Pin it
Make this special Sugar Cookie Cheesecake that tastes like Christmas! It's got sugar cookie bottom, creamy cheesecake middle with tiny cookie dough balls mixed in, and white chocolate on top. Perfect for holidays or anytime you want something that looks fancy but isn't hard to make.
Why Make This
Love sugar cookies and cheesecake? This dessert's both in one. Great for parties - everybody wants the recipe. Use good sugar if you can get it. Makes regular cheesecake more fun with little cookie dough surprises inside.
What You Need
- Flour: Regular kind for baking
- Baking Soda: Just bit
- Salt: Pinch
- Butter: Lots, not salted
- Sugar: White kind
- Vanilla: Real stuff tastes best
- Eggs: Big ones
- Sprinkles: Christmas colors
- Cream Cheese: 4 blocks
- Sour Cream: Makes it smooth
- Heavy Cream: For mixing and topping
- White Chocolate: For top
- 9-inch Pan: Springform kind
How to Make It
- Get ready:
- Turn oven to 350°. Spray big round pan that comes apart. Put paper in bottom.
- Make cookie bottom:
- Mix flour, baking soda, salt in bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar till fluffy. Add vanilla, eggs. Mix in flour stuff. Put in pan, press flat. Bake 25 minutes till golden.
- Make tiny dough balls:
- Mix new batch cookie dough - flour, salt, butter, sugar, vanilla, milk. Roll tiny balls. Put in freezer to get hard.
- Mix cheesecake:
- Turn oven down to 325°. Beat cream cheese and sugar real good - no lumps! Add sour cream, cream, vanilla. Put eggs in slow. Mix in frozen dough balls gentle.
- Put it together:
- Pour on cooled cookie bottom. Put pan in bigger pan with hot water. Bake hour and half till middle jiggles bit.
- Cool it right:
- Crack oven door, let sit 30 minutes. Take out, cool more. Put in fridge overnight.
- Make top pretty:
- Heat cream, pour on white chocolate. Stir till smooth. Spread on cold cake. Add leftover dough balls, sprinkles.
Pin it
About The Sugar
Good sugar makes better cake. Get the best you can find. Regular white sugar works fine too. Whatever you use, make sure to mix it real good with butter - makes everything taste better.
Making Good Dough Balls
Make dough balls tiny - size of pennies. Kids love helping roll them. Freeze till hard or they melt in cake. Don't eat raw dough if you worry about that. Some folks buy ready-made cookie dough instead.
Getting Cheesecake Right
Let cream cheese get soft first - no lumps! Don't beat eggs too much or cake cracks. Water pan under cake keeps it smooth. Door open while cooling stops top from splitting. Takes time but worth it.
Making White Chocolate Top
Chop chocolate small so melts smooth. Don't let cream get too hot - makes chocolate grainy. Spread quick before sets up. Some folks like swirls on top. Let set in fridge before cutting.
Keeping It Fresh
Stays good 5 days in fridge. Cover tight so doesn't dry out. Cut with hot knife - wipe between slices. Want to freeze? Wrap pieces good, keeps month. Let warm bit before eating.
Make It Your Way
Try different sprinkle colors for holidays. Some folks like chocolate chips in middle. Want it fancier? Put whipped cream swirls on top. Make mini ones in muffin pan - just cook less time.
Pin it
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I make this early?
Actually works better made ahead! Make it the day before - gives flavors time to get friendly. Plus the texture gets better when it sits overnight in the fridge. Want it for weekend? Make Thursday, serve Saturday. Just keep it covered good so it doesn't pick up fridge smells. Some folks say it's best on day two or three. Takes planning but worth it - makes serving day super easy!
- → No sour cream - what else works?
Greek yogurt's your best friend here! Use same amount as sour cream. Makes it a tiny bit tangier but still creamy good. Plain yogurt works too but strain it first - too much water makes cake wet. Some folks use cream cheese mixed with a little milk. Want it richer? Heavy cream works. Whatever you pick, make sure it's room temp before mixing or you'll get lumps. Just don't use regular yogurt - too thin!
- → How do I get it to set right?
Water bath's the secret! Put your wrapped springform pan in bigger pan, add hot water halfway up sides. Helps it cook even, no cracks. Make sure pan's wrapped good in foil - water sneaking in ruins everything! Don't open oven while baking. Let cool in turned-off oven with door cracked. Look for slight jiggle in middle when done - sets more as it cools. If it's really wobbly, give it 5 more minutes.
- → Store-bought dough okay?
Sure! Saves tons of time. Sugar cookie dough from store works great. Just let it warm up so you can press it in pan easy. Break it in pieces first - spreads better. Some brands work better than others - get one that's not too soft. Pat it even with wet hands so it doesn't stick. Want it fancy? Sprinkle some sugar on top before baking base. Nobody will know it's not homemade!
- → How do I store extras?
Keep it cold! Put in tight container in fridge - good for 5 days. Cut pieces need plastic wrap or they dry out. Don't freeze whole - gets weird texture. But! You can freeze cut pieces wrapped really good - let thaw overnight in fridge. Take out 30 minutes before eating so cream cheese gets creamy again. Some folks like it half-frozen in summer - like cheesecake ice cream!
Conclusion
Love this idea? Make little cheesecake bites using crushed cookies. Or layer cookies with cream in a glass for quick trifles. Same good taste, just different looks!