This Monster Cookie Cheesecake is filled with mini M&M’s and chocolate chips, making it a super sweet, colorful, and fun play on a classic cheesecake!
Cookie Crust Cheesecake
This monster cookie cheesecake is made with a cookie crust, and topped with chocolate chips and M&Ms. It’s perfect for a festive Halloween or birthday party. Kids will especially love it, but even adults will find it fun and exciting!
If you don’t have much experience baking a traditional cheesecake, let alone a fancy one, don’t worry. The recipe card at the bottom of this page will provide detailed guidance, tips, and tricks. Happy baking!
Why You’ll Love this Cheesecake with Cookie Crust:
- Chocolate Galore: If you can’t get enough chocolate, this cheesecake will send your taste buds out of this world. From the ganache to the embedded chocolate candies, there is plenty of chocolate to go around!
- Easy-to-make: Cheesecake, especially one as fun as this one, is super easy to make and everyone will be beyond impressed and excited to try it out!
Trademark Note: In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that some of these ingredients are trademarked products. M&M’s is a proprietary brand that I want to acknowledge and give credit to.
How to Make Monster Cookie Cheesecake
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Prepare your oven and a pan with parchment paper. See the recipe card below for exact measurements and baking temperatures.
- Next, begin your monster cookie crust by adding in the required ingredients (listed below) in between mixing segments. The last step requires folding in the oats and chocolate.
- Now that you have the foundation of your chocolate chip cookie crust, press it into the bottom of a springform pan. With the leftover dough, make cookies. Once baked, let the pan cool before the next steps.
- Now make the cheesecake batter and pour it into the prepared pan. Once that’s done, place it in a larger pan with water to create a small water bath. Then bake.
- Once baked, cool off and then place in the fridge to chill.
- Make the homemade chocolate ganache and then spread it over the cheesecake.
- Sprinkle mini m&m’s and crumbled monster cookies on top of the ganache. Then let the cheesecake set some more.
- Serve from the pan or set it up on a cake stand to show off and display your hard work! Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Do not overmix the cheesecake batter, as it will add air and result in uneven baking and can cause it to crack at the end.
Monster cookie cheesecake consists of a thick monster cookie dough crust filled with mini M&M’s, mini chocolate chips, oats, and peanut butter baked underneath a smooth, creamy, classic cheesecake batter littered with more mini M&M’s and chocolate chips. A thin layer of rich chocolate ganache is spread over the surface and sprinkled with crumbled, crunchy monster cookies and M&M’s.
Cheesecakes require the use of a springform pan. This type of pan allows for even baking, easy release, and less mess. If you don’t have one, you should be able to pick one up at most stores in the aisle with other baking pans.
I do not recommend using fat-free ingredients to make this cheesecake, as it just won’t taste as rich and delicious. However, you can use light cream cheese or Neufchatel for a lower-fat alternative. This will change the flavor slightly.
If you want to keep the cheesecake from cracking, turn the oven off, and let it cool with the door closed for a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 3 hours.
Cheesecake should come out of the oven with a slightly jiggly center. It will take a few hours to cool and set properly, so don’t worry! If after baking, you press gently in the center of the cheesecake and runny batter comes off on your finger, it needs a bit longer to bake.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
If you want to add even more sweetness, crush up Oreo cookies and sprinkle the crumbs on top of your ganache along with the leftover chocolate. You can also fold in small, crushed-up pretzel bites for a hint of crunch and salt with each bite!
Make Ahead Instructions
The monster cookie crust can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored tightly covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to fill with cheesecake.
Fully-assembled monster cookie cheesecake can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover monster cookie cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve cold.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze monster cookie cheesecake whole or in individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Substitutions
- Brown Sugar: Regular granulated sugar can be used instead.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: For additional texture, crunchy peanut butter can be used instead.
- Sour cream: Plain yogurt can be used instead.
- Cornstarch: All-purpose flour can be used instead; simply increase the amount used to 3 tablespoons.
Tips for the Best Monster Cheesecake
- When making the cheesecake, be sure to beat the cream cheese well at the beginning to ensure that it is smooth. If, when the cheesecake batter is complete, you still have lumps, simply press them against the side of the bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Do not overmix the cheesecake batter, as it will add air and result in uneven baking and can cause it to crack at the end.
- Be sure to leave the cheesecake in the oven for the hour after baking to rest. This allows the cheesecake to set, thus preventing or at least lowering the chances that the cheesecake top cracks.
- Once the cheesecake is baked, placing it onto a cooling rack allows all of the cheesecake to be exposed to the air to cool more quickly. However, you can place the cheesecake onto a hot pad to cool, it may just take a little longer.
- When making the ganache filling, I find using an immersion blender does a quicker and better job than whisking does.
