Amazing Christmas Cheesecake to make your holiday season as delicious and magical as you imagine! This heavenly dessert is a vanilla bean cheesecake layered with an easy cranberry jam and smooth white chocolate mousse.
CHRISTMAS DESSERT
It’s no wonder that this time of year is referred to as “the season of baking.” It seems like I bake every day in December. Making treats for holiday parties, making edible gifts, making cookies with kids, and of course, Christmas dinner dessert. That is a lot of baking for one month.
My favorite parts of holiday baking is making gingerbread man cookies with my little man and coming up with a Christmas dinner dessert. Making cookies is the best tradition for kids and one they remember the most as they grow up. While making cookies is the best memory for the kids, I make Christmas dessert cake for adults. I like to go big with dessert because it’s the grand finale of every dinner and party. If I could rig fireworks to go off when I bring out the dessert, I would. Until then, the dessert will have to speak for itself.
Oh boy, does this dessert speak for itself!
This cheesecake will make your holidays MAGICAL. Between the sweet and tart cranberry jam, silky vanilla bean cheesecake and smooth white chocolate mousse, this dessert is a heavenly combination of flavors and textures.
The candied cranberries on top of this cheesecake are totally OPTIONAL. It takes a while to make them so you can just decorate the cheesecake with white chocolate mousse if you don’t want to deal with the cranberries.
Not to say that it’s not worth it. I LOVE candied cranberries. When I was little, it was my favorite winter treat. So if you love candied cranberries, you can even make a double batch and use some for the cheesecake and the rest to snack on.
MORE HOLIDAY DESSERTS TO TRY
White Chocolate Cranberry Soft and Chewy Crinkle Cookies
Cranberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
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Christmas Cheesecake (Cranberry Jam White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake)
Ingredients
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 (overnight):
- Combine water and 1 1/2 cups of sugar in a sauce pot, over medium heat. Heat the mixture until sugar is all dissolved, while stirring slowly. Take off heat.
- Let the mixture cool a bit before adding cranberries. Add cranberries, stir, cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Drain cranberries in a colander.
- Add 1/2 cup of sugar to a shallow bowl and coat cranberries is sugar. Set aside until ready to decorate.
- Quick Cranberry Jam:
- In a sauce pot, over medium heat, combine cranberries, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix well cook cranberries stirring often. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Take off heat and let it cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 inch springform pan. You will need a large roasting pan that’s bigger and longer than the springform pan. (I use the aluminum foil disposable ones). If you are not sure about your springform holding up in water, you can wrap the outside of the springform pan in heavy duty aluminum foil from bottom up to the sides. (I recommend wrapping the outside of the springform in foil before adding the crust and cheesecake batter.)
- Crust:
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir very well, until all incorporated. Press graham cracker mixture into the pan, evenly, all over the bottom and about half way up the side.
- Spread half of the cranberry jam over the crust.
- Cheesecake:
- Start beating cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix until combined.
- Add eggs, one at the time, beating after each addition. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and beat until all incorporated.
- Lower speed and add corn starch. While on medium-low speed, pour in heavy cream. Mix until all combined, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again until smooth.
- Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds into the cheesecake batter. Mix well until incorporated throughout.
- Spoon all of the cheesecake batter into the springform, over the jam.
- Place roasting pan into the oven and place the cheesecake springform pan inside the roasting pan. Carefully add water to the roasting pan, about half way up the side of the springform.
- Bake for 70-75 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door half way. Let cheesecake rest for about 10 minutes and take it out of the oven (out of the roasting pan and carefully take off the foil).
- Let it rest for 20 minutes on the counter and then gently run a greased butter knife between sides of the cheesecakes and the springform to carefully separate it. (You don't actually have to take the cheesecake out of the pan until ready to add topping.)
- Cool cheesecake for an hour.
- Spread remaining cranberry jam over the top of the cheesecake. Cover the pan with saran wrap and place the cheesecake in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before adding the mousse.
- White Chocolate Mousse:
- Break up white chocolate bars and melt them according the to package instructions.
- Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes.
- Drizzle in melted white chocolate while continuing to beat cream cheese. Mix well.
- Fold in whipped topping gently until all combined.
- Spread white chocolate mousse over the top of the cheesecake. You can separate the mousse in two batches and use one batch to decorate with a frosting tip.
- If using candied cranberries, spread them on top of the white chocolate mousse.
Video
Diane says
I made this for Thanksgiving and it turned out beautiful. Thanks for the recipe.
I tried to post a picture.
Michelle says
My sister-in-law wants me to make this into mini muffin size. Does the temperature or cooking time of the recipe need to be adjusted?
Tobi Spear says
This is hands down the best cheesecake I’ve ever had. I
Made it for a Christmas party and besides looking extremely impressive, the taste is even more impressive. I will be making this for my family for dessert with Christmas dinner…crank up the Christmas tunes while making it, so fun!! Thanks for this recipe, it’s absolutely delicious!
LyubaB says
Thank you for your kind words, Tobi! I am so glad you like it!
