No-Bake Cranberry Orange Cheesecake (video)

1 prep + 15 cook + 8 Chilling Time:

servings

Festive and beautiful no-bake cranberry orange cheesecake with whipped cream! Creamy, fruity, tart, and delicious! Perfect for the holidays!

Place the cranberries, orange juice, and sugar into a small saucepan. Stir and cook the berries over medium heat, bringing the berries to a simmer.
Simmer the berries for 6 to 8 minutes, until the berries pop open and the sauce thickens.
Use a potato masher to further crush the berries, creating a thick sauce.
Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside to cool.

Place the graham crackers into a food processor or blender and pulse the cookies into fine crumbs.
Pour in the melted butter and pulse again until the crumbs are well coated.
Transfer the crumbs into a 9-inch springform pan. Use the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup to press the cookies firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
Bake the crust in an oven preheated to 350°F for 15 minutes. While this step is not necessary, it will make the crust firmer, so it doesn’t crumble easily. Let the crust cool.

For the cheesecake batter, start with the whipped cream. Pour 1 cup chilled heavy cream into a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attached.
Whisk the cream for 3 to 4 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream into a separate bowl and set aside for now.
Switch the whisk attachment to a flat beater. Add softened cream cheese into the mixer bowl and beat the cheese for 5 to 7 minutes, until it’s creamy.
Next, add the sour cream, vanilla extract, sea salt, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix again for a few minutes, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure everything is combined.
Add the cranberry sauce next and mix for a minute.
In a small bowl, combine the gelatin with a few tablespoons of water, stirring until the mixture is thick.
Heat the gelatin in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring and heating until the gelatin is a hot, dissolved liquid; about 45 seconds.
With the mixer on medium speed, pour the hot, dissolved gelatin into the cheesecake batter. Do not let the gelatin cool!
Next, use a spatula and gently fold in the whipped cream prepared earlier.

Line the sides of the springform pan with a plastic cake collar (linked above). Pour the prepared cheesecake batter into the pan, smoothing the top with an off-set spatula.
Set the cheesecake into the refrigerator and chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight, until firmly set.

Pour the chilled heavy cream into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
Whisk the cream for about 5 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Start on a slow speed, gradually increasing.
Transfer the whipped cream into a pastry bag tipped with a star tip; I use Ateco tip #847.

Once the cheesecake has set overnight, remove the springform ring and carefully peel away the plastic wrap.
Slide a flat spatula underneath the cake and carefully transfer it onto a cake stand.
Pipe dollops of whipped cream on top of the cake. Garnish the cake with small slices of oranges, fresh cranberries, pomegranate arils, and sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Once the cake is garnished, it’s ready to be enjoyed. I recommend keeping the cake refrigerated until ready to serve.
If you plan to serve the cake the next day, but want to garnish the top ahead of time, keep the cake wrapped in the plastic wrap. Remove the plastic wrap when ready to serve.