Christmas Peppermint Cheesecake
Christmas Peppermint Cheesecake is one of those desserts that instantly makes it feel like the holidays.
Creamy, minty, and topped with crushed candy canes, it’s the kind of treat that steals the show at any Christmas party or family get-together.
Whether you’re hosting a cozy dinner, bringing a Christmas dessert to a friend’s house, or just want something sweet and festive, this cheesecake is pure holiday cheer on a plate.
It’s rich, refreshing, and surprisingly easy to make!
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
How to Make a Christmas Cheesecake
- Use room temperature ingredients. Softened cream cheese and eggs help create a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Start by preparing a rich chocolate almond crust that serves as the base for this festive dessert by combining ground almonds with melted butter, sugar, and cocoa powder, then press it into a springform pan and freeze briefly.
- Next, mix up the green peppermint cheesecake layer using cream cheese, sugar, eggs, sour cream, peppermint extract, and green food coloring.
- Pour it over the crust and freeze again before adding the red layer, made the same way with red food coloring.
- Wrap the pan in foil, set it in a hot water bath, and bake at 325°F for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Don’t skip the water bath. It keeps the cheesecake moist and prevents cracks.
- Your cheesecake will be done when the edges are set, but the center still has a slight jiggle. It will firm up as it cools.
- After cooling and chilling overnight, you’ll have a stunning, creamy, red-and-green Christmas cheesecake ready to slice and serve!
Yes! This cheesecake actually tastes better the next day after chilling overnight. You can make it up to 2 days in advance.
No—you can substitute crushed chocolate cookies or graham crackers if you prefer a more traditional crust.
Absolutely! Wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Keep the cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. It’s delicious cold straight from the fridge!
Novery Springform Pan 9Wilton Christmas X-Mas Icing Color
Wilton Gel Food Coloring, Highly Concentrated Gel-Based Icing Color for Frosting, Fondant, Batter & Dough, Vibrant & Blendable Cake Decorating Dye, 1 oz., Leaf Green
Nielsen-Massey Pure Peppermint Extract for Baking and Cooking, 2 Ounce Bottle
XMNFLY Round Cake Stand 10
Cake Cutting Set for Wedding, Elegant Cake Knife and Server Set with Thickened Stainless Steel Rounded Edges, Cake Cutter Pie Spatula for Birthday Anniversary Christmas, 2 Pcs, Gold
Spode Christmas Tree Cake Plate & Server Set – 11.5 Inch Fine Porcelain Cake Plate with Stainless Steel Server for Holiday Parties – Festive Christmas Tableware, Seasonal Dinnerware
Before you start baking, be sure to check out these other festive dessert ideas that are just as merry and delicious!
- This Little Debbie Cheesecake Dip – A creamy, no-bake treat inspired by the classic Christmas Tree cakes everyone loves.
- Rich, chocolatey, and topped with whipped cream, a Hot Chocolate Cheesecake is like your favorite winter drink in dessert form.
- Discover more creative and colorful Christmas cheesecake recipes that will make your holiday dessert table shine.
Christmas Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate Almond Crust
- 2 cups almonds ground
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Green Cheesecake Layer
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½-1 teaspoon green food coloring
Red Cheesecake Layer
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½-1 teaspoon red food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Process 2 cups almonds (in a food processor or blender) until ground up. Transfer to a medium-size bowl.
- Add melted butter, cocoa and sugar to the almonds and stir to combine.
- Prepare a 10 ½ inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray or greasing the bottom and sides.
- Pat almond crust mixture down on the bottom of the springform pan. Freeze for 10 minutes, while preparing the green layer.
- To prepare the green layer, add the cream cheese and granulated sugar to a large bowl. Mix until smooth.
- Add in the eggs (one at a time works best) and mix until nice and smooth again.
- Add in the sour cream, food coloring and peppermint extract.
- Pour this over the almond crust, and then put it back in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Mix the red layer using the same process as above, and then pour the red layer over the green layer.
- Cover the outside of the springform pan in foil. Set the whole cheesecake inside a large roasting pan and fill ½ way up the outside of the springform pan with hot water to serve as a water bath.
- Slide the roasting pan into the oven and bake cheesecake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and open it to vent some of the heat. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes with the oven cracked open.
- Then, remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool on the counter for an additional hour prior to covering and storing in the refrigerator overnight.
One Comment