Shelly's Recipe

VELVET CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

30 chocolate chip cookies, divided
1/4 cup butter melted
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla, divided
1 cup sour cream

Crush 20 cookies and combine with melted butter. Press onto bottom of an 8 inch springform pan. Stand remaining cookies around side of pan. Reserve 2 tbsp sugar. Beat cream cheese until creamy; beat in remaining sugar, cocoa, eggs and 1 tsp vanilla until fluffy. Pour into prepared crust.

Cover tops of cookies with band of foil before baking to avoid over browning. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes or until cheesecake is puffed and toothpick inserted 1/2 inch from edge comes out clean; remove from oven.

Blend reserved sugar, sour cream and remaining vanilla; spread evenly over cheesecake. Return to oven; bake 10 minutes more. Cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan. Garnish with whipped cream and cherries, if desired.