Name: Mississippi Mud Red Velvet Cheesecake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Crust Ingredients:; 42 Oreos; ½ cup unsalted sweet cream butter, melted; Cheesecake Filing:; 3 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1 cup sour cream; 1 ⅓ cups sugar; 3 Tablespoons dark Hershey cocoa powder; 1 - 1 ounce bottle of super red gel food coloring; 2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 4 large eggs; Red Velvet Pudding:; ¼ cup sugar; ⅛ cup dark Hershey cocoa powder; ⅛ cup cornstarch; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 2 large egg yolks; ¾ cup whole milk; ½ cup buttermilk; 1 ½ Tablespoons unsalted sweet cream butter; 1 Tablespoon super red gel food coloring; Topping:; 16 ounces Cool Whip; 1 8 ounces tube chocolate shavings or curls; Large piping bag with a star tip

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Beautiful, creamy, and delicious, this Mississippi Mud Red Velvet Cheesecake is a decadent dessert that’s layered with a cookie crumb crust, a vibrant red cheesecake center and topped with a smooth chocolate ganache, whipped cream, and chocolate curls for a spectacular finish. It’s a dreamy dessert for Valentine’s Day!

If you love cheesecake, chocolate, and red velvet, this is the perfect sweet treat to let you enjoy all three ingredients! It’s a layered dessert made from scratch, so you’ll want to plan when making this tasty dessert. As with all cheesecakes, you’ll need to bake it and then let it chill before serving, so making this a day ahead of when you plan to serve it is recommended. It’s a lovely presentation, so let this red velvet dessert be a labor of love that will certainly earn you rave reviews!

Pin of Mississippi Mud Red Velvet Cheesecake

Ingredients Needed

For The Crust
Chocolate Oreo Cookies – crush the cookies by using a food processor or rolling pin and a ziploc bag.
Butter – melted. Use unsalted. Mix it with the crushed Oreos to create the crust.

For The Cheesecake Filing
Cream Cheese – set it out to soften so that it mixes easily and without clumps.
Sour Cream – to add the classic tang to the cheesecake filling.
Sugar – use white granulated to sweeten the filling.
Dark Hershey Cocoa Powder – to add the characteristic red velvet taste to the filling.
Super Red Gel Food Coloring – to add color to the filling.
Vanilla Extract – to flavor the filling.
Eggs – to add texture and help hold the filling together as it bakes.

For The Red Velvet Pudding
Sugar – use white granulated.
Dark Hershey Cocoa Powder – to add the characteristic red velvet taste to the pudding.
Cornstarch – to help thicken the pudding.
Salt – to flavor the pudding.
Egg Yolks – to help thicken and create texture in the pudding.
Whole Milk – to help mix and thicken the pudding.
Buttermilk – to add tang and help thicken the pudding.
Butter – to help flavor the pudding.
Super Red Gel Food Coloring – to add color to the pudding.

For The Chocolate Ganache
Semisweet Chocolate Chips – to help make the ganache topping.
Heavy Whipping Cream – to help make the ganache topping.

For The Toppings
Cool Whip – to pipe on around the edges of the cheesecake.
Chocolate Shavings Or Curls – to garnish the top of the cheesecake.

slice of red velvet cheesecake on white plate with cookie crumbs

How To Make Mississippi Mud Red Velvet Cheesecake

Note: this is a summary of the steps. For complete instructions see the recipe card down below.

STEP 1: Make the red velvet pudding mixture on the stovetop by combining the ingredients, in stages, as instructed. Once thickened, remove it from heat and let cool before transferring it to a bowl and covering it with plastic wrap. Chill it in the freezer to speed up the cooling process while you continue with the recipe.
STEP 2: Make the cookie crumb crust by combining the crushed Oreos with the melted butter and pressing them into a prepared springform pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes. When done, remove and set aside to cool. Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
STEP 3: Make the cheesecake filling as directed, including folding in the chilled red velvet pudding mixture. Spoon the filling on top of the baked Oreo crust and spread it evenly to smooth it out.
STEP 4: Place a deep dish pan filled with hot water on the lowest rack in the oven. Place the cheesecake on the rack above it and bake for 65 minutes. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour.
STEP 5: After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the countertop before placing it in the refrigerator to chill overnight
STEP 6: Make the chocolate ganache topping by heating the heavy whipping cream on medium-low heat to a simmer on the stovetop. Pour the warm cream over a mixing bowl containing the semi-sweet chocolate chips and allow to sit for a minute before whisking until smooth. Carefully spread the chocolate ganache on top of the cheesecake and allow it to harden before piping dollops of the whipped cream along the rim of the cheesecake. Sprinkle the entire cheesecake with the chocolate shavings.
STEP 7: Store in the refrigerator until ready to slice and serve.

cheesecake with two slices cut on white plates chocolate cookies crumbs

Why Is It Called Mississippi Mud?

