Christmas Cheesecake

Our Christmas cheesecake is a stunning dessert that will be the star of your holiday meal with its creamy layers of cheesecake, whipped cream, and tart cranberry compote.

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This amazing Christmas cheesecake is a show-stopper with plenty of Christmas cheer, making it the highlight of this holiday season. The stunning dessert is brimming with festive flavors.

Christmas Cheesecake Ingredients

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Brimming with flavor, decadently sweet, and softly tart, this festive masterpiece melts in your mouth with each and every bite.

The creamy texture of the cream cheese and white chocolate filling combined with the unmistakably buttery base will delight you with its richness.

Topped with candied cranberries and filled with a hidden cranberry sauce layer, the flavors will leave you wanting more.

To make this delectable dessert, you’ll need:

For The Candied Fresh Cranberries Garnish:

• ¾ cup of water
• 1½ cups of granulated sugar, divided into ½ cup and 1 cup
• 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice
• 2 cups of fresh cranberries

PRO TIP:

The candied cranberries need to be made ahead of time as they require an overnight soak and chill before they can be used for the garnish on the top of this cheesecake.

If you are able to chill your cheesecake overnight, then you do not have to make the candied cranberries ahead of time as they can chill in the refrigerator overnight along with the cheesecake, then you can top your cheesecake before slicing and serving.

For The Cranberry Compote Layer:

• 1 (14-ounce) can of whole berry cranberry sauce (I used Ocean Spray brand)
• ⅓ cup of granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon of fresh orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon of salt

PRO TIP:

Make sure that you get the whole berry cranberry sauce. DO NOT use the jellied sauce. Choose a good quality brand that you would serve at your holiday dinner table.

I do not suggest doubling the amount of the cranberry compote layer, as you don’t want your bottom crust to get soggy when your cheesecake is baked and cooled.

For The Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup of finely chopped pecans
• ⅓ cup of granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ cup of unsalted butter, melted

PRO TIP:

Because there are so many steps to this homemade cheesecake recipe, I like to use shortcuts when possible, and a great shortcut is the pre-packaged graham cracker crumbs.

You can find them in the baking aisle of your grocery store. If you want to make your own crumbs, you can do so by adding whole graham crackers to a food processor and grinding them yourself.

For The Cheesecake Layer:

• 2 (8-ounce) blocks of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup of sour cream
• 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons of vanilla extract

For The White Chocolate Whipped Cream Layer:

• 2½ cups of heavy cream, very cold, divided into 1 cup, 1 cup, and ½ cup
• ½ cup of powdered sugar
• 4 ounces of white chocolate baking bar, broken into smaller pieces
• 1 tablespoon of water
• 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin

Substitutions And Additions

DAIRY: I used full-fat cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy whipping cream for this Christmas dessert recipe.

Cheesecakes are a rich and indulgent dessert, and full-fat dairy products will give you the best results.

WHITE CHOCOLATE: When choosing white chocolate for this heavenly dessert recipe, you need to use a good quality baking bar and NOT white chocolate chips.

The chips do not melt as easily and do not mix as well with the whipped cream. The chips have added ingredients and stabilizers in them that the baking bars do not have.

NUTS: I used finely chopped pecans in this crust, but you can substitute walnuts or even blanched almonds if you desire.

Just remember to chop them very fine so that they incorporate into the graham cracker crumbs well.

Alternatively, if you do not want nuts in your crust, you can omit them and just add an additional half cup of graham cracker crumbs.

How To Make This Christmas Cheesecake Recipe

This incredible dessert requires many steps, and we recommend giving yourself ample time to make it.

Before making the actual cheesecake, you’ll want to prepare the candied cranberries, which need to sit overnight in the fridge.

Next, you will create layers of a graham cracker crust, cranberry sauce, and cheesecake filling. Bake your cheesecake and let it cool.

Finally, you will whip up the fluffy, white chocolate whipped cream to top your cheesecake along with the candied cranberries.

Let’s dive into the step-by-step instructions for this decadent dessert.

STEP ONE: In a medium saucepan, on medium heat, add the water, a half cup of sugar, and orange juice.

Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugars. This will take two to three minutes. Turn off the heat and pour the sugar water over the fresh cranberries in a medium bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. You will use the remaining one cup of sugar to coat the cranberries after their overnight soak.

STEP TWO: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil.

