Make Olive Garden's white chocolate raspberry cheesecake at home. Who doesn't love a decadent homemade dessert with a raspberry swirl and Oreo cookie crust?
I've had a thing for Olive Garden's white chocolate raspberry cheesecake since way back when I was in college. There's something about the Oreo cookie crust, the raspberry swirl cheesecake, and the white chocolate candy flakes that make this dessert simply heavenly.
Now even though it seems to be available at Cheesecake Factory, we can't get this cheesecake at Olive Garden anymore. Never fear, though, because we all know that homemade is better anyway.
And especially in this case, homemade is way better. You're going to absolutely love this cheesecake from the first bite.
Who's up for their favorite raspberry swirl cheesecake? (Raises hand enthusiastically)
Related: Instant Pot Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake, Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake, and Jello no bake cheesecake.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE RECIPE?
If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the delicious white chocolate raspberry cheesecake recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.
Tips for How to Make White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake:
Once you have your chocolate cookie crust (or you can make a graham cracker crust if you prefer) and raspberry sauce for cheesecake made, it's pretty much smooth sailing from here.
While cheesecake can be temperamental, I'm hoping this post will help answer any questions you might have about the process of making it.
What Kind of Cream Cheese Should I Use?
While you can use a lower fat cream cheese, I've had the best luck with full fat cream cheese. Also, full fat cream cheese doesn't necessarily have all the additives they add in when they remove things from the cheese to make it “lite.”
We want a creamy cheesecake batter, so always go for full fat.
When it comes to brands, I've had great success with brands like Philadelphia, Great Value, and Aldi's Happy Farms.
Tips for Making Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Using a mixer, mix together the softened cream cheese, pure cane sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Using an egg separator, separate the egg yolks from the whites, and add the yolks into the mixture, mixing well.
- When your batter is creamy and smooth, pour half the batter into your crust.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup raspberry sauce on top of the batter, adding small dollops of sauce here and there.
- Swirl the sauce into the batter with a table knife.
- Pour the rest of the batter on.
- Add another 1/3 cup raspberry sauce, adding small dollops of sauce here and there all around the top of the batter.
- Again, swirl the sauce into the batter with a table knife.
- Bake, cool, and chill according to the recipe instructions in the recipe card below.
Using the Water Bath Method While Baking
The Kitchn has an excellent tutorial with tons of super helpful tips for how to make the perfect cheesecake. In fact, that's where I learned about the water bath method for making a cheesecake even more creamy.
Before you go to bake your cheesecake, wrap the outside of the pan with a good layer of aluminum foil, maybe even a couple layers, to keep water from getting to your cheesecake.
Then place the pan down in a roasting pan with at least an inch of water in it. I use a turkey roasting pan.
This provides a steam bath environment for your cheesecake as it bakes and keeps it very moist.
What Causes Cheesecake to Crack, and How Can I Prevent That?
So this is a problem with any kind of cheesecake and some kinds of pies, like pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, etc.
The water bath method, described above, will help with this, as it will keep the cheesecake from drying out. Because essentially, that's what causes it to crack.
It dries out, which can also happen when it's baked too long and sometimes even when it's cooled too quickly.
That said, when cheesecake is done, it should be set around the edge but still a little jiggly in the middle.
Can Cheesecake Be Frozen?
As long as you use full fat cream cheese, cheesecake should freeze well.
Cool the cheesecake first. Then chill it.
Once it's chilled, you can wrap it up with a layer or two of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil.
According to Eat By Date, cheesecake shelf life is up to 6 to 8 months in the freezer.
Adding the Finishing Touches
When your cheesecake has completely cooled and chilled, you can add shreds of white chocolate and swirls of whipped cream.
It's easiest to shred the white chocolate with a vegetable peeler. Then sprinkle it all over the top of the cheesecake.
And you can either swirl whipped cream on with the can, or make homemade whipped cream and use a decorating bag and large tip (I used Tip 1M) to swirl it on.
Ok, so I know this cheesecake is a more complicated dessert to make. But isn't it worth it to have your favorite dessert, made in your very own kitchen?
This recipe really isn't that difficult either. It requires a few extra steps and it requires a little patience, but all in all, it's a pretty simple recipe. If I can make it, you can too.
Kitchen Tools You May Need to Make This Dessert:
9″ Springform Pan – This kind of pan is necessary for cheesecake, so you can easily remove the sides of the pan when serving.
Aluminum Foil – To prevent water from getting into your cheesecake while baking, you can wrap the outside of your pan with foil.
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer – This will ensure you have a smooth cheesecake batter.
Egg Separator – Easily separate the yolks from the egg whites.
Roasting Pan – Add about an inch or so of water in the roasting pan; then place the springform pan inside the roasting pan for baking.
Vegetable Peeler or Chocolate Shaver – for creating curls of chocolate for the top of the cheesecake.
Decorating Bag or Cupcake Decorating Set – You can decoratively add the whipped cream on top of the cheesecake with this.
Get the printable recipe!
