No joke: these cranberry orange white chocolate cheesecake bars nearly ruined all other cheesecakes for me. Under normal circumstances, I gravitate towards the chocolatiest desserts I can find. In fact, if it’s been more than a couple days since my last chocolate fix (even if that’s just a handful of chocolate chips), I start to get a little antsy. These cheesecake bars don’t have any (real) chocolate, but they won me over nevertheless and it was love at first bite, so much that I didn’t make any other type of cheesecake for several months afterward. Even though I first made and shared these bars in 2013, I’m still obsessing over them now, so I decided it was time to take some new photos to better convey their awesomeness!
Lightly spiced and flavored with smooth white chocolate and bright orange zest, these cheesecake bars perfectly encapsulate the spirit of the holidays. They also feature a ginger snap cookie crust (which is so delicious that I would happily eat it just on its own) and a tangy, vibrant cranberry sauce, so they’re decked out for the holidays literally from top to bottom! I added some sugared cranberries on a whim to give the bars an even more festive feel, but these are optional. They’re a little tart for my liking, to be honest, but I find their sparkly, snow-like appearance completely enchanting!
Like any cheesecake recipe (except the no-bake varieties), these bars do take some planning ahead. They need to sit in the refrigerator for at least three hours before you cut and serve them, but I promise, they’re well worth the wait! You can also make them a day or two in advance, so they’re a great option for Thanksgiving, when you’ve got multiple dishes competing for oven space. What’s on your Thanksgiving menu this year? Have you started planning yet?
- 14 ounces ginger snap cookies
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 packages (225g each) low-fat cream cheese
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
- 6 ounces white chocolate, melted
- zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- juice from 1 orange (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 cup water
- sugared cranberries (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a food processor, pulse the ginger snap cookies until finely and evenly ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until mixed.
- Spray a 9x13 pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper (the spray will help the paper stick to the pan, and the paper will allow you to lift the cheesecake out of the pan for cleaner cuts).
- Press the ginger snap mixture into an even layer in the pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baked crust from the oven and turn the temperature down to 325 degrees.
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and mix until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Add the melted white chocolate, sour cream, nutmeg, and orange zest, and mix until combined.
- Carefully pour the filling into the crust and use an offset spatula to smooth the surface.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are firm but the middle jiggles slightly when you shake the pan. Set the pan on a wire rack and let it cool for 1-2 hours. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours before cutting.
- Place all four ingredients for the cranberry sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook 5-8 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the liquid becomes syrupy. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Optional: using a food processor or blender, puree the cranberry sauce until smooth. If the sauce is thicker than you would like, add water or orange juice until it reaches the consistency you prefer.
- Spoon the sauce over individual servings and garnish with sugared cranberries if desired.
- I use Damn Delicious's method for making sugared cranberries.
- Please note that the total time does NOT include the time required for chilling.
Those cheesecake bars are gorgeous. Perfect seasonal dessert.
Thanks so much, Suzanne!
What a delicious flavor combination Mara! This has me getting excited for my Christmas baking!
Thanks, Heather! I still can’t believe Thanksgiving is only a week away…it doesn’t feel like the holidays yet!
These cheesecake bars are absolutely gorgeous. How do you get them to look so perfectly precision-cut?
Thanks! A very sharp knife and a towel to wipe it off in between cuts…oh, and lining the pan with parchment so that I can lift the whole thing out and onto a cutting board!
Beautiful dessert, Mara! The flavor combination is perfectly seasonal!
Thanks, Stephanie! It’s not the holidays for me unless there are at least a few cranberry orange creations 🙂
They look stunning!
Thank you! I’m glad they caught your eye 🙂
Just put them on my Christmas wish list …
These are definitely Christmas wish list worthy! I hope you get a chance to try them 🙂
These look utterly delicious! I have a weak spot for white chocolate too and the addition of oranges and cranberry flavor makes it so colorful and bright for both the palate and eyes! Well done!
Thanks, Patty! They really are a treat for both the taste buds and the eyes 🙂
These look awesome, Mara! I love the frosted cranberries – so festive!
Thanks, Haley! The sugared cranberries are really easy to make. I’ve been wanting to try them for a long time and I’m glad I finally had a reason!
These are the prettiest cheesecake bars ever Mara! I love the gingersnap crust, the white chocolate in the filling and the sugared cranberries on top!! So pretty. These would make an absolutely PERFECT Thanksgiving dessert!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann! I had a lot of fun coming up with the flavor profile for the recipe 🙂
What a beautiful cheescake!! Those sugared cranberries are the perfect touch.
Thanks, Jasmine! I love the look of the sugared cranberries too…so pretty and yet so easy to make!
Such a beautiful dessert and so perfect for the holidays! Your photos really capture it’s beauty! Thanks for bringing your delicious cheesecake bars to Fiesta Friday!
Thanks, Antonia! I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to re-shoot these photos after a few years. Thanks for hosting this week!
So gorgeous! This has holiday written all over it!
Thanks, Julianna! I’m glad these bars caught your eye 🙂
Cranberries are probably my favourite fruit, so tart. I am totally making these, am I’m eating them all!
Sounds like these bars are perfect for you then! I went a little cranberry-crazy a few years ago and bought way more than I could eat, so we’re still using up the bags from the freezer…certainly not a bad problem to have, though!
Gorgeous pictures! This is definitely making an appearance at my Holiday Table! Thanks for sharing.
I hope you love these as much as we do! Thanks for stopping by, Susan 🙂
Wow. You’re so talented!
Aw, I’m blushing! Thanks, Mimi 🙂
Mara, these cheesecake bars looks and sound delicious! I love the gingersnap crust! Thanks for sharing! Have a great weekend!
Thanks, Suchitra! The gingersnap crust really does add a special touch. I hope you’re having a nice weekend as well!
Cranberries with orange are a perfect combination and then you add ginger snaps!?!?
Delicious!
Thanks for the recipe!
Michelle
It really is a perfect trifecta of holiday flavors! I hope you get a chance to try it. Thanks for stopping by!
A beautiful dessert–and so yummy-looking!
Thanks, Nancy! I’m glad it caught your eye 🙂
Cranberries are among my favorite things, so this sounds delicious to me.
Yes, this is right up your alley! The recipe makes a fair amount of cranberry sauce, so we were heaping it on top of the bars. Happy Thanksgiving!
Perfect with a cup of coffee for a short break. Thanks for sharing!!!
I agree! I could definitely go for one of these bars as a break from my work this evening. Thanks for stopping by, Sabrina!
Holy cow, Mara! These cheesecake bars look amazing. I love the cranberry topping…and that gingersnap crust! This seriously looks like a dessert that I would order in a fancy restaurant. I missed this one before Thanksgiving, but I think I might just need to get on board with this today…and you know, make up for lost time by eating a couple of bars! 🙂
Thanks, David! Making up for lost time time definitely sounds like a good idea 🙂
Oh man, I love these flavor combos! All my favorite holiday flavors and it’s in CHEESECAKE. 😉 Pinning!
You are so true when introducing the recipe to make this cake! It makes us want to try to create regardless how it is difficult because it is such a attractive cheesecake. But we will feel regretful if we have to bite any pieces of it. It is beautiful like an ornament! Wish I was there to taste your product! Great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Emily! It’s really not difficult to make, but it does take some time. Thanks for stopping by!