A festive cranberry white chocolate holiday riff on the classic cheesecake.
Tart cranberries paired with sweet white chocolate, cream cheese, mascarpone and a graham cracker crust.
I like my cheesecakes with mascarpone, and this recipe uses half cream cheese and half mascarpone. Both are soft, unripened cheeses with a creamy texture and mild flavor. Mascarpone is cream cheese’s richer, less tangy cousin. It makes the cheesecake silkier and more delicate. Eggs bring a creamy, custard-like texture and a soft, Basque-like center.
I’m on a mission to liberate cranberries from the sauce.
These sweet and tart fruits have so much more potential and I’m a fresh cranberry advocate. The cranberries are simmered with sugar and water until they burst and thicken into a compote before being incorporated into the cheesecake batter, turning it a vibrant pink (spoiler alert: the color fades with baking). Top it with sugared cranberries and rosemary (optional), more of an aesthetic than a flavor thang. If you’re gonna make ’em, I’d rec making extra for festive holiday drink garnishes.
My White Chocolate Wisdom
Lots of the sweetness comes from the white chocolate here, so use the best quality you can find; you’ll really taste the difference. Keep in mind that white chocolate chips are often formulated to hold their shape during baking. They can become thick and pasty rather than luscious and smooth when melted. Look for cocoa butter in the ingredient list when buying.
My Cheesecake Wisdom
Blind baking the crust keeps it from getting soggy when the batter goes in. Don’t skip it.
Equal parts cream cheese & mascarpone. But if all you have is cream cheese, make it anyway. It’ll be denser and tangier and still damn good.
Use room temp cream cheese, mascarpone and eggs – it's essential for avoiding lumps in the batter.
Avoid over mixing or adding extra air into the batter – mix until ingredients are just combined. This will prevent any cracking on the top layer of your cheesecake during the baking process.
No water bath. Baked directly in the oven.
Cool it completely before slicing — it needs time to firm up so it slices clean. Worth the wait.
Make Ahead
Cheesecake: Once assembled, the cheesecake will keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge. Chill it at least 3 hours, or make it the day before you plan to serve it and keep it in the fridge.
Cranberry Compote: The compote will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge and also freezes well, up to 3 months.
Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 10 graham crackers
- 6 Tbsp butter melted
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Cheesecake
- 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup sugar divided
- 2 Tbsp water
- 8 oz white chocolate
- 16 oz mascarpone room temp
- 16 oz cream cheese room temp
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tbsp Kosher salt
- 4 eggs room temp and lightly beaten
Cheesecake Toppings (optional)
- sugared cranberries
- sugared rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Make the crust: Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until small crumbs are beginning to form. Add the melted butter, sugar and salt; pulse until combined. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Make the cranberry compote: Bring the cranberries, 1/2 cup of sugar, and the water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer the cranberries, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until they’ve popped and the mixture is quite thick. Set aside to cool while making the rest of the cheesecake filling.
- Melt the white chocolate: Place the chocolate in a bowl over (but not touching) simmering water, creating a double boiler. Stir gently and continuously until it’s melted. Remove from heat and set aside while making the rest of the cheesecake filling.
- Make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone on low speed with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract and salt and mix until combined. Gradually add the eggs and mix until just combined. Add the cranberry compote and melted white chocolate and beat to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, until fully incorporated. Pour the filling into the cooled crust (if you want to avoid any cream cheese lumps, pour and press it through a fine mesh sieve).
- Bake the cheesecake: Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 10 minutes. The outside will be set but the center may still jiggle slightly. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight to set. (Cheesecake can be stored, chilled, for up to 3 days).
- Run a knife around the edge of the chilled cheesecake to loosen it from the springform pan and remove the rim. Serve cheesecake with optional toppings or as is.
Want More Fresh Cranberry Recipes?
Cranberries aren't just for cranberry sauce – here's the full sweet and savory collection.
- Cranberry Focaccia with Rosemary & Caramelized Shallots – no-knead, vibrantly festive, and made for the holiday table.
- Fresh Cranberry Braised Brisket – sweet, savory, tart, and fall-off-the-fork tender.
- Cranberry Chicken – a juicy skillet dish that tastes like the holidays.
- Cranberry & Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops – spicy, tart, sweet, one pan, under 30 minutes.
- Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Stuffed Cookies – crispy edges, chewy center, lots of holiday flair.
- Cranberry Caramel Tart with Candied Macadamia Nuts – gooey caramel, tart cranberries, and pumpkin spiced candied macadamia nuts in a buttery tart crust.
- Sugared Cranberries – two ingredients, sparkling, done in 30 minutes.
- Cranberry Gingersnap Pie – spicy gingersnap walnut crust and a magnificently magenta cranberry curd.
If ya tried this cranberry white chocolate cheesecake, I’d love to hear – leave a comment below and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too!
There's a whole lot more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides waiting for ya on the site.
Let's make waves in the kitchen.
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