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
Pat Mannan says
This was a process but well worth it!!! Except! The foil leaked and ruined the bottom crust. I’ve done some reading and it will turn out just as well with just a pan of water in the oven beside the cheese cake. It was delicious!
LyubaB says
I am sorry to hear this, I have had 100’s of people make this recipe and love it. What was terrible about it?
Hope says
This was my first cheesecake ever so I was worried it might not turn out. The water did leak into my pan despite having the tin foil wrapped in the bottom, but despite all of that – the cheesecake was awesome. My family raved about it. This recipe will be saved and cooked again. Quite time consuming for a first timer but I think it will go quicker each time you do it.
LyubaB says
Sometimes I get a little water mine and it is still fine. Glad you liked it!
Lisa P says
Love this recipe! It tastes even better the next day. I’ve made it three years in a row for Christmas dinner and this year I used chocolate cookie crumbs instead of graham cracker crumbs. The colour was so rich and it tasted amazing.
LyubaB says
Yay! I am so glad you love the cheesecake!
Joseph says
Delicious.My family love it will be making it again
LyubaB says
I am so glad to hear that!
Jan says
Made this for Christmas. Everyone voted it as the best cheesecake they had ever eaten. It was delicious!
LyubaB says
Wow! What a complement! Thank you!
Kris says
Made exactly as directed and this cake turned out amazing!! Had friends raving over it! Rich and sweet! Just amazing!
LyubaB says
Thank you, Kris! So glad you liked it!
Julieann says
First time ever making cheese cake and this recipe is awesome! Our family loved it and it’s a going to be a definite for years to come. Our daughter kept taking pictures it was such a beautiful cake. Thank you for such a great recipe.
LyubaB says
I am so glad to hear your family loved it! 🙂
Cheesecakelover says
You must’ve done something wrong then cuz this is the best cheesecake I’ve ever had and made.
Amy H says
Oh my goodness- what a hit! Excellent instructions and came out just as pictured. Everyone raved about it- including my Husband who usually won’t eat cheesecake. It was light and carries a great balance of flavor between the white chocolate and cranberries.
Instead of cool whip, I whipped up heavy cream with a few tablespoons of confectioners sugar- great results. Will definitely make again.
LyubaB says
I am so glad it was a hit! Thank you for stopping by to let me know!
Deborah A Phillips says
How can I lower the sugar in this recipe
LyubaB says
You could leave off the candied cranberries if you prefer, but please note that this dessert is a luxurious holiday indulgence.
Cathy says
I made this today for the first time and everyone loved it! And it’s so pretty to serve. I didn’t leave enough time to refrigerate for 4 hours so it wasn’t completely set but still tasted delicious. I would probably increase the topping by 1/4 -1/2 to make larger swirls etc. Definitely would make again!!!
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it, Cathy!