I hope you and your friends and family love this fun monster cookie cheesecake recipe! I’d love to hear how your cheesecake turned out. Are there any changes you made? Let me know in the comments below!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Monster Cookie Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- ½ cup brown sugar 107 grams
- 1 large egg 50 grams
- 1 egg yolk 14 grams
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter 90 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 80 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 grams
- ¾ cup old-fashioned oats 75 grams
- ½ cup mini M&M's 85 grams
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips 59 grams
For the Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese 681 grams (3 bricks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar 27 grams
- ⅔ cup heavy cream 151 grams
- ⅓ cup sour cream 76 grams
- 1 tablespoon lime juice 14 grams, from ½ lime
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- 3 egg yolks 42 grams
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch 11 grams
- ⅔ cup mini M&M’s 118 grams
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips 89 grams
For the Ganache
- ¼ cup heavy cream 57 grams
- ½ cup chocolate chips 85 grams
- 2 teaspoons corn syrup 13 grams
For the Topping
- 2 tablespoons Mini M&M's 22 grams
- Monster cookies leftover from the crust
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and gently spray the pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- To make the cookie crust, add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar
- Add the eggs and beat together for 30 seconds, then add in the peanut butter and vanilla and mix to incorporate.1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add in the flour then salt, baking soda, and baking powder, and mix until well combined but not overmixed. Fold in the oats, mini m&m’s, and mini chocolate chips.⅔ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup mini M&M's, ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
- Press ⅔ of the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Make the rest of the cookie dough into cookies.
- Place the pan into the preheated oven to bake for 20 minutes. To prevent the cookie base from browning too much, you may tent a piece of tin foil over the springform pan after 10 minutes of baking. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool slightly while you make the cheesecake batter. The cookie dough will only be set but not baked through at this point.
- Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
For the Cheesecake
- To make the cheesecake batter, add the cream cheese, sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2 minutes to ensure that no lumps of cream cheese remain.24 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Add in the heavy cream, sour cream, lime juice, vanilla, and salt. Beat together for 30 seconds to incorporate. Add in the eggs and mix just until incorporated, avoiding mixing in too much air. Add in the cornstarch and stir to combine. Fold in the m&m’s and chocolate chips.⅔ cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3 egg yolks, 1½ tablespoons cornstarch, ⅔ cup mini M&M’s, ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan and smooth out.
- Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent any water from seeping in. Place the springform pan into a larger baking pan or broiler pan. Fill the larger pan with enough water to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan to create a water bath.
- Place both pans into the oven to bake for 15 minutes at 400°F. Reduce the heat to 250°F and bake for 1 hour. Turn the heat off and leave the cheesecake to rest with the oven door closed for 30 minutes. Prop the oven door open slightly and let the cheesecake continue resting for an additional 30 minutes.
- Once the cheesecake has rested, remove it from the oven, unwrap the aluminum foil, and place the springform pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, cover with tinfoil and place into the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours.
For the Ganache
- Once the cheesecake has chilled, make the ganache topping. Heat the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. Pour the heated heavy cream over the chocolate chips and let set for 1 minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Whisk the mixture together until a smooth ganache has formed. Add in the corn syrup and stir until combined.¼ cup heavy cream, ½ cup chocolate chips, 2 teaspoons corn syrup
For Assembly
- Spread the ganache over the surface of the cheesecake. Sprinkle mini m&m’s and crumbled monster cookies over the top of the ganache. Let the cheesecake set for 10 minutes to allow the ganache to set up.2 tablespoons Mini M&M's, Monster cookies
- Run a butter knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to release the cheesecake. Release the springform and remove the sides from the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake onto a cake stand or serving plate. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Regular granulated sugar can be used instead of brown sugar
- For additional texture, crunchy peanut butter can be used instead of creamy.
- Plain yogurt can be used instead of sour cream.
- All-purpose flour can be used instead of cornstarch; simply increase the amount used to 3 tablespoons.
- When making the cheesecake, be sure to beat the cream cheese well at the beginning to ensure that it is smooth. If, when the cheesecake batter is complete, you still have lumps, simply press them against the side of the bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Do not overmix the cheesecake batter, as it will add air and result in uneven baking and can cause it to crack at the end.
- Be sure to leave the cheesecake in the oven for the hour after baking to rest. This allows the cheesecake to set, thus preventing or at least lowering the chances that the cheesecake top cracks.
- Once the cheesecake is baked, placing it onto a cooling rack allows all of the cheesecake to be exposed to the air to cool more quickly. However, you can place the cheesecake onto a hot pad to cool, it may just take a little longer.
- When making the ganache filling, I find using an immersion blender does a quicker and better job than whisking does.
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