This Cranberry Cheesecake is everything you want in a holiday dessert: creamy, dreamy, and downright delicious. Go ahead, make it the centerpiece of your celebration - you won't regret it!
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Elevate your holiday dessert with Cranberry Cheesecake! Silky smooth, rich, and topped with a tangy-sweet cranberry glaze, this show-stopper is the ultimate festive treat. Easy enough for beginners and elegant enough to wow your guests, this dessert deserves a spot on your holiday table!
P.S. Not a cranberry fan? This Biscoff Cheesecake is equally irresistible.
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Why you'll love this Cranberry Cheesecake
- Easy to Make: Simple steps, even for beginners.
- Stunning Presentation: A festive dessert that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
- Perfect Balance of Flavors: Creamy, rich, and perfectly tart.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Ingredient Notes
- Gingersnaps: For a twist, use graham crackers, vanilla wafers or even gluten-free gingersnaps!
- Cream Cheese & Sour Cream: Use full-fat for best results.
- Cranberries: Fresh berries are a must for the sugared cranberries, but you can use frozen cranberries if just making the glaze.
Instructions
Plan ahead: This cranberry cheesecake needs to chill overnight in the fridge.
- Make the crust: Crush cookies (use a food processor or mash in a plastic bag with a rolling pin), mix with sugar and melted butter, and press into a springform pan. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes; cool completely.
- Cranberry Glaze: Simmer cranberries, sugar, water, orange juice, and cornstarch until thickened. Strain through a sieve; chill.
- Make batter & bake: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in sour cream, vanilla & eggs. Pour batter over the crust, place prepared springform pan in a roasting pan with water, and bake for 75 minutes.
- Assemble: Spread cranberry glaze over the chilled cheesecake. Top with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs for a festive flair.
Sugared Cranberries Tip: Soak in simple syrup, let dry slightly, then roll in sugar for that frosty, sparkly look.
Cheesecake FAQs
Use a water bath! It keeps the temperature steady while baking, so no cracks or sinking. Just wrap your springform pan in foil or put it inside a larger pan, then set it in a roasting pan with about ½ inch of water. Moist heat = creamy goodness!
Give the pan a little nudge. If the center jiggles slightly, you're golden! Let it cool in the oven for an hour to set perfectly.
Definitely! You can make it up to 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge. If you
want to freeze it (without the glaze), it'll last up to 3 months. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge, add the cranberry glaze a few hours before serving, and you're all set!
Yes! Just swap the gingersnaps for your favorite gluten-free cookies.
In the fridge, it'll stay fresh for 3-4 days. The sugared cranberries might dull a bit, but they'll still taste delicious!
Tips for Perfect Cheesecake:
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a silky batter.
- No peeking! Keeping the oven closed ensures even baking.
- Chill overnight for the best texture and flavor.
- Cut clean slices with a hot knife, wiping it between cuts.
- Make Ahead: Cheesecake can be made up to 2 days in advance. Freeze (without glaze) for up to 3 months, defrost in the fridge, then glaze and garnish before serving.
More Cranberry Recipes
Have leftover cranberries? We've got recipes to help you make something new!
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Recipe
Cranberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 10 oz gingersnap cookies
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
Glaze:
- 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
Batter:
- 32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Sugared Cranberries:
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1¼ cups sugar, divided
- ¾ cup water
- Fresh rosemary sprigs, optional garnish
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Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 325℉. Grease a 10" springform pan and set aside.
- Add cookies to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the cookies look like fine sand. Add sugar and butter and process until mixture looks like wet sand. (See alternate directions without food processor below.)10 oz gingersnap cookies, 2 tablespoons sugar, 5 tablespoons butter,
- Dump cookie crumbs into prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
To make the cranberry glaze:
- Add cranberries, sugar, water, orange juice and corn starch to a medium pan and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cranberries will start to break down and mixture will thicken a bit.3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup water, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 2 teaspoons corn starch
- Remove from heat. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and press the cranberry mixture through the sieve. Discard solids and refrigerate glaze.
To make the cheesecake:
- Add cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer). Beat on until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure no lumps remain.32 oz cream cheese, , ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup sour cream, , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 large eggs,
- Fill a roasting pan with ½" of water and place in the preheated 325℉ oven. Nestle the springform pan inside a slightly larger pan (or wrap with several layers of aluminum foil). Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan and level the top. Gently place into the water bath. Bake for 65-70 minutes. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door with the handle of a wooden spoon and let the cheesecake cool for another 60 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath and cool completely.
- Remove glaze from refrigerator, whisk to smooth glaze and spread it over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
To make the sugared cranberries:
- Place cranberries in a bowl. Add ¾ cup sugar and water to a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour sugar syrup over cranberries, cover and let them sit for 30 minutes.1 cup fresh cranberries, 1¼ cups sugar, divided, ¾ cup water
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries from the syrup and place on a sheet pan or plate lined with parchment paper. Allow berries to dry for 30 minutes.
- Place remaining ½ cup sugar in a bowl and roll cranberries in the sugar to coat. Add to the cheesecake along with fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired. Slice and serve.Fresh rosemary sprigs,
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly so set out your cream cheese, sour cream and eggs for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Full fat dairy products will give you the best flavor and texture in this cheesecake.
- You can use frozen cranberries to make the glaze, but you must use fresh berries to make the sugared cranberry garnish.
- Don't have a food processor? Smash your cookies in a bag with a rolling pin before adding to a bowl and stirring in sugar and melted butter.
- Use the bottom of a drinking glass or a measuring cup to evenly press the cookie crumbs into the pan.
- You can either wrap the springform pan in multiple layers of heavy duty foil or place the springform pan in a slightly larger pan (I used an 11" cake pan for my 10" springform pan) for the water bath. I find the pan in a pan method works best to keep the water away from the springform pan, but the foil will work too as long as it's tightly wrapped up the sides so no water can seep in. Triple check!
- You can make the cheesecake up to two days ahead of time. Skip making the sugared berries until serving or they will start to soak up moisture from the cheesecake.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for another 3 days.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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