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
Nutrition
Heather Lynn says
This cake looks delicious! I’m planning on making it in individual 1/2 cup jam jars. Any suggestions for alterations I might need to make? The time in the oven would be the biggest change, I would think. Thanks for sharing!
Tamilyn Brown says
Can the cheesecake itself be made a day ahead of time and left in the refrigerator until ready to finish and serve?
Bobbie says
Like the other reviewer I accidentally left the cream out of the batter. It’s in the oven now , I’m going to be sick about it if it doesn’t come out 😢
Lynne says
Can you add the mousse layer the evening before or should it be done the day I plan to serve it?
Thanks!!
Dawn says
This is a fantastic and easy to follow recipe. I’ve made it 4-5 times now. Rave reviews from everyone. Easy to make this gluten free too. Thank you for sharing!
LyubaB says
Thanks, Dawn! So glad you like it so much!
Janie says
Hello
I am a newbie, and have never baked a cheesecake. It says 70-75 min but how do you know it’s done? Do you do the toothpick in the center test like when you bake regular cake? I know this maybe a silly question but if I get the nerve to make this as long as it takes I don’t want for it not to be done.
Thanks in advance.
Stephanie says
I tap the springform pan, it should jiggle slightly in middle. I open oven door a bit to let it cool down slowly.
I line the bottom of springform pan with parchment paper and used Pam baking spray.
LyubaB says
I hope it worked out for you. 🙂
Ruba says
I don’t like cheesecake at all but this on is my only favorite I have been making it for 3 years every year in this month thank you so much for sharing the recipe. ☺️ I wish I can show you a pic of it
LyubaB says
I am so glad you like it so much, Ruba! Thanks for stopping by to let me know, you can send a picture of it to my Facebook messager or page, I would love to see it! 🙂
Karen says
This is a fabulous dessert! PLENTY of raves at Thanksgiving-even from someone who isn’t a fan of cheesecake! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I actually did half cranberry and half cherries-YUM!
LyubaB says
Yay! I am so glad everyone liked it! 🙂
Lynne Pace Rowland says
Made this for Thanksgiving 2022. It was fabulous! Do not miss making the candied cranberries. They were easy to me and made the cake so festive. Will repeat for Christmas. I did make one change by accident. I put 4 pkg of cream cheese out to make cake and put all 4 in the filling!! Was afraid of how it would turn out but no worry it was great! Thank you for a new tradition!
LyubaB says
I am glad it still turned out well for you!
Crystal says
Hi Lyuba, your cheese cake is absolutely beautiful. I made this for thanksgiving, and when I put in it the oven I looked at the recipe I realized I didn’t put the heavy whipping cream into the cheese cake batter. So I hope it will be alright. What’s your take on the mistake? That’s what I get for trying to hurry and not getting all my ingredients at the start. I m hoping it will still be good.
LyubaB says
Sorry, I am just seeing your comment. How did it turn out?
Jodi says
Making for the second time! Absolutely love this cheesecake! My tinfoil still would let in water, so I wrapped in a slow cooker liner first! Worked wonderfully! I’m making today and serving tomorrow, should I wait to make mousse tomorrow morning or will it hold up overnight in the fridge?
Rick says
How far ahead can you put the mouse on top or does it need to be added right before serving?