Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

​The week of Valentine's Day is always a busy week for me as a chef.  I wanted to get a head start on a special Valentine's treat for my family this week since the next couple of weeks are going to be pretty hectic.  I had to make a chocolate chip cheesecake to serve at a party this week anyway so I decided to make some mini cheesecakes for my family at the same time.  I can store the mini cheesecakes in my freezer until Valentine's Day.

After searching through all sorts of gourmet kitchen stores, I ended up ordering my mini springform pans from an internet website.  The very next week I found them in the cooking isle at Walmart.  :)  If you're interested in making mini cheesecakes - check your local Walmart store for mini springform pans.    

​Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
1 cup oreo cookie crumbs                     2 cups sour cream
2 Tablespoons butter, melted               3 eggs
16 ounces cream cheese                         1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sugar                                                 1 ½ cups chocolate chips

​Combine oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter.

​Press into bottom of springform pan.

​ Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add sugar and sour cream.

​Add eggs and vanilla.

​Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips.  Pour into crust and sprinkle with remaining chips.

​Bake 30-40 minutes at 350.  Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in for 1 hour to set.  Remove from oven and chill in refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

​Once the cheesecakes have cooled completely, I remove them from the pans and chill them in the refrigerator. 

I like to top my cheesecakes with a sweet and creamy topping.   I combine 1 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of sugar to make the topping.  Spread the topping on the cheesecake and serve with chocolate chips... 

​or fresh fruit.

Ciao!

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