Description
This Sugar Cookie Cheesecake combines a rich and creamy cheesecake with festive sugar cookie dough balls and a colorful sprinkle crust. Featuring a buttery sugar cookie crust, soft chunks of sugar cookie dough baked inside the cheesecake, and a luscious white chocolate ganache topping, it’s the perfect holiday dessert to wow your guests with both flavor and eye-catching presentation.
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 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 baking nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again. In a medium bowl, mix 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla, egg, and egg yolk; mix until combined. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Fold in Christmas sprinkles. Press dough evenly onto the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Let cool.
- Bake Flour for Cookie Dough Balls: Spread 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes to remove raw flavor. Let cool.
- Prepare Cookie Dough Balls: In a bowl, combine the baked flour and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla and milk; mix until fully combined. Add dry ingredients, mix on low until just combined, then fold in Christmas sprinkles. Roll dough into small balls about dime to nickel size. Freeze until firm before using.
- Prepare Cheesecake Batter: Preheat the oven to 325℉. Beat cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides halfway. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla; mix until smooth with no lumps. Add eggs; mix on low until combined. Fold 3/4 of the frozen cookie dough balls into the batter.
- Assemble Cheesecake and Water Bath: Pour cheesecake batter over cooled sugar cookie crust. Prepare a water bath by placing the springform pan inside a 10-inch cake pan, then placing that in a large roasting pan filled halfway with hot water—this prevents water from leaking into the crust. Alternatively, wrap springform pan twice with foil and place in roasting pan with hot water halfway up the pan.
- Bake Cheesecake: Bake cheesecake for 80-90 minutes until edges are set but center still jiggles slightly. Turn off oven, crack door open, and let cheesecake cool inside for 30 minutes to prevent cracking.
- Cool and Chill: Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until room temperature. Wrap tightly with foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight for best results.
- Prepare White Chocolate Ganache: Heat heavy cream in a small pan over medium heat until hot and steaming. Pour over white chocolate chips in a bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir gently until smooth. If some chocolate remains unmelted, heat in microwave in 20-second intervals until completely melted and smooth.
- Finish Cheesecake: Remove cheesecake from fridge, release from springform pan, and remove parchment paper. Pour ganache evenly over cheesecake surface. Freeze cheesecake for 10 minutes to set ganache.
- Garnish and Serve: Top cheesecake with remaining cookie dough balls and Christmas sprinkles for a festive finish. Serve chilled in slices and enjoy!
Notes
- Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking to ensure they are at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
- Baking the flour before adding it to the dough helps remove the raw flour taste in cookie dough balls.
- Freezing cookie dough balls before adding to cheesecake batter prevents them from melting completely and keeps their shape.
- A water bath is essential to bake the cheesecake evenly and prevent cracking.
- Cooling the cheesecake gradually in the oven with the door cracked helps avoid cracks on the surface.
- Chill cheesecake for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight to set properly before adding ganache and serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16 of cheesecake)
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
