This creamy Chocolate Orange Cheesecake is a showstopper dessert that requires zero oven time — just a handful of ingredients, a couple of Terry’s Chocolate Oranges, and a little patience while it sets. Perfect for holidays, dinner parties, or honestly just a Tuesday when you deserve something spectacular.
If there’s one dessert that genuinely makes people gasp when you set it on the table, it’s this one. I made this No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake for a family gathering once, and my aunt — who famously never compliments anyone’s cooking — asked for the recipe before she’d even finished her slice.
That felt like winning an Oscar. It’s rich, it’s citrusy, it’s got that unmistakable Terry’s Chocolate Orange flavour running through every single bite, and the best part? You don’t even need to turn on your oven.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Cheesecake So Special
This is a no bake recipe, which already puts it in the “life is good” category. The filling is a silky, mousse-like blend of cream cheese and whipped double cream, loaded with melted Terry’s Chocolate Orange — two whole ones, because we don’t do things by halves here.
The base is buttery crushed digestives, the decoration is a gorgeous drizzle of orange-tinted white chocolate, and the whole thing looks like it came from a fancy patisserie. Spoiler: it didn’t. You made it in your kitchen, probably in your pyjamas.
No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
Equipment
- 7-inch springform tin
- mixing bowls
- Electric mixer or whisk
- spatula
- Saucepan
- Heatproof bowl
Ingredients
For the Base
- 200 g Digestive biscuits
- 100 g Butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 2 whole Terry’s Chocolate Orange
- 500 ml Double cream, whipped soft peaks
- 560 g Full fat cream cheese
- 100 g Icing sugar
- 0.5 lemon Lemon juice
- 2 tsp Orange extract optional
For Decoration
- 100 g White chocolate
- 100 ml Double cream, whipped
- 12 pieces Chocolate orange segments
- 1 small amount Orange gel food colouring
Instructions
- Crush the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs, mix with melted butter, then press firmly into a 7-inch springform tin. Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.
- Melt the chocolate oranges gently over a pan of simmering water until smooth. Let cool slightly for about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine whipped cream, cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice, and orange extract. Fold gently until smooth, then mix in the melted chocolate.
- Spoon the filling onto the chilled base and smooth the top evenly. Tap lightly to remove air bubbles.
- Chill in the freezer for 2 hours or in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until fully set.
- Remove from the tin. Melt white chocolate, tint with orange colouring, and drizzle over the cheesecake. Pipe whipped cream around the edges and top with chocolate orange segments.
Notes
Ingredients
For the Base
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Digestive biscuits | 200g (7 oz) |
| Butter, melted | 100g (3.5 oz) |
For the Cheesecake Filling
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Terry’s Chocolate Orange (157g each) | 2 whole |
| Double cream, whipped | 500ml (2 cups) |
| Full fat cream cheese | 560g (1.2 lb) |
| Icing sugar | 100g (3.5 oz) |
| Lemon juice | Half a lemon |
| Orange extract (optional — see notes) | 2 tsp |
For Decoration
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| White chocolate | 100g (3.5 oz) |
| Double cream, whipped | 100ml (0.5 cups) |
| Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments | 12 pieces (about 1 whole orange) |
| Orange gel food colouring | A tiny amount |
A note on the orange extract: It’s totally optional, but if you want that extra punch of citrus flavour, go for it. Just don’t use orange essence — extract is your friend here, it tastes far more natural.
On the food colouring: Gel colouring is key for the white chocolate drizzle. Regular liquid food colouring can cause chocolate to seize up, and that’s a heartbreak nobody needs.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Biscuit Base
Crush your digestive biscuits until they look like lumpy, golden sand. You can do this in a food processor (the lazy and efficient route, highly recommended), or put them in a zip-lock bag and bash them with a rolling pin — excellent stress relief. Mix the crumbs with the melted butter until everything is coated, then press the mixture firmly into a 7-inch springform tin.
Use the back of a spoon to pack it down nice and even. Pop it in the fridge while you get on with the filling.
Step 2: Melt the Chocolate Oranges
Break your two Terry’s Chocolate Oranges into pieces and melt them gently in a heatproof glass bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir slowly and steadily until the chocolate is completely smooth and glossy — this is genuinely one of the best smells in the world, by the way. Once melted, set it aside for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
You don’t want it piping hot when it hits the cream cheese mixture, or things will get weird.
Also, while you’re waiting — whip your double cream now if you haven’t already. You want it to hold soft peaks, not stiff ones. Over-whipped cream makes the filling grainy and dense, and we’re going for dreamy here.
Step 3: Make the Cheesecake Filling
In a large bowl, combine the whipped double cream, full fat cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice, and orange extract if you’re using it. Fold everything together gently — don’t beat it aggressively, you want to keep the airiness of the whipped cream intact.
Once it’s smooth and well combined, pour in your cooled melted Chocolate Orange and stir it through thoroughly. The filling will turn this gorgeous milk-chocolate shade and smell absolutely incredible.
“Full fat cream cheese is non-negotiable here. Low fat versions hold too much water and your cheesecake won’t set properly. This is not the moment to be health-conscious.”
Step 4: Assemble the Cheesecake
Spoon the filling over your chilled biscuit base and spread it out evenly. Use the back of a large spoon or a palette knife to smooth the top as flat as you can — the flatter the top, the prettier the decoration will look later. Give the tin a gentle tap on the counter to knock out any air bubbles.
