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
Nancy Sobieski says
Made this last year. Twice. Many requests already for this Christmas. Thanks for sharing!
LyubaB says
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! I’m so happy to hear that the cheesecake was such a hit last year, and it’s fantastic that it’s already in demand for this Christmas! Hope it brings you and your loved ones lots of holiday cheer! Happy baking, and thank you for coming back to share! 🎄🍰😊
barbara R. A berkheiser says
hello what size pan do you use for the cheesecake as it does not indicate what size springform pan.
LyubaB says
Hi Barbara, I use a 9-inch springform pan for all my cheesecakes.
Darlene says
Best cheesecake I have ever had
LyubaB says
I love to hear that! I am so glad you like it!
Nancy says
Best Ever! So many compliments!
LyubaB says
Thank you for your comment! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this cheesecake!
Shannon A says
Hi Lyuba!
This has become my go-to cheesecake recipe and we have topped it many ways over the past few years. I would like to try and make ‘mini’ cheesecakes for Mother’s Day but I’m not sure how to adjust cooking times.
Any suggestions?
Alexandra says
Hi!
This is the best cheesecake I have ever had! I made this many times over the last 2-3 years. I was asked to make a friend this cheesecake for their birthday, but cranberries are not in season. Do you recommend any other fruit that I can do the same with?
Thanks!!
Alexandra
LyubaB says
Hi Alexandra,
You can really use blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, really any berry would be great on this cheesecake.
Elisabetta says
È possibile avere il dosaggio degli ingredienti in grammi? Grazie
LyubaB says
Hi Elisabetta, unfortunately, I don’t have the ingredients measured in grams. However, you can easily find websites online where you can input the measurements and it will convert them into grams for you. I hope that helps and you like the recipe.
Katie Veltum says
Hi,
Can you substitute whipped cream for the cool whip, or does that not set up as well?
LyubaB says
Hi Katie,
Some people have commented that they used fresh whipped cream and stabilized it and worked out okay so you could try that. I like to use the cool whip though because it really holds well in this recipe.
Pauline says
LOVE! Perfectly delicious and beautiful Christmas dessert! The recipe itself is not difficult, it just takes time and planning ahead to make all of the decadent layers. Made over 2 days and it was well worth the time. Day 1 morning: make sugared cranberries and “jelly” and crust. Day 1 later: make cheese cake filling and assemble all except mousse. Day 2 morning: make mousse, assemble, refrigerate. Ready for a magical Christmas Eve dinner! This refrigerated and even traveled well. L
LyubaB says
So glad you like it! 🙂
Roman Daiana says
best cheesecake!!!
David says
I made this three times last year: twice at Thanksgiving and once at Christmas. It is one of the most delicious cheesecakes I’ve ever made. It turned out great each time. I thought the candied cranberries would still be too tart, but they were great. I could eat them with the white chocolate mousse alone! You must make this.
Ruth says
What additional options do you suggest to replace the cranberries- its well after Christmas and I have to admit not much of a cranberry fan -nor is my family…
LyubaB says
Hi Ruth,
Feel free to substitute the cranberries with your preferred berry. Whether it’s strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries, any of these options will complement the recipe perfectly.