This baked and decorated Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake with white chocolate is everything you didn't know your heart was desiring. The cranberry comes through with a little pop of tart and perfectly compliments the creamy cheesecake base.
Are you looking for the perfect fancy holiday dessert? Or a great Thanksgiving or Christmas cheesecake? This is a guaranteed crowd pleaser! I make it every year for Thanksgiving and everyone loves it. I feel confident if you follow our directions and recipe you can make a delicious baked cheesecake!
In the mood for cheesecake but want something else? Try our passionfruit lilikoi cheesecake or Paula Deen Pumpkin Cheesecake!
For another cranberry inspired dish try our Ocean Spray cranberry sauce.
How to Make Cranberry Cheesecake with White Chocolate
First, get out the cream cheese and get it softening! You want the cream cheese to be a similar texture to softened butter. If your house is 68-75 degrees, let it warm to room temperature. This takes about an hour. Eggs take about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the Cranberry Sauce
The cranberry will be swirled into the batter. Whisk cold water, lemon juice and cornstarch together in small bowl. Combine cornstarch mixture with cranberries and sugar in pan over medium heat and stir. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. As the berries heat up, push on them a bit to pop them. The mixture will thicken and turn more transparent as it boils. After it thickens and turns transparent it's done! Remove from heat and allow to cool while making the rest of the cheesecake.
Make the Crust
Crush graham crackers or pulse in a food processor. Mix in the melted butter and press into the bottom of the pan and partway up the sides. Bake in the preheated oven for 4 minutes to set the crust.
Make The Cheesecake Filling
Combine cornstarch, ¼ cup sugar and one package of cream cheese in a large bowl. Mix on medium low until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides every minute and mix 3-4 minutes total. Add the rest of the cream cheese one package at a time, for about one minute each, scraping down the sides after adding each one. Next add the sugar, ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and add the eggs one at a time, mixing about 30 seconds with each added egg. Scrape the bowl after each additional egg. The mixture should be smooth and beautiful and creamy. Add the melted white chocolate** and mix until combined. Finally, add the whipping cream. Mix on medium speed only until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
How to Melt the White Chocolate
The quickest and easiest way to melt white chocolate is to do it in the microwave. To ensure that it doesn't burn, break the chocolate up into small pieces (if using chips, this step is already done) and start with 30 seconds the first time. Mix with a spoon, even if it doesn't look like it will mix. Sometimes chocolate will melt on the inside and hold its shape. Microwave in 15 second increments afterwards, mixing after each time, until the white chocolate has fully melted. You may also consider using the double boiler method.
Assembly & Baking
Pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust. Spoon the cranberry filling onto the cheesecake filling in small spoonfuls. Using a damp finger, gently press the cranberry filling into the cheesecake filling. Don't be afraid to push some of them down in a ways. Then get a knife and swirl the fillings together using a figure 8 motion. Be careful not to do this too much or the cake will turn pink!
Bake in a preheated oven in a water bath. Place the springform pan in a large pan and fill with water until water goes halfway up the pan. Bake for 70-80 minutes until it just starts to turn golden and jiggles slightly but has some stability when gently jiggled. This is when it is baked to perfection.
Allow it to cool on the counter at LEAST 2 hours, preferably 3-4. Then refrigerate another 4 hours or longer before serving this yummy fancy Cranberry Cheesecake.
Sugared Cranberries
This step is optional and is mostly for decoration. Though they taste decent, the cheesecake is wonderful without them. I highly recommend this recipe to make them!
ENJOY!
Learn From Us
One time I made a cheesecake using off brand cream cheese. I wanted to save some money and thought it would work. It was easily the worst cheesecake I've ever had in my life. It was full of lumps and so so gross. Make sure to use Philadelphia brand and make sure that it's softened so that it will mix completely smooth.
How to Serve Cranberry Cheesecake
Serve this up on a beautiful dessert table for any winter holiday or party for a fancy showstopper. We love it for Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year's.
