A delicious and sweet white chocolate cheesecake with cranberry sauce layered throughout. With sweet, tangy, rich, and delicious cheesecake-like this, your holidays will be set.
This cheesecake is a delectable dessert that brings together the rich creaminess of cheesecake, the tartness of cranberries, and the sweetness of white chocolate into a harmonious symphony of flavors.
The gingersnap pie crust at the bottom adds a little spice and helps to tone down that sweetness just a tad, and it is very much recommended as opposed to a graham cracker crust.
This dessert is perfect for special occasions, holiday gatherings, or when you simply want to treat yourself to something indulgent and delightful.
For more cheesecake recipes, check out my No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake, No Bake Cool Whip Cheesecake, Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake, and Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes.
Jump to:
🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- It's perfect for holiday parties. This is the perfect holiday cheesecake to bring to the table the next time everyone gathers together for a traditional holiday meal.
- It's great for using leftover canned cranberry jelly. Doing a pantry challenge and finding odds and ends? This recipe is perfect for using up the leftover can of jellied cranberries you forgot in the pantry or the leftover homemade cranberry sauce you made from scratch this year.
- Simple ingredients. We don't need much to make a tasty cheesecake, and this recipe is simple, basic, and delicious. You may have some of the needed ingredients on hand already, so grocery shopping may be minimal.
🥘 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Gingersnap cookie crumbs- Just buy a box of gingersnap cookies and mash them into crumbs inside a Ziploc or food processor.
Jellied cranberries- You can also use 1-2 cups of leftover homemade cranberry sauce or canned whole cranberry sauce.
White chocolate baking chips- We need a 12-ounce bag of white chocolate chips or 2 cups of chopped chocolate.
Cream cheese- Giving us a rich cream cheese flavor are 3 blocks (8 ounces each) of cream cheese.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Place a large baking sheet on the very bottom rack of the oven. Fill ½ way with water. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2: In a bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients until crumbly and then press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
Step 3: In another bowl, melt your chocolate chips with the half and half in 30-second intervals in the microwave. Stir between each until smooth. You can also melt them in a pot on the stove over low heat. Let cool.
Step 4: In another microwave bowl or pot, heat the cranberry jelly until soft and no longer chunky. Let cool.
Step 5: In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
Step 6: Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well until smooth after each addition.
Step 7: Pour the white chocolate mixture and the vanilla extract into the cheesecake batter and blend until smooth.
Step 8: Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the prepared pie crust.
Step 9: Spread most (if not all) of the cranberry sauce onto the layer of cheesecake.
Step 10: Pour in the remaining batter and spread smooth.
If desired, drop the remaining cranberry sauce in small dollops or drops and then use a toothpick to swirl around for a cool design.
Step 11: Bake for about 55-60 minutes until the cheesecake has set. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake.
Step 12: Let it cool for about an hour or two on the counter and then cover and place it in the fridge for several hours (at least 4) or overnight to chill before serving.
🍴 Recipe Tips
Make sure that you don't overmix the crumb crust. When you overmix the crust you create a solid mass that doesn't enjoy being cut and removed from the pan as easily. This makes serving a tad more difficult.
The cranberry flavor isn't overwhelming but is much more like a savory finish from the white chocolate which is nice. For a stronger cranberry flavor, you can add more cranberry sauce, but try not to exceed 2 cups in total. A fresher sauce will obviously give a stronger flavor.
Make this cheesecake the day before so it has plenty of time to chill and solidify.
💭 FAQs
Yes, this white chocolate and cranberry cheesecake recipe could be made in a 10 inch instead of a 9 inch. Just note that the baking time will be less and the cheesecake will be thinner, so keep a more watchful eye and pull it from the oven when it passes the clean knife test.
Yes. This can be made, chilled, and then frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to chill completely overnight before wrapping it in plastic wrap and storing it in an airtight container. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Cheesecakes typically need to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours or overnight to set properly.
❤️ More Delicious Christmas Recipes
If you tried this Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 cups Gingersnap cookie crumbs ($1.00)
- 4 Tablespoons Butter, melted ($0.36)
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar ($0.07)
Filling
- 1 can (14oz) Jellied cranberries ($1.74)
- 2 cups White chocolate baking chips (12 ounce bag) ($1.99)
- ½ cup Half and half ($0.50)
- 24 ounces Cream cheese, softened ($5.94)
- ½ cup Granulated sugar ($0.11)
- 3 large Eggs ($0.24)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract ($0.02)
Instructions
- Place a large baking sheet on the very bottom rack of the oven. Fill ½ way with water. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients until crumbly and then press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- In another bowl, melt your chocolate chips with the half and half in 30-second intervals in the microwave. Stir between each until smooth. You can also melt them in a pot on the stove over low heat. Let cool.
- In another microwave bowl or pot, heat the cranberry jelly until soft and no longer chunky. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well until smooth after each addition.
- Pour the white chocolate mixture and the vanilla extract into the cheesecake batter and blend until smooth.
- Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the prepared pie crust.
- Spread most (if not all) of the cranberry sauce onto the layer of cheesecake.
- Pour in the remaining batter and spread smooth.
- If desired, drop the remaining cranberry sauce in small dollops or drops and then use a toothpick to swirl around for a cool design.
- Bake for about 55-60 minutes until the cheesecake has set. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake.
- Let it cool for about an hour or two on the counter and then cover and place it in the fridge for several hours (at least 4) or overnight to chill before serving.
Notes
- Crust Mixing: Avoid overmixing the crumb crust to prevent a dense texture.
- Cranberry Flavor: Adding more cranberry sauce is an option for a stronger flavor, but don't exceed 2 cups for best results.
- Preparation Time: It's recommended to make the cheesecake a day ahead for proper chilling.
- Pan Size: Using a 10-inch pan is possible but requires shorter baking time; monitor for doneness.
- Freezing: To freeze, chill the cheesecake, wrap it in plastic and store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
peter fjeld says
What temperature for baking? Can I Use a water bath?
Nicole says
It'll be baked at 350 degrees F. and yes, a water bath can be used.