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Cranberry Cheesecake

This Cranberry Cheesecake is the ultimate festive dessert—rich, velvety, and delicately flavored with orange zest for a bright seasonal touch. Paired with a perfectly spiced graham cracker crust and topped with sparkling sugared cranberries, it’s a show-stopping Christmas centerpiece that’s surprisingly simple to make. Whether served at holiday parties, family gatherings, or Christmas dinner, this cheesecake brings a luxurious yet comforting flavor that captures the best of the season.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Chilling Time6 hours
Total Time7 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

  • Cooking spray
  • 3 bars 8 oz each cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

FOR THE CRUST

  • 1 sleeve graham crackers finely crushed
  • 5 tbsp melted butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of kosher salt

FOR THE CRANBERRIES

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar divided
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C) and grease an 8" or 9" springform pan.
  • Make the cheesecake filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  • Add eggs one at a time. Mix in sour cream, orange zest, flour, vanilla, and salt.
  • Make the crust: Combine graham crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Press the crust tightly into the pan.
  • Pour cheesecake filling over the crust.
  • Wrap the bottom of the pan in foil and place on a baking sheet (or water bath if preferred).
  • Bake 1 hour 30 minutes, until the center jiggles slightly.
  • Turn off oven, crack door open, and cool cheesecake 1 hour.
  • Remove foil and refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.
  • Make sugared cranberries: Heat water, orange juice, and 1/2 cup sugar until dissolved.
  • Toss cranberries in syrup, then cool on parchment.
  • Roll cooled cranberries in remaining sugar.
  • Top the chilled cheesecake with sugared cranberries before serving.

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Substitute graham crackers with gingersnaps or vanilla wafers.
  • Use lemon zest instead of orange for a brighter flavor.
  • Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt.

Make-Ahead Tips

  • Cheesecake can be made up to 48 hours in advance.
  • Sugared cranberries are best made the same day for maximum sparkle.

Serving Variations

  • Add a thin cranberry compote layer on top.
  • Drizzle with white chocolate or caramel.
  • Top with candied orange slices.

Avoid These Mistakes

  • Don’t overmix the batter—prevents cracking.
  • Don’t skip cooling in the oven—it stabilizes the texture.
  • Don’t remove springform ring too early—wait until fully chilled.