Ingredients

The following ingredients have 11 Servings
  • 1 12- ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
  • 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries
  • 3 8- ounce packages softened cream cheese
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instruction

  • For the Cranberry Topping
  • Combine cranberries and sugar in processor. Using on/off turns, coarsely chop cranberries.
  • Transfer mixture to heavy medium saucepan. Add 1 cup water and orange peel and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 1/3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  • Cool to room temperature.
  • Cover; chill overnight or up to 2 days (mixture will thicken).
  • For the Gingersnap Cookie Crust (Or use graham crackers in lieu of cookies)
  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Process cookies in a food processor or blender to yield 1 1/4 cups crumbs.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together cookie or graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and chopped cranberries until crumbs are moist. Press mixture into bottom of a springform pan. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes; set aside to cool.
  • For the Cheesecake
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • In large bowl of an electric mixer, blend cream cheese, sugar, and flour at medium speed until smooth.
  • Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat until well combined, but do not overmix. Pour mixture into prepared springform pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake 25 to 35 additional minutes until center of cheesecake is set, but still soft.
  • Turn off oven, open oven door, and cool cheesecake in oven about 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, cool 1 hour on a wire rack, and run a sharp knife around edge of cheesecake. Release outer band of springform pan and remove.
  • Transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Cover loosely and refrigerate several hours or overnight. With a metal spatula, gently loosen and transfer chilled cheesecake from bottom of springform pan directly onto serving plate, if desired.
  • Dollop cooled cranberry topping over top of cake and smooth to edges. Garnish with whole fresh or candied cranberries.