Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake
Based on the popular cocktail, this Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake features a mint chocolate filling on top of an Oreo crust. It’s a delicious and unique dessert!
This episode recipe is brought to you by Philibert Guichet. So who is Philibert Guichet, you ask? Well, he was a New Orleans bartender who invented the Grasshopper cocktail. Philibert created the drink back in the early 1900’s for a prestigious New York cocktail competition.
He finished in 2nd place in the competition, but the Grasshopper became world famous as a result. If you ever find yourself in New Orleans, stop by Philibert’s bar, Tujague’s, and order a Grasshopper. Philibert has been gone for many years, but his bar and his drink continue on.
Today’s recipe is a fun twist on the classic Grasshopper cocktail. The cocktail is a mint-flavored drink that is often served for dessert. It features equal parts crème de menthe and crème de cacoa (both liqueurs) combined with whipping cream. It’s a creamy, mint-chocolate cocktail that has inspired a number of recipe spin-offs, including frozen Grasshopper pie.
Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake
The creaminess of the Grasshopper cocktail is what got me thinking about creating a cheesecake based on this classic flavor combination. It doesn’t take much to convince me to make a cheesecake, after all!
In keeping with the cocktail, this Grasshopper features a combination of chocolate and mint flavors. The chocolate comes from both the Oreo cookie crust as well as the melted chocolate that gets swirled into the cheesecake batter. The mint comes from the crème de menthe.
A quick note about crème de menthe: some brands are green while others are clear. The brand of crème de menthe in our liquor cabinet was clear, so I added several drops of green food coloring to give this Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake the iconic green color. This step could certainly be omitted based on brand of crème de menthe and personal preference. (However, the green colored batter swirled with bands of melted chocolate does look pretty cool!)
I always like to garnish the tops of cheesecakes. Depending on the flavors, I might use sliced strawberries or other fresh fruit or just a simple whipped cream. For this cheesecake, I opted for crumbled chocolate-mint cookies. I happened to find mint Oreo Thins at the store, so I used those. However, any chocolate-mint cookie or even Thin Mints (Girl Scout cookies) could work, too. The goal is just to provide texture and visual appeal to the cheesecake when you serve it.
If you like mint chocolate flavor, then put this Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake on the list! It’s a fun and tasty dessert, and we certainly enjoyed it here in our house! Note: This cheesecake does contain alcohol. Some of it may bake off in the oven, but to be safe I would recommend only serving this dessert to adults.
Did you make this Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Oreo Crust
- 25 Oreo cookies separated and filling removed
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecake
- 4 oz. semisweet baking chocolate
- 32 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ cup green crème de menthe liqueur see note
- {optional} green food coloring
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar
- {garnish} thin chocolate mint cookies
Instructions
For the Oreo Crust
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Spray a 9” springform pan with nonstick baking spray; set pan aside.
- Using a food processor or mini-chopper, add Oreo cookies; pulse until finely ground. Transfer mixture into a large bowl and stir in melted butter.
- Press mixture into bottom and sides of prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside to cool.
For the Cheesecake
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Using a small microwaveable bowl or a double boiler, melt the semisweet chocolate; set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth (~3 minutes).
- Add sugar and flour; mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Using a separate bowl, whisk eggs and additional egg yolks together. Add this egg mixture to the mixing bowl in 2 additions, mixing fully after each addition.
- Add the creme de menthe liqueur, vanilla and {optional} green food coloring; mix on medium speed until well combined. (Tip: Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the filling is fully mixed.)
- Transfer filling into springform pan. Using a tablespoon measure, drop dollops of melted chocolate on top of filling. (Note: The chocolate will sink into the filling.) Use a table knife to gently swirl the melted chocolate into the filling.
- Wrap the bottom of the springform pan with a piece of aluminum foil and place in a large rimmed baking pan. Fill pan with ~½” of water. Bake at 325°F until center of cake is just barely set (~80-85 minutes). (Tip: Pull the cheesecake out of the oven when there is about 1″ ring of “looser” filling left in the center of the cake.)
- Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan for 1 hour.
- Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, release pan and slice cheesecake.
- Using an electric mixer, beat heavy whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar together until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Before serving, pipe stars around top edge of cheesecake. Garnish top with thin chocolate mint cookies.
Notes
Looking for more mint chocolate dessert recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me for the crust can i use vegan butter and cheesecake can i use vegan cream cheese and coconut cream i love chocolate soooooooooooooo much i never had chocolate grasshooper cheesecake before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Hey Ramya! I’ve never used vegan options to make a cheesecake, so I don’t know how it would turn out. The crust would be fine I’m sure, but I don’t know how the cheesecake itself would do. Give it a try and let me know??
I’m not a huge mint person, but my husband is. He’d love it. My parents at one time got into grasshoppers. My mom put her drink on the floor and her poodle got into it. That is the only time in my life I’ve seen a drunk dog. Poor thing.
Oh no! I can only imagine a poodle going face-first into that grasshopper – poor little pup! This is a fun dessert, although I totally know what you mean about chocolate + mint. I do enjoy it on occasion, but it’s not the first dessert flavor I go to.
I’ve never had the Grasshopper cocktail, but oh boy it sounds delightful and right up my alley (as I’m a huge fan of dessert cocktails made with sweet and rich liquors.) And this cheesecake? Terrific – beautiful and delicious. And it will make a perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day. Oh wait… what about a cheesecake with Irish cream and mint?!
You’re right, Ben! I remember how much you love creamy, liqueur-based drinks. I think a Grasshopper sounds like your heaven. You should make some this weekend! And perhaps a slice of this cheesecake to go with it?? (Also – great idea about using Irish cream in a cheesecake. Not sure about the mint with it though…maybe?)
this reminds me of grasshopper pie a la nigella lawson. so luridly green, so minty and chocolatey. How delicious. Hubby hates mint, and also peanut butter and chocolate so my fave pies do not get made – sigh … 🙁
Yes! This recipe totally does channel that grasshopper pie – just in cheesecake form. I say you find some friends who love mint, peanut butter and chocolate…then you could have all of those favorites! 🙂
I love chocolate mint, but my husband doesn’t. Bonus! I get to eat it all myself! I love grasshoppers, and I love cheesecake, so you know I’m going to love this. I love the chocolate swirl you made on the top.
Haha – that’s definitely a bonus for you, Jeff! Laura isn’t a huge chocolate mint fan, either. You know what? We should get together and eat all of this cheesecake by ourselves!
Wow, this Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake recipe sounds amazing! The mint chocolate filling on top of an Oreo crust sounds like the perfect combination. It’s fascinating to learn about the history of the Grasshopper cocktail and Philibert Guichet, the bartender who invented it. This recipe is such a fun twist on the classic cocktail, and I love the addition of the melted chocolate swirled into the cheesecake batter. I will definitely have to try this recipe out soon! Thank you for sharing this delicious and unique dessert recipe.
There is so much goodness going on with this cheesecake, Raymund! I love a good Oreo crust on cheesecake, but then add in the chocolate mint cheesecake filling? Yum! Plus, it’s fun to take a spin on a classic cocktail like the Grasshopper!