Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake 😍

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cookie Crust:

(1) regular full-size package Oreo cookies, crushed into fine crumbs (36 sandwich cookies in total)

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

For the Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake Filling:

3 packages (24 ounces total) full-fat cream cheese, very soft

1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, at room temperature

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur

For the Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Ganache:

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur

Instructions

For the Chocolate Cookie Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Wrap the bottom and sides of a 9" spingform pan in heavy duty aluminum foil. Lightly spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl combine the crushed cookie crumbs and melted butter, mix well to combine.

Press the mixture into the bottom - and slightly up the sides - of the prepared pan.

Bake the crust in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside on a cooling rack until needed.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees (F).

For the Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake Filling:

In the body of a high power blender, food processor, stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream until completely smooth.

Add in the sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add in the eggs and yolks and beat until smooth. Turn mixer off and fold in the espresso powder. 

Finally, fold in the Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur, mixing just until it's incorporated in the batter.

Pour filling on top of the partially baked crust, and use a spatula to smooth the top.

Place the cheesecake pan into a large, deep pan. 

Place pan in the oven and then add an inch of hot water into the pan. This is your water bath.

Bake cheesecake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Then turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit, undisturbed, for 40 minutes, inside the oven with the door shut. The cheesecake should be still slightly wiggly.

Remove cake from oven, run a knife very gently around the edge of the cake, and let it sit in the pan for 15 more minutes before removing. Cover the spring form pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. 

For the Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Ganache:

Add chopped chocolate to a medium bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream to a rolling simmer. Pour the cream on top of the chocolate pieces and set aside for 1 minute. With a whisk, begin to incorporate the melted chocolate into the cream, whisking until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the Baileys Irish Cream. 

Set aside, at room temperature, until needed.

Pour ganache over cooled cheesecake. Set aside until ganache is set, about 1 hour.

To serve, slice the cheesecake with a thin-bladed sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between each cut.

Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.