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cheesecake on a cake plate with slices removed to show the filling

Christmas Cheesecake

This Christmas cheesecake is a simple and delicious dessert to make for the holidays. It's filled with sprinkles and topped with candy!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chilling Time 8 hours
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 11
Author Kelsie

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake

  • 3 8-ounce packages full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup red and green sprinkles*

Topping

  • 1 cup cold heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup red and green M&Ms**
  • Additional red and green sprinkles

Instructions

Crust

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into an even layer in the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan.
  3. Place the pan in the freezer while you make the filling.

Cheesecake

  1. Place the cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until very smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
  2. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt.
  3. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, mixing on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat for another minute or so to ensure everything is fully combined.
  4. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the sprinkles. Pour the filling into the frozen crust and set the pan on a large baking sheet. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the center barely jiggles when you tap the side of the pan.
  5. Cool your cheesecake to room temperature, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Topping

  1. After the cheesecake has chilled overnight (and just before serving), make the topping.
  2. Beat the heavy cream until it thickens, then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. (It’s at stiff peaks when you can remove the beaters from the whipped cream and the cream holds its shape rather than folding in on itself.)
  3. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cheesecake and sprinkle with the M&Ms and more sprinkles. Serve.
  4. Uneaten cheesecake can be stored, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for about a month.

Recipe Notes

  • *Use either red and green confetti trees or red and green jimmies. Nonpareils (little round balls) will bleed in your filling pretty significantly. See the body of this post for more info.
  • **You can use whatever red and green candy you like; I just think M&Ms look pretty on top of the cake.
  • Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so it mixes well with the other ingredients; if it’s too cold, it won’t mix properly and your filling could turn out lumpy.
  • Cool your cheesecake fully to room temperature before you cover and refrigerate it; if you cover it while it’s warm the cheesecake could sweat and get soggy.
  • Don’t add the whipped cream topping to the cheesecake until just before you’re ready to serve it.
  • When I make whipped cream I like to chill the bowl and beaters for about half an hour in the fridge. That helps the cream whip up more stiffly but it’s not totally necessary.
  • See the body of this post for step-by-step photos.