Cranberry Cheesecake: An Easy Holiday Dessert
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Cranberry Cheesecake is a favorite holiday dessert. It’s stunning on the table, deliciously creamy and rich, as a New York Cheesecake should be, and infused with holiday flavors of cinnamon and orange zest!
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Holiday Cranberry Cheesecake
This holiday cranberry cheesecake is deliciously festive. The combination of warm spices like cinnamon and bright flavors of orange and cranberries is a time-honored flavor profile everyone loves.
And the sugared cranberries sitting on top? Deceptively easy… and beautiful.
The colors, the sparkle of a rich red cranberry, the smooth richness of a homemade cheesecake, and its creamy deliciousness are simply perfect for this time of year.
Cranberry Cheesecake Ingredients
There are three parts to this cheesecake, the crust, the filling, and the topping. The topping, as always, is optional. But so unique and delicious. Here’s what you need for each part of the cheesecake:
The Crust
- Crushed graham crackers
- Melted butter
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
New York Cheesecake Inspired Filling
- Blocks of cream cheese softened to room temperature
- All-purpose flour to stabilize the filling, help prevent cracking, and keeps it light.
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs
- Sour cream
- Citrus zest is an optional ingredient that provides delicious and beautiful flavor. I prefer orange zest during the holidays, but lemon zest works, too.
How to Make Cranberry Cheesecake
You will also find the complete instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Prepping the pan
Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the lower middle position. Double-wrap a 9—or 10-inch springform pan with two large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside and extending to the top of the pan with no seams on the bottom of the pan. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
To make the crust:
Mix the finely ground graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until blended. Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To make the filling:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325℉ and boil a kettle of water.
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar flour, and vanilla together and then add the eggs, one at a time, until just blended. Add the sour cream and mix to combine.
- Set the cheesecake pan inside a large roasting pan. Pour the batter into the pan, then pour boiling water into the large roasting pan until it comes up about one inch up the sides of the pan.
- Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until it is just set and slightly wobbly when nudged.
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath for about 45 minutes, then remove from the roasting pan. Run a thin knife around the edges of the cheesecake to be sure it doesn’t stick, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but 8 hours to overnight is best.
For the Cranberry topping:
This topping is easy to make and adds festive flair to your holiday dessert.
Combine water, orange juice, and 1/2 cup of sugar in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Then add the cranberries; toss in the sugar mixture until fully coated.
Transfer the cranberries onto parchment paper and let them cool, about 15 minutes. When cool, toss them in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and top the cheesecake.
Can you make the cheesecake ahead?
Absolutely! The cheesecake can be made and stored in the springform pan in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to two days.
Is the cheesecake freezer friendly?
The cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place it in the freezer, unwrapped, until firm (about 30 minutes to an hour). Then, double-wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap or place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to serve.
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Cranberry Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
- 9-inch Springform Pan or 10-inch Springform Pan
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 12 sheets graham crackers finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Filling:
- 4 (8-oz) packages cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons orange zest optional (about 1 orange)
For the Sugared Cranberry Topping
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the lower middle position. Double wrap a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with two large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside and extending to the top of the pan with no seams on the bottom of the pan. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
To Make the Crust:
- Mix the finely ground graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until blended. Press into the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To Make the Filling:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325℉ and boil a kettle of water.
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar flour, and vanilla together in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until just blended. Add the sour cream and mix again until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Set the cheesecake pan inside a large roasting pan. Pour the batter into the pan, then pour boiling water into the large roasting pan until it comes up about one inch up the sides of the pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until it is just set with a slight wobble if nudged. If it begins to brown toward the end of baking, loosely cover with foil.
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath for about 45 minutes, then remove from the roasting pan. Run a thin knife around the edges of the cheesecake to be sure it doesn't stick, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but 8 hours to overnight is best.
Sugared Cranberries:
- In a medium saucepot over medium heat, combine water, orange juice, and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Then add the cranberries; toss in the sugar mixture until fully coated. Transfer the cranberries onto parchment paper and let them cool, about 15 minutes. When cool, toss them in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and top the cheesecake.
For Serving
- Remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve the cheesecake from the base of the pan or transfer to a serving platter by running a long, thin spatula between the crust and the pan bottom. Use two large spatulas trato nsfer to the serving dish. Top with sugared cranberries, slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices.
Notes
- Make Ahead: The cheesecake can be made and stored in the springform pan in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to two days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place it in the freezer, unwrapped, until firm (about 30 minutes to an hour). Then, double-wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap or place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to serve.
- Baking Tip: Springform pans are notorious for leaking. Double wrapping the pan helps prevent the water from seeping in during baking. It’s important that you use a large piece of aluminum foil with no seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. Even when wrapped properly, occasionally condensation can form inside the foil. If this happens, simply remove the sides of the springform pan before refrigerating and let it dry in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.