Cranberry Cheesecake

This cranberry cheesecake has a rich and creamy filling and a gorgeous cranberry glaze. Top with sugared cranberries for an elegant Thanksgiving dessert.

Cranberry Cheesecake

Course: DesertsCuisine: European
Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

50

minutes
Additional Time

8

minutes
Total Time

9 hrs 50 mins

Servings

10

Yield

1 (9-inch) cheesecake

Ingredients

  • Cheesecake
  • 10 — graham crackers

  • 5 tablespoons — butter, melted

  • 2 tablespoons — confectioners’ sugar

  • ⅛ teaspoon — salt

  • 2 (8 ounce) packages — cream cheese, softened

  • ¾ cup — white sugar

  • 3 large — eggs

  • ¼ cup — sour cream

  • 2 teaspoons — vanilla extract

  • 1 — orange, zested

  • Sugared Cranberries
  • ⅓ cup — white sugar

  • ½ cup — water

  • 1 cup — fresh cranberries

  • ¼ cup — white sugar

  • Cranberry Glaze
  • 1 cup — fresh cranberries

  • ¼ cup — water

  • 2 tablespoons — white sugar

  • ½ cup — confectioners’ sugar

  • 1 tablespoon — orange juice

  • 1 ½ teaspoons — light corn syrup

  • ½ teaspoon — vanilla extract

  • ¼ teaspoon — salt

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
  • To make the crust: Crush cookies into crumbs using a food processor. Stir crumbs, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt together until combined; press into the bottom of prepared pan. Rinse food processor and set aside for the cranberry glaze.
  • Bake crust in the preheated oven until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Let crust cool while making the filling.
  • To make the cheesecake filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until well combined, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Spoon batter over the crust.
  • Bake until filling is set but still soft in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool cheesecake to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
  • While cheesecake is cooling, combine 1/3 cup sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a bowl and cool for 10 minutes. Add cranberries and stir to coat with syrup.
  • Refrigerate cheesecake and syrup-coated cranberries, 8 hours to overnight.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Drain syrup-coated cranberries, then roll them in sugar. Place sugared cranberries on the prepared baking sheet and allow to dry, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine cranberries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer, crushing cranberries, until they reach a jam-like consistency, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer to the food processor; add confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. 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. Garnish with sugared cranberries.

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