Description
This festive Christmas Cheesecake features a luscious cranberry jam and white chocolate mousse layered atop a graham cracker crust. The creamy cheesecake filling infused with vanilla bean adds a rich and smooth texture, making it a perfect holiday dessert. Optional candied cranberries provide a beautiful crunchy topping and extra sweetness. Ideal for holiday celebrations, this dessert combines tart cranberries with sweet white chocolate for a delightful treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Jam:
- 16 oz fresh cranberries
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
Crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 5 Tbsp butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling:
- 24 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
White Chocolate Mousse:
- 8 oz baking white chocolate bars (2-4 oz bars)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 8 oz whipped topping like COOL Whip
Candied Cranberries (Optional):
- 8 oz fresh cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar or super fine sugar
Instructions
- Candied Cranberries Preparation: In a sauce pot, combine 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/2 cups sugar over medium heat. Stir slowly until sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before adding 8 oz fresh cranberries. Stir, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Drain cranberries using a colander, coat them in 1/2 cup sugar or super fine sugar in a shallow bowl, and set aside for decoration.
- Quick Cranberry Jam: In a sauce pot over medium heat, combine 16 oz fresh cranberries, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract. Cook while stirring often for 15 minutes until cranberries soften and mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Prepare Baking Pan: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Place the springform pan inside a larger roasting pan and optionally wrap the springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil to prevent water leakage.
- Make Crust: Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup brown sugar, melted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla extract thoroughly. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Spread half of the cooled cranberry jam over the crust evenly.
- Make Cheesecake Filling: Beat 24 oz cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and sour cream, mix until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each, scraping bowl sides as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low, add corn starch, then pour in heavy cream and mix until smooth. Split and scrape seeds from 1 vanilla bean into the mixture and combine well.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour cheesecake batter over cranberry jam in the crust. Place the roasting pan with the springform pan in the oven and carefully add hot water to the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the springform pan sides. Bake for 75 minutes. Turn off oven, open door halfway, and let cheesecake rest inside for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and roasting pan, unwrap foil, and let rest 20 minutes on counter. Run a greased butter knife between cake edges and pan; cool for 1 hour.
- Top with Jam and Chill: Spread remaining cranberry jam over the cooled cheesecake surface evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.
- Prepare White Chocolate Mousse: Melt white chocolate bars according to package instructions. Beat 8 oz cream cheese until smooth, then slowly incorporate melted white chocolate while mixing. Gently fold in 8 oz whipped topping until combined.
- Decorate Cheesecake: Spread white chocolate mousse over the cheesecake. Optional: pipe mousse with a frosting tip for decoration. Arrange candied cranberries on top if using. Chill before serving.
Notes
- Wrapping the springform pan with heavy duty foil prevents water from leaking into the cheesecake during water bath baking.
- To get a smooth filling, make sure cream cheese is fully softened before mixing.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool gradually to prevent cracking.
- Use a greased knife to gently loosen the cake edges from the pan to avoid damage.
- The candied cranberries can be prepared the night before to save time.
- For best results, chill the cheesecake overnight after topping with mousse for full flavor development.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (out of 10)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
