Milk Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

This milk chocolate chip cheesecake is the lighter cousin of the classic dense, fork-bending New York style. By swapping nonfat cream cheese for full-fat and egg whites for whole eggs, the recipe lops off most of the fat without sacrificing the flavor or texture you want from cheesecake.

The milk chocolate chips are the key flavor move. They melt into pockets throughout the filling rather than disappearing into the batter, giving every bite contrasting hits of soft chocolate against tangy cheesecake. Use mini chips if you want them more evenly distributed; standard chips for bigger chocolate moments.

Sour cream in the filling does important structural work. It adds back some of the moisture and richness that nonfat cream cheese loses, and the slight acidity tightens the protein structure for a smoother set. Light sour cream works fine; nonfat sour cream tends to make the cheesecake slightly grainy.

Use a pie pan rather than a springform here. The recipe is sized for a standard 9-inch pie pan, which means thinner slices but easier prep. No water bath required either, which is a nice change from traditional cheesecake fuss.

Pro Tips

• Bring the cream cheese to true room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that no amount of beating will fix.
• Don’t overbeat once eggs and chocolate chips go in. Too much air leads to puffy cheesecakes that crack as they cool.
• Cool slowly. Pull the cheesecake out and let it sit at room temperature for an hour before refrigerating to prevent surface cracking.

Variations

• Use semisweet or dark chocolate chips for a less sweet, more intense version.
• Top with a drizzle of melted chocolate or a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries.
• Add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder to the filling for a mocha-chip cheesecake.