This No Bake Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake is not just dessert, it is an experience. Made with a chocolate crust, a crispy pistachio knafeh layer, silky chocolate ganache and a luscious pistachio cheesecake filling, it has an unreal combination of textures and flavors. It requires no gelatin, and each component is incredibly simple to make with just 10 total ingredients. This is the dessert I'd serve if I want to impress!
Read the full blog post below for detailed notes, tips, tricks, photos and videos.
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Why you will love this recipe
When it comes to the Dubai Chocolate craze, you're either tired of it or immune from it. I was on the "tired of it" side of things, and thought it didn't sound or look appealing, but decided to give it a try and develop this recipe. And let me tell you, it blew me away. So I truly cannot recommend this recipe enough, regardless of where you stand on Dubai Chocolate!
- The flavor combination is out of this world. Pistachio and chocolate are a match made in heaven, and the best thing is that neither flavor is too overpowering in this cheesecake. They're both beautifully balanced such that the cheesecake still feels light
- The textures are like nothing you've experienced before. The pistachio knafeh layer has an unbelievable crunch to it, and pairs incredibly well with the smooth, silky and luscious mouthfeel of the cheesecake itself
- The recipe is really easy. Sure, there are a few different components, but each component is very simple and straightforward with just a few ingredients. That, combined with the fact that no baking is required, makes this cheesecake very easy to make even for people who aren't too experienced with baking!
Video tutorial
Here is a short video tutorial for this recipe that I recommend watching:
Components of this cheesecake
This No Bake Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake is made of 4 main components:
- Chocolate crust. A classic cheesecake crust made with chocolate cream cookies and melted butter
- Pistachio knafeh. Made with toasted kataifi pastry and pistachio cream, this makes the next layer in the cheesecake (and the best part)
- Chocolate ganache. A simple ganache made of semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream is layered inside the cheesecake and also poured on top to finish it off
- Pistachio cheesecake filling. The cheesecake filling is made with just a handful of ingredients, tastes delicious and holds up incredibly well without any gelatin!
Recommended ingredients
Since this cheesecake is made with just a few ingredients, it is important to use good quality ones, especially for the pistachio knafeh layer. Here are the exact ingredients I use and recommend:
- Alkis Kataifi (shredded phyllo pastry). I get it from Amazon and love it because it is made for Dubai Chocolate, and remains crispy even days later!
- Pisti Pistachio Cream from Amazon (also available at Costco if you get lucky) has the best texture, flavor and color. Keep in mind this is not the same thing as pistachio butter!
I also recommend using semi-sweet or dark chocolate instead of milk to balance out the flavor profile of this cheesecake, but milk will work okay as well.
Step by step photos
The detailed recipe is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but let's go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything.
Grind the chocolate cookies with melted butter, and press tightly in the bottom of a 9" springform pan to form the crust. Refrigerate:
Toast the shredded kataifi pastry in unsalted butter until it is golden brown and crispy:
Mix in pistachio cream and salt:
Spread the pistachio knafeh layer on top of the crust:
Make a quick ganache and spread it on top of the pistachio knafeh layer. Chill:
For the cheesecake, whisk the cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla until creamy:
Fold in the pistachio cream, then fold in whipped heavy cream:
Spread the cheesecake filling in the pan, and refrigerate overnight:
Once chilled, remove from the pan, and pour over the remaining chocolate ganache. Decorate, serve and enjoy!
Tips to perfect this recipe
Before getting started, here are some tips you should keep in mind:
Use a good quality springform pan as it will make demolding the cheesecake easier. I also recommend adding parchment paper to the bottom and sides!
Press down the crust tightly. This helps ensure it doesn't crumble and stays crispy in a no-bake recipe.
Make sure to properly toast the kataifi. It should become a golden brown color. This helps ensure it stays crispy!
Adjust the quantity of pistachio cream to your liking in both the pistachio knafeh layer and the cheesecake itself. If you want a stronger pistachio flavor, you can add a bit more, but don't add too much as it will impact the texture.
Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. And use Philadelphia!