Step 5: Chill Until Set
Now comes the hard part: waiting. Place the cheesecake in the freezer for 2 hours, or the fridge for at least 4 hours. Overnight is honestly ideal if you’re making this ahead for a party — it comes out perfectly firm and slices like a dream. I’ve tried to rush this step. It did not go well. Just let it do its thing.
Step 6: Decorate
Once the cheesecake is fully set, carefully remove it from the tin. Melt your white chocolate in a bowl over hot water, stir in just a tiny dot of orange gel food colouring, and let it cool for a minute or two — you want it fluid but not scalding.
Drizzle it over the top of the cheesecake in confident zigzags. Don’t overthink it; it always looks gorgeous.
Pipe the remaining whipped cream in little rosettes around the edge, then place your Chocolate Orange segments on top — one per slice works perfectly if you’re doing 12 slices. Step back, admire your work, and try not to eat it immediately.
Expert Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting
Tips for the Best Result
Always use full fat cream cheese — the kind that comes in a block works best. Spreadable cream cheese in tubs can be a bit too soft and watery, which affects how well the cheesecake sets. Pat it gently with kitchen paper if there’s excess moisture.
Make sure your melted chocolate has cooled to roughly room temperature before adding it to the cream cheese mixture. Too hot and it’ll melt the whipped cream; too cold and it’ll seize into lumps. You’re aiming for smooth, pourable, and not steaming.
For clean slices, dip your knife in hot water, wipe it dry, then cut. Repeat between slices. It sounds fussy but it genuinely makes a difference to how pretty the serving looks.
Tasty Variations
Love citrus desserts? Amp up the orange flavour with a little finely grated orange zest folded into the filling — it makes the whole thing even more fragrant and fresh. Fans of our mini lemon tart with lilac meringue will especially appreciate that citrus brightness.
Dark chocolate version: Swap one of the Terry’s Chocolate Oranges for a dark chocolate orange bar if you prefer a less sweet, more intense flavour. It works beautifully.
Biscuit base swap: Oreos instead of digestives give the base a darker look and an extra chocolate hit. Just reduce the butter slightly as Oreos are fattier than digestives.
Troubleshooting
Cheesecake not setting? The most common culprits are low fat cream cheese or under-whipped cream. Make sure your cream reaches soft peaks before folding in, and always chill for the full recommended time.
Chocolate seized when melting? This usually happens if water gets into the bowl, or if the chocolate overheats. Melt low and slow, stirring constantly. If it does seize, you can sometimes rescue it by stirring in a teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Filling too soft to pipe? Pop the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes before piping the cream decoration. Cold cream pipes much more neatly.
Storage Instructions
| Method | Duration |
|---|---|
| Fridge (covered) | Up to 4 days |
| Freezer (whole or sliced) | Up to 2 months |
Reheating & No-Waste Ideas
This cheesecake is served cold, so no reheating needed — just let frozen slices thaw in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. If you have leftover filling (lucky you), it works brilliantly spooned into small glasses with crushed biscuits on the bottom for quick individual desserts.
Leftover decorated slices can be frozen individually on a baking sheet, then transferred to a container — perfect for pulling out one slice at a time when the craving hits. And if you end up with extra Chocolate Orange segments, they’re not going to last long on the counter anyway. Just saying.
Nutritional Information
Based on 12 servings. Values are approximate.
| Nutrient | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~480 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | ~35g |
| Fat | ~35g |
| Saturated Fat | ~21g |
| Protein | ~5g |
| Sugar | ~26g |
No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake FAQs
Can I make this No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake ahead of time?
Absolutely — this is actually one of those recipes that benefits from being made a day ahead. The filling has more time to set firmly, the flavours deepen overnight, and you’ve got one less thing to stress about on the day. Just keep it covered in the fridge and add the decoration on the day of serving if you want it looking its freshest.
Do I need a springform tin for this easy Chocolate Orange Cheesecake?
A springform tin makes removing the cheesecake dramatically easier and cleaner, so it’s strongly recommended. If you don’t have one, you can line a regular cake tin with cling film and use that as handles to lift it out — it works, but it’s a bit more fiddly.
Can I use a different chocolate instead of Terry’s Chocolate Orange?
You can, but the flavour won’t be quite the same — Terry’s Chocolate Orange has a distinct combination of milk chocolate and orange oil that’s hard to replicate exactly. If you can’t find them, try using 300g of good quality milk chocolate plus 2 teaspoons of orange extract and a little orange zest to get close.
Why did my creamy Chocolate Orange Cheesecake filling turn out grainy?
This usually happens when the whipped cream is over-beaten before folding in, or when the melted chocolate is added while still too warm. Make sure your chocolate is cooled to room temperature and your cream is at soft peaks — not stiff — before combining everything.
Can I make this as individual no bake cheesecakes?
Yes! Use a muffin tin lined with cupcake cases, or individual glasses or ramekins. Press a small amount of biscuit base into the bottom of each one, top with filling, and chill as normal. They’re adorable for parties and a lot easier to serve than slicing a whole cake.
If you loved this recipe, you might also want to try our honey peach cream cheese cupcakes for another creamy, dreamy dessert — or swing by the savoury side of life with our sourdough pesto grilled cheese when you need a snack break between baking sessions.
Go On, Make It This Weekend
Seriously — this No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake is one of those recipes that feels impressive but is genuinely very forgiving and straightforward to make.
If you give it a go, I’d absolutely love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment below with your experience, any tweaks you made, or just to tell me how quickly it disappeared at your table.
And if you’re a visual person (same), save this to Pinterest so you can find it again when the craving strikes — because it will strike. Happy no-baking!