In a large, oven-safe dish, add one to two inches of water and set aside. You will NOT place your springform pan into the dish with the water.

The dish with the water will go onto the lower rack in your oven, while the cheesecake will cook on the middle rack.

This will create a moist baking environment for your cheesecake to cook evenly without risking water seeping into your springform pan while your cheesecake bakes.

STEP THREE: First, you will make your cranberry compote by adding the whole berry cranberry sauce, granulated sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and salt to a medium saucepan.

Bring to a simmer on medium heat, and cook for five minutes or until the sugars are dissolved and the cranberry compote has thickened.

Remove from the heat and cool while making the other components of the Christmas cheesecake.

STEP FOUR: In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped pecans, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until completely incorporated.

Pack the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan with the crust mixture. You can use the bottom of a flat dry measuring cup to press the crumbs into a thick, tight crust.

Place the springform pan, with the crust pressed in, into the freezer to chill while you make the cheesecake filling.

STEP FIVE: In another large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, add the cream cheese and beat for one to two minutes to get all the lumps out of the cream cheese before adding the granulated sugar.

Continue to beat for another minute to incorporate the sugar into the cream cheese.

STEP SIX: With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, being sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next.

Add the sour cream, all-purpose flour, and vanilla extract and mix just until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Be sure not to beat too much air into the cheesecake batter.

STEP SEVEN: Take the crust out of the freezer and add the cooled cranberry compote mixture to the bottom of the crust in an even layer.

STEP EIGHT: Very slowly, add the cream cheese mixture on top of the cranberry compote layer. Be careful not to mix the compote into the cream cheese.

STEP NINE: Place the water-filled dish onto the bottom tray of the oven, then place the Christmas cheesecake on the middle rack and bake the cheesecake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Your cheesecake is done when the center is just barely jiggly when you move your springform pan.

STEP TEN: Turn off the oven and crack the door open a couple of inches to allow your cheesecake to cool in the oven for one hour.

Remove and allow to cool on the counter before placing it into the refrigerator to cool completely. 

STEP ELEVEN: While your cheesecake is baking and cooling, you can make the white chocolate whipped cream.

Add two cups of heavy cream to a large bowl and beat it on low speed for two minutes.

Add the powdered sugar and increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat it until it is thick with just slightly stiff peaks. Do not overbeat.

STEP TWELVE: Heat the remaining half cup of heavy cream in a microwave-safe, large-sized bowl for one minute.

Once hot, add the white chocolate bar that has been broken into smaller pieces.

Allow the hot heavy cream to cover the chocolate and let it sit for two minutes, then stir until smooth.

STEP THIRTEEN: In a small dish, add one tablespoon of water and sprinkle over the unflavored gelatin.

Once the gelatin has absorbed the water, heat it for 20 seconds in the microwave, then add it to the bowl of melted white chocolate. Stir to completely incorporate.

STEP FOURTEEN: Add about one cup of the whipped heavy cream to the white chocolate and stir to combine.

Add another cup of whipped cream, but this time you will gently start to fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate.

Repeat until you have gently folded all the whipped cream into the white chocolate.

Be sure to be gentle while folding in the whipped cream, as you do not want to deflate your white chocolate whipped cream.

STEP FIFTEEN: Transfer half of your white chocolate whipped cream to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Store the piping bag and bowl of whipped cream in the refrigerator until your cheesecake has cooled completely.

STEP SIXTEEN: Once your cheesecake has cooled to room temperature on the counter, you can top it with the other half of the white chocolate whipped topping that is not in the piping bag. You want a nice thick layer.

STEP SEVENTEEN: Place your cheesecake into the refrigerator to cool for a minimum of eight hours, but an overnight chill is ideal. 

STEP EIGHTEEN: For the sugar-coated fresh cranberries, you will drain the liquid off them and, using a slotted spoon, toss a handful of the sweetened cranberries into a bowl of one cup of granulated sugar and coat them in the sugar.

Remove the sugar-coated cranberries with the slotted spoon, allowing any excess sugar to filter back into the bowl, and place the coated berries onto a plate.

Repeat until all the cranberries have been coated.

STEP NINETEEN: Once your cheesecake has completely chilled and set, you can remove the outer form from the springform pan, and place your cheesecake onto a serving plate.

Garnish the center with the sugar-coated cranberries and pipe the remaining white chocolate whipped cream around the edges for a beautiful finish.

