Description
This Sugar Cookie Cheesecake combines the buttery crunch of a sugar cookie crust with a creamy vanilla cheesecake studded with festive cookie dough balls. Topped with a luscious white chocolate ganache and sprinkled with colorful Christmas jimmies, it’s the perfect holiday dessert to impress family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Sugar Cookie Crust
- 1 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 Large egg, room temperature
- 1 Egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup Christmas sprinkles, jimmies
Cookie Dough Balls
- 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 3 TBSP Milk
- 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles, jimmies
Cheesecake
- 24 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Sour cream, room temperature or Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup Heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 4 Large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 Cookie dough balls (prepared)
White Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup White chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup Heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare Sugar Cookie Crust: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with a 9-inch parchment paper circle and spray again. In the meantime, place 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes to toast it lightly. Let it cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 3/4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg, and egg yolk, mixing on medium until fully combined. Gradually add dry ingredients mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in 1/3 cup Christmas sprinkles. Press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the springform pan—they don’t need to go up the sides. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden on top. Remove and set aside.
- Make Cookie Dough Balls: While the crust bakes, combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla and milk, mixing on medium until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles. Roll the dough into small balls (about the size of a dime to a nickel) and place them on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Freeze until firm.
- Prepare Cheesecake Batter: Preheat the oven to 325℉ and start heating water for a water bath. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides halfway. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla; mix on medium until smooth with no lumps. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in 3/4 of the frozen cookie dough balls gently using a spatula.
- Assemble and Bake Cheesecake: Pour cheesecake batter over the baked sugar cookie crust. Prepare a water bath by either placing the springform pan inside a 10-inch cake pan and then into a roasting pan filled halfway with hot water, or by wrapping the springform pan tightly twice in aluminum foil and placing it in a roasting pan with hot water halfway up the sides. Bake for 80-90 minutes until edges are set and the center slightly jiggles. Turn off oven, crack door, and let cool for 30 minutes to prevent cracking. Remove and cool completely on a rack, then wrap in foil and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Make White Chocolate Ganache: Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream over medium heat until hot and steaming but not boiling. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until smooth. If needed, microwave in 20-second increments until fully melted and smooth.
- Finish the Cheesecake: Remove cheesecake from fridge, release from springform pan, and peel off parchment paper carefully. Pour white chocolate ganache evenly over the top. Freeze cheesecake for 10 minutes to set ganache. Decorate with remaining cookie dough balls and additional Christmas sprinkles. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking to ensure room temperature.
- Freezing the cookie dough balls before adding to the batter prevents them from melting during baking.
- The water bath is key to preventing cracks and ensuring a creamy texture in the cheesecake.
- Use a springform pan to easily release the cheesecake after baking.
- For best flavor and texture, chill the cheesecake overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16th of cheesecake)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
