The Ultimate Oreo Cheesecake by BEN RAYL @comfortablefood

Oreos and cheesecake are absolutely two of my favorite things. When Oreo wants to come up with a cheesecake filling version of their amazing cookies, I will be first in line to buy them. Until then, this cheesecake will have to do. It’s a perfect blending of flavors. The Oreos don’t take away from the cheesecake taste at all—they just add to it. The chocolatey crust is a perfect base, and the roughly chopped pieces floating around give the perfect texture.


INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

1½ cups Oreo crumbs, from about 2 dozen crushed Oreos

2 Tbsp melted butter

For the filling:

3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

5 Oreos, coarsely chopped

additional Oreos, for topping decoration

DIRECTIONS

To make the crust::

Prepare a 9" spring form pan by greasing or spraying it on the bottom and up the sides.

Toss the Oreo crumbs with the melted butter and press in the bottom of the pan, coming up Labour ½" on the sides, then set aside.

To make the filling::

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar together until just combined - about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and salt and mix well.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, until just blended - then use a spatula to gently fold in the Oreo pieces. (After you add the eggs, be sure to not over beat or you will risk the surface cracking when it bakes.)

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust and bake for about 1 hour, or until the center is almost set, but not quite. There should be about a 2" ring in the center that is still a bit wobbly - it will continue to cook after it is removed from the oven. (I bake my cheesecakes in a water bath to help prevent cracking. To do that wrap a ring of aluminum foil around the bottom of the outside of the springform pan, coming up about halfway up the sides. Put the cheesecake in a large baking pan or tray, then add hot water from a tea kettle to come about 1" up the sides. Check the water level after about 40 minutes into baking and add more if needed.)

Run a knife between the edge of the cake and the pan, but allow to cool completely on a wire rack before removing the spring form ring.

You can creatively decorate the top of your cake with whole Oreos or mini Oreos, or you can crumble some more up and spread them all over the top as I did.

Chill for 4 - 14 hours before serving.

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Oreo-Cheesecake-1099063