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5.0 from 3 votes

Cranberry Cheesecake

Cranberry Cheesecake with a delicious shortbread cookie crust and crumble and fresh cranberry swirl is a delightful holiday dessert! Topped with more sugared cranberries, this cheesecake looks as good as it tastes.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 45 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 781 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Cranberry Swirl:
  • 1 ½ Cups cranberries frozen and thawed is fine
  • ½ Cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ Cup water
  • Pinch of salt
For the Cheesecake Crust and Crumb Topping:
  • 3 Cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons salt
  • ¾ Cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
For the Cheesecake Filling:
  • 16 ounce full fat cream cheese at room temperature
  • 8 ounce full fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 ¼ Cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ¾ Cup all-purpose flour
For the Sugared Cranberries:
  • 2 Cups fresh cranberries
  • ½ Cup water
  • 1 ½ Cups granulated sugar divided
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

For the Cranberry Swirl: 
    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the cranberries, granulated sugar, water and salt to a pot and set over medium low heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 to 10 minutes until the cranberries have broken down. 
  2. Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth and set aside to cool.
For the Crust:
  1. Combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar and salt in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and mix to combine.    
  2. Add 2/3 of the mixture to a 9” round spring-form pan and press into the bottom and sides. Tip: use the back of a measuring cup to press down and help make a smooth bottom. Reserve the remaining 1/3 of the mixture for the crumb topping.
For the Filling:
  1. Combine the cream cheese, ricotta cheese and granulated sugar in a stand mixer. Beat until the sugar has dissolved. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice and melted butter to combine. Stir in the salt and all-purpose flour.
  2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed, and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth. Tip: This can also be done in a food processor.   
  3. Pour the cheesecake batter into the crust. Refrigerate while you pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.    
  4. Place dollops of the cranberry swirl mixture on top of the batter and swirl in using a butter knife.    
  5. Bake for 30 minutes.   
  6. Using the remainder of the crust dough, form small clumps with your hands and sprinkle on top of the cheesecake.If you prefer to let the swirl show, just sprinkle the crumbs along the edges. Return to the oven for an additional 45 to 50 minutes.    
  7. The cheesecake is done when there’s a slight jiggle in the middle but is otherwise set. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan. Top with the sugared cranberries before serving.
For the Sugared Cranberries:
  1. Add the water and ½ cup of the granulated sugar to a pot on low heat. Cook for a few minutes, just until the sugar has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries.    
  2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries and place them on a wire rack, set over a pan, for a few minutes to cool.
  3. Add the remaining cup of sugar to a large dish and toss the cranberries in the sugar until well coated.

Notes

  • For cheesecake batters, I highly recommend using a leak-proof spring-form pan. The divet at the base creates a perfect seal. If using a different style of pan, I suggest wrapping the base in aluminum foil to catch any leaks.
  • You can use all cream cheese instead of the cream cheese/ricotta cheese mixture in the recipe. The texture will be a little softer. I find that adding the ricotta gives a more stable cake that is less likely to crack.
  • Use homemade cranberry sauce for the swirl, or even the canned stuff works great too in a pinch.
  • Make a batch of homemade vanilla extract to use in all your baking.
  • Make the sugared cranberries, dough for the crust and the cranberry swirl the day before to make this quicker and easier to assemble.
  • Still in a rush? Substitute a can of cranberry sauce for the swirl in a pinch!
  • See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.

Nutrition Information

Calories 781kcal (39%) Carbohydrates 104g (35%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 37g (57%) Saturated Fat 22g (110%) Polyunsaturated Fat 12g Cholesterol 148mg (49%) Sodium 532mg (22%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 70g (140%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 781

% Daily Value*

Calories 781kcal 39%
Carbohydrates 104g 35%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 37g 57%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Polyunsaturated Fat 12g 71%
Cholesterol 148mg 49%
Sodium 532mg 22%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 70g 140%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.