Cranberry Cheesecake Spread
I wanted to have a cheese based appetizer at our holiday party last weekend. Since I can’t eat brie, and I wanted to try something new, I went with this Cranberry Cheesecake Spread. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from it. Even after I baked it, I wasn’t sure if it would go over well. I was worried it would be too sweet and dessert-like.
But let me tell you, this Cranberry Cheesecake Spread was the surprise hit of the evening. Everyone really enjoyed it and the plate was scraped clean early in the evening. The cheesecake itself had a beautifully smooth texture and the cranberry sauce on top provided a subtle scent of vanilla bean. The toasted pecans added a touch of texture to the whole experience.
I can definitely see myself making this again for get togethers because it came together in a snap. I made the cheesecake, cranberry sauce, and toasted the pecans a week in advance. Once the cheesecake was cool, I wrapped it in plastic wrap and foil and popped it into the freezer. I moved it to the fridge the morning of the party for it to defrost. The cranberry sauce and pecans sat in the fridge all week as well.
One Year Ago: Gingerbread Caramels and Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Two Years Ago: Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Three Years Ago: Butter Ball Cookies
Cranberry Cheesecake Spread
Ingredients:
For the Bourbon Vanilla Cranberry Relish
3 cups cranberries
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup bourbon
1 vanilla bean
2 jalapenos, whole or finely chopped
For the Cheesecake
1 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp graham cracker crumbs
8 oz package cream cheese
5 oz Greek yogurt
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
For Garnish
1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted
Directions:
For the Bourbon Vanilla Cranberry Relish
Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan. While stirring, bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for approximately 5 minutes, or until most of the cranberrries have burst.
Remove from heat to cool. If you left the jalapeno pepper whole, remove it now and discard. Retrieve the vanilla bean from the sauce and set aside. When the vanilla bean is cool enough to handle comfortably, split it in half and scrape the seeds into the sauce. Stir until the vanilla seeds are distributed throughout the sauce. Discard the remaining hull.
For the Cheesecake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Use 1 Tablespoon butter to generously grease the bottom and sides of a 6-inch spring form pan. Add the graham cracker crumbs, tilting and tapping until the crumbs thoroughly cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the yogurt and egg, beating until well combined. Add the brown sugar and vanilla. Continue mixing until smooth.
Pour filling mixture into the prepared pan.
Randomly drop 1/3 cup of the cranberry sauce on top of the cheesecake batter with a tablespoon. Tap the pan on the counter top to settle the batter. Insert a butter knife straight down into the batter, not quite touching the bottom of the pan, and drag it back and forth at 1 to 2 inch intervals, front to back then side to side. Repeat as necessary to achieve a marbled effect in the batter.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until done.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Loosely cover and refrigerate until completely cooled, several hours or overnight.
To Assemble
To serve, top cheesecake with remaining cranberry relish and toasted pecans. Set on a platter with an assortment of crackers.
Recipe from My Own Sweet Thyme
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
that cake is so beautiful, and sounds delicious!
Wow! Your pictures are amazing! I would love to sink my teeth into that cake right now!
Well…. you’ve done it again! Now, I simply have to add this to my Christmas Eve repetoire. It is fabulous! So many recipes….not enough time!
http://www.simplysweeter.blogspot.com
wow! this look unbelievable. I might have to conquer my fear of baking just for this.
Wow, that is stunning! Nice job!
Whoa..this looks beyond incredible…I dont think my sweet tooth will be satisfied ever without this!
I have to do this for Christmas dessert! Thanks for sharing!
C’est magnifique! Great job!!
Seriously, that looks downright sinful and gorgeous!!! Just amazing Jen!
wow, this is over the top 🙂 but totally worth it!! looks awesome!
What a great combination of flavors! I can almost smell the cake. Yum!!
STUNNING! Good job on this, I want a piece!
…great cake!!! and happy bday to Z!!! Hugs, ciao Flavia
What am amazing cake! I love the bright red and contrasting white, simmply beautiful!
What a beautiful cake! My family would love this. Cheesecake and red velvet are my hubby’s favorites. Maybe I will make it for his birthday!
Talk about impressive! You go!
And just when I think you can’t keep coming up with brilliant ideas and delicious photos…this looks/sounds utterly amazing!
Cheesecake in between the cake layers… OMG. You so outdid yourself. That is amazing!
Wow. I saw a similar cheesecake but couldn’t fint a recipe so resolved to just make “plain ole red velvet cupcakes.” This looks so much better!
Oh My – this looks so amazing!
that looks awesome! I saw something similar in the Sam’s club add that I’ve been wanting to try but homemade would be even better
This cake looks so beautiful and I bet it tastes INCREDIBLE! I couldn’t print it out fast enough – I’m definitely trying it in the new year! Wow!
this has been on my ‘want to try’ list for a while! Maybe this will be the push i need to give it a try!
That cake looks gorgeous and delicious!
This is so cool! The only reason I like red velvet is the cream cheese frosting and this just takes it to a whole new level!
Wow, where to begin?! That bright red is gorgeous! The cheesecake hiding in the center sounds ridiculously delicious! Gorgeous photos too:)
this is a perfect holiday cake! great idea.
What a great idea! I love how the cheesecake layer looks so impressive sandwiched between the shockingly red red velvet layers!
Ok this looks amazing!
Hey girl, I am 100% sure I am going to make this for Christmas…it looks amazing! Just wondering…you used a 9″ springform pan for the cheesecake, right?
Joanne, Sorry for the delay, but yet, I used a springform pan for the cheesecake. I think that’s why it came out a tad bigger than the cake layers. Did you make it for Christmas? How did it turn out?
I made this for Christmas and it was absolutely AMAZING! My family really enjoyed it and I already have thoughts of the other cakes that would be incredible with a layer of cheesecake inbetween. What a great idea!
This looks amazing! I am making 60 red velvet cupcakes for my cousin’s homecoming. I used the red velvet recipe without the cheesecake…AMAZING! The best recipe I have found yet. Thanks, keep it up!