Description
This Cranberry Cheesecake is a stunning dessert perfect for the holidays, featuring a creamy cheesecake with a swirl of tangy cranberry filling, a buttery graham cracker crust, topped with a smooth white chocolate mousse and beautifully garnished with sugared cranberries and rosemary. It’s a showstopping treat that combines tart, sweet, and creamy flavors for a festive finale.
Ingredients
Cranberry Filling
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Crust
- 2 1/4 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs (16-18 full sheet graham crackers)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Mousse
- 1 (4-ounce) bar white chocolate, chopped
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Candied Cranberries & Rosemary
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup water
- 8-10 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Make Cranberry Filling: Combine cranberries, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup water in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir frequently until cranberries burst, about 10-15 minutes. Add extra water if needed to prevent sticking. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Cool completely before using. Can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerated.
- Prepare Sugared Cranberries & Rosemary: Bring 1 cup water and 1 1/2 cups sugar to a boil until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add cranberries and soak 1-2 minutes. Strain and spread cranberries on parchment-lined baking sheet. Add rosemary sprigs to syrup and soak 1-2 minutes; drain and place on parchment. Let cranberries and rosemary dry about 1-2 hours until tacky, then toss cranberries in granulated sugar until coated. Store in airtight container for 3-5 days or use immediately.
- Make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Pulse graham crackers in food processor until fine. Mix in sugar and melted butter until evenly moistened. Press mixture into pan, pressing crumbs halfway up sides. Bake 10 minutes to set crust. Remove and cool. Decrease oven temperature to 325°F.
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Beat softened cream cheese with sugar and flour until smooth and creamy using electric mixer. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla extract; beat again, scraping bowl. Add eggs one at a time on low speed, scraping sides after each. Do not overmix to prevent cracks.
- Layer and Swirl Filling: Pour half cheesecake batter into crust. Dollop half cranberry filling by spoonfuls over batter and swirl gently with a butter knife. Pour remaining batter over, dollop remaining cranberry jam and swirl again gently.
- Bake Cheesecake: Place cheesecake in preheated 325°F oven. Put a large pan of hot water on rack below cheesecake to create a water bath. Bake for 55-60 minutes until edges are set but center jiggles slightly. Turn off oven, crack door, cool 10 minutes. Run thin knife around pan edge to loosen. Leave cheesecake in oven 20-30 minutes to cool gently. Remove and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Make White Chocolate Mousse: Melt white chocolate in microwave at 50% power in 20-30 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Beat cream cheese until smooth, then mix in melted white chocolate. In another bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into white chocolate mixture gently with spatula until combined.
- Assemble Final Cheesecake: Remove chilled cheesecake from pan and place on serving plate or stand. Spread white chocolate mousse evenly on top. Decorate with sugared rosemary sprigs in a wreath around edges and pile sugared cranberries on top as desired.
Notes
- Storage: Keep cheesecake refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5-7 days, covered with plastic wrap to prevent fridge odors.
- Freezing: Cheesecake can be frozen whole or by slices. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap after chilling and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before serving and let sit at room temperature an hour for best flavor.