heavy cream- use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. the heavy cream makes this french hot chocolate extra creamy and silky.
Instructions
Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and preheat an oven to 180c (350f).
Start by making the crust: pulse oreos in a food processor until fine crumbs form. If you don’t have a food processor on hand, place the Oreos in a Ziplock bag and smash the oreos with a cup until fine crumbs form.
Into a small to medium mixing bowl, add the Oreos, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until the crumbs are coated with butter.
Transfer the crumbs into a prepared 9-inch cake pan, pressing evenly and firmly into the pan.
Bake the crust in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 8 minutes. Keep an eye on the crust and make sure it doesn’t burn. Take the crust out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
Lower the temperature to 140c (280f). In a big mixing bowl, add the room-temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream, kosher salt, espresso powder, and vanilla extract, and mix with an electric hand mixer until the cream cheese is creamy.
Whisk the eggs with a fork, add them to the cream cheese batter along with the Irish cream, and mix until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure you get everything mixed.
Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust, and release air bubbles by gently tapping the pan onto a flat surface.
Bake the cheesecake in a 140c (280f) preheated oven for about an hour or until the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly.
Open the oven door halfway, and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature for 1-2 hours.
After the cheesecake is cooled, wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap tightly, and place the cheesecake in the fridge to cool completely for at least 5 hours.
Melt dark chocolate and heavy cream in a small to medium mixing bowl in the microwave for about a minute.
Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
Add the baileys into the chocolate ganache and mix until creamy and smooth.
Pour the chocolate ganache on top of the cheesecake and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Place the cheesecake in the fridge to allow the ganache to set while you make the whipped cream.
Make whipped cream by whipping heavy cream, powder sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.
Pipe the whipped cream with a star tip around the edges of the cheesecake and top with chocolate shavings. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Make sure that you are using room-temperature cream cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cream cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that.
- Use a springform tin. We use springform tins for all of our cheesecake recipes. This makes sure that your cake will be easy to release from the pan.
- Use high-fat cream cheese or the well-known Philadelphia cream cheese. Using full-fat cream cheese ensures that your cheesecake will be stable and will not crack.
- Let your cheesecake cool in the fridge for at least 5 hours. We know it’s very hard to resist eating this delicious cheesecake right away, but you have to let the cheesecake cool and set it in the pan. We like to let the cheesecake sit in the fridge overnight.
- For a smooth and creamy cheesecake, make sure that you are using room-temperature ingredients. Before you begin to make this cheesecake, make sure that your cream cheese is completely soft, and that your eggs are at room temperature.
- Don’t overbeat the mixture! It's really easy to overbeat the mixture, and that is one of the most common mistakes. To avoid overbeating your mixture, make sure that you lower the speed of the hand mixer and add each egg at a time.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cream cheese lumps.
- Don't open the oven door before the cake is fully baked or about to be baked! Drastic changes in the temperature of the cake while baking can cause the cake to collapse or crack.
Faq's
To prevent the cheesecake from cracking, it is important to release it carefully from the pan. Use a butter knife or a thin knife and run it around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan.
Then release the spring from the edges.
Yes. We used an 8-inch springform pan for this, but you can use a 9-inch pan as well.
Overbaked, overmixed or stuck to the sides of the pan, there are a lot of reasons for the cheesecake to crack. To prevent the cheesecake from cracking, follow out tips written in the notes.
Overbaking cheesecake is a common mistake that causes the cheesecake to crack or even burn.
You will know that your cheesecake is done baking when you see that the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly. The middle of the cake will be set in the cooling process.
Storing
Store this cheesecake in the fridge (because it contains dairy) covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
Freezing
This cheesecake freezes great! to freeze this cheesecake, bake it according to the instructions, then cool it according to the instructions in the fridge.
When the cake is completely cooled, you can freeze the cake covered in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil. This cheesecake will freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.
Substitutions
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the Oreos with gluten-free Oreos.
Crust- if you want a vanilla crust, you can use graham crackers, tea biscuits, vanilla wafers, and digestive biscuits.
Variations
Chocolate biscuits- if you don't have Oreos where you live, you can use chocolate biscuits instead!
Vanilla bean- add the inside of the vanilla bean and add it to the cheesecake mixture instead of the vanilla extract. Or use a vanilla bean extract.
Nuts- add ⅓ cup of your favorite chopped nuts to the crumble mixture for extra crunch like chopped hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, or walnuts.
Equipment
- You will also need a food processor to make the crust (if you are not using a store-bought crust).