Top Tip
Allow this (and all) cheesecake to cool slowly. Do not place immediately in the refrigerator. Allow it to cool to room temperature then place in the refrigerator. This really is the best Christmas Cheesecake and we feel confident you can make it perfectly following our directions!
Recipe
Cranberry Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 package plus 2 full strips regular graham crackers
- ¼ cup butter
Cheesecake Filling:
- 24 ounces cream cheese at room temperature Philadelphia ONLY, please see note below.
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 8 oz. white chocolate melted*
- ½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Cranberry Sauce:
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 4 Tablespoons sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons corn starch
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Allow cream cheese to sit at room temperature for 1 hour, eggs for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F. Butter a 9" springform pan and wrap it in foil, bringing the foil up over the edges to keep pan from leaking.
Cranberry Filling:
- Whisk cold water, lemon juice and cornstarch together in small bowl.
- Combine cornstarch mixture with cranberries and sugar in pan over medium heat and stir. Bring to a boil stirring regularly. The mixture will thicken and turn more transparent as it boils. After it thickens and turns transparent it's done, this will take 2-5 minutes of boiling.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool while making the rest of the cheesecake.
Cheesecake Filling:
- Combine cornstarch, ¼ cup sugar and one package of cream cheese in a large bowl. Mix on medium low until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides every minute and mix 3-4 minutes total. Add the rest of the cream cheese one package at a time, for about one minute each, scraping down the sides after adding each one.
- Next add the sugar, ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium high and add the eggs one at a time, mixing about 30 seconds with each added egg. Scrape the bowl after each additional egg. The mixture should be smooth and beautiful and creamy. See photo above for a texture visual.
- Melt the white chocolate: To ensure that it doesn't burn, break the chocolate up into small pieces (if using chips or wafers, this step is already done) and start with 30 seconds the first time. Mix with a spoon, even if it doesn't look like it will mix. Sometimes chocolate will melt on the inside and hold its shape. Microwave in 15 second increments afterwards, mixing after each time, until the white chocolate has fully melted. You may also consider using the double boiler method. Stir in the white chocolate until combined.
- Finally, add the whipping cream. Mix on medium speed only until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
Assembly:
- Combine crushed graham crackers and butter together in a bowl. Press into the 9" springform pan.
- Pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust.
- Spoon the cranberry filling onto the cheesecake filling in small spoonfuls. Using a damp finger, gently press the cranberry filling into the cheesecake filling. Don't be afraid to push some of them down in a ways. Then get a knife and swirl the fillings together using a figure 8 motion. Be careful not to do this too much or the cake will turn pink! See pictures above.
- Bake in a preheated oven in a water bath. Place the springform pan in a large pan and fill with water until water goes halfway up the pan.
- Bake for 70-80 minutes until it just starts to turn golden and jiggles slightly but has some stability when gently jiggled.
- Cool for 3-4 hours at room temperature before refrigerating. Refrigerate for 3 or more hours or overnight.
Sugared Cranberries:
- This step is optional and is mostly for decoration. Though they taste decent, the cheesecake is wonderful without them. The recipe we recommend is included in the notes section below.
JCW
WOW. This one was a showstopper and hit of Thanksgiving. Absolutely delicious. The cheesecake was perfect and that hit of tangy cranberry was insane.
Jed
One of the best cheesecakes i've had! Easy recipe to follow!
Kristen Wood
Wow oh wow, this was so good! We can't wait to make again!
Connie
What size pan? I could find size listed
Nicole
a 9" springform
Lauren Michael Harris
I love cheesecake, but have never had a cranberry one before. This recipe with the white chocolate was perfect for a holiday celebration we had!
Lucy
Cranberry and white chocolate is such a delicious combination. It was a hit at Christmas!
Briana Rieben
I love Cranberries and this was so yummy! Even without adding the sugared cranberries on top it was still a hit in our house
Sammi
This is THE BEST cheesecake I ever had!! The tart cranberry compliments the white chocolate and creaminess of the cheesecake PERFECTLY!!!