Nutella Digestive Cheesecake

Rich, decadent chocolate cake with a crunchy base and chocolate shavings garnish.

I made this cheesecake on a day when I wanted something sweet but didn’t feel like turning the oven on or washing five different bowls. It’s the kind of recipe I keep coming back to because it’s simple, it sets up neatly, and it tastes exactly like what it is: a creamy Nutella filling on a buttery digestive base.

It’s also a “quiet” dessert—no layers, no complicated steps, no fancy equipment. Just crush, mix, chill, spread, and you’re done. If you’ve got a 20 cm pan and a mixer (even a hand mixer), you can make it.

What to expect (so you’re not guessing)

Texture: firm enough to slice after chilling, but still soft and creamy in the middle
Flavor: Nutella is the main character, with mascarpone/cream cheese giving it a cheesecake feel instead of straight chocolate spread
Sweetness: on the sweeter side (Nutella is doing the heavy lifting), but the slight tang from cream cheese keeps it from being flat
Time: about 10–15 minutes of hands-on work + chill time

Ingredients (with a quick breakdown of what each one does)

Crust / base

100 g digestive biscuits
This gives you that classic crumb base with a slightly wheaty, caramel note. If you crush them finely, the base slices cleaner.

60 g butter (melted)
Butter is the glue. It binds the crumbs and turns them into a sliceable base once chilled.

Filling

125 g mascarpone
Mascarpone brings richness and a soft, milky flavor. It also makes the filling feel “rounder” and less sharp.

70 g cream cheese
Cream cheese adds structure and a little tang. This is what pushes the filling from “Nutella mousse” into “cheesecake”.

200 g Nutella
This provides sweetness, chocolate-hazelnut flavor, and most of the color. It also thickens the filling on its own, which is why this recipe can stay so minimal.

Equipment you’ll need

20 cm cake pan (springform is easiest, but not required)
mixing bowl
hand mixer or stand mixer
spoon or spatula
something to crush biscuits (food processor or rolling pin + bag)

If you don’t have a springform pan, line the base (and ideally the sides) with baking paper so you can lift it out more easily.

Step-by-step instructions

1) Make the digestive base

Crush the biscuits until they’re fine crumbs.
- Food processor: easiest and fastest
- No processor: put biscuits in a sturdy bag and crush with a rolling pin
Melt the butter (microwave or small pot) and pour it into the crumbs.
Mix until it looks like wet sand.
Press into your 20 cm pan.
I press the crumbs down firmly using the bottom of a glass. Don’t rush this—packing the base properly is what stops it crumbling later.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.
This sets the butter and gives you a solid base before adding the filling.

2) Mix the Nutella cheesecake filling

Add mascarpone and cream cheese to a bowl.
Beat briefly with a mixer—just until combined and smooth.
Don’t go crazy here. Overmixing can loosen the mixture too much.
Add the Nutella and mix again until the filling is smooth and evenly combined.
Scrape down the sides once or twice so there are no pale streaks.

3) Fill and level

Take the base out of the fridge.
Spoon the filling over the crust and spread it out evenly.
I use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula and smooth it right to the edges.

4) Decorate (optional, but fun)

Top it with anything that makes sense with Nutella. My usual choices:

chopped toasted hazelnuts (best crunch + flavor)
grated chocolate or chocolate curls
a light dusting of cocoa
drizzle of warmed Nutella (10 seconds in the microwave makes it pourable)

If you’re adding nuts, a quick toast in a dry pan makes them smell amazing.

5) Chill until set

This part isn’t in the short method you sent, but in real life it matters: once filled, the cheesecake needs time to firm up.

Minimum: 3–4 hours in the fridge
Best: overnight

If you try slicing too early, it won’t be a disaster—it’ll just be softer and a bit messy.

Tips that actually help (from making it more than once)

Use room temperature cheese

If mascarpone or cream cheese is too cold, it can mix unevenly and you’ll end up working the batter longer than you need to. I usually leave them out for 15–20 minutes.

Don’t overmix the filling

You’re not whipping air into it—just combining. Mix until smooth, then stop. The filling should look glossy and thick.

Press the base firmly

If the base is loosely packed, it crumbles when you slice. I press it down hard and especially pack the edges.

Want cleaner slices?

Chill overnight
Run a knife under hot water, wipe it dry, slice
Repeat between slices

If your Nutella is stiff

In colder kitchens, Nutella can be thick and stubborn. I warm it for 5–10 seconds in the microwave (not more), just to loosen it slightly before mixing.

Easy variations (same base recipe, small changes)

Add a pinch of salt

A small pinch of fine salt in the filling makes the Nutella taste more “grown up” without changing the recipe.

Make it look like a bakery slice

smooth the top very flat
pipe a few small swirls of whipped cream around the edge
finish with hazelnuts in the center

Turn it into mini cheesecakes

Press the base into muffin liners, fill, chill. They set faster and are easier for serving.

Storage

Fridge: keep covered, up to 3 days
Freezer: you can freeze slices. Wrap well, freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge.

The base softens slightly over time, but it’s still good—just less crunchy on day three.