Description
A festive Sugar Cookie Cheesecake featuring a sugar cookie crust, cookie dough balls baked into a creamy cheesecake, and topped with white chocolate ganache and colorful Christmas sprinkles. This delicious holiday dessert combines classic sugar cookie flavors with rich, creamy cheesecake and a smooth white chocolate topping.
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 from above
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 baking spray, line the bottom with a 9-inch parchment paper circle, and spray again. Set aside. Bake 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes to toast, then let cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Using a mixer, beat 3/4 cup butter and 1 cup sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk and mix on medium until fully combined. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined, then fold in 1/3 cup Christmas sprinkles. Press the dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 30 minutes until golden on top.
- Make Cookie Dough Balls: While crust bakes, mix 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup sugar on high for 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and milk, mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Fold in 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles. Roll dough into small balls about the diameter of a dime to a nickel on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Freeze until firm.
- Prepare Cheesecake Batter: Preheat oven to 325℉. Set up hot water for water bath. Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping down bowl halfway. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, mix on medium until smooth. Add eggs one at a time on low speed until just combined. Fold in 3/4 of the frozen cookie dough balls gently with a spatula.
- Assemble and Bake Cheesecake: Pour cheesecake batter over sugar cookie crust in springform pan. Prepare water bath by either placing springform pan wrapped tightly in foil inside a roasting pan filled halfway with hot water or placing springform pan in a larger cake pan in a roasting pan with hot water halfway up sides. Bake cheesecake for 90 minutes until edges are set but center slightly jiggles. Turn off oven, crack door open, and cool inside oven for 30 minutes to prevent cracks.
- Cool and Chill: Remove cheesecake from oven, cool completely on cooling rack, then wrap pan in foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
- Make White Chocolate Ganache: Place white chocolate chips in bowl. Heat heavy cream over medium heat until hot and steaming. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit 2 minutes before stirring until smooth. If necessary, microwave in 20-second intervals until fully melted and smooth.
- Finish Cheesecake: Remove cheesecake from fridge, remove outer pan and parchment paper. Pour white chocolate ganache evenly over cheesecake surface. Freeze for 10 minutes to set. Top with remaining cookie dough balls and extra Christmas sprinkles before serving.
Notes
- Pull out dairy ingredients like butter, cream cheese, and eggs 2 hours before baking to bring to room temperature for better texture.
- Baking the flour for the cookie dough balls before mixing improves flavor by toasting.
- Rolling cookie dough balls small ensures even baking and distribution in cheesecake.
- Using a water bath helps prevent cheesecake cracks and ensures even baking.
- Cooling cheesecake slowly with oven door cracked prevents cracking.
- Chill cheesecake overnight for best texture and flavor.
- White chocolate ganache can be re-melted gently to fix any lumps.
