Description
This festive Sugar Cookie Cheesecake combines the buttery goodness of a sugar cookie crust with rich, creamy cheesecake studded with colorful cookie dough balls and topped with smooth white chocolate ganache. Perfect for holiday celebrations or any special occasion, this dessert offers a delightful blend of textures and flavors, featuring a sprinkles-studded crust and playful cookie dough incorporated right into the cheesecake filling.
Ingredients
Scale
Sugar Cookie Crust
- 1 3/4 cups 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 earlier)
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 and line the bottom with a 9-inch parchment paper circle, then spray again. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk; mix on medium until combined. Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed until just mixed, then fold in 1/3 cup Christmas sprinkles. Press dough evenly into the prepared springform pan bottom. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden on top. Remove and let cool.
- Prepare Cookie Dough Balls: While the crust bakes, preheat the oven and bake 1 1/2 cups flour on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes; cool completely. In a medium bowl, combine the toasted flour with salt. Beat butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla and milk; mix until smooth. Gradually add in the dry flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Fold in 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles. Roll dough into small balls about the diameter of a dime to a nickel. Place cookie dough balls on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet and freeze until firm to prepare for cheesecake filling.
- Make the Cheesecake Filling: Preheat oven to 325℉ and prepare hot water for water bath. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl halfway through. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla extract; beat on medium until smooth with no lumps. Mix in eggs on low speed until just combined. Gently fold in 3/4 of the frozen cookie dough balls into the batter.
- Assemble and Bake Cheesecake: Pour cheesecake batter over cooled cookie crust in the springform pan. Prepare a water bath by placing the springform pan inside a larger roasting pan lined with hot steaming water halfway up the sides of the springform pan (either wrapped tightly in foil or placed in a cake pan inside the roasting pan). Bake cheesecake for 80-90 minutes until edges are set but the center slightly jiggles. Turn off oven, crack door open, and let cheesecake cool inside oven for 30 minutes to prevent cracking. Remove and cool completely on a cooling rack. Wrap in foil and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Prepare White Chocolate Ganache and Finish: Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small pan over medium heat until hot and steaming. Pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir gently until smooth; if chocolate is still chunky, microwave in 20 second intervals until melted and glossy. Remove cheesecake from the springform pan and parchment paper carefully. Pour ganache evenly over the cheesecake surface. Freeze cheesecake for 10 minutes to set ganache. Top with remaining cookie dough balls and extra Christmas sprinkles before serving.
Notes
- Pull out all dairy ingredients at least 2 hours before baking to ensure room temperature, which helps with smooth batter.
- Freezing the cookie dough balls before adding to the batter prevents them from melting into the cheesecake while baking.
- Use a water bath to prevent cheesecake cracking and to ensure even baking; wrap the springform pan tightly to avoid water leaks if using that method.
- Letting the cheesecake cool slowly in the oven reduces cracking and results in a creamier texture.
- Chill the cheesecake for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, for best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16th of cheesecake)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
