This festive and minty peppermint bark cheesecake is great to share with friends and family. There are bits of peppermint bark in the filling plus a layer of white chocolate ganache on top!
Over the holidays, my family and I flew out to the midwest to visit my in-laws. We were lucky to have left earlier in the week because a majority of flights got cancelled due to snowstorms (after we had already arrived). The highs were around -20 degrees F, and that’s not including the 50 mph winds they were expecting. Needless to say, it was COLD. We hunkered down indoors most of the week and only went outdoors when it was absolutely necessary.
True to tradition, I baked two cheesecakes for my family. They usually like the white chocolate cheesecake that I’ve made multiple times before, and this year, my mother-in-law and I agreed that a peppermint bark cheesecake would be a great second flavor to try.
My mother-in-law helped me out by making the peppermint bark in advance of our arrival, so it was ready to use as soon as we were ready to bake the cheesecake. She definitely saved me a lot of time with this step.
I wasn’t able to get a photo of the cut cheesecake, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. I do recommend upping the peppermint extract by a little bit, as we thought the flavors got lost. I even used the Trader Joe’s candy cane Joe Joe’s for my crust. However, the cheesecake wasn’t peppermint-y enough for my liking.
Regardless, we had a wonderful time with family and enjoyed devouring this cheesecake together. Hope you had a great time over the holidays!
Husband’s rating: 4 out of 5
Addie’s rating: 4 out of 5
My rating: 4 out of 5
Peppermint bark cheesecake
Ingredients
Peppermint bark
- 4 ounces white chocolate broken into pieces
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate broken into pieces
- 1 teaspoon vegetable, coconut or canola oil divided
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract divided
- ⅓ cup candy canes crushed
Crust
- 24 Oreos finely crushed (keep the filling intact); I used Trade Joe's Candy Candy Joe Joes
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake filling
- 32 ounces (4, 8-ounce packages) cream cheese softened
- 1 and ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 3 large eggs
- peppermint bark from above; chopped into pieces
White chocolate ganache
- 5 and ½ ounces white chocolate finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
Garnish (optional)
- 1 package Trader Joe's candy cane Joe Joe's dark chocolate candy bar
Instructions
Make the peppermint bark (can be made ahead)
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate with ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil, and ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract. Mix well.
- Pour the white chocolate mixture on top of your prepared baking sheet. Spread it out but don't let it get too thin. Transfer the baking sheet to your freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- In a clean microwave-safe bowl, melt the semi-sweet chocolate with ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil, and ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract. Mix well.
- Pour the melted semi-sweet chocolate mixture on top of the white chocolate and spread it evenly on top. Sprinkle on the crushed candy cane bits and place it back in the freezer.
- Once the bark has fully set, break it up into smaller pieces. This can be made several days ahead of time (keep it in the freezer until ready to use).
Make the crust
- Line the outside of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil to make sure no butter can leak out.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together the crushed Oreo cookies with the melted butter. Transfer this to your prepared springform pan and press it on the bottom and sides of the pan. Place it in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, cream the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the sour cream, flour, salt, and extracts.
- Add in the eggs one at a time and mix well.
- In a small bowl, toss the broken peppermint bark with 1 Tablespoon of flour. Then gently fold it into the filling.
- Pour the filling on top of your prepared crust.
- Reduce your oven temperature to 325°F and bake the cheesecake for 75-90 minutes (the center should be set). Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minute (keep the door cracked open).
- Let the cheesecake come to room temperature, then cover it with aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
Make the white chocolate ganache
- Set the chopped white chocolate in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Heat the heavy cream in a microwave-safe container (I used a glass measuring cup) until it boils.
- Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and allow it to sit for about 2-3 minutes. Then whisk vigorously and allow to cool slightly.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake and place everything back in the refrigerator to set.
Decorate the cheesecake
- I bought a dark chocolate Candy Cane Joe Joe chocolate bar from Trader Joe's and broke it into pieces to garnish my cheesecake. You can top yours with whipped cream, additional candy cane pieces, more peppermint bark, shaved chocolate curls or whatever makes you happy.
- Slice and serve.