Holiday Cranberry Cheesecake (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
1 pinch of salt.
02 -
⅓ cup white sugar.
03 -
¼ cup melted unsalted butter.
04 -
1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers.
05 -
2 pounds of cream cheese (4 packages, 8 oz. each), softened to room temperature.
06 -
1 ½ cups sugar.
07 -
5 eggs, at room temperature.
08 -
8 ounces sour cream, also room temperature.
09 -
2 tablespoons of grated orange peel.
10 -
1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
11 -
1 can (12 oz.) of whole berry cranberry sauce, or 1 ½ cups homemade.
# Instructions:
01 -
Set your oven at 325°F. Coat a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
02 -
Combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, salt, and sugar. Press into the pan. Bake for ten minutes, then let cool fully.
03 -
Mix cream cheese until creamy. Add sour cream and sugar, combining well. Blend in eggs, zest, and vanilla gently.
04 -
Process the cranberry mixture in a blender until smooth.
05 -
Pour half the batter in the pan. Add half the cranberry mixture, then the rest of the batter. Finish with the remaining cranberry puree and create swirls using a knife.
06 -
Wrap the springform pan with foil. Put it in a roasting pan and fill halfway with hot water.
07 -
Bake for 1 to 1½ hours, until the center wobbles a bit. Turn off the heat and don’t open the oven for the next hour.
08 -
Take the cheesecake out, remove the foil, and cover it. Pop it in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
# Notes:
01 -
Using a water bath helps avoid cracks in the top and keeps baking even.
02 -
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature for smooth mixing.
03 -
Feel free to prep this up to 2–3 days early.