Orange Cranberry Cheesecake
Creamy cheesecake with a spiced crust and the perfect blend of bright citrus and sweet and tangy cranberries. A show-stopping dessert worthy of the holiday table!
Servings servings
Equipment
Ingredients
Candied Orange Slices
- oranges, fresh
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
Sugared Cranberries
- 12 ounce cranberries, fresh
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- additional sugar for rolling You can use regular granulated sugar for this recipe if you'd like to simplify things. I found the best results by first rolling in a slightly coarse sugar and then rolling in regular granulated sugar that I pulsed several times in my food processor to create a slightly finer sugar.
Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 8 tablespoons butter 1 stick, or ½ cup, melted
Cheesecake
- 3 8-oz packages cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange zest use a microplane zester!
- ½ cup full fat sour cream
Cranberry Layer
- 6 ounces fresh cranberries that's about 1 ½ cups, or half of a standard size 12-oz bag from the produce department
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup water
- pinch of cinnamon and cloves
Decoration
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream sweetened to taste and whipped
- candied orange slices and sugared cranberries, as desired
Instructions
Make Ahead
- Please note that this cheesecake needs to be chilled overnight before serving.
- If you are making sugared cranberries or candied orange slices, feel free to make them 1-2 days ahead of time and simply store in a covered container in the fridge.Make your candied oranges first, and then use the leftover syrup to make the sugared cranberries.The cranberry layer can also be made 1-2 days ahead of time.
- Candied Orange Slices: Whisk sugar and water together in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Slice oranges into uniformly thin slices, about ⅛ inch thick. Lay in a single layer in the simple syrup and lightly simmer for about 15 minutes, until rinds appear softened and slightly translucent.
- Carefully remove from pan, letting excess syrup drip off, and lay on parchment at room temp until dry, yet tacky to the touch (they will always be sticky). May store in the fridge for several days. Dip in granulated sugar for a sparkly look.
- Sugared Cranberries: Wash cranberries and discard any damaged ones. Place in a bowl. Use leftover syrup from oranges, if any.If there isn't any leftover, combine sugar and water in a pot and heat until simmering. Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool for a few minutes until warm (not hot). Pour over cranberries and let sit in fridge, covered, overnight.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove berries from syrup. Set berries on a cooling rack that is placed over foil to collect drips. Spread berries out so they are not touching each other. Let dry for 1 hour.
- Roll berries a handful at a time in sugar (use the two-sugar technique from the notes if desired.) Place sugared berries on a baking sheet, or foil, etc. and let dry for an hour or two.
Cranberry Layer
- To make cranberry layer, place berries, sugar, orange juice, water, and spices in an 8x8 pan. Stir together and then bake at 350℉ for 45 minutes. Let cool until warm and then place in blender or food processor and process until semi-smooth (or very smooth, if you prefer). Set aside or store in fridge.If making ahead and storing for 1 - 2 days, it will thicken in the fridge from the natural pectin. Simply add a small amount of hot water while stirring to thin back to sauce consistency.
Cheesecake
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 350℉. Place a 9 or 10 inch springform pan on a double layer of heavy duty foil. Wrap the foil up around the sides of the pan and set aside.
- Assemble Cheesecake: For best success, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. If your eggs are still chilled, pull them out now and place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- Crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and spices in a bowl and stir with a fork. Add melted butter and stir until it is all incorporated. Press into a 9 or 10 inch cheesecake springform pan. Press down to flatten crust on the bottom of pan, and about 1-inch up the sides. Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and zest and beat to combine. Add sour cream and beat until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared crust and spread into an even layer.
- Dollop cranberry sauce over cheesecake and very gently spread out with a spoon into an even layer on top. Using a butter knife, swirl through the top of the cheesecake, swirling the cranberry and cheeecake layers together.
- Bake: Place foil-wrapped pan in a larger roasting pan and place in oven. Use a tea kettle or microwave-save liquid measuring container to pour hot (or boiling) water into the roasting pan, so it surrounds the cheesecake pan about half way up the sides of the pan. Bake for about 1 hour.
- Cheesecake should be firm, yet slightly jiggly (think Jell-O) when wiggled or gently shaken. When done, turn off oven heat, crack door, and let cheesecake sit for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
Decorate
- Spread whipped cream on top to cover about ¼ inch on top and then pipe decoratively around edges. (You can certainly just spread it all on top if you prefer.) Decorate with sugared cranberries and candied oranges.
Notes
- To quickly get your eggs to room temperature, place in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- This recipe requires one 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries, which you can find in the produce department of the grocery store during fall and winter months. You will use half the bag for the sauce, and the other half for the sugared cranberries on top.
- Make your sugared oranges first, and then use the leftover syrup to make the sugared cranberries.
- Whether making ahead or putting away leftovers, store cooled cheesecake, tightly covered, in the refrigerator and consume within 5-7 days for best results.
- If making ahead, use stabilized whipped cream and/or wait until right before serving to decorate with the whipped cream and candied fruits.
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 89mg, Sodium: 180mg, Potassium: 117mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 41g, Vitamin A: 677IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 378kcal
Cost: $15
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