Winning Cranberry Cheesecake

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. + cooling Bake: 1 hour + chilling

Makes

12 servings

Updated: Jul. 14, 2023
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
Winning Cranberry Cheesecake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 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, room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup eggnog
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. 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 until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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 side of pan. Spoon remaining cranberry mixture over cheesecake. Refrigerate leftovers.
Eggnog
This recipe was tested with commercially prepared eggnog.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 345 calories, 13g fat (7g saturated fat), 112mg cholesterol, 161mg sodium, 52g carbohydrate (44g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g protein.