Scrape the bowl as you go while making the cheesecake mixture. This ensures even mixing and no lumps
Do not overmix the cheesecake mixture! It is important to mix slowly and just enough when adding the pistachio cream and folding in the whipped cream. Otherwise the mixture might split or become grainy.
Frequently asked questions
I recommend using Pisti pistachio cream for the best results. Homemade pistachio cream takes a lot of work and often doesn't have the same flavor or texture.
Yes, this cheesecake is great to make ahead of time as it stays good in the fridge for 3-5 days! Of course, it is best to serve within 1-2 days of preparing for best results.
Related recipes
No bake dessert lovers are in the right place! Check out these recipes:
No Bake Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Description
A delicious creamy no bake pistachio cheesecake with a chocolate crust, crispy pistachio knafeh layer and chocolate ganache
Ingredients
Crust:
- 25 chocolate creme cookies (e.g., Oreos) (285g)
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (70g)
Pistachio knafeh:
- 3 cups shredded kataifi (100g)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (56g)
- ½ cup to ⅔ cup pistachio cream (140g to 185g)
- Pinch of salt
Chocolate ganache:
- 1 cup heavy cream (240g)
- 200g dark or semi sweet chocolate
Pistachio cheesecake:
- 24oz cream cheese (680g), room temperature
- ½ cup sugar (100g)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup to ⅔ cup pistachio cream (140g to 185g)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled (240g)
Instructions
Crust:
- Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper
- Grind the chocolate cookies and melted butter in a food processor until they form a fine crumb
- Press the crumb tightly and evenly in the bottom of the pan to create the crust. Freeze for 10 minutes
Pistachio knafeh:
- Toast the shredded kataifi in the unsalted butter in a nonstick pan for ~10 minutes on medium-low heat until the kataifi becomes golden brown and very crispy. Break clumps along the way and make sure it doesn't burn
- Mix in the pistachio cream and salt to taste
- Spread the mixture on top of the cheesecake crust evenly. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes until it cools down
Chocolate ganache:
- Microwave the cream and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until a smooth and shiny ganache forms
- Pour half of the ganache on top of the pistachio knafeh layer in the cheesecake pan. Tilt the pan to spread it evenly. Place in the freezer until it firms up. Reserve the remaining ganache for the top of the cheesecake
Pistachio cheesecake:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Use the paddle attachment to whisk for 3-5 minutes on medium speed until the mixture looks creamy, scraping the bowl along the way
- Add the pistachio cream and whisk on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix as it can split easily
- In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream until it reaches stiff peaks (holds shape). Do not overmix
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the rest of the cheesecake batter very slowly and gently with a rubber spatula, taking care not to knock out the air. A smooth and silky cheesecake batter will form
- Spread the cheesecake batter on top of the ganache layer and even it out with an offset spatula
- Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours)
Decoration:
- When the cheesecake is thoroughly chilled, carefully remove from the pan and transfer to a serving stand
- Warm up the remaining ganache in the microwave until it becomes runny again. Pour it on top of the cold cheesecake and spread it out, letting some drip down the edges
- If desired, decorate by drizzling over some melted white chocolate and melted pistachio cream, and add some chopped pistachio
- Serve & enjoy!
Video Tutorial:
Zahra says
Hello,
Can i replace Oreo with any other cookies as i am concerned about them being halal??
Pooja says
This was really delicious (and surprisingly easy to make)- the combination of textures was really unique. Will definitely make it again!
Zoha says
I felt the exact same way about it!
Ash says
When you refer to sugar do you mean icing sugar?
Zoha says
Powdered, icing and confectioner's are the same sugar!
Dreamer says
how do I transfer the cake to the serving stand to decorate? won't it stick? I have the Fat Dadio springform pan... am i using it wrong? I thought only baked cakes can come out .. pls advise!
marriyam latif says
looks delish! will try this on eid! Quick question, how to avoid the biscuit base getting too solid? so it gets hard to chew when the cheesecake is ready. Happens with me all the time, so annoying! less butter or too much butter?
Fatima Mahmood says
looks delish
LHG says
what components of this can you make ahead of time?