How To Serve This Christmas Cranberry Cheesecake

This festive dessert will look like a masterpiece on your holiday table, and any cheesecake lovers will not believe how amazing it tastes.

Serve and savor your sweet treat alongside a tall glass of ice-cold homemade eggnog, or even opt for something unexpected like a hot mug of chai tea.

Include freshly baked gingersnaps and snowball cookies that provide the perfect contrast to that velvety cheesecake texture.

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side for creamy creaminess

For more holiday delicacies, our Christmas red velvet poke cake and Christmas fudge are two favorites.

MORE CHEESECAKE RECIPES

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Storing Your Holiday Cheesecake

You don’t want any of this incredible cheesecake to go to waste. Here’s how to store it.

MAKE AHEAD: If you want to get a head start on your holiday prep, you can definitely make this cheesecake ahead of time.

Once it’s fully cooled and set, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then, pop it in the fridge.

Your cheesecake will stay fresh and delicious for up to two days before serving.

This makes it a fantastic option for getting some of the cooking done in advance, giving you more time to enjoy the festivities with your loved ones.

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store your Christmas cranberry cheesecake in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

I highly recommend waiting until you are ready to serve it before adding the garnish of the sugared cranberries and piped white chocolate whipped topping.

IN THE FREEZER: You can also keep this dessert in the freezer for up to two months.

Wrap it well, and we’d recommend waiting to add the garnish until you are ready to serve.

Why We Love This Recipe

FESTIVE FLAVORS: This cheesecake is a delightful blend of classic holiday flavors. With a buttery graham cracker crust, a creamy and rich cheesecake filling, and a luscious cranberry compote on top, it’s a perfect dessert to get you in the festive spirit.

STUNNING PRESENTATION: This cheesecake is not only delicious but also visually appealing. The vibrant red cranberry topping adds a pop of color that makes it an eye-catching centerpiece for your holiday dessert table.

CROWD-PLEASER: Whether you’re serving a large gathering or an intimate family dinner, this cheesecake is a crowd-pleaser. Its combination of sweet, tangy, and creamy elements appeals to a wide range of tastes.

You’ll know the effort is worth it when you bite into this delicious dessert. With layers of tangy cranberry, creamy cheesecake, and sweet white chocolate whipped cream all set on top of a buttery graham cracker crust; I’m not sure you could get any more decadent than this Christmas cheesecake.

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Christmas Cheesecake

4.93 from 39 votes

Our Christmas cheesecake is a stunning dessert that will be the star of your holiday meal with its creamy layers of cheesecake, whipped cream, and tart cranberry compote.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 10 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10

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Ingredients

  

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Candied Fresh Cranberries for Garnish

• ¾ cup water
• 1½ cups granulated sugar, divided into ½ cup and 1 cup
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 cups fresh cranberries

Cranberry Compote Layer

• 14 ounces whole berry cranberry sauce
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Crust

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup finely chopped pecans
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Layer

• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

White Chocolate Whipped Cream Layer

• 2½ cups heavy cream, very cold, divided into 1 cup, 1 cup, and ½ cup
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 4 ounces white chocolate baking bar, broken into smaller pieces
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

Instructions

 

