White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake
White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake is the perfect dessert for your holiday table. You’ll love this silky white chocolate cheesecake topped with whipped white chocolate ganache and jewel-like Cranberries in Red Wine.
Not only are Cranberries in Red Wine a great side dish to the main meal, they’re also a perfect component for festive holiday desserts like my Cranberry Linzer Tart.
I created this White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake especially to go with cranberries, and boy am I glad I did. It’s absolutely delicious, if I do say so myself.
I like white chocolate paired with a strong flavor that has some bitterness or acidity to offset the sweetness. I love white chocolate with coffee, citrus fruits and raspberry.
Tart cranberries cooked in red wine are the perfect foil for the sweetness of white chocolate cheesecake and white chocolate ganache.
I wish you and yours a sweet holiday season full of love and dessert!
Need more holiday dessert ideas? You might also want to try Eggnog Cheesecake, Eggnog Panna Cotta, Eggnog Macarons or fabulous Classic Christmas Trifle.
More Cheesecake Recipes
- New York Cheesecake
- San Sebastian Cheesecake
- Butterscotch Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Tart
- Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
- Lime Layered Cheesecake
- Peach Cheesecake
- Banana Cheesecake Cheesecake
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White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 8 oz graham cracker crumbs (1 ½ cups)
- 2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 oz butter (melted)
Cheesecake
- 16 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
- 8 oz sour cream (1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 oz white chocolate (melted)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large yolk (whisked with the eggs)
Whipped White Chocolate Ganache
- 8 oz white chocolate (chopped very finely)
- 4 oz heavy cream (½ cup)
Assembly
- 1 recipe Cranberries in Red Wine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F . Line the bottom of a 9"x3" cake pan or springform pan with a parchment paper round.
To make the Crust
- Combine 8 oz graham cracker crumbs, 2 oz granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour the 3 oz butter (melted) over the crumbs and toss to combine. Dump the crumbs into the cake pan and press into an even layer. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 °F.
To make the cheesecake batter
- Combine 16 oz cream cheese and 4 oz granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed to combine the ingredients, scraping the bowl often to avoid lumps. Once the mix is smooth, add 8 oz sour cream and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix to combine. Stir in 8 oz white chocolate (melted).
- Whisk together 3 large eggs and 1 large yolk and add to the batter in three stages, scraping well after each addition
- Mix just until the eggs are combined, do not over mix. Pour the batter into the cake pan, rap the pan on the counter a few times to release air bubbles from the batter.
- Set the pan into a sheet pan or roasting pan. Set the pan into the middle rack of the oven and pour water to come at least ½ way up the side of the cake pan.
- Bake until the cake softly jiggles as a mass when the pan is shaken. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
- Run a thin sharp knife that has been moistened with warm water around the sides of the cake to release it from the pan (this will prevent the cake from cracking while it cools). Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
White Chocolate Ganache
- Place 8 oz white chocolate in a bowl. Heat 4 oz heavy cream in the microwave until it is scalding hot. Immediately pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Gently stir the ganache until it comes together and all the bits of white chocolate are melted.
- Hold the ganache at room temperature until ready to assemble the cake (this can be done the day before).
Assembly
- Remove the cold cheesecake from the refrigerator. If you used a spring form pan run a knife around the edges of the cake and release the pan. If you used a regular cake pan set the cold cake into a bowl of very hot water for 20-30 seconds to release the sides. Run a warm knife around the sides of the cake.
- Place a plate or cardboard cake circle on top of the cake pan. Immediately flip the cake over and remove the pan and the parchment circle. Flip the cake right side up onto a serving plate.
- Pour the White Chocolate Ganache into a mixer bowl and whip on medium speed until the ganache is aerated and has lightened in color. Immediately spread 3/4 of the ganache over the top of the cheesecake.
- Put the remaining ganache in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a border of ganache around the edge of the cake. (see note)
- Spread 1 ½ cups of the cranberries onto the top of the cake. Reserve remaining cranberries to serve along side the cake or keep for another purpose.
- Keep refrigerated until serving. To make clean cuts, dip the knife in hot water then wipe clean between each cut.
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Can the sour cream be substituted with something else? I normally use plain Greek yogurt as a substitute in cake batter recipes, but I am not sure if it would change the texture too much here.
Hopefully this comment is not too late. Yes, go ahead and use Greek yogurt.
Hi Eileen, I really love this recipe. I was wondering if I can freeze this pie for later. If so, what are the steps to freeze and thaw? Also, will I use the same process to freeze the Margarita Pie as well? Thanks for your help.
Kay
Yes, you can freeze this cheesecake. After it’s baked and chilled (without the topping on, of course). Double wrap the cake in plastic wrap and freeze. Unwrap and thaw in the refrigerator before adding the topping. The topping can be made and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks. You can freeze the Margarita Pie without the whipped cream topping. Leave the pie in the pan (probably best to use a disposable aluminum pan), double wrap and freeze. Again, defrost in the refrigerator then add the whipped cream topping the day you plan to serve.
How long did you end up baking yours? I was going to start with 50 minutes.
Hi Alessandra, Generally, I find the cheesecakes take about 45-50 minutes to bake. I just baked a chocolate cheesecake this week and both times it took just about that amount of time.
As soon as I can get my hands on fresh cranberries, you can bet your bottom dollar this dish will make an appearance in my kitchen. Cranberries mulled in red wine sound splendid. Cranberries and cream cheese are a winning flavor combination. Nicely done!
I love a good cheesecake recipe and this one looks really nice! To me now is the perfect season for cranberries and the combination with white chocolate sounds tasty! – will have to give this one a go 🙂
Thanks, Martyn.
Looks delish!! I’ve not thought to make a cranberry cheesecake! On to do to list now!
I hope you like it, Amanda.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, looks d e l i c i o u s !
Thanks, Krystallia.
I usually find white chocolate and raspberries to be too sweet, but I think cranberries would be THE perfect substitute. This recipe looks amazing!
Thanks, Monica. The cranberries are a nice foil for sweet white chocolate.
You piped that ganache so beautifully! I bet the cranberries add just the right contrast in flavor.
Thanks, Laura.
This would brighten any table and become a tradition for the years to follow! Glorious!
Thanks, Abbe.
What a beautiful cheesecake, your photos are beautiful as well!
Thanks, Mindy.
The combo of the sweet white chocolate and tart cranberries is indeed heavenly. Gorgeous photos! Pinning!
Thanks! The photos are always a struggle for me.
I love cheesecake and this flavor combination sounds amazing!
Thanks. It is a tasty combination.
I’ve been fulling around with cheesecake all week and they have been crappy. Can’t wait to try this!
I hope it works out for you, Denise. Let me know how it comes out.
Whoa, what a fabulous cheesecake! All decked out deliciously for Thanksgiving!!!! I’d love a big slice 🙂
Thanks Liz. Come on over to PA and I’ll have a slice for you.