⏱️ Prep Time: 25 minutes • 🍳 Bake Time: 55 minutes • ❄️ Chill Time: 4+ hours (or overnight)

If you are making a dessert for St. Patrick's Day, it should probably have Baileys in it. This cheesecake is rich, creamy, and just boozy enough to know it's there - set on a deeply chocolatey Oreo crust that holds its shape perfectly and tastes like it came from somewhere far fancier than your own kitchen. It also happens to be one of the more crowd-pleasing things you can show up with to any gathering, holiday or not.

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*A slice of creamy Baileys cheesecake on a dark chocolate cookie crust*

The Baileys flavor here is real and present, but it is not overpowering. You get that signature Irish cream warmth on the back end - the chocolate, the whiskey, the hint of vanilla - without the filling tasting like a cocktail. It is dessert first, boozy second, and that balance is exactly what makes it work. If you want to push the flavor a little further, you can absolutely add an extra tablespoon or two of Baileys, but I'd stay under a quarter cup total to keep the texture where it needs to be.

The crust is the other thing I really want to talk about, because it is genuinely one of the best parts. Oreos (with the filling still in - do not scrape it out) get blitzed into crumbs, mixed with a little melted butter, and pressed into the bottom of the pan. That filling acts as a binder and adds just a touch of sweetness so the crust doesn't taste dry or crumbly. Press it firmly, go up the sides a bit if you like, and let it chill while you make the filling. That 10-minute rest in the fridge before baking makes a difference.

Room temperature ingredients are not optional here - they are essential. Cold cream cheese will not mix smoothly no matter how long you beat it, and you will end up with a lumpy filling that bakes unevenly. Set your cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream out at least an hour before you start. And when you mix, go low and slow. Overbeating whips in too much air, which causes cracks. You want a silky, dense batter, not a fluffy one. Mix just until everything is combined and smooth, then stop.

One more thing: the cheesecake needs to chill completely before you slice it - at least 4 hours, and honestly overnight is better. I know that is hard to hear, but a warm cheesecake is a sad cheesecake. It will be soft, it will not hold its shape, and the flavor will not be fully set. Make this the day before, wrap it in plastic, and let the fridge do its job. Future you will be very glad you did.

🍽️ Servings: 10-12 slices • 🔥 Calories/Serving: ~410 • 💪 Protein/Serving: ~7g

Ingredients

Chocolate Cookie Crust

24 Oreo cookies (about 2 cups of crumbs - filling left in)
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 pinch kosher salt

Baileys Cheesecake Filling

24 oz full-fat cream cheese (3 blocks), room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
3 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 pinch kosher salt

To Serve (Optional but Recommended)

Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings or cocoa powder dusted on top
A small drizzle of Baileys over each slice right before serving

Steps

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 325°F and lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. Pulse the Oreos in a food processor until they are fine crumbs - or seal them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin if you don't have one. Stir the crumbs together with the melted butter and a pinch of salt until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when you press it between your fingers.

Step 2

Press the crust firmly and evenly into the bottom of the springform pan, going about an inch up the sides. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to really pack it in - a loose crust will fall apart when you slice. Transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 10 minutes while you make the filling.

Step 3

Beat the room temperature cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the sugar, and mix again until combined. This is the most important step in the whole recipe - if your cream cheese is not fully smooth before anything else goes in, your filling will have lumps and there is no fixing it after the fact.

Step 4

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until the yolk disappears. Do not rush this. Overbeating after the eggs go in is the number one cause of cracked cheesecake. Fold in the sour cream, Baileys, vanilla, and salt, and mix on low until the batter is smooth and glossy. It should look silky and pourable, not fluffy.

Step 5

Pour the filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles hiding in the batter. Bake at 325°F for 50 to 55 minutes. The edges should look set and slightly puffed, but the center - about a 2-inch circle - should still have a gentle wobble when you nudge the pan. That wobble is correct. It will finish setting as it cools.

Step 6

Turn the oven off and crack the door open about an inch. Let the cheesecake sit inside the cooling oven for 1 hour. This slow cooldown is what keeps the top from cracking - the sudden temperature change from oven to room temperature is what causes that split down the middle, and this step prevents it almost entirely. After an hour, transfer to the counter to cool completely.

Step 7

Once the cheesecake is fully at room temperature, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours - overnight is strongly preferred. When you are ready to serve, run a thin knife around the edge of the pan before releasing the springform latch. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping it clean between cuts for tidy slices. Top with whipped cream, a dusting of cocoa or chocolate shavings, and a small drizzle of Baileys if you really want to go for it. Napkins strongly recommended.

Make it your own!

🍫 Add a ganache topping: Melt ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with ¼ cup of heavy cream, stir until glossy, and pour it over the fully chilled cheesecake. Let it set for 30 minutes before slicing. It makes the whole thing look bakery-level.
🥃 Boost the Baileys flavor: Stir an extra tablespoon of Baileys into your whipped cream before topping, or drizzle a small amount straight over each slice right before serving. It is a simple move that makes the flavor really pop.
🍪 Swap the crust: Chocolate graham crackers work beautifully here if you don't have Oreos. Same method, same ratios - just a slightly lighter, less sweet base that still plays well with the filling.
❄️ Make it ahead: This cheesecake keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 4 days, tightly wrapped. You can also freeze individual slices for up to a month - just thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
🍀 Make it St. Paddy's themed: Add a few drops of green food coloring to the filling for a subtle festive touch, or finish with a dusting of green-tinted powdered sugar over the whipped cream. Kitschy? Maybe. Fun? Absolutely.