• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Cook
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Easy Weeknight
    • Weekend Feasting
  • Drink
    • Cocktails
    • Wine
    • No Booze Drinks
  • Party
    • Fancy Sweets
    • Party Food

Slow The Cook Down logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Cook
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Easy Weeknight
    • Weekend Feasting
    • Breakfast and Brunch
  • Party
    • Party Food
    • Fancy Sweets
  • Drink
    • Cocktails
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Party » Fancy Sweets

    Published: Dec 14, 2019 · Modified: Jun 24, 2021 by Slow The Cook Down

    Baked Cranberry and Orange Cheesecake

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest image. Two shots of the cheesecake with a text separator
    Pinterest image. A shot of the cranberry and orange cheesecake with text overlay

    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!

    A cranberry and orange cheesecake with a slice cut of of it

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my privacy policy here.

    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! 

    The perfect mix of sweet, tangy and creamy, it's made with a ginger nut crust for an extra burst of flavor.

    Like all of my dessert recipes, this cheesecake is super easy to make!

    Why you will love this recipe!

    • Make ahead: Cheesecakes are a great make ahead dessert, so it's a great option if you are entertaining, or, just want to enjoy something sweet throughout the week.
    • Easy: I love cheesecakes mainly because they are so easy to make - they are always a go to dessert for me.
    • So festive! With flavors of orange and cranberry, this is so perfect for the holidays, though it's pretty delicious all year round to be honest!
    A baked cranberry and orange cheesecake next to slices of oranges

    Ingredients

    • Biscuits: The base is made with a mix of digestive and ginger nut biscuits. The ginger works so great with the zesty orange!
    • Butter: Use unsalted butter for this recipe.
    • Cream cheese: Soften the cream cheese before mixing it with the other ingredients. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to make it. Use a full fat cream cheese for the best texture and flavor.
    • Sugar: White granulated sugar is best to use in this recipe.
    • Yogurt: Plain yogurt adds some extra creaminess as well as a slight tang.
    • Eggs: Eggs help to thicken the cheesecake mixture and give it a nice smooth texture.
    • Dried cranberries: The cranberries add a nice pop of tart and sweet flavor. Use dried rather than fresh.
    • Orange zest and juice: We use both the juice and zest for a really bold flavor. Use freshly squeezed orange juice.

    How to make a cranberry and orange cheesecake

    • Mix the crushed biscuits with melted butter (photo 1).
    • Tip the biscuit crumbs into a springform tin and press down and bake (photo 2).
    Two shots to show how to make the cheesecake base
    • In a large bowl, mix the cheese and sugar together (photo 3).
    • Add the yogurt and then slowly add the eggs and mix (photos 4 and 5).
    Three shots to show how to make the cheesecake filling
    • Fold in the orange zest, juice and cranberries (photo 6).
    • Pour the mixture onto the crunchy biscuit base (photo 7) and bake.
    Two process shots to show fruit being added to the mixture and poured into a springform pan

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What does it taste like?

    This orange and cranberry 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 it keep?

    Cheesecakes are the perfect dessert to make ahead of time and you can store them in the fridge or freeze them.

    Refrigerate: 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.

    Freeze: 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 a cheesecake is baked?

    This cheesecake will take around 45 minutes to bake in a 9 ¼ 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 baked cranberry and orange cheesecake on parchment paper

    Recipe Notes and Tips

    • 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.
    A slice of cranberry and orange cheesecake on a white plate with a fork

    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!

    More easy desserts

    • Chocolate Pots with a Pretzel Topping
    • Layered Eton Mess with Summer Fruits
    • Homemade Cherry and Yogurt Popsicles
    • Sweet Puff Pastry Pinwheels

    For more tasty treats, food inspiration and fun, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest – come say hi!

    Be sure to keep in touch and sign up to Slow The Cook Down to grab your free e-book ‘Stress Free Recipes Made For Sharing’

    A baked cranberry and orange cheesecake on parchment paper

    Cranberry and Orange Cheesecake

    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.
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 448kcal
    Author: Slow The Cook Down

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup digestive biscuits (100g) (3.5 oz)
    • 1 ½ cups ginger biscuits (150g) (5.3 oz)
    • ⅘ stick butter (100g) (3.5 oz)
    • 2.5 cups cream cheese - softened (600g) (21 oz)
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar (250g) (9 oz)
    • ½ cup plain yogurt (150g) (5.3 oz)
    • 3 eggs beaten
    • 2 ¼ cups dried cranberries (200g) (7 ounces)
    • zest of 1 orange
    • Juice of ½ 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 908IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it today!Mention @SlowTheCookDown or tag #SlowTheCookDown!
    « Christmas Red Wine Sangria
    Creamy Tomato and Turmeric Chicken »
    384 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard
    Banner showing publications Slow The Cook Down has been featured in

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Betty Davies

    Slow The Cook Down is all about taking life down a notch - stopping to enjoy the smell from the roast chicken you just pulled from the oven. Here, there's no reason to hurry or stress; dinner will get done, and it will be delicious! Pour a glass of wine and settle in to try something new.

    More about me →

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Featured Recipes

    • Overhead shot of poached fish in a skillet with fresh cilantro garnish
      Poached Cod in Coconut Milk
    • Two air fryer tuna steaks garnished with sesame seed and chives.
      Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
    • Two bowls of tomato and vegetable soup topped with fresh basil leaves and black pepper.
      Air Fryer Soup
    • A gin shot in front of a gold cocktail shaker
      Gin Shots With Lime
    • Five reverse seared lamb chops in a skillet with fresh mint leaves and next to a bowl of mint sauce.
      Reverse Seared Lamb Chops (Mint Marinated)
    • A chicken frittata in a skillet on a wooden chopping board.
      Chicken Frittata

    Get Side Dish Recipes

    Logo for website 'Bite On The Side'

    Featured In

    Publications where Slow The Cook Down has been featured
    A photo of Betty Davies

    Slow The Cook Down is all about taking life down a notch - stopping to enjoy the smell from the roast chicken you just pulled from the oven. Here, there's no reason to hurry or stress; dinner will get done, and it will be delicious! Pour a glass of wine and settle in to try something new.

    More about me →

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Featured Recipes

    • Overhead shot of poached fish in a skillet with fresh cilantro garnish
      Poached Cod in Coconut Milk
    • Two air fryer tuna steaks garnished with sesame seed and chives.
      Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
    • Two bowls of tomato and vegetable soup topped with fresh basil leaves and black pepper.
      Air Fryer Soup
    • A gin shot in front of a gold cocktail shaker
      Gin Shots With Lime
    • Five reverse seared lamb chops in a skillet with fresh mint leaves and next to a bowl of mint sauce.
      Reverse Seared Lamb Chops (Mint Marinated)
    • A chicken frittata in a skillet on a wooden chopping board.
      Chicken Frittata

    Get Side Dish Recipes

    Logo for website 'Bite On The Side'

    Featured In

    Publications where Slow The Cook Down has been featured

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
    • About Betty

    Keep in Touch

    • Sign up for updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    The Website uses Mediavine to manage all third-party advertising on the Website. Mediavine serves content and advertisements when you visit the Website, which may use cookies. Mediavine may collect IP addresses and location to serve personalized ads. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices to opt-in or opt-out of this data collection, please visit http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp.

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.