Best 5 Winning Cranberry Cheesecake Recipes

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In the realm of culinary delights, there lies a tantalizing dessert that captivates the hearts and palates of all who encounter it - the winning cranberry cheesecake. This luscious confection, with its creamy, velvety texture and vibrant cranberry swirl, is a symphony of flavors that dances on the tongue. Whether you are a seasoned baker looking to elevate your dessert repertoire or an aspiring cook seeking to impress your loved ones, this article will guide you through the culinary journey of creating the ultimate winning cranberry cheesecake. Discover the secrets behind the perfect crust, the luscious filling, and the art of achieving that irresistible swirl. With each step, you'll be guided towards creating a masterpiece that will be the star of any gathering and leave your taste buds forever grateful.

Let's cook with our recipes!

CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE



Cranberry Cheesecake image

Every year when the cranberries are harvested, my family looks forward to eating this cheesecake. -Nairda Monroe, Webberville, Michigan

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h25m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 cups graham cracker or shortbread cookie crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
TOPPING:
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
FILLING:
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 large eggs, lightly beaten

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil securely around pan. Place on a baking sheet. , In a small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 6 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar and water. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until berries pop, about 12-15 minutes. Add lemon juice. Press cranberry mixture through a food mill into a small bowl; discard pulp and seeds. Set aside. , For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour into crust. Spoon 1/4 cup topping over filling; cut through filling with a knife to swirl. Place springform pan in a larger pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. , Bake 55-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Pour remaining topping over cheesecake. Refrigerate cheesecake overnight, covering when completely cooled. Remove rim from pan.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 522 calories, Fat 35g fat (19g saturated fat), Cholesterol 174mg cholesterol, Sodium 423mg sodium, Carbohydrate 46g carbohydrate (35g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 8g protein.

CRANBERRY CELEBRATION CHEESECAKE



Cranberry Celebration Cheesecake image

This pretty cheesecake is a cranberry and dessert lover's dream. Cool and creamy, it's just right for the holidays-or any day! -Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 2h35m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 20

1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
FILLING:
3/4 cup plus 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cranberry juice
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
TOPPING:
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Steps:

  • In a food processor, finely chop dried cranberries. Add flour, almonds and confectioners' sugar; process until blended. Add butter; pulse just until crumbly., Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in. up sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. , In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir in cranberry juice until smooth. Add berries. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Set aside., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla and remaining sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat just until combined. Pour half of batter into crust. Carefully spoon 3/4 cup berry mixture over batter; top with remaining batter., Bake for 45 minutes. Reduce heat to 250°. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until center is almost set. Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla; spread over top. Bake 20-30 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Spread remaining berry mixture over the top. Refrigerate overnight., Beat cream until stiff peaks form; fold in ground almonds. Pipe around top edge of cheesecake; sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 626 calories, Fat 40g fat (24g saturated fat), Cholesterol 171mg cholesterol, Sodium 242mg sodium, Carbohydrate 57g carbohydrate (38g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 10g protein.

WINNING CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE



Winning Cranberry Cheesecake image

The holidays wouldn't be complete without cranberries and eggnog. I use them both in this flavorful cheesecake that's the perfect finale for a special dinner. Set it out at the start of the meal, not just to solicit "oohs" and "aahs," but to remind folks to save room for dessert! -Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h30m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup cranberry juice
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
CRUST:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 16 squares)
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
FILLING:
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup eggnog
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in cranberry juice until smooth. Add cranberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside. , Preheat oven to 325°. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add flour and beat well. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Add eggnog and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour two-thirds of the filling over crust. Top with half of the cranberry mixture (cover and refrigerate remaining cranberry mixture). Carefully spoon remaining filling on top. Return pan to baking sheet., Bake until center is almost set, 60-70 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Spoon remaining cranberry mixture over cheesecake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 345 calories, Fat 13g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 112mg cholesterol, Sodium 161mg sodium, Carbohydrate 52g carbohydrate (44g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 5g protein.

BEST MAPLE-CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE



Best Maple-Cranberry Cheesecake image

This maple cheesecake recipe may look intimidating, but it's not. If you make one holiday dessert, this is the 5-star dessert to showcase. -Tonya Burkhard, Davis, Illinois

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h45m

Yield 16 servings (2 cups compote).

Number Of Ingredients 18

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
FILLING:
1-1/2 cups maple syrup
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
COMPOTE:
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan., Combine cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and cinnamon; press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until set, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°., Meanwhile, place maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until syrup is reduced to about 1 cup. Cool to room temperature; set aside., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream, flour, vanilla, salt and cooled syrup. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan., In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, syrup and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 10 minutes. Serve warm with cheesecake.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 483 calories, Fat 23g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 116mg cholesterol, Sodium 284mg sodium, Carbohydrate 66g carbohydrate (53g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 6g protein.

CREAMY CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE



Creamy Cranberry Cheesecake image

This creamy cheesecake is perfect for holiday desserts. The colorful topping is so good that I prepare it separately and use it as a cranberry side dish at Thanksgiving. -Mary Simonson, Kelso, Washington

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h35m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 18

9 whole cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, cubed
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
3 large egg whites, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
TOPPING:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons water
1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Steps:

  • Combine the cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a 9-in. springform pan coated with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream and remaining sugar until smooth. Add egg whites; beat on low just until combined. Stir in lemon juice and extracts. Pour into crust. , Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Place in a larger baking pan. Add 1 in. hot water to larger pan. , Bake for 55-60 minutes or until center is just set. Remove pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Remove foil. Chill overnight. , In a small saucepan, combine the first five topping ingredients; bring to a boil. Add cranberries. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 10 minutes. Stir in pecans; cool. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. , Spoon topping over cheesecake to within 1 in. of edges. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 269 calories, Fat 11g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 31mg cholesterol, Sodium 294mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (27g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 7g protein.

Tips:

  • Use fresh cranberries. Fresh cranberries have a tart, bright flavor that is perfect for this cheesecake. If you can't find fresh cranberries, you can use frozen cranberries, but be sure to thaw them completely before using.
  • Don't overbeat the cream cheese. Overbeating the cream cheese will make the cheesecake dense and crumbly. Beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy, but don't go overboard.
  • Bake the cheesecake in a water bath. This will help to prevent the cheesecake from cracking. To make a water bath, place the cheesecake pan in a larger roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with hot water. The water should come about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
  • Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving. This will allow the cheesecake to set properly and develop its full flavor.
  • Serve the cheesecake with your favorite toppings. Some popular toppings include fresh cranberries, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce.

Conclusion:

This cranberry cheesecake is a delicious and festive dessert that is perfect for any occasion. With its creamy texture, tart cranberries, and sweet graham cracker crust, this cheesecake is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you're looking for a special dessert, give this cranberry cheesecake a try. You won't be disappointed!

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