This rich and fudgy Baileys cheesecake is the perfect holiday dessert! It’s a rich and creamy chocolate cheesecake recipe infused with Irish Cream liqueur, topped with fluffy Baileys whipped cream in a buttery Oreo crust.

If you love chocolate desserts as much as I do, check out my no-bake version of this Baileys cheesecake recipe! You might also like this Guinness chocolate cake and my chocolate cheesecake bars.

A slice of Baileys cheesecake on a white and gold polka dot plate.

Easy Chocolate Baileys Cheesecake

I can’t get enough of this fudgy Baileys cheesecake. There are plenty of classic cheesecake recipes out there infused with Baileys Irish cream, but I’m convinced that this chocolate version is the best! It’s a creamy, chocolatey cheesecake with a touch of boozy warmth, baked in a crispy Oreo cookie crust and topped with fluffy Baileys whipped cream. It’s completely irresistible and you don’t need to be a whiz in the kitchen to make it!

Why I Love This Baileys Cheesecake Recipe

Extra chocolatey. Homemade cheesecake is already my weakness, but add in dark chocolate and Baileys Irish Cream and it’s downright impossible to resist. This Baileys cheesecake is ultra-rich and chocolatey, made with melted chocolate and cocoa powder for the fudgiest flavor.
Infused with Irish Cream liqueur. If you’re a fan of Baileys Irish Cream, you’ll be as obsessed with this dessert as I am! I made sure that the flavor infused every creamy bite, and I even added it to the whipped cream topping.
Any occasion. Of course, the addition of Irish cream liqueur makes this cheesecake a great dessert for St. Patrick’s Day, but I love it for just about any holiday. It’s an easy, delicious Thanksgiving dessert, and it’s no stranger to our Christmas dessert table, either.

Front view of a slice of Baileys cheesecake with a forkful missing from the end, on a white plate.

Ingredient Notes

There are a handful of important ingredients you’ll need to make this Baileys cheesecake, which I cover here. The main thing is to bring fridge-cold ingredients like cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream to room temperature before you start, to avoid overmixing. They’ll incorporate much more easily into the batter! Check out my notes below, and scroll to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list.

Oreo Crust – I make an easy Oreo crust from crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter. I recommend regular Oreos for the crust and not Double Stuf. You can leave the creme filling intact.
Dark Chocolate – You’ll want to use high-quality baking chocolate or chocolate bars, like Lindt or Guittard.
Cream Cheese – The best cheesecake calls for room temperature, full-fat cream cheese (buy the cream cheese that comes in bricks, not the tub kind).
Cocoa Powder – Any unsweetened, natural cocoa powder works great here. You can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder if you prefer a darker, fudgier cheesecake. See my guide comparing the different types of cocoa powder for details.
Sour Cream – Like the cream cheese, this should be full-fat sour cream, also brought to room temperature. You can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt if needed.
Baileys Irish Cream – This is a popular cream liqueur infused with cocoa and Irish whiskey. It adds such amazing flavor to this chocolate cheesecake! Baileys is alcoholic, so bear in mind that this cheesecake is not suitable for kids.
Whipped Cream – I make a fun variation of my homemade whipped cream infused with Baileys for the cheesecake topping. It’s so good! Of course, you can stick with regular whipped cream, or swap in another topping of your choice, like chocolate whipped cream.

How to Make Baileys Cheesecake

This baked cheesecake recipe calls for a water bath, but don’t let that intimidate you! Making a perfectly rich and creamy chocolate Baileys cheesecake is easier than you think. Just follow the steps here. You’ll find the complete recipe instructions in the printable recipe card after the post.

Make the crust. First, you’ll grind the Oreos into fine crumbs using a food processor, and then stir them with melted butter. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and part way up the sides of a lined springform pan.
Wrap the pan. Afterward, wrap the bottom of the pan in foil and secure a slow cooker liner over top. Since we’ll be baking this cheesecake in a water bath, wrapping the pan prevents water from seeping in. See my classic cheesecake recipe for a full tutorial.
Melt chocolate. Next, melt the chocolate in the microwave at half power in 30-45-second increments, stirring in between so that it doesn’t scorch (see how to melt chocolate). Set that aside for now.
Mix the cheesecake batter. Beat cream cheese and sugar together. Once that’s smooth, add cocoa powder, sour cream, and vanilla, continuing to mix slowly until the batter comes together. Fold in the melted chocolate and Baileys, and lastly, add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between until everything is combined.
Prepare a water bath. Pour the cheesecake batter into your prepared Oreo crust. Place the springform pan inside a larger baking pan filled with about 2-3 cups of warm water.
Bake. Bake your Baileys cheesecake at 325ºF for 55-60 minutes. The center should be set with a slight jiggle.
Cool gradually. Switch off the oven, but leave the cheesecake inside. Crack the oven door and let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour, then move it to the countertop to finish cooling for another hour. Finally, cover the cheesecake and chill it in the fridge for another 4-6 hours.

Add the Topping

Make the whipped cream. When you’re ready to serve, chill a bowl in the freezer for the whipped cream. Beat heavy cream in the chilled bowl until soft peaks form, then add powdered sugar and Baileys. Keep beating until you reach stiff peaks.
Decorate. Last but not least, pipe or dollop your Baileys whipped cream over the chilled cheesecake. Slice, and enjoy!

A whole chocolate Baileys cheesecake topped with whipped cream on a plate with a slice missing.

Recipe Tips

Use good quality melting chocolate. I prefer chopping up chocolate bars instead of using chocolate chips to make the cheesecake filling. Chocolate bars melt much more smoothly than chocolate chips, which have a waxy coating that makes them oilier when melted.
Double-wrap the pan. I wrap my springform pan in foil AND a slow cooker liner. It’s a tip that I learned from my bestie. Springform pans are notorious for leaking, and using the slow cooker liner to wrap the pan helps prevent any water from getting in. If you don’t have a slow cooker liner, make sure that you double- or even triple-wrap the pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.
Don’t overmix. Once you’ve added the eggs to the cheesecake batter, do your best to avoid overmixing. Overworking the batter adds air into the mixer, which can cause the cheesecake to rise and then crack as it cools.
Cool the cheesecake gradually. The secret to crack-free cheesecakes is to allow the cheesecake to cool down slowly. First, in the oven with the door cracked, then on the countertop, and finally in the fridge. Sudden temperature changes cause cheesecakes to crack, so this gradual cooling process helps to prevent that.

A side view of a slice of Baileys cheesecake on a plate with a gold fork.

How to Store

Refrigerate. Wrap the chilled Baileys cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze. Allow the cheesecake to cool completely in the fridge before freezing it whole or in slices. If you have a freeze-safe airtight container, that works best. The whole cheesecake should be double-wrapped in plastic and then foil before freezing. Properly stored, it’ll last in the freezer for up to 2 months, and you can thaw the cheesecake in the fridge before serving.

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