Cranberry Cheesecake Recipe
Cranberry cheesecake is a rich and creamy cranberry swirled cheesecake with a classic orange infused graham cracker crust. This decadent cheesecake with cranberries is topped with a beautiful ruby hued cranberry glaze and candied cranberries. Make this cranberry topped cheesecake the next time you need a simple, stunning and celebratory dessert.
Equipment
- 1 small sauce pan
- 1 mesh strainer
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 food processor or ziplock bag
- 1 10-inch cake pan to replace the foil for a water bath
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 roasting pan
- 1 tea kettle or small pot (to boil water and to make the syrup)
Ingredients
Cranberry Filling and Topping
- 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) orange juice
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups crushed graham crackers 9 - 10 sheets
- 6 tablespoons (87 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 orange, zested
Cranberry Cheesecake
- 4 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature1
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange juice
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperaure
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
Candied Cranberries
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
Make the Cranberry Filling and Topping
- Make the cranberry sauce filling and topping by adding cranberries, water, sugar and orange juice into a medium pot. Cook over medium heat for 10 - 15 or until the cranberries begin to pop. Strain the cranberry sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Discard any of the cranberries left in the strainer. Cool the remaining sauce to room temperature.3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (118 ml) water, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) orange juice
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Pour water in a small pot and place the pot on the stove. Lightly grease and line the bottom of the springform pan. If you would like, line the sides of the cheesecake pan as well.
Make the Cheesecake
- Make the graham cracker cookie crust by processing graham crackers in a food processor to mostly fine crumbs. Pulse to combine the orange zest and melted butter until the mixture clumps together.Press the graham cookie crust along the bottom of a 9” springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven to cool on a cooling rack.2 cups crushed graham crackers, 6 tablespoons (87 g) unsalted butter, melted, 1 orange, zested
- When it is time to fill the pan with cheesecake filling, place the springform pan inside of a 10” cake pan. This takes the place of foil for the water bath. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F (163 C).
- In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese on low until very smooth. Scrape the bowl as needed. On low, beat in the sugar until well combined. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl again. The cream cheese will look smooth and more glossy.4 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature1, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- On low beat in the heavy cream, sour cream, vanilla extract, orange juice and salt until smooth and well combined. On the lowest speed, mix in the eggs, one at a time until combined. Do not mix more than is needed to fully incorporate the eggs.¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, room temperature, ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream, room temperature, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange juice, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract , ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 large eggs, room temperaure, 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- Pour the half of the creamy orange infused cheesecake filling into the prepared crust. Drop ¼ cup of cranberry sauce in teaspoon size spoonfuls onto the cheesecake filling. Swirl to gently incorporate the cranberry sauce. Repeat the with remaining cheesecake filling and an additional ¼ cup cranberry sauce. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of sauce for topping the cheesecake after baking. If you haven’t done so yet, place the springform pan into a larger 10 inch cake pan. Then place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan filled with very hot water.
Bake and Cool the Cheesecake
- Carefully place the roasting pan with the cheesecake into the oven to bake for 65-75 minutes. The cheesecake is finished baking with the edges are set and the center has a jiggle similar to jello. After baking, turn the oven off, crack the oven door and leave the cheesecake to cool inside the cooling oven for 1 hour. I use a spoon to crack the oven door during this time. After 1 hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven, the water bath and the larger 10” cake pan.
- Place the springform pan on a cooling rack to cool the cheesecake at room temperature for 1 additional hour. Run a butter knife along the edges to loosen any cheesecake stuck to the pan. Once completely cooled, pour and evenly smooth the remaining cranberry sauce over the cheesecake, cover the pan in plastic wrap and transfer the cheesecake to the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours.
Assemble and Serve
- A couple of hours before serving the cheesecake, make the candied cranberries. In a small sauce pan, bring sugar and water to a simmer over medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 5-7 minutes. Pour the sugar syrup into a heat safe bowl with cleaned fresh cranberries. Allow the cranberries to soak in the warm syrup for 45 - 60 minutes. Drain the cranberries and roll in a small bowl of sugar to coat. Transfer the candied cranberries to a lined plate or baking sheet.½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (118 ml) water, 1 cup fresh cranberries, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar for rolling
- When it is time to serve, pull the cranberry cheesecake out of the fridge. Top the cheesecake with the candied cranberries in any design you prefer or simply serve them in a bowl on along side the cheesecake, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Store: Keep this cranberry cheesecake wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Make Ahead: The cranberry sauce can be made and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week and freezer for one month. The sugared cranberries can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
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