ReaderTemp says
greetings, dont have the stand mixer, will it still be okay to proceed with the recipe? quite urgent, much thanks
Sakina says
Made this for Eid party & it was a hit! So easy and the flavors were delicious. Smart recipe - thank you, Zoha!
Naila says
asalamualykum ww zoha
this recipe looks amazing delicious but can I make a chocolate cake for the base instead of biscuits base JazakaAllah lots of love and duas
love naila khan
Afifa Kamal says
Great cake. Mine tasted salty more than sweet. I think I messed up somewhere.
Soaiba says
Is it necessary to freeze every part of this pistachio cheese cake like first the Oreo crust,then khanfeh crust and then ganache?
Narfah Hassan says
Where u mention qunitity of ingredients??
Zoha says
In the recipe card
Heidi Smith says
do you take the cream out of the Oreos first?
Zoha says
Nope!
Est says
this turned out really good! recommend this recipe!
Zoha says
Thank you SO much!
Urwa says
Hello zoha I tried the recipe a quick question please need an expert advice what’s the alternative of gelatine in cheese cakes ?? as its smell so bad even after adding vanilla essence.
Kindly reply
Thank you
Zoha says
Hi Urwa! This recipe does not require gelatin!
Laura says
I love to bake and have several specialty dessert recipes that I am often asked to bring to gatherings, but this surpasses them all! My husband saw the recipe and sent me a link, not necessarily expecting me to make it, but when I did several months later, he, an adult son and his friends, and I all declared this the best dessert we’ve ever had! What a great recipe! Thank you for sharing it with us!!
Zoha says
O MY GOD!!! THANK YOU!!!
elizabeth guerrero says
Hi Zoha.
Can I freeze this cheesecake?
Thanks!
Ash says
It tasted delicious but the cheesecake filling was a bit soft a didn’t set as much as the image. Also my ganache never solidified completely either?
Zoha says
Hi Ash! May I ask where you live? It is possible the cream cheese you used just wasn't high enough in fat content, or you overmixed causing the mixture to become runny. Ganache isn't supposed to "solidify" but should get firm enough for easy layering.
Zoha says
Hi there! I haven't personally tried but i think it should be okay 🙂 Thaw overnight in the fridge
Asma Amer says
Such a simple recipe of the viral treat. Amazing.
Zoha says
Thank you!
Sadia says
I made this for an event yesterday, it turned out amazing. One of the best deserts ever. The combination of textures was wonderful. Thank you for the recipe. I loved how the recipe was detailed so there was no confusion and the ingredients were measured out by weight and cups. I will definitely make this again.
Zoha says
AWW thank you so much, Sadia! So happy you liked it.
SKP says
I made this cake yesterday and it tasted pretty good! Thank you Zoha! There are a few tweaks I would highly recommend for those making.
First is, this recipe is not aggregated with all of the things you need in one list, so my recommendation would be to do that first for your shopping list. I found this recipe is confusing because some are in grams for normal things that would be in cups in the US and other in cups.
For the ganache, I wouldn’t make it all at once, and I personally cut the ganache in half and made half of it for the middle of the cake and half for the top. The knafeh could’ve been increased for this recipe. The box I bought was 100g but it was hands down not 3 cups equivalent.
The half cup of pistachio for the knafeh was enough but half cup for the cream cheese part was not enough, so I would use the 2/3 c next time. I also haven’t made a no bake cheesecake before so I felt unless it was served frozen it was a little too fluffy of a topping. More like a cream pie versus a cheesecake.
Overall although the taste was delicious! I would make it more pistachio forward next time! I will put crushed pistachios in the cream cheese part next time and add more knafeh and decrease the crust by a few cookies. I love pie or cheesecake crust so much and chocolate but it overpowered the pistachio a lot.
Zoha says
Thanks for all your input - I think many things come down to preference here 🙂 As for measurements, I share measurements in cups for all ingredients that are easy to measure in cups, and share grams for all ingredients except the small quantities (eg 1 tsp) that scales cannot measure accurately. The intention is to help people measure regardless of which method they prefer. Your knafeh is probably measuring different from mine because mine came in longer strands and took up more volume - but that's why the gram measurements are important, and why I always recommend using grams 🙂