Cranberry Cheesecake
This creamy, tangy and delicious Cranberry Cheesecake is the perfect fruity dessert for your Thanksgiving table! It may look like there are a lot of steps, but with a graham cracker crust, classically creamy middle, cranberry swirl and a vibrant cranberry glaze you won’t believe how easy it is to bake this cheesecake ahead for up to 12 guests!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs this is a real showstopper of a holiday dessert, and it just gets better as you slice into it to reveal the cranberry swirl inside! But, if you like your desserts simple or this is just going to be one of many on the dessert table the whipped cream and sugared decorations are totally optional.
- The cranberry glaze on top of this Cranberry Cheesecake not only makes it look pretty and taste great, but it makes this the perfect forgiving cheesecake recipe for serving to guests as it will cover up any minor cracks in the cheesecake that open up during chilling.
Chef’s Tips
- You can make the cranberry swirl up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerate it until you are ready to make the cheesecake.
- This is how to make sugared cranberries and rosemary, and this is our go-to recipe for whipped cream!
- Leftover cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Take slices out for 30 minutes to take the chill off of them before serving.
More Easy Holiday Recipes You’ll Love
- Cake Mix Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
- Southern Sweet Potato Crunch Casserole
- Easy Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Cobbler
- Easy Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans Recipe
- Sautéed Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon
- Red Velvet Cookies (Made with cake mix!)
Cranberry Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- fine-mesh sieve
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham crackers (crushed)
- ⅓ cup butter (melted)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cheesecake
- 2 pounds Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened (4 x 8 ounce packages)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 navel orange (zest only)
Cranberry Swirl (see notes if you wish to skip the glaze)
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (1 bag, about 3 cups, divided)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
Cranberry Glaze (see notes if you wish to skip the glaze)
- 1 cup fresh cranberries (use 1 cup from the cranberry swirl ingredients)
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
Instructions
Make Cranberry Swirl
- Combine the cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium-size pot over medium heat. Stir frequently until the cranberries have burst, about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Cool completely before using.
Make Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Press onto the bottom of the prepared pan to make a packed crust.
- Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until just blended.
- Pour half of filling onto prepared crust. Stir the cranberry swirl well, then dollop about half onto the cheesecake layer. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the cranberry mixture into the batter. Pour the remaining cheesecake batter over this first layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
- Turn the oven off; let cheesecake cool in the oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours to prevent cracking. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.
Make Glaze
- Combine the cranberries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer, crushing the cranberries, until they reach a jam-like consistency, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer to the food processor; add powdered sugar and corn syrup. Process until smooth.
- Strain cranberry glaze through a fine-mesh sieve and discard solids. Pour over the cheesecake and smooth across the top with a small offset spatula.
- Let cool completely then garnish with sugared cranberries, whipped cream, rosemary etc. if liked.
Notes
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries, about 3 cups
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 2/3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Recipe costs provided are approximate. Actual cost per recipe & serving will vary by location, store, brand, etc. Approximate cost shown does not include costs for any optional ingredients.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used. To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
