Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake – Perfect for the holidays!

Have a holly jolly Christmas, it’s the best time of the year….Oh sorry I have these Christmas jingles in my head  this time of year and yes I know it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. 😀  I’m hopeless when this time of year comes around! Just imagine your friends and families face when you break out this beauty for desert! I think this is truly one of the best cheesecakes I have ever had.

As you know I am not the best baker around, so when I make a cheesecake that comes out looking at gorgeous as this one..I am a happy camper! You know what it means? It means YOU can do this too!! LOL

My mom gave me a ton of fresh cranberries and I was trying to figure out what the heck to do with them, when of course cheesecake comes to mind. The cinnamony chocolatey graham cracker crust paired with the creamy cheesecake and tartness of cranberries is like a bite of heaven in each mouthful. The cranberry compote is a MUST to save even after the cheesecake is gone. It is great on crackers with a sharp cheddar cheese or to add into your mixed cocktails! YUM

Cranberry Compote:

• 2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• zest of one lemon or orange
• 4 tsp vanilla

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 3/4 cups of graham crackers
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened Cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

• 4 – 8 ounces packages cream cheese, room temperature (I used 2 full fat and 2 reduced fat cream cheese and this is crazy rich)
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whipping cream or half and half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• cranberry compote

Make cranberry compote:
Combine all ingredients except vanilla in large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5-10 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to food processor and add vanilla. Puree until smooth. Strain into a bowl and cover  Refrigerate at least 6 hours or freeze for 3.

Make crust:
Spray 10-inch-diameter Springform pan (I used 2 pie dishes) with nonstick spray. If using a Springform pan, wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Blend all ingredients except butter in food processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill crust while preparing filling.

Make filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, half and half and vanilla.

Transfer 1/3 of filling to prepared crust. Dollop 1/3 of cranberry puree atop filling. Repeat layering of filling and puree 2 more times. Using knife, skewer or toothpick, swirl puree through filling, creating marbled design.

Place springform pan or pie dish in large baking dish or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan or baking dish to come halfway up sides of springform pan or pie dish. Bake until cheesecake puffs around edges, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour, leaving oven door ajar.

If using  springform pan: Transfer cake to rack. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool completely. Remove foil from pan sides. Cover cake and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Remove pan sides.

If using a pie dish: Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 6 hours or 3 hours in freezer.

Serve cake with Cranberry Compote either on top or on the side for dipping each tart bite into!

This recipe is was shared over at:

Thursday’s Treasures

Wicked Good Wednesdays

Gingerbread Pumpkin Cheesecake

Cheesecake you might as well know now…is a serious weakness for me. This time of year with pumpkin all around, I decided to add it to my cheesecake recipe. Talk about some exquisite delectability! This cheesecake has a really creamy center with a semi sweet gingerbread crust and is topped with a tangy sour cream yogurt mixture that rounds out this delicious dessert that is great for after your Thanksgiving meal or even a date night for 2 with a glass of Port. *Thank you to a reader who found some errors, this recipe has been updated!*

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups gingersnaps or gingerbread cookies, crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2.5 packages cream cheese, softened
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin pie mixture (or canned pumpkin if you prefer, just add 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice to it)
1/2 cup of granulated sugar if using pumpkin pie; if using canned pumpkin use 1 cup sugar (can also use brown sugar)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Place cookies in food processor and pulverized until fine consistency.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Melt butter and add to cookie crumbs, place in a pie dish or tart pan and press firmly covering the bottom of the pan.
4. Bake in oven for 7 minutes.
5. In a bowl, cream together; cream cheese, vanilla, and pumpkin. Add beaten egg and continue mixing for 1 minute on low speed.
6. Pour mixture into tart pan or pie dish and bake for 45-50 minutes, until no longer “jiggly” or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

1. In a small bowl combine yogurt, sour cream and sugar, stir until well combined.
2. Pour over top of cheesecake and return to oven for 5 minutes.

Let cool for about 20 minutes and begin to loosen edges with knife. Continue to let cool for 30 more minutes. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.

Featured at: Foodie Friends Friday!

Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Get your sweet tooth and pucker face ready for this super sweet and tart recipe! 

This recipe is from one of my favorite blogs, The Foodie Physician. She has AH-MAZING recipes. I modified only a few ingredients and amounts on this recipe. It is so good!

INGREDIENTS

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough
1 cup strawberry jam
20 ounces cream cheese (2 1/2 packages)
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 jar lemon curd (10 oz)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In an ungreased 13×9-inch baking tray, break up sugar cookie dough. With floured hands, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan to form a crust. Bake 12 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. 
3. Spread the jam evenly over the surface of the partially cooled crust. You should get a nice thick even layer on this part. If you can see the cookie dough, I would say it is too thin, add more. 
4. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add the flour, heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix. Beat in the eggs one at a time until blended. Pour the filling into the tray over the jam. Heat up lemon curd in microwave for about 30 seconds to thin it out. Using a spoon dollop lemon curd in 3 rows over the cream cheese filling. Using a sharp knife, skewer or toothpick swirl the lemon curd into the cheesecake mixture and down into the jam being careful not to cut into the crust. At this point I should have added more jam between the lemon curd on top to swirl too (will do this next time and use less on the bottom crust)
5. Bake in oven 40-45 minutes until filling is set. Cool 30 minutes. Cut into 4×6 rows.
6. Garnish with 1/2 of a strawberry and 1/2 of a lemon slice. Refrigerate for best results and enjoy!

 

Posted on Thursday’s Treasures over at Recipes For My Boys, such a terrific blog and Debi is an amazing woman!