Christmas Cheesecake Recipe (Cranberry Jam White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake)

4.67 from 427 votes

Christmas Cheesecake Recipe (Cranberry Jam White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake)

This heavenly dessert is a vanilla bean cheesecake layered with an easy cranberry jam and smooth white chocolate mousse.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1 40

Resting and refrigerating time:7

Total Time9 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9-inch cheesecake

Calories: 1005kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

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 fine white granulated sugar or caster sugar

US Customary - Metric

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.)

Cheesecake:

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

Notes

Frequent Questions:

Can I use fresh whipped cream instead of Cool Whip? Yes, you can use heavy whipping cream to make whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. Whipped cream needs to be whipped to stiff peaks and kept well chilled before folding into frosting. If you want to use store-bought, it may be too thin and may affect the mousse density. I have some instructions on homemade whipped cream in my Christmas cheesecake bars!

Can I make this Christmas cheesecake into bars? Yes and I actually made the recipe for this cheesecake to be made into bars! I have quite a few instructions and tips to make Christmas cheesecake bars in that post.

Can I use other berries? You can swap the cranberries for other berries like raspberries, mixed berries, or even cherries. The jam will be sweeter and less tart, so you may want to slightly reduce the sugar if your berries are very sweet. Many readers have had great results using raspberries.

Can frozen cranberries be used instead of fresh? Yes. Use frozen cranberries exactly the same way as fresh. There’s no need to thaw first, just cook a few extra minutes covered with a lid and the remaining time uncovered.

Can I use white chocolate chips instead of bars? White chocolate chips don’t melt smooth and very often separate. White chocolate chips contain stabilizers that make them slower to melt, possibility or breaking, and can leave the mousse a bit grainy. I highly recommend bars or also, white chocolate melting chips.

How many days in advance can I make this cheesecake? You can bake the cheesecake itself 2-3 days in advance. Keep it well covered in the refrigerator and wait to add the mousse and decorations until closer to serving for the best texture and look. You can add the frosting a day ahead but keep it covered air-tight and refrigerate (cake carrier works well for holding cheesecake that's decorated safely). As far as sugared cranberries, I'd say add them right before because the sugar is very likely to melt in the refrigerator from the moisture in the frosting.

Can this cheesecake be frozen (with and without topping)?

Without topping: This is the best way to freeze it is without frosting or sugared cranberries. Bake and cool the cheesecake, skip the mousse and cranberries, wrap air-tight in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add the topping and decorations.

Nutrition