One of my favourite parts of the holidays are all of the amazing desserts and cheesecake is my number one! I am a huge fan of chocolate cheese cakes and for the holidays I like to dress them up a bit with extra chocolate peppermint and crushed candy canes! This peppermint chocolate cheesecake starts out with a chocolate cookie crumb crust and then it moves on to melting real chocolate, either dark, milk or white, into cream and mixing it in with the cheesecake batter along with peppermint extract and crushed peppermint candy cane bits! If that were not enough chocolate, chocolate chips are mixed into the batter adding that hidden texture surprise! Once the cheesecake is baked a final layer of chocolate, in the form of a ganache is poured on top, followed by a sprinkling of crushed candy canes, to set and harden! This peppermint chocolate cheesecake is the best chocolate dessert for any holiday dinner!
Use dark chocolate instead of white chocolate!
Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake
ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream (or sour cream)
- 10.5 ounces (300g) (white or dark) chocolate (chips or chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (gluten-free for gluten-free)
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup peppermint candy canes, crushed
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (white or dark) (optional)
- 1/4 cup peppermint candy canes, crushed
- 1 cup dark chocolate (chips or chopped)
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermints extract
For the cheesecake:
For the ganache:
directions
- Melt the chocolate into the cream and set aside.
- Mix the crumbs and butter and press into the bottom of a greased 8-9 inch spring form pan.
- Beat the cream cheese, beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the peppermint extract, sugar, and melted chocolate.
- Mix in the candy cane bits and chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the pan with the crust, wrap the bottom of the pan in foil, place in a larger pan with a small amount of hot water and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until set (the top will still be a little jiggly), about 50-70 minutes, before removing and letting cool at room temperature before transferring to the fridge to chill.
- Remove the side of the springform pan and pour the chocolate ganache evenly over the cheesecake and sprinkle on the crushed candy cane bits and let the cheesecake chill in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
- Melt the chocolate into the cream, ix in the peppermint extract and remove from heat.
For the cheesecake:
For the ganache:
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I want to make this for Christmas dinner on Tuesday. Today is Sunday, is it too early to make this and keep in the fridge this Tuesday.
I have to pace myself, I’m 72 years old !
Thanks
This is the perfect make ahead dessert and it will be perfect to make now for Tuesday! Enjoy!
Where does the half of a teaspoon of peppermint extract go? It seems the instdont account for all the ingredients…
Add the peppermint extract after the eggs. Enjoy!
OMG Kevin, this looks delicious! I’m going to make this weekend if I can still find some candy canes!
In the first six or so photos, the cheesecake is white. Did you melt white chocolate chips into the heavy cream for that cake?
I normally melt all of the chocolate chips into the cream but sometimes I leave some of them whole so that you get that nice solid chocolate texture when you bite into it!
I used white chocolate chips in the cake….there is plenty of chocolate in the base and topping.
Do you put the ganache on while the cheesecake is still warm or after it has cooled?
The ganache goes on after the cheesecake has been cooled. Enjoy!
Kevin, I made this 2 hrs ago. This my very first cheesecake. No where do the directions say when to release the cheesecake from the springform pan? I greased the entire pan, was this correct? Have a Happy Jolly Ho HO HO Christmas…..love your recipes
I usually leave the sides on till I serve it or maybe even beyond that. Easier to store that way and keeps the mess down
If you want ganache to flow down sides, take if off before you put on the ganache
Made this for our extended family Christmas dinner and it was very good. Getting ready to make it again for myself and hubby tomorrow.
I agree with the other commenter – the photos look like 2 different cheesecakes – one with chocolate (the pink crushed canes are easily distinguishable) and one without (appears to contain chocolate plus the canes); I’m confused. I’d naturally eat either – or both! But it would be nice to see if they are indeed 2 variations on the same recipe – this wasn’t addressed in the answer you provided.
Switch that – I meant the pinker one appears to have no chocolate in it, while the brown one appears to have chocolate – sorry!