This Christmas Cheesecake is festive, delicious, and great for a special holiday dessert! With step-by-step instructions, this cheesecake will come out beautiful and tasty every time!
This recipe is based off of my White Chocolate Cheesecake, with a few alterations and some extra fun ingredients (hello sprinkles!) and is my go-to cheesecake recipe!
For more Christmas Recipes check out my Christmas Wreath cookies, Christmas Tree Cookies, this show stopping gingerbread tree, and these tasty Christmas hot cocoa bombs!
What you need for Christmas Cheesecake?
Crust: Graham Crackers, Unsalted Butter, Sugar, Salt
Filling: White Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Sugar, Cream Cheese, Eggs and extra Yolks, Vanilla, Red and Green Sprinkles
Topping: Whipped Cream, Red and Green Candies, Christmas Sprinkles
How to make graham cracker crust?
This crust is a variation of what I use for my pumpkin pie and reader favorite lemon meringue pie. It’s easy to make and super tasty!
- Grease a springform pan with pam or butter
- In a food processor- or a ziplock baggie- crush your graham crackers.
- Combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, and salt, then mix in the melted butter.
- Press graham cracker mixture firmly into springform pan then bake!
Graham Cracker Crust Tips:
- Use a cup or the heel of your palm to really press the crust into the pan.
- Sometimes I like to go part way up the side of the pan with the crust but you don’t have to.
- If you want to go all the way up the sides of the pan then I recommend making another half batch of the graham cracker mixture since you will need a little more.
How to make Christmas cheesecake?
- In a microwave safe dish combine white chocolate pieces and heavy cream, microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds, stir, repeat until melted
- In a stand mixer combine cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minutes, then add in half the sugar, mix until combined, then add remaining sugar and mix until combined. Then stir in the salt.
- On low speed, add in the white chocolate mixture, sour cream, and vanilla and mix until combined
- Add in the eggs and yolks- 2 at a time- making sure each set of eggs are fully mixed in before adding the next.
- Fold in the sprinkles.
How to bake cheesecake?
- Begin by wrapping the outside of the springform pan (with the crust already baked in it) with a double layer of foil.
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- Move oven rack to the lower middle position of the oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
- Pour the filling over the crust then set the entire foil lined springform pan into a large roasting pan.
- Fill the roasting pan with boiling water- it should reach ~2 inches up the side of the springform pan- be careful to not get water on the cheesecake mixture.
- Carefully place the cheesecake in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes- then lower the temperature of the oven to 225°F and bake for another 90-110 minutes.
- Once done baking, remove from oven and place the cheesecake on a wire cooling rack. Run a knife along the edge to separate the cheesecake from the pan but leave the pan on until cooled.
- Allow cheese cake to come to room temperature for 3 hours, then refrigerate for at least another 4 hours.
Why do the cream cheese and eggs have to be at room temperature?
This is to make sure everything mixes in correctly/smoothly. If the cream cheese is cold there will be chunks in the mixture and that won’t bake properly. If the eggs are cold, they won’t mix in as well either.
Should my cheesecake jiggly?
Yes! Once the cheesecake has fully baked it will still be very jiggly- with only the outer rim of the cheesecake not jiggly/set, this is normal! The cheesecake will continue to fully set as it cools.
What pan do you use to make a cheesecake?
I use a 9-inch springform pan. A springform pan is important so you can remove the sides of the pan after you are ready to serve.
What type of white chocolate do you use for the cheesecake?
I used Ghirardelli white baking chocolate squares found in the baking isle of my grocery store.
How to keep cheesecake from cracking?
- Allowing your cheesecake to cool slowly and completely will help prevent this.
- Also baking the cheesecake in the water bath helps prevent cracking as well (while promoting even baking).
- Sliding a knife between the cheesecake and the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. This is so it doesn’t stick to the pan and pull apart as the top slightly shrinks while it cools.
How to cut cheesecake:
Using a sharp knife- slice the cheesecake, then wipe the knife clean, then cut again. Cleaning the knife between every cut will keep the cheesecake slice nice and sharp.
Christmas Cheesecake Variations?
- Use Red and Green food coloring to dye the batter and create swirls!
