Cookie Dough Cheesecake – Easy Olive Garden Copycat

This homemade Olive Garden Cookie Dough Cheesecake is a thick, creamy dessert with baked-in cookie dough, a chocolate cookie crust, and a whipped cream topping. It’s rich, nostalgic, and honestly pretty easy to make with basic ingredients. Great for birthdays, cravings, or literally any day you want a proper dessert.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: 15 mins
• Cook time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Flavor: creamy, chocolatey, cookie-dough-loaded
• Great for: celebrations, baking therapy, fridge raids

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Why I Like This Recipe

I missed this cheesecake so bad after Olive Garden pulled it. Finally made my own and — not gonna lie — it’s even better cold from the fridge the next morning. The cookie dough gets all soft and gooey inside the creamy base, and the toasted walnuts just hit right.

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 2 tbsp melted butter

Cheesecake Filling:

• 16 oz cream cheese (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 lb refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 2 oz chocolate chips

Topping:

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (toasted)

How To Make Cookie Dough Cheesecake 

1. Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325°F.
   Mix crumbs with melted butter and press into bottom + sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.
2. Mix the filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and flour until smooth. Add vanilla and sour cream — don’t overmix.
   Pour in half the batter.
3. Add cookie dough: Cut the dough into little chunks and drop them right in. Add some chocolate chips too.
   Pour the rest of the batter on top.
4. Bake it: Bake for 60 mins at 325°F. Then turn off oven, crack the door, and leave it in there for 30 mins. Chill completely in the fridge after.
5. Top it off: Toast the walnuts in a dry pan. Whip cream until stiff peaks.
   Spread whipped cream on chilled cheesecake and sprinkle with chips + walnuts.
6. Slice and serve cold. It’s dense, sweet, and worth every second of fridge time.

Tips for Success

• Let it fully chill before slicing — it sets better.
• Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream. No subs.
• Toasted walnuts = best texture.
• If cookie dough sinks, it’s fine — it still tastes amazing.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Covered, up to 5 days. Gets better by Day 2.
• Freezer: Slice it, wrap it tight, freeze for up to 2 months. Still awesome.
• Reheat: Don’t. Just eat it cold. Trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make this ahead?
  Yes, and you should. It needs time to chill anyway.
• Do I need a springform pan?
  It helps a lot. But in a pinch, line a cake pan with parchment and lift it out carefully.
• Can I use homemade cookie dough?
  Yep. Just keep the chunks small and don’t over-stuff.
• What if the cheesecake cracks?
  Whipped cream covers everything. No stress.
• Nut allergy — what should I sub?
  Just skip the walnuts. Add extra chips or use sprinkles if you want crunch.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Taking it out too early: It needs the full hour, plus oven rest time, plus fridge chill. Otherwise, it’s too soft to slice.
• Overmixing the batter: Once the eggs go in, mix just until combined. Overmixing = air bubbles = cracks.
• Not greasing the sides of the pan: A light butter or spray helps it release clean after chilling.
• Skipping the chill: Warm cheesecake is tempting but not great. Let it firm up — you’ll thank yourself later.
• Adding too much cookie dough: Yes, that’s possible. It messes with the bake. Stick to chunks, not blobs.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 686 kcal
• Total Fat: 48g
• Saturated Fat: 27g
• Cholesterol: 165mg
• Sodium: 240mg
• Potassium: 210mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 56g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 40g
• Protein: 7g

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