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This festive cranberry and orange cheesecake is really quick and easy to make. Made with fresh oranges, dried cranberries and a ginger crust, this dessert is perfect to serve at Christmas. This holiday baked cheesecake can be made ahead of time for easy entertaining. Creamy and tangy, it’s a real crowd pleaser!
Is everyone ready for Christmas yet?! No…me either! Although, my gosh, I am so looking forward to a couple of weeks off to eat and drink merrily!
I’m not much of a baker, in fact, you’ll very rarely find any baked goods on my blog, so for a Christmas dessert this year, I opted for a cheesecake full of festive flavors. It’s based on my popular Baked Lemon & Blueberry Cheesecake, and, if I do say myself, it’s damn fine!
Like all of my dessert recipes, this cheesecake is super easy to make!
How to make this cranberry and orange cheesecake recipe
It’s really easy and quick to make this yummy cheesecake!
- First up, break the biscuits into fine crumbs, you can do this by placing in a bag and hitting with a rolling pin, or you can pulse the a few times in a mixer. Pour the melted butter on top of the broken biscuits and mix well (photo 1).
- Tip the biscuit crumbs into a springform tin and press down. Bake for 10 minutes in a pre heated oven and leave to one side (photo 2).
- In a large bowl, mix the cheese and sugar together (photo 3).
- Add the yogurt and then slowly add the eggs and mix (photo 4 & 5).
- Add orange zest, juice and cranberries and mix (photo 6).
- Pour the mixture onto the crunchy biscuit base (photo 7) and bake.
What does this cheesecake taste like?
This cheesecake is super creamy, tangy and sweet with a hint of orange running throughout it. The base is made of a mixture of digestive and ginger snap biscuits. The ginger works so well with other festive flavors in this cheesecake. The cream cheese mixture is based on a basic cheesecake mix, with a touch of plain yogurt to give a hint of sourness. Fresh orange juice and zest is mixed throughout and dried cranberries are added which just burst with flavor.
How long does cranberry and orange cheesecake keep?
Cheesecakes are the perfect dessert to make ahead of time and you can store them in the fridge or freeze them.
Keeping cheesecake in the fridge
Once the cheesecake has fully cooled after baking, keep it in the springform pan and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge. It will keep for around 6 to 8 days. To serve, simply remove the ring from the springform pan and slice. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container.
Freezing cheesecake
Cheesecake freezes really well, so make a couple, why not?! Let the cake cool fully to warm temperature before wrapping with plastic wrap or foil and then placing in a freezer bag. It’s best to keep the cake in it’s pan. The cheesecake will keep frozen for around 6 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge the day before serving.
How do you know when the cheesecake is done?
This cheesecake will take around 45 minutes to bake in a 9 1/4 inch springform pan. If you use a slightly smaller pan it will take a little bit longer. The cheesecake is done when the edges are very slightly brown. Give it a gentle shake, and only a small circle in the center should wobble. Don’t use a knife or your finger to check if it’s set, you’ll leave an indentation in the top (you may be able to see where I poked mine with my finger haha!).
A Christmas cheesecake for the holidays
The ginger, cranberry and orange flavors in this cheesecake work so well together. It’s so perfectly festive but don’t let that limit you to just serving it at the holidays! Mr Slow The Cook Down took some slices into work at came back with raving reviews, so I can’t wait for you guys to try this! I love that you can make it several days ahead of time and be pulled out of the fridge whenever the cheesecake cravings kick in!
Top tips to make this baked cranberry and orange cheesecake
- It’s best to mix the cheesecake by hand rather than using a mixer. Cheesecakes can crack if they are over mixed, you want the ingredients to just be combined.
- Once the cheesecake has baked, turn the oven off, open the door and keep the cheesecake on the rack. This will mean it cools slowly and is less likely to sink and crack.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely before removing the ring from the springform pan and slicing.
- To make this dessert gluten-free, use gluten-free biscuits.
- You can cut down on fat content and calories if you use a low fat cheese, but it won’t be as creamy.
For more easy dessert recipes:
- Chocolate Pots with a Pretzel Topping
- Layered Eton Mess with Summer Fruits
- Homemade Cherry and Yogurt Popsicles
- Sweet Puff Pastry Pinwheels
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Cranberry and Orange Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 cup digestive biscuits (100g) (3.5 oz)
- 1 1/2 cups ginger biscuits (150g) (5.3 oz)
- 0.8 stick butter (100g) (3.5 oz)
- 2.5 cups soft cheese (600g) (21 oz)
- 3/4 cup caster sugar (250g) (9 oz)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (150g) (5.3 oz)
- 3 eggs beaten
- 2 1/4 cups dried cranberries (200g) (7 ounces)
- zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 1/2 orange
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325ºf / 180ºc
- In a bowl, bash the biscuits into fine crumbs. Slowly melt the butter and mix into the biscuits ensuring the crumbs are evenly covered.
- Take a loose bottom, round tin and put the biscuits in the base. Press down (you can use a potato masher for this) to form and even layer. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, then leave to one side.
- In a large bowl, mix the cheese and sugar together. Once it is well mixed, add the yogurt and then slowly add the eggs and mix. Don't use a whisk, as you don't want too much air in the mixture. Add orange zest, juice and cranberries. Mix again and pour the mixture onto the crunchy biscuit base.
- Pop in the oven for 40-50 mins. Let it cool, and serve.
Notes
- It's best to mix the cheesecake by hand rather than using a mixer. Cheesecakes can crack if they are over mixed, you want the ingredients to just be combined.
- Once the cheesecake has baked, turn the oven off, open the door and keep the cheesecake on the rack. This will mean it cools slowly and is less likely to sink and crack.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely before removing the ring from the springform pan and slicing.
- To make this dessert gluten-free, use gluten-free biscuits.
- You can cut down on fat content and calories if you use a low fat cheese, but it won't be as creamy.
- Nutritional values are based on one of twelve servings and are an estimate.
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