Happy Friday friends!
I don't know about you but this week has seemed to creep by. Which I am okay with because it is officially December!! I always have loved the week after Thanksgiving. Not only does that mean that it is almost my birthday 🙂 but I love the feeling that the week brings. People bustling about trying to get all of their Christmas decorations up, Christmas songs starting to play on the radio, all of the pretty lights that go up on our little hometown's roads. Oh and did I mention that Hallmark Christmas movies play nonstop?! Michael has a new found hatred for this channel (probably because I've been watching them since November)! Let's be honest though people my favorite part of December is by far the food that is involved!
December to me is like a diet hall pass. Between birthday festivities (lots of cake), holiday treats, family/friend get togethers, and Starbuck's cranberry bliss bars (anything cranberry really) I am a goner! And this gorgeous Vanilla Dream Cheesecake smothered in cherries fits right in the Christmas mix! I actually made this for my family Thanksgiving dinner because cherry cheesecake is my Grandpa's absolute favorite. I called this vanilla dream because it is just that. Dreamy! The texture of this cheesecake is so soft and luxurious due to the sour cream no doubt. I mean just look at that texture!
I loved this creamier feel because it was not as heavy as my other cheesecakes. Which means one thing.. you can eat more of it! But if your taste buds crave a thick and rich cheesecake check this Maple Pumpkin Pecan out. It will not disappoint!
More Holiday Recipes You’ll Love!
- Easy Spiced Snickerdoodles
- Peppermint Dark Chocolate Cookies
- Cinnamon Banana Bread
- Gingerbread Cake
- White Chocolate Fudge
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 2 hours |
| Servings |
12-14
|
- 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker cumbs (1)
- ¾ cup crushed pecans
- ½ cup Butter melted
- ¼ cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 3 8 oz packages cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ c granulated sugar
- 4 large Eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cups sour cream (2)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 can cherry pie filling
Ingredients
Crust
Cheesecake
|
|
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease a 9 inch springform pan.
- In small bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon graham cracker crumbs.
- When well combined, press mixture into the bottom and about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the springform pan. Smoothing out the crust along the sides of the pan so that it is even.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until no longer moist.
- Remove and let cool on cooling rack.
- Lower oven heat to 275 degrees.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Once fluffy, start to add in the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and lemon juice and beat on low speed until well combined.
- When mixture is well combined, pour the onto the cooled crust in the springform pan.
- Bake at 275 degrees for 2 hours.
- Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the warm oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Once cooled chill in fridge for minimum of 2 hours or over night.
- When ready to serve, top with cherry pie filling.
(1) I use about a sleeve and a half of cinnamon graham crackers and crush in a large ziploc bag.
(2) I used light sour cream but you can use regular or substitute plain greek yogurt.
