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
If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!
Connect with Will Cook For Smiles!
Be sure to click below and follow me on my social media, so you never miss a recipe.
Don’t forget to sign up for email, so you won’t miss any new recipes.
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
Nutrition
Wendy K says
I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved the candied cranberries! They were even better the following day- really crusted beautifully.
This was a wonderful dessert- and gorgeous. I will do it again except I won’t be adding the jam on top of the crust. It made the graham crust taste a little weird. I might just make the top layer of jam a little thicker. But as a whole this was so very good!
Michelle says
This was absolutely wonderful! I baked for Christmas. It is Cheesecake Factory worthy!! This is a keeper for sure. The slightly tart cranberries are a great contrast with the sweet cheesecake.
Stephanie says
Hi, my mother is baking this cake and seems to be having as issue with water leaking into the pan regardless of the tin foil. Can she bake the cheesecake without the water bath?
Carol says
To the person who had problems with the water bath leaking into the cheesecake. On another recipe, my daughter and I used oven bags around the springform pan prior to sitting into the water. It worked perfectly!
LyubaB says
This is a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Ally says
The instructions say, Carefully remove the foil”. But I missed where and how the fool is applied. I am assuming it’s to keep the pan from leaking with the water bath, so it must go around the outside I just don’t get why that entails being so careful in removing it. Is the foil supposed to touch the cake somehow??
Linda Wendel says
I don’t have vanilla bean. Can I use extract instead? If so how much extract?
Nancy says
I’m making this for sure! Do I need to use Cool Whip in the mousse or can I use fresh whipped cream. I know sometime there can be texture or consistency differences.
lyuba says
Hi Nancy!
Oh yes, fresh whipped cream is a bit thinner than the Cool Whip topping. I would recommend Cool Whip because of thicker mousse. If you really want to use fresh whipped cream, you can whip it just a little more for thicker consistency. Just be careful not to over-whip 🙂
I hope you enjoy it!!
Nancy says
I came back to comment again and found my first comment! I have now made this cheesecake 3 Christmases in a row. My family absolutely loves it. I came back to your site looking for a chocolate cheesecake. I found a whole lot more that I want to make! Do you have one that is all chocolate?
LyubaB says
Hi, Nancy! It makes me so happy that it’s become a Christmas favorite for you! 🙂 I do not have a all chocolate cheesecake, but I will put it on my list of things to make! Here is a Chocolate Strawberry cheesecake. https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/chocolate-strawberry-marbled-cheesecake/
Tina says
My family doesn’t like cranberries so I was wondering if I could make it with strawberries or blueberries?
lyuba says
Hi Tina!
You sure can. You can use strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. I actually have cheesecakes that might interest you as well, you can just add the white chocolate mousse on top.
https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2017/07/white-chocolate-blueberry-cheesecake.html
https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2014/07/white-chocolate-raspberry-swirl-cheesecake.html
Sarah says
Everyone loved this for Christmas!!!!
LyubaB says
Thanks for letting me know everyone loved it! 🙂
Kelly says
I am going to attempt this recipe, it looks lovely! Quick question, could I make/assemble this entire recipe a couple days before I serve it? I would like to serve it on Christmas but would need to complete everything by the 23rd because we have lots of activities
lyuba says
Hi Kelly! I don’t see a problem with that at all. You can keep it right in the springform, in the refrigerator. Just cover the top with saran wrap.
Merry Christmas!
Sharon says
Can I freeze the cheese cake and then finish with the mousse the day of serving?
Tracy Gra says
Want to make Christmas cheescake cranberry wbite Chocolate mousse. Can i pre make it and freeze?
lyuba says
You know, I’ve never frozen a cheesecake before myself but I know this is a pretty good directions post on how to freeze a cheesecake:
https://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/CheeseCake.htm
You can freeze the cheesecake without the cranberry jam on top and without the mousse. Just add that before serving.
I really hope it works out!! 🙂
Jean says
Can I use strawberries or blueberries instead of the cranberries THANK YOU IT LOOKS GOOD
Jacqueline Payne says
love the cranberry cheesecake! it was a great hit with new boyfriend’s family. i did the cookies as well.
lyuba says
Awe, I’m SO happy to hear that! Thank you!
Kassandra Fenstermaker says
Ingredients for mousse calls for heavy whipping cream, but directions say fold in whipped topping. So do I make whipped cream with the heavy whipping cream? Or do I told in the whipping cream?
Amanda says
Hi, I am making this cheesecake right now and in the directions for the crust it says add cinnamon. It the ingredient list for the crust there isn’t any cinnamon. Can you let me know how much to use? Thank you.
lyuba says
Oh gosh, I”m sorry, it’s a mistake. No cinnamon in the crust but I’m sure it didn’t hurt it if you added it 😀
Julie says
I love your recipes! I had to cut my food blog “consumption” by about 90%, but yours is one that I couldn’t give up.
Just a suggestion… If you put your blog name on your photos, it will be easier to find the recipe in case someone saves the photo and forgets to save the recipe. (Maybe I am the only one who has this issue.)
Thank you for sharing all deliciousness!
lyuba says
Awe, thank you!!
You know, I was told that it didn’t look right when I put my site name there. I have a small watermark but I made it very light. THank you!
Cindy says
Is it possible to use cherries or strawberries instead of cranberries.
Judith Clarke says
Hi, what was your response to making the Christmas cranberry cheesecake with strawberries instead of cranberries.
Trina says
Despite being a long process this cheesecake was very easy to make! I have no frosting skills to make it as visually stimulating but it still turned out pretty…I think! All the taste are wonderful! Will definitely make this again!
Kat says
Took me three days..lol
Kat says
Strawberries for sure will not hold up for the candied part, they will get all mushy from soaking in water.., but I’m sure you could make the jam all the same and use that for the fruity filiing..I know I’m not who you are asking, but..