I love peppermint bark, and this peppermint cheesecake tastes just like it! Made with a chocolatey Oreo crust, white chocolate and peppermint-infused cheesecake batter, and a candy cane white chocolate ganache topping, this cheesecake tastes like Christmas. It’s super pretty and elegant looking, too!
White chocolate and peppermint are a match made in heaven in my book. Add in some Oreos, and I can’t resist. This peppermint cheesecake is sweet, creamy, and so pepperminty! It takes a little time to make, but this cheesecake is so worth the extra effort!
What’s in This Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe?
- Oreo Cookies: Crush these up to form the chocolatey base of the cheesecake crust.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens both the cheesecake batter and the crust.
- Butter: Unsalted butter helps bind the crust ingredients together.
- Cream Cheese: This is the creamy and tangy base of the cheesecake batter. Use full-fat for best results, and let it come to room temp before mixing.
- Heavy Cream: Adds a creaminess to the cheesecake.
- Sour Cream: Adds more moisture, and creates a slight tanginess. You can use plain yogurt instead.
- Peppermint Extract: Adds the signature peppermint flavor.
- Eggs: 4 whole eggs plus 1 extra yolk bind batter ingredients and add richness.
- Cornstarch: This adds structure to the batter and prevents cracking. All-purpose flour can be used in place of the cornstarch; simply increase the amount used to 3½ tablespoons.
- White Chocolate Chips: You’ll need these for both the batter and the ganache, to give it the rich, white chocolate flavor.
- Candy Canes: Crushed candy canes make the perfect Christmas-y topping to this cheesecake.
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
How to Store
Store leftover white chocolate peppermint cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving cold or at room temperature. Do not leave cheesecake unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours.
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature ingredients for best results.
- I love the Oreo crust. However, you can switch it out for a graham cracker crust if you prefer. Just replace the crushed Oreos with crumbled graham crackers, and follow the same instructions.
- I do not recommend using fat-free ingredients to make this cheesecake, as it just won’t taste as rich and delicious. However, you can use light cream cheese or Neufchatel for a lower-fat alternative. This will change the flavor slightly.
- When making the cheesecake, be sure to beat the cream cheese well at the beginning to ensure that it is smooth. If, when the cheesecake batter is complete, you still have lumps, simply press them against the side of the bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Do not overmix the cheesecake batter as it will add air and result in uneven baking and can cause it to crack at the end.
- If you want to add an extra festive twist, use food coloring to dye the cheesecake batter red or green.
- Be sure to leave the cheesecake in the oven for the hour after baking to rest. This allows the cheesecake to set, thus preventing or at least lowering the chances that the cheesecake top cracks.
- When making the white chocolate ganache, my favorite way for ease and smoothness is to use an immersion blender instead of a whisk after the heavy cream and white chocolate have set long enough for the chocolate to begin to melt.
- If you do not have peppermint pieces, simply place the unwrapped peppermints or candy canes into a baggie. Use a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to crush into sufficiently small pieces. You could also pulse them a couple of times in a food processor.
Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 3 cups crushed Oreo cookies (from about 36 cookies)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (⅞ stick)
For the Cheesecake
- 32 ounces full-fat cream cheese room temperature (4 bricks)
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
For the Ganache
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup crushed candy canes for topping
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9-inch Springform Pan
- Stand Mixer
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper and gently spray with nonstick spray.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the crushed Oreos and sugar. Stir in the butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust into the bottom of the springform pan.3 cups crushed Oreo cookies, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Place the pan into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool while you make the cheesecake batter.
For the Cheesecake
- While the crust cools, make the cheesecake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar together on high speed for 1 minute to ensure that the mixture is smooth and creamy.32 ounces full-fat cream cheese, 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- Add in the heavy cream, sour cream, peppermint extract, and salt. Stir until well combined.1 cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add in the eggs and egg yolks and beat together, then add in the cornstarch and mix until well Incorporated.3 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Fold in the white chocolate chips.1 cup white chocolate chips
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan on top of the crust. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the top out.
- Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in. Place into a larger broiler pan. Fill the broiler pan with enough water to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan to form a water bath.
- Place both pans into the oven to bake for 1½ hours. You may want to tent a piece of tin foil over the cheesecake after 1 hour to prevent it from browning too much.
- Once baked, turn the heat off and let the cheesecake set in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour.
- Once the cheesecake has set, remove it from the oven, unwrap the aluminum foil, and place the springform pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the cheesecake has cooled, cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours.
For the Topping
- Once the cheesecake has chilled, make the ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for one minute. Pour the heated heavy cream over the white chocolate chips and let set for 1 minute. Stir the white chocolate and heavy cream together until a smooth ganache has formed. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the white chocolate to cool slightly.1 cup white chocolate chips, ½ cup heavy cream
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake. Sprinkle crushed candy cane pieces over the top of the ganache.½ cup crushed candy canes
- Cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil and place it back into the refrigerator to set up for about 1 hour.
- Once the ganache has set, run a butter knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to help release the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. Release the springform and remove the sides from the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake onto a serving platter or cake stand, slice, and serve.
Notes
How to Make Peppermint Cheesecake Step-by-Step
Make the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F, line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper, and gently spray with nonstick spray. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of crushed Oreos and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Stir in 7 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust into the bottom of the springform pan.
Bake the Crust: Place the pan into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool while you make the cheesecake batter.
Beat the Cream Cheese: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 32 ounces (4 bricks) of cream cheese and 1¼ cups of granulated sugar together on high speed for 1 minute to ensure that the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add the Cream: Add in 1 cup of heavy cream, ⅓ cup of sour cream, 2 teaspoons of peppermint extract, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir until well combined.
Add the Eggs: Add in 3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk and beat together, then add in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and mix until well incorporated.
Fold in the White Chocolate: Fold in 1 cup of white chocolate chips.
Prep the Cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan on top of the crust. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the top out. Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in. Place into a larger broiler pan. Fill the broiler pan with enough water to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan to form a water bath.
Bake the Cheesecake: Place both pans into the oven to bake for 1½ hours. You may want to tent a piece of tin foil over the cheesecake after 1 hour to prevent it from browning too much. Once baked, turn the heat off and let the cheesecake set in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour. Once the cheesecake has set, remove it from the oven, unwrap the aluminum foil, and place the springform pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cheesecake has cooled, cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours.
Make the Ganache: Heat ½ cup of heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for one minute. Pour the heated heavy cream over 1 cup of white chocolate chips and let set for 1 minute. Stir the white chocolate and heavy cream together until a smooth ganache has formed. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the white chocolate to cool slightly.
Decorate the Cheesecake: Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake. Sprinkle ½ cup of crushed candy cane pieces over the top of the ganache. Cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil and place it back into the refrigerator to set up for about 1 hour. Once the ganache has set, run a butter knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to help release the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. Release the springform and remove the sides from the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake onto a serving platter or cake stand, slice, and serve.
Leave a Review