Kim says
Two questions. Doesn’t the water seep into the spring form pan while in the oven? Should the pan be set on foil and wrapped up the side before setting in the water? Oh, a third question, how many days in advance of Christmas could this be made?
Thanks,
Kim
LyubaB says
Hi Kim,
To avoid water getting into your cheesecake you definitely want to prepare the pan by wrapping the outside of the pan in aluminum foil. Many springform pans, especially ones that have been used quite a bit, have a chance of leaking water inside. Wrapping the springform in foil will help keep water out. If you happen to get a little water in it anyways it won’t be a huge deal, I have had it happen and it’s still very good.
You can make this cheesecake a couple of days ahead of time. Then the day of I would do the topping including the candied cranberries as the sugar will dissolve on them overnight and it won’t be as pretty if you do it in advnce>.
Marie Wilson says
This was a huge hit with my friends. I made it a little easier by using strawberry pie filling (cherry would be good also) on top of the crust, layered the cheesecake filling, then added the pie filling again on top of the cheesecake after cooling, refrigerated overnight, then topped with the white chocolate mousse this morning. Truly delicious!
LyubaB says
Thanks for the time-saving tip! I am glad it went well for you.
Margie says
How many days in advance can you make this cake? I would just make the cake and decorate with the additional jam and mousse on Christmas day
LyubaB says
You could make the cheesecake itself a day or 2 in advance. I would like you said wait till the day off to do the topping including the candied cranberries as the sugar will dissolve on them overnight and it won’t be as pretty.
Joan Prentice says
Haven’t tried the recipe yet because my family is not fans of cranberry. Wondering if anyone has attempted to make this cake using cherries instead of cranberries?
LyubaB says
Hi Joan,
I think Cherries would work well, I haven’t tried it personally but I know others have with good results.
LyubaB says
Hi Joan,
Yes, you could use either cherries, blueberries, or strawberries. I think they would all go well in this cheesecake and you could follow the same steps.
Brenda Valponi says
This was definitely a show stopper – love making recipes that add a little element of skill. I increased the ingredient amount to make in a 10” springform as I had 12 guests. I did not cook in a waterbath and the texture when I served it the next day was very light and creamy. This was perfect for all my lady guests. I refrigerated what was left and when we had it tge thurs day the textire firmed up to an actual cheesecake. We liked that too
LyubaB says
I am glad everyone liked it, Brenda!
Debra Brodersen says
A show stopper! Have made this several times and it’s always a hit. A beautiful presentation. Take the additional time to do the sugared cranberries, they are tasty and elegant on the cake. Use quality ingredients and follow all step including wrapping springform pan prior to filling and the baking time/oven cooling etc. Excellent step by steps. I did use a 10″ pan and it worked great just not as tall a cheesecake as 9″ but felt it feed more people. Only other personal not needed addition was I added orange zest peel a tiny bit of orange squeeze and vanilla to simple sugar syrup for the berry soak. Thank you for sharing recipe and such detail.
LyubaB says
Glad you liked it, Debra!
Catherine White says
Would this cake travel well if I were to bring it to a party?
LyubaB says
It depends on how far the party is away from your house. I think if it’s under 20 minutes it would be okay.
J says
How long can you make the cheesecake in advance?
LyubaB says
You could make this a few days in advance I would wait to pipe the topping and do the cranberry topper till the day of for the best presentation.
Ashley B says
Just made this for a party. It was absolutely beautiful AND delicious. Everyone was impressed when I told them I made it myself 🙂 next time, I think I will start by making the cranberry jam first so it has more time to cool down. Directions were easy to follow!
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it, Ashley!
Theresa says
I made this the original way! Excellent! Then modified it for the instant pot too for a gift and it was smaller. Both ways are divine!
Linda says
How long can the candied cranberries be stored in the syrup? Can the candied cranberries be stored once sugared? Or do you sugars them right before putting them on the cake?
LyubaB says
You can store the candy cranberries in the fridge covered for a few days, you can store the sugared cranberries as well but the sugar will dissolve and they won’t be as pretty so I would wait till before for that. It would still taste the same but for the first presentation, I like to do the same day.
Lisa says
I sugared them and let them dry completely on a cooling rack, then stored them overnight ina Tupperware bowl. You just need to handle them gently or you will knock the sugar off.
Sierra says
Could I use homemade heavy whipping cream in this recipe?
LyubaB says
You could but it won’t hold up as well as the cool whip.
Lela says
When I put the jam on top of the cooled cheesecake it sunk. I would recommend refrigerating first until it sets further prior to adding second jam layer.
Sandee Winston says
The best cheesecake I’ve ever made! I followed the recipe with NO Changes at all! That’s why I’m giving this one a 5 star! Wonderfully delicious! Thank you!
Jen says
This is always a hit and tastes just as good as it looks! I always skip the vanilla bean bc they are expensive and sometimes hard to find this time of year. I may try to make it ahead of time next year, can you freeze this?
Danielle says
My families favorite cheesecake ever! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ve made it at least 5 times and it turns out perfectly every time.
anonymous says
good! needed more vanilla and more sugar in the jam but overall great!!
Lisa says
Followed the directions and it turned out perfectly.