• In a medium saucepan on medium heat, add the water, ½ cup sugar, and orange juice. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugars. This will take 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour the sugar water over the fresh cranberries in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. You will use the remaining 1 cup of sugar to coat the cranberries after their overnight soak.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil. In a large, oven-safe dish, add 1 to 2 inches of water and set aside. You will NOT place your springform pan into the dish with the water. The dish with the water will go onto the lower rack in your oven, while the cheesecake will cook on the middle rack. This will create a moist baking environment for your cheesecake to cook evenly without risking water seeping into your springform pan while your cheesecake bakes.
• First, you will make your cranberry compote by adding the whole berry cranberry sauce, granulated sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, and cook for 5 minutes or until the sugars are dissolved and the cranberry compote has thickened. Remove from the heat and cool while making the other components of the Christmas cheesecake.
• In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped pecans, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until completely incorporated. Pack the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan with the crust mixture. You can use the bottom of a flat dry measuring cup to press the crumbs into a thick, tight crust. Place the springform pan, with the crust pressed in, into the freezer to chill while you make the cheesecake filling.
• In another large mixing bowl, with a handheld mixer on medium speed, add the cream cheese and beat for 1 to 2 minutes to get all the lumps out of the cream cheese before adding the granulated sugar. Continue to beat for another minute to incorporate the sugar into the cream cheese.
• With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, being sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next, then add the sour cream, all-purpose flour, and vanilla extract and mix just until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Be sure not to beat too much air into the cream cheese mixture.
• Take the crust out of the freezer and add the cooled cranberry compote mixture to the bottom of the crust in an even layer.
• Very slowly, add the cream cheese mixture on top of the cranberry compote layer. Be careful not to mix the compote into the cream cheese.
• Place the water-filled dish onto the bottom tray of the oven, then place the Christmas cheesecake on the middle rack and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Your cheesecake is done when the center is just barely jiggly when you move your springform pan.
• Turn off the oven and crack the door open a couple of inches to allow your cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and allow to cool on the counter before placing it into the refrigerator to cool completely.
• While your cheesecake is baking and cooling, you can make the white chocolate whipped cream by adding 2 cups of heavy cream to a large bowl and beat it on low speed for 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat it until it is thick with just slightly stiff peaks. Do not overbeat.
• Heat the remaining ½ cup of heavy cream in a microwave-safe, large-sized bowl for 1 minute. Once hot, add the white chocolate bar that has been broken into smaller pieces. Allow the hot heavy cream to cover the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
• In a small dish, add the 1 tablespoon of water and sprinkle over the unflavored gelatin. Once the gelatin has absorbed the water, heat it for 20 seconds in the microwave, then add it to the bowl of melted white chocolate. Stir to completely incorporate.
• Add about 1 cup of the whipped heavy cream to the white chocolate and stir to combine. Add another 1 cup of whipped cream, but this time you will gently start to fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate. Repeat until you have gently folded all the whipped cream into the white chocolate. Be sure to be gentle while folding the whipped cream into the white chocolate, as you do not want to deflate your white chocolate whipped cream.
• Transfer half of your white chocolate whipped cream to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and store the piping bag and bowl of whipped cream in the refrigerator until your cheesecake has cooled completely.
• Once your cheesecake has cooled to room temperature on the counter, you can top it with the other half of the white chocolate whipped topping that is not in the piping bag. You want a nice thick layer.
• Place your cheesecake into the refrigerator to cool for a minimum of 8 hours, but an overnight chill is ideal.
• For the sugar-coated fresh cranberries, you will drain the liquid off them and, using a slotted spoon, toss a handful of the sweetened cranberries into a bowl of the 1 cup granulated sugar and coat them in the sugar. Remove the sugar-coated cranberries with the slotted spoon, allowing any excess sugar to filter back into the bowl, and place the coated berries onto a plate. Repeat until all the cranberries have been coated.
• Once your cheesecake has completely chilled and set, you can remove the outer form from the springform pan, place your cheesecake onto a serving plate and garnish the center with the sugar-coated cranberries and pipe the remaining white chocolate whipped cream around the edges for a beautiful finish.

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Notes

• The candied cranberries need to be made ahead of time as they require an overnight soak and chill before they can be used for the garnish on the top of this cheesecake. If you are able to chill your cheesecake overnight, then you do not have to make the candied cranberries ahead of time as they can chill in the refrigerator overnight along with the cheesecake, then you can top your cheesecake before slicing and serving.
• Make sure that you get the whole berry cranberry sauce. DO NOT use the jellied sauce. Choose a good quality brand that you would serve at your holiday dinner table. I do not suggest doubling the amount of the cranberry compote layer, as you don’t want your bottom crust to get soggy when your cheesecake is baked and cooled.
• Because there are so many steps to this homemade cheesecake recipe, I like to use shortcuts when possible, and a great shortcut is the pre-packaged graham cracker crumbs.  You can find them in the baking aisle of your grocery store. If you want to make your own crumbs, you can do so by adding whole graham crackers to a food processor and grinding them yourself.
• When making this recipe, I highly suggest you read all the steps thoroughly before beginning. There are quite a few elements to this Christmas cheesecake, so you want to make sure that you are prepared before beginning. Plan to make this the day before you plan to serve it, as it really does need a good long chill to allow the cheesecake to set up properly.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cheesecake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

Nutrition

Calories: 995kcal | Carbohydrates: 114g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 481mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 98g | Vitamin A: 1936IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 2mg

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