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Olive Garden White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cookie crust
- 32 ounces cream cheese
- 3/4 cup pure cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cup raspberry sauce
- 4 ounces white chocolate
- 2 cups whipped cream
Instructions
- First things first, make your chocolate cookie crust in a 9" springform pan (sprayed with cooking spray). You'll want it ready to go after the cheesecake batter is all mixed up.
- Line the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil; this will keep water from getting into your cheesecake during baking.
- Pre-heat the oven to 325°.
- Using a mixer, mix together the softened cream cheese, pure cane sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Using an egg separator, separate the egg yolks from the whites, and add the yolks into the mixture, mixing well.
- When your batter is creamy and smooth, pour half the batter into your crust.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup raspberry sauce on top of the batter, adding small dollops of sauce here and there.
- Swirl the sauce into the batter with a table knife.
- Pour the rest of the batter on, and add another 1/3 cup raspberry sauce, adding small dollops of sauce here and there all around the top of the batter.
- Again, swirl the sauce into the batter with a table knife.
- Place the cheesecake-filled springform pan in a roasting pan that has an inch or so of water in the bottom.
- Place the whole pan into the oven, and bake at 325° for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the cheesecake is cooked through.*
- Leave the cheesecake in the oven, and turn the oven off. Allow it to cool in the oven, with the oven door open, for about 30 to 45 minutes. You want a slow cooling process, in order to avoid cracks.
- Now you can remove your cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
- Once your cheesecake has completely cooled at room temperature, cover and place it in the refrigerator, and allow it to chill overnight.
- Next day, your cheesecake is ready to decorate, with white chocolate and a small batch of whipped cream.
- Shave or curl the white chocolate with a vegetable peeler or chocolate shaver until you have enough chocolate to cover the top of your cheesecake.
- Sprinkle the chocolate over the entire top of the cheesecake.
- Add small swirls of whipped cream all around the edge of the cheesecake.
- Finally, slice the cheesecake up and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally written in February 2018. It was updated and republished with more photos and tips in January 2019.
This is our family’s fave!! I’ve made it multiple times and it’s flawless. Recently I was baking and wanted to make it but didn’t have raspberries. I followed the raspberry sauce recipe but used blackberries instead and it turned out wonderful as well. Thank you for this excellent recipe!
Dawn, that’s great to hear. Blackberries sound amazing for this recipe. I may have to try that myself. Thanks for the kind feedback!
I did add a thin layer of melted white chocolate on top of the Oreo cookie crust and placed it in the refrigerator to harden before I added my cream cheese mixture. The first time I made the recipe, I followed it to a T, with the exception of the white chocolate. I used the raspberry sauce as well. This time I made it, again with the melted white chocolate on the top of the cookie crust, but I used my leftover homemade cranberry sauce, which I puréed, in place of the raspberry sauce. Both times my cheesecake turned out delicious! Very easy recipe to follow and it will be my go to cheesecake recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing.
Thank You for the great feedback, Debbie! I’m so glad you liked it.
I wish Olive Garden still had this. I would order this to go sometimes and get
some extra raspberry purée sauce on the side. I love and miss this cheesecake.
Dawn, it was always a favorite of mine.
Is there any white chocolate inside the cheesecake?
No, in this recipe the white chocolate is grated on top once the cheesecake has finished cooking.
OMG. I made this cheesecake yesterday and it was DELICIOUS! Unbelievably good. I followed the instructions to a T including making your recipe for the chocolate cookie crust and raspberry sauce and it was amazing. This used to be my favorite cheesecake but I don’t live near a Cheesecake Factory so I haven’t had it in years and I was shocked. I LOVE this recipe and will for sure be making again!!!!
Ally, thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe as much as I do.
There are no instructions for the cookie crust and raspberry sauce😕
Lisa, I linked to these recipes at the top of instructions for the recipe. Thanks!
Hi Lisa,
Just printed your recipe off for Olive Garden White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, which I can’t wait to try, but I can’t see anywhere it giving the amount of chocolate cookie crust that is needed or how to make it.
Thank you.
Noreen
Noreen, there is a link to the chocolate cookie crust recipe in the ingredients section of the recipe card at the bottom of the post. I hope this helps!
Yum yum! This really look so delicious! I can’t wait to try this cheesecake recipe! Thank you so much for posting!
Thank you!
This is actually Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake. Also my favorite!!! Other restaurants have tried to serve it as well. You can buy a frozen premade one at Targets as well, but you will never get it as good as fresh at Cheesecake Factory. I am interested to try your recipe because I am obsessed with it. If I can recreate it fresh at home, even better!!!
Ah, we have never been to Cheesecake Factory, but now I want to go even more. I wish we had one here. We do, however, have a Target. I might have to check that out. I do love homemade, though. I hope you enjoy! Thank you, Malarie!
This cheesecake is sooo good!!! And really easy to make. Also the whipped cream recipe is awesome too!! I will definitely make this over & over!! Yummy!!!
Dar, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the awesome feedback. It’s definitely one of my favorite desserts.