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
Marilyn says
I can’t wait to make this! I have a couple questions. First, for the whipped topping, can I use home made whipped cream instead of cool whip? And second, does it have to specifically be bakers white chocolate or would a good quality eating chocolate bar like Lindt work? Thank you!
Danielle says
I used homemade whipped cream for mine and it turned out phenomenal!
LyubaB says
Yum! I am glad you liked it!!
Patty N says
I made this. It was fantastic! My family loved it! Definitely recommend the sugared cranberries on top! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
LyubaB says
Thank you, Pattie! So glad you liked it!
Ingrid says
I’ve made this several times with almond meal crust (for gluten free) and it’s always a hit! This year I made cupcake portions and they still turned out great! Will be making some more to give as thank you gifts. Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!
David Bartleman says
What type of cup wrappers did you use?
LyubaB says
I am glad you enjoyed it, Ingrid!
Ann Laverty says
Seems like the cranveret jam should have some kind of liquid in it….
Danielle says
The cranberries release their own liquid. Mine turned out really good and got quite thick once cooled.
Allesandra says
I am planning on making this this week, I’m just wondering what piping tip you used for the mousse on top? It’s beautiful!
LyubaB says
Thank you! I used a 1 M piping type.
Judy says
This was amazing! I made it for my daughters, grand-daughters, and mom for our Christmas Tea. Everyone loved it and went back for more. The only thing I changed was to use a different method for the candied cranberries. This is a keeper and I will make it again.
LyubaB says
Thank you, Judy!
Judy says
What temperature do I bake the cheesecake for 70-75 minutes?
Rikki Murphy says
I made it today and annoyingly, although I double wrapped my pan bottom, it leaked into my crust and I didn’t know until I took it out. I tasted a smidge of it and it tasted ok just super soggy. I wish I had thought to put it back in the oven with the pan off to dry out before I put the mouse on. I’ve got it in the fridge hoping that will do something!
LyubaB says
Oh no! I hate when that happens! I hope it dries out some for you.
Susan says
Making it right now. My crust is a little soggy as well. How do I dry it out before adding g toppings
Jenny says
I am making this recipe for the first time and had the same problem for the first time ever. I’m not sure how to dry it out after its baked, but thankfully, my husband and two boys know that this is my first time making this particular cake and aren’t concerned about a soggy crust. They will be focused on the delicious filling instead. But, I am perfectionist so I decided to do a quick search to see how to prevent this from happening in the future. I discovered that Amazon sells something called a Springform Pan Protector. It looks like a giant silicone cupcake liner. Another idea I found is to place your prepared 9 inch springform pan inside a traditional 10 inch round cake pan before putting it into the water bath.
Hope this helps!
LyubaB says
Thank you, Jenny! Those are great suggestions! I hope you still liked the cheesecake!
Jenny says
We LOVED the cheesecake! In fact, my son requested a cherry version of this cake for his 13th birthday next week!
LyubaB says
Oh yum! I am so glad you liked it!
Susie R says
This looks soooo amazing! I see the recipe calls for a 9″ springform pan. Mine is 10″. How should I adjust the quantities? Thanks in advance much for your help!
David Bartleman says
I would make it as directed. The one inch difference is minute, the cheese cake will just be a bit thinner.
The recipe will work just fine, but this is opinion and not the Chef who wrote the recipe.
Michele says
Should you bake the crust first?
LyubaB says
No, you don’t.
Colleen says
This looks amazing! What size spring form pan did you use? I plan on making this for Christmas!
LyubaB says
Hi Colleen,
I used a 9-inch springform pan. I hope you like it!
Shirley says
I made this today. It looked amazing. I didn’t get to taste it because it was for my next door neighbors birthday. I think I will make another one for my family for Christmas. Definitely some of my favorite things! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
David Bartleman says
Shirley,
Your neighbor relationship just took a leap to the moon with that Christmas Cheesecake. She/He cannot wait until they have another birthday .
LyubaB says
Awe that’s awesome! Thanks for sharing that with me.