Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake

Name: Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 16 servings.
Ingredients: 15 Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups); 1/3 cup butter, melted; CHEESECAKE:; 5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened; 1-1/2 cups sugar; 1 tablespoon cranberry juice or 2% milk; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten; 12 ounces white baking chocolate, cut into 1/2-in. pieces; 1 cup dried cranberries

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 1 hour + chilling YIELD: 16 servings.

My New York-style cheesecake has tart cranberries, white chocolate chunks and a smidge of yuletide red. It's an impressive addition to holiday dessert tables. —Angela Spengler, Tampa, Florida

Ingredients

15 Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/3 cup butter, melted
CHEESECAKE:
5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cranberry juice or 2% milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
12 ounces white baking chocolate, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 10-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil securely around pan.
2. In a small bowl, mix crushed cookies and melted butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in cranberry juice and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Fold in white chocolate and cranberries. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
4. Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 60-70 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen side from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled. Remove rim from pan before serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 545 calories, 37g fat (22g saturated fat), 123mg cholesterol, 362mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate (44g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.