Traditional Mississippi Mud desserts are loaded with chocolate, nuts, and marshmallows, like my Mississippi Mud Brownies. But here, I replace the classic cream cheese topping with a decadent chocolate ganache as well as the buttery chocolate Oreo crust that sandwiches the creamy red velvet cheesecake filling. There are no nuts and no marshmallows included, but the dreamy chocolate topping and crust make it worthy of the Mississippi Mud label.

Can I Use A Boxed Pudding Mix?

For this recipe, no. I suggest making the pudding from scratch ahead of time so that it has time to chill in the fridge before adding it to the cheesecake filling mixture. This homemade pudding will help keep the cheesecake texture velvety smooth and thick as it bakes.

Do I Have To Use A Water Bath When Baking?

Well, yes and no. I’ve modified the classic way of submerging the foil-wrapped cheesecake pan in water and instead, use a pan of water that sits below the rack that holds the cheesecake. This way, the pan of water creates steam in the oven which helps keep the cheesecake moist while it bakes. How easy is that?

slice of red velvet cheesecake with whipped cream

What If My Cheesecake Cracks On Top?

Good news – it doesn’t matter with this recipe because you’ll be covering the top with the chocolate ganache!

Can I Freeze The Cheesecake?

Absolutely. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. You can freeze it at different stages in the assembly process. You can bake, cool, and add the chocolate ganache and let it all chill in the fridge until set before wrapping and packaging it for the freezer. Alternatively, you can bake, cool, and chill it up to the point of adding the chocolate ganache and freeze it from there. Just thaw in the fridge before adding the chocolate ganache and other toppings before serving.

Storage

Store the cheesecake in the fridge, covered, for 4-5 days. You can also freeze the cheesecake for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

Horizontal Mississippi Mud Red Velvet Cheesecake

More Delicious Valentine’s Day Dessert Recipes

Valentine Strawberries
Valentine’s Crispy Strawberry Chocolate Bark
Valentine Peek-A-Boo Pound Cake
Valentine’s Heart Cinnamon Rolls
Valentine’s Day Pretzels
17 of the Best Red and Pink Valentine’s Day Desserts

Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her viral website Moore or Less Cooking

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Serves 12

Mississippi Mud Red Velvet Cheesecake

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

If you love cheesecake, chocolate, and red velvet, this is the perfect sweet treat to let you enjoy all three ingredients!

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:
42 Oreos
½ cup unsalted sweet cream butter, melted
Cheesecake Filing:
3 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 ⅓ cups sugar
3 Tablespoons dark Hershey cocoa powder
1 - 1 ounce bottle of super red gel food coloring
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
Red Velvet Pudding:
¼ cup sugar
⅛ cup dark Hershey cocoa powder
⅛ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large egg yolks
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ Tablespoons unsalted sweet cream butter
1 Tablespoon super red gel food coloring
Topping:
16 ounces Cool Whip
1 8 ounces tube chocolate shavings or curls
Large piping bag with a star tip

Instructions

Gather all of the ingredients.
Red Velvet Pudding:
Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt using a small saucepan.
Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined.
The mixture should resemble a thick paste,
Gradually pour in the milk and buttermilk.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and continue to whisk while the mixture boils.
Continue to whisk to prevent the pudding from burning on the bottom. Continue to boil and whisk for another 3 minutes,
Remove and immediately scoop into a larger bowl. Whisk in the butter, vanilla, and red food coloring until combined.
Continue to whisk until the pudding has cooled slightly to the touch.
Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the top of the pudding so that a film doesn't appear.
Place it into the freezer to speed up the cooling process.
Cheesecake Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray a springform pan with Pam baking spray, and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Crush the Oreos using a food processor or ziplock bag and rolling pin until they have a sand-like texture.
Combine the crushed Oreos and butter.
Using a flat-bottomed cup, evenly press the crust up the sides and bottom.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325 degrees.
Using a large mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese until smooth.
Gradually mix in the sour cream until smooth
Mix in the sugar, red food coloring, vanilla, and cornstarch until combined and smooth.
Carefully fold in ¾ cup of the pudding into the cheesecake batter.
Spoon the cheesecake into the crust and spread evenly.
Place it into the oven on the second rack over a large deep dish pan filled with hot water.
Bake in the oven for 65-70 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, turn the oven off, and crack open the oven door, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour.
Remove and place onto a counter space to the VP and allow to cool completely.
Place into the fridge overnight.
Topping:
Using a small pot bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer.
Pour over the 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips and allow to sit for a minute before whisking until smooth.
Carefully spread the chocolate ganache on top of the cheesecake and allow it to harden up.
Spoon Cool Whip into the piping bag and pipe dollops along the rim of the cheesecake.
Sprinkle around the entire cheesecake with the chocolate shavings.

Notes

This recipe contains several different steps and requires time so you should plan accordingly. I don't recommend that you make this recipe in one day. Give yourself plenty of time and you will enjoy this incredible cheesecake dessert!