Fa la la la la… la la.. la la! I’m so excited that it’s time to start planning holiday parties and gatherings! Holiday baking is one of my most favorite things ever to do, so I will definitely be serving up some decadent sweet treats to my guests.
One of this holiday season’s favorites is this festive Christmas Candy Cheesecake recipe that I am sharing today. It’s an incredibly delicious peppermint cheesecake topped with colorful Christmas candies. What more could you want?
I love that this holiday cheesecake is not only tasty, but also very pleasing to the eyes.
I took my favorite cheesecake recipe and added a little zip with some peppermint extract and crushed peppermint candies. I added a sweetened sour cream topping, and garnished with a combination of red and green peppermints, Holiday M&M’s, and red and green gumdrops.
Festive Christmas Candy Cheesecake
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp butter melted
Filling:
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
4 eggs lightly beaten
¾ cup crushed peppermint candies
Topping:
2 cups sour cream
¼ cup sugar
Assorted holiday candies
Directions:
Place an ungreased 9-inch springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a small bowl combine the graham crackers crumbs with the melted butter. Press the mixture evenly over bottom of pan and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Reduce the heat to 325°. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and peppermint until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in crushed peppermint candies. Pour into crust. Place in a larger baking pan. Add 1 inch of hot water to larger pan.
Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream and sugar until smooth. Spoon over hot cheesecake and spread to cover. Bake for 5 minutes longer or until topping is just set.
Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool for 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of can. Garnish with holiday candies.
Festive Christmas Candy Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tbsp butter melted
Filling:
- 4 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- ¾ cup crushed peppermint candies
Topping:
- 2 cups sour cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- Assorted holiday candies
Instructions
- Place an ungreased 9-inch springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a small bowl combine the graham crackers crumbs with the melted butter. Press the mixture evenly over bottom of pan and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Reduce the heat to 325°. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and peppermint until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in crushed peppermint candies. Pour into crust. Place in a larger baking pan. Add 1 inch of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull.
- In a small bowl, combine sour cream and sugar until smooth. Spoon over hot cheesecake and spread to cover. Bake for 5 minutes longer or until topping is just set.
- Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool for 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of can. Garnish with holiday candies.
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This is a festive cheesecake. I love the addition of peppermints. The sourcream topping sounds great too.
Such a pretty display. I always wonder what I could do when we have so much holiday candy left around.
This cheesecake is beautiful!! I love the addition of the candies-the perfect Christmas treat!