- Use a little bit of peppermint extract in the batter, top with crushed candy canes, and bake in an Oreo crust for a Peppermint Cheesecake!
- Decorate with sugared cranberries and rosemary leaves for a fancier looking cheesecake!
Make sure to check out all my Christmas recipes here! I especially love this cranberry margarita, muddy buddies, and these fun Christmas cake pops and Oreo balls!
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Christmas Cheesecake
This Christmas Cheesecake is festive, delicious, and great for a special holiday dessert! With step-by-step instructions, this cheesecake will come out beautiful and tasty every time!
Ingredients
Crust
- 12 Graham Crackers crushed
- 8 tbs unsalted butter melted
- 1.5 tbs Sugar
- Pinch of salt
Filling
- 6 oz white chocolate
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 32 oz cream cheese room temperature*,
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 6 large eggs room temperature*
- 2 large yolks room temperature*
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup red and green sprinkles
Topping
- Whipped Cream
- Red and Green M&Ms or sprinkles
Instructions
Cheesecake Crust Recipe
- Grease a 9 in springform pan (I use Pam however butter will also work) and preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, and salt. Then add in the melted butter and mix thoroughly.12 Graham Crackers, 8 tbs unsalted butter, 1.5 tbs Sugar, Pinch of salt
- Press graham cracker mixture into the springform pan, packing it in firmly*. I like to have my crust come up the sides a little but you don’t have to.
- Bake crust in preheated oven for 13 minutes.
How to bake a cheesecake?
- Preheat oven to 325°F (or just leave on after baking the crust). Make sure the oven rack is in the lower middle position of the oven.
- In a microwave safe dish combine white chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until smooth. Set aside.6 oz white chocolate, ¼ cup heavy cream
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer beat cream cheese on medium high for 1 minute, then add ½ of the sugar and mix until combined. Then add second half of sugar and mix until fully combined. Add salt and mix in.1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 32 oz cream cheese, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- On low speed, add the sour cream, heavy cream/white chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.⅓ cup sour cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Once white chocolate mixture is fully incorporated, add in the eggs and egg yolks 2 at a time. Let each egg or yolk become fully incorporated before adding the next. Scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.6 large eggs, 2 large yolks
- Fold the sprinkles into to the batter.¾ cup red and green sprinkles
- Using foil, double wrap the bottom of your spring form pan that has the baked crust in it. - this will help keep the water out. *
- Then carefully pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan. Pop any large bubbles that come to the top with a butter knife or toothpick.
- Place the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan and pour boiling water into the roasting pan (making sure not to get it on the cheesecake). You want the water to reach ~2 inches up the side of the springform pan.
- Bake the cheesecake at 325°F for 15 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 225°F and bake for another 90-110 minutes or until the internal temperature of the cheesecake is 150°F.Baking times will vary so check with a thermometer. After the internal temperature is reached the cheese cake will jiggle significantly.
- Once cheesecake is fully baked to an internal temperature of 150°F, remove from oven and set on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake, gently separating it form the pan. This prevents it from sticking and the top from cracking. Let the cheesecake cool at room temperature for 3 hours and then refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Once cooled top with whipped cream, candies, and extra sprinkles!Whipped Cream, Red and Green M&Ms or sprinkles
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- *Having the cream cheese at room temperature will allow it to mix in smoothly. If it’s cold there will be chunks and no one wants that.
- *Eggs at room temperature will also mix smoothly in
- *To press the graham cracker mixture in firmly I will use my hand and even a cup sometimes.
- *The foil is to help keep the water from the water bath out, because some springform pans will let the water into the crust and you don’t want that. Although there is always a little water that gets in due to evaporation and condensation, foil is the simplest solution.
- *Cooking in a water bath and allowing the cheesecake to come to room temperature after baking prevents the cheesecake top from cracking.
- *To cut a cheesecake clean the knife after each cut- that way you will get a nice clean cut every time.
- Nutrition info doesn't include whipped cream or candies used to decorate top of cheesecake.
Nutrition
Calories: 684kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 10gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 223mgSodium: 404mgPotassium: 215mgFiber: 1gSugar: 51gVitamin A: 1528IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 141mgIron: 1mg
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Lisa says
Love this! It's so tasty and fun!