Christmas Cheesecake Slab (Printable)

Spiced cream cheese batter with dried fruits on digestive crust, topped with whipped cream and icing sugar.

# What You Need:

→ Biscuit Base

01 - 2.5 cups digestive biscuit crumbs
02 - 8.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Filling

03 - 21 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
04 - 0.75 cup granulated sugar
05 - 0.625 cup sour cream
06 - 3 large eggs
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 1 lemon, zest only
09 - 4.25 ounces mixed dried fruits (cranberries, apricots, cherries), chopped
10 - 2 teaspoons mixed spice blend (1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger)

→ Topping

11 - 0.875 cup heavy cream, cold
12 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus additional for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 320°F. Line an 8 by 12 inch rectangular baking tray with parchment paper, allowing edges to extend for easy removal.
02 - Process digestive biscuits in food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer to mixing bowl and combine with melted butter, stirring until texture resembles wet sand.
03 - Press biscuit mixture firmly and evenly across the bottom of prepared tray. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
04 - Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth, approximately 2-3 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated.
05 - Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to creamed mixture. Beat until smooth and glossy, ensuring no lumps remain.
06 - Gently fold chopped dried fruits and mixed spice blend into batter using spatula, distributing evenly throughout.
07 - Pour cheesecake batter over chilled biscuit base and smooth surface with spatula. Tap tray gently on counter to release trapped air bubbles.
08 - Place in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until edges are set and center shows slight wobble when gently shaken. Cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
09 - Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to rest inside for 1 hour to gently cool and prevent cracking.
10 - Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, approximately 30-45 minutes.
11 - Refrigerate for minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight, until completely set.
12 - Whisk cold heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar until soft peaks form, approximately 2-3 minutes.
13 - Cut chilled cheesecake into squares using a sharp knife dipped in warm water. Top each square with whipped cream and dust lightly with additional powdered sugar.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without fuss, slicing neatly into generous squares that look bakery-perfect on any platter.
  • The spiced cream cheese batter tastes like gingerbread met cheesecake and decided to stay friends forever.
  • You can make it the night before and let it chill while you handle the rest of the holiday chaos.
  • Every bite has little pockets of sweet-tart dried fruit that surprise your tongue mid-mouthful.
02 -
  • Room-temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable; cold cream cheese will leave you with lumps no matter how long you beat it.
  • Don't skip the slow oven cool-down or your cheesecake might crack across the top like a dried riverbed.
  • Tap the tray on the counter before baking to release air bubbles, or you'll find mysterious holes in your slices later.
  • Chill the base before adding the filling so the biscuit layer stays crisp and doesn't float up into the batter.
03 -
  • Wipe your knife clean between each slice and you'll get bakery-sharp edges every time.
  • If the top cracks, don't panic; the whipped cream and icing sugar will hide any imperfections like fresh snow.
  • Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream; low-fat versions will give you a watery, sad filling that won't set properly.
  • Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing so the knife glides through instead of dragging.
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