I make this Christmas Sugar Cookie Cheesecake when I want a show‑stopping holiday dessert that tastes like a mash‑up of sugar cookies, funfetti, and classic New York–style cheesecake in one slice. I press refrigerated sugar cookie dough into the pan for a quick, buttery crust, bake it just until set, then pour on a rich cream cheese filling speckled with holiday sprinkles and finish it with whipped cream, more sprinkles, and optional white chocolate or crushed candy canes.
Why I love this recipe
I love that I can skip making a separate crust from scratch and use a 16 oz log of sugar cookie dough instead; I just press it into a 9‑inch springform pan, bake it briefly, and I have a soft, chewy cookie base ready to catch the cheesecake. I knead in a couple tablespoons of sprinkles when I want the crust itself to look festive, so the colors run all the way from the bottom up. I build the filling on three bricks (24 oz) of full‑fat cream cheese with sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and a touch of flour, which gives me a dense, creamy texture that slices cleanly and holds its shape on a holiday dessert table.
I bake it low and slow at 325°F in a water bath so the edges set without drying out and the center stays silky, only slightly wobbly when I jiggle the pan. I cool it gently in the oven with the door cracked before I move it to the fridge because that gradual temperature change helps keep the top smooth and crack‑free. Once it’s fully chilled, I decorate it like a Christmas sugar cookie on steroids—with piped whipped cream swirls, extra sprinkles, and sometimes a drizzle of white chocolate or a ring of crushed candy canes.
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