If you need a great dessert option for a Christmas Party or family gathering, look no further! This cheesecake is the perfect combination of tart/sweet flavor and WOW factor.

I often hear people comment about how difficult it must be to make a cheesecake from scratch and in my opinion that couldn’t be further from the truth. It does require a special springform pan, and can be on the pricey side (mostly because of the cream cheese) but cheesecake is simple to make and almost universally loved.

The picture above really doesn’t do this one justice- it was taken before I added the garnish of sugared cranberries which really fancied it up. But whether you go the extra step to embellish or not, this is definitely something you’ll enjoy sharing with family and friends.

Let me know if you decide to make it so I’ll know when to show up on your doorstep!

Don’t be dismayed by the lengthy directions- I’ve just included a lot of tips that I like to use.

Cranberry Orange Cheesecake

Graham Cracker Crust

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers) (sometimes I throw in a few more and adjust my butter accordingly)

¼ cup granulated sugar

5-6 Tablespoons butter, melted (I use salted butter)

Cheesecake

32 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup  granulated sugar

1 cup sour cream (full fat, not reduced fat)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 large eggs, at room temperature

The zest of one large navel orange (about 1 ½- 2 Tablespoons)

Cranberry-Orange Topping

1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries

Juice of one large navel orange (about ½-3/4 cup)

½ cup – ¾ cup granulated sugar

Juice of ½ large lemon (about 1 ½-2 Tablespoons)

Orange zest

Directions:

For Crust-

Use a food processor or blender (or place the graham crackers in a plastic zip-top bag and crumble with a rolling pin) to grind the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and stir in sugar until combines, then sir in the melted butter. Pour into a 9 or 10 inch springform pan. (I always cut a round of parchment paper to just fit into the bottom of the springform pan- this helps tremendously when removing the cheesecake from the pan) Press the crumbs gently down into the bottom and up the sides of the pan to make a compact crust. Don’t stress if the side crust looks a little uneven or wonky.

Prebake the crust in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and place the pan in a doubled, large square of aluminum foil. Fold the edges up and around the sides of the pan- messy is fine! Allow crust to cool slightly while you make the filling.

For Cheesecake Filling–

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and the granulated sugar together on medium high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy- about 2-3 minutes. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice then beat until fully combined. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time until just blended (until you can see no more yellow yolk). Stop mixing as soon as the last egg is blended in. Do not overmix. This helps prevent cracks in the cheesecake. Pour the filling into the crust and place the foil-wrapped pan into a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with warm water to depth of about 1 inch. Carefully put the roasting pan in the oven and bake the cheesecake for 55-70 minutes at 350 degrees. When done, turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly ajar for one hour. Remove from oven and lift the cheesecake out of the roasting pan and remove the foil, letting the cheesecake cool for a couple of hours at room temperature. Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a knife. I believe that cheesecake is always better after placing in the freezer for a few hours, so when it’s cooled to room temp, I wrap the whole thing (pan and all) in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for several hours or several days! When ready to serve, remove the sides of the pan, flip it over to remove the bottom and peel the parchment round off. Place on serving plate and top with cranberry topping.

For Cranberry Topping-

In a saucepan combine the cranberries and granulated sugar and about ¼ cup water. Cook over medium heat until the cranberries begin to split and soften. Stir in the orange juice and lemon juice and cook over low heat until thick. Let cool slightly then spoon over top of cheesecake.

Sprinkle with orange zest.