S’mores Cheesecake

I’ve found heaven on earth – and it’s this cheesecake recipe! I’m a huge fan of s’mores flavored anything, especially during the summertime when I want to feel all of the bonfire feelings. With a recipe like this, I can get my s’mores fix without having to sit by a campfire! For those of us who live in the south, we know how treacherous those hot summer nights can be.

The crust of this cheesecake is your average buttery graham cracker crust, but it’s enhanced with flavors of sweet marshmallows and chocolate morsels to really solidify that s’mores flavor. It’s layered with my signature cheesecake recipe (that honestly can’t be bested) topped with hot fudge sauce and gooey marshmallows. Are you drooling yet?

While this homemade cheesecake may be a real show-stopper, fear not! It’s a whole lot easier to make than you may think it is and always impresses at parties of all kinds. Since I consider myself something of a cheesecake expert, I’ve also included plenty of little tips and tricks to help make this process wonderfully simple for you.

Vanilla Extract – I always recommend using pure vanilla extract. It lends a much better flavor than imitation.

Graham Cracker Crumbs – If you can’t find graham cracker crumbs at the store, you can get regular graham crackers and pulse them in a food processor until they blend into crumbs.

Heavy Cream – While it’s best to use heavy whipping cream, you can use half and half but do not go any less fat than that. Note that half and half is thinner than heavy whipping cream so use about a tablespoon less.

Cream Cheese – Don’t try to make the cheesecake “lighter” by using low fat cream cheese. It will change the texture. Use full fat, original cream cheese and make sure to take it out of the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before using it.

Hot Fudge Topping – If you’re a fan of the way the hot fudge compliments this cheesecake, be sure to make my Oreo Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake! It’s got a very similar vibe.

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Prepare – Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 9 inch spring form pan. You’ll also need a large roasting pan to create the water bath.

Make the crust – Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, vanilla extract and brown sugar. Mix well and evenly spread the crumb mixture in the bottom of the spring form pan, pressing it over the bottom and half way up the sides (1).

Create the base s’mores layer – Spread mini chocolate morsels and marshmallows over the crust (2).

Make the cheesecake mixture – In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for another minute. Mix in the cornstarch and sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs until incorporated. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and heavy cream until also incorporated.

Pour the batter – Carefully pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan (3, 4).

Create the water bath – Place the roasting pan into the oven. Place the cheesecake spring form pan inside of the roasting pan. Carefully add water to the roasting pan, going about halfway up the side of the spring form (5).

Bake and rest – Bake for 90-95 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door halfway. Let the cheesecake rest for 10 minutes before you take it out of the oven (6).

Let it rest again – Let the cheesecake rest for 10 minutes on the counter. Then, gently run a butter knife between the sides of the cheesecakes and the springform to carefully separate it.

Chill – Cool cheesecake for an hour in the refrigerator.

Add the toppings – Turn on the broiler in the oven. Evenly spread the warmed hot fudge sauce across the top of the cheesecake (8). Sprinkle marshmallows on top of the fudge (9).

Toast the marshmallows – Place the cheesecake back in the center of the oven under the broiler. Let the marshmallows toast for just 30-35 seconds. Remove the cheesecake from the oven once marshmallows are lightly browned (10).

Chill again – To cool the cheesecake completely, cover it loosely with foil and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.

How to Store S’mores Cheesecake

Make sure to store the cheesecake in the refrigerator and keep it covered tightly with plastic wrap. Properly stored, s’mores cheesecake will stay fresh for up to 5 days.

I recommend simply storing it in the same pan it was baked in.

How to Freeze S’mores Cheesecake

If you plan on freezing s’mores cheesecake, you must do so without the toppings.

Once cheesecake has been cooled to room temperature, run a butter knife along the inside of the spring form pan to separate the cheesecake from the pan. Place the pan with cheesecake in the freezer and freeze for about an hour.

Carefully take off the side portion of the spring form. At this point, you can either keep the bottom of the spring form with the cheesecake or transfer it onto a piece of thick cardboard cake holder covered with aluminum foil. 

Wrap the cheesecake and the bottom of the pan with plastic wrap in 2-3 layers. Then, wrap the whole thing with aluminum foil. As an added protection from air, you can place the whole things in a large, zip-lock freezer bag, but that’s not necessary. 

Make sure to date and label before placing cheesecake back in the freezer. This cheesecake will stay fresh in the freezer for 2-3 months. 

To thaw frozen cheesecake, make sure to do so slowly. Place cheesecake from freezer into the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.

More Cheesecake Recipes To Try

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Ricotta Cheesecake

New York Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.