This Kahlua cream cheese pie is a deliciously indulgent dessert that’s inspired by the Marie Callender’s pie. Get the recipe now!

I make this kahlua cheesecake for my mom’s birthday every year.

Okay, time for a not-so-healthy but extremely delicious dessert.

Velvety-smooth Kahlua cream cheese filling is baked on top of a buttery, chocolate cookie crust and then topped with a tangy sour cream layer to provide some balance to this indulgent-tasting dessert.

Trust me, after one bite you’ll understand why this is my mom’s birthday dessert of choice!

This kahlua cream cheese pie is a copy cat of Marie Callender’s

With my mom’s birthday often falling on the same weekend (and sometimes the same day) as mother’s day, the middle of May always meant having lots of pie around the house, specifically Marie Callender’s pies.

While there are still frozen Marie Calendar pies you can buy in the store, I’m talking about freshly made ones from the restaurant.

Every year my mom would get a fresh Strawberry Pie for mother’s day and a Kahlua Cream Cheese Pie with a chocolate crust for her birthday.

As a kid I always preferred the strawberry one, as the coffee and slight alcohol flavors were not up my alley.

However, as I have grown up and grown into a coffee addiction, I crave the Kahlua one every May.

Unfortunately a few years ago all the Marie Calendars closed around our house, so my mom had to go without her traditional birthday pie. And that just seemed so wrong.

Cream cheese pie or cheesecake?

The traditional Marie Callender’s dessert was called a cream cheese pie, so that’s the name I went with as well.

It’s also similar to pie in that you make it in a pie crust, pre-bake the crust first, and doesn’t require a water bath for baking.

But texture-wise, this dessert is full cheesecake.

Ingredients for Kahlua Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

• Chocolate cookies: For the crust, my favorite cookie to use is Annie’s Chocolate Bunnies. But any chocolate cookie will work.
• Unsalted butter: No need to get fancy, any unsalted butter will work.
• Sugar: I find granulated sugar works the best in the crust, but cane sugar and coconut sugar can be used to.
• Cream cheese: One block of full-fat cream cheese is key for texture.
• Low-fat cream cheese: Also called neufchâtel cheese, this helps lighten it up a bit. I don’t recommend Greek yogurt cream cheese as the texture changes a bit when baked with the alcohol.
• Eggs: If possible, set out your eggs about 30 min before making the filling. Having the eggs slightly warmer than fridge-temp will incorporate more air into the filling.
• Kahlua: The key ingredient! I haven’t tried any other alcohols in this pie.
• Sour cream: As much as I love Greek yogurt, trust me and use sour cream. The flavor and texture works best for this cheesecake. Feel free to use light or full-fat sour cream.

Tips for making this Kahlua Cheesecake

• Make sure the cream cheese is perfectly soft before making the filling, otherwise you’ll end up with cream cheese chunks in your batter.
• I used to bake the sour cream topping, but found I actually like the texture better by adding the topping after the cheesecake has cooled at room temperature.
• Make this at least a day ahead of time. It really needs that night in the fridge for the textures and flavors to come together.

More cheesecake recipes

While not a “healthy” recipe, it’s one that brings back a lot of lovely memories. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with an occasional indulgence, especially when shared with people you love.

However, if you want a healthier cheesecake recipe, check out one of these recipes:

• Light and Lemony Cheesecake Bars with Strawberry Roses
• Skinny Apple Cheesecake Bars
• Mini Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
• Skinny Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars from Sally’s Baking Addiction

So here’s a toast to my mom’s birthday for inspiring this sinfully delicious treat!

Print Recipe

Sinfully Delicious Kahlua Cream Cheese Pie

Okay, time for a not-so-healthy but extremely delicious dessert. Velvety-smooth Kahlua cream cheese filling is baked on top of a buttery, chocolate cookie crust and then topped with a tangy sour cream layer to provide some balance to this indulgent-tasting dessert.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Copy cat kahlua cream cheese pie, Kahlua Cheesecake

Servings: 12

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Kelli

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) chocolate cookie crumbs I like using Annie's Chocolate Bunny Grahams
• 6 Tbsp (87 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 8- oz package original cream cheese softened
• 8- oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup Kahlua plus 1/2 teaspoon for topping
• 1 cup 8-oz sour cream
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• Pinch salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Pulse chocolate cookies, melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar in food processor until it forms a thick, sandy consistency. Firmly press into a 10-inch pie pan.
• Pre-bake pie crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool while you make the cream cheese filling.
• In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, low-fat cream cheese, and 1/2 cup sugar on high until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs until well-combined.
• Pour half of cream cheese mixture on top of pre-baked pie crust.
• Stir in 1/2 cup Kahlua to remaining filling mixture, then pour into pie pan.
• Bake pie for 35-40 minutes or until set. It shouldn't jiggle in the middle. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.
• While the pie cools, whisk together sour cream, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp kahlua and pinch of salt.
• Once cheesecake has mostly cooled, carefully spread sour cream on top.
• Place in the fridge overnight.
• When ready to serve, remove from fridge and cut into 12 equal slices. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition for 1 slice: 300 calories, 18 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 31 g carb, 1 g fiber, 22 g sugar, 4 g protein