There’s nothing quite like the cozy, buttery charm of a classic sugar cookie combined with the rich, creamy goodness of cheesecake. That’s exactly what makes this Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Recipe such a winner in my kitchen — it’s like the best of both desserts rolled into one irresistible treat.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I adore this Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Recipe because it brings together the nostalgic flavors of sugar cookies into a luxuriously creamy cheesecake. Every bite feels festive and