- I recommend using an electric hand mixer to make sure your cheesecake mixture is smooth and perfect. You can also use a stand mixer for this with a balloon attachment.
- Star piping tip
- Pastry piping bag
- You will need a 9-inch springform pan for this cheesecake. I love this set from Amazon.
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
More cheesecake recipes
Pistachio cheesecake with pistachio topping- This pistachio cheesecake is luxurious, rich, creamy, made with plenty of real pistachios, and made without a water bath!
Creamy vanilla cheesecake- This vanilla cheesecake is a creamy and easy cheesecake that is made without a water bath and can be topped with fresh berries, caramel sauce, or chocolate ganache.
Cinnamon roll cheesecake with cream cheese glaze- This cinnamon roll cheesecake is made with a cinnamon crust, creamy cinnamon swirled cheesecake, and topped with cream cheese glaze.
If you tried this Irish cream cheesecake recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
The BEST Baileys Cheesecake (No Water Bath)
Ingredients
Oreo crust
- 30 Oreos
- 3.5 oz Butter melted, unsalted
Cheesecake filling
- 24.7 oz Cream cheese room temp
- 1 ¼ cups Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Sour cream
- 4 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Espresso powder
- ½ cup Irish Cream
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Baileys chocolate ganache
- 3.5 g Dark chocolate
- ⅓ cup Heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon Irish cream
Whipped cream
- ¾ cup Heavy cream cold
- 2 tablespoon Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and preheat an oven to 180c (350f).
- Start by making the crust: pulse oreos in a food processor until fine crumbs form. If you don’t have a food processor on hand, place the Oreos in a Ziplock bag and smash the oreos with a cup until fine crumbs form.
- Into a small to medium mixing bowl, add the Oreos, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until the crumbs are coated with butter.
- Transfer the crumbs into a prepared 9-inch cake pan, pressing evenly and firmly into the pan.
- Bake the crust in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 8 minutes. Keep an eye on the crust and make sure it doesn’t burn. Take the crust out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
- Lower the temperature to 140c (280f). In a big mixing bowl, add the room-temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream, kosher salt, espresso powder, and vanilla extract, and mix with an electric hand mixer until the cream cheese is creamy.
- Whisk the eggs with a fork, add them to the cream cheese batter along with the Irish cream, and mix until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure you get everything mixed.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust, and release air bubbles by gently tapping the pan onto a flat surface.
- Bake the cheesecake in a 140c (280f) preheated oven for about an hour or until the edges of the cheesecake are set, but the middle is a bit jiggly.
- Open the oven door halfway, and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- After the cheesecake is cooled, wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap tightly, and place the cheesecake in the fridge to cool completely for at least 5 hours.
- Melt dark chocolate and heavy cream in a small to medium mixing bowl in the microwave for about a minute.
- Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
- Add the baileys into the chocolate ganache and mix until creamy and smooth.
- Pour the chocolate ganache on top of the cheesecake and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Place the cheesecake in the fridge to allow the ganache to set while you make the coffee whipped cream.
- Make whipped cream by whipping heavy cream, powder sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.
- Pipe the whipped cream with a star tip around the edges of the cheesecake and top with chocolate shavings. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure that you are using room-temperature cream cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cream cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that.
- Use a springform tin. We use springform tins for all of our cheesecake recipes. This makes sure that your cake will be easy to release from the pan.
- Use high-fat cream cheese or the well-known Philadelphia cream cheese. Using full-fat cream cheese ensures that your cheesecake will be stable and will not crack.
- Let your cheesecake cool in the fridge for at least 5 hours. We know it’s very hard to resist eating this delicious cheesecake right away, but you have to let the cheesecake cool and set it in the pan. We like to let the cheesecake sit in the fridge overnight.
- For a smooth and creamy cheesecake, make sure that you are using room-temperature ingredients. Before you begin to make this cheesecake, make sure that your cream cheese is completely soft, and that your eggs are at room temperature.
- Don’t overbeat the mixture! It's really easy to overbeat the mixture, and that is one of the most common mistakes. To avoid overbeating your mixture, make sure that you lower the speed of the hand mixer and add each egg at a time.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cream cheese lumps.
- Don't open the oven door before the cake is fully baked or about to be baked! Drastic changes in the temperature of the cake while baking can cause the cake to collapse or crack.
Silvette says
I love your recipes and they always taste delicious, but I keep getting cracks in the cheesecake. I do tend to leave it in the open oven for longer than two hours, more like 3-4. Does that make a difference, or could there be something else? Thanks