Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 07/2/21
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Chill: 8 hrs
Total: 9 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12 slices
Yield: 1 9-inch cheesecake

If you crave the red velvet cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, you will be delighted to know it is easy to recreate this restaurant favorite at home. This decadent, vibrantly colored cheesecake is topped with a signature cream cheese frosting—just like the original.

The key to a perfect cheesecake is to resist overbaking the filling. Cheesecake sometimes gives people a little stress because it can be tough to tell when it's completely baked. Here's what to look for: It should still jiggle slightly when you remove the cake from the oven. Don't worry; it will firm up as it chills. This way you will have a perfectly baked and easy to slice cheesecake the next day after removing it from the refrigerator. And one that's totally ready for that cream cheese frosting you'll put on it.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups finely ground chocolate wafer cookies

  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Red Velvet Cheesecake Filling:

  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

  • 1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

  • 2 cups powdered sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    Kristina Vanni

  2. In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate cookie wafer crumbs with the melted butter.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Press the moist crumbs into the bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Set in the refrigerator to firm up while preparing the next steps. Heat oven to 375 F.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. For the filling, combine the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat until well blended.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    Kristina Vanni

  5. Add the red food coloring and mix until completely incorporated.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    Kristina Vanni

  6. Carefully pour the filling into the chilled crust. Bake at 375 F until the edges are set and the center is still slightly loose, about 60 minutes or until the cake has puffed and trembles just slightly when shaken. Do not overbake. The cheesecake will settle and firm as it cools.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    Kristina Vanni

  7. Cool the cheesecake on wire rack until completely cool. Then, cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill for at least several hours or up to overnight.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    Kristina Vanni

  8. When ready to serve, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    Kristina Vanni

  9. Remove sides of pan. Frost the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Copycat Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake

    Kristina Vanni

  10. Enjoy!

    Chocolate Wafer Cookie Crust

    Chocolate wafer cookies are very thin, crispy chocolate cookies, commonly called for when making chocolate crumb crusts. They have a bittersweet cocoa flavor and a very dark hue.


    They are commonly crushed and used for making crusts. Simply pulse the chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor until they are finely ground. Alternately, if you don't have a food processor, they can be placed in a plastic zip top bag and crushed by hand using a rolling pin.

How to Store Red Velvet Cheesecake

This cheesecake will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days if wrapped well in plastic.

For longer storage (and ease of defrosting), wrap slices individually in plastic and then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost one slice at a time (or as needed) in the fridge and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
551 Calories
37g Fat
51g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 551
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g 47%
Saturated Fat 21g 103%
Cholesterol 143mg 48%
Sodium 411mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 51g 18%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 43g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 95mg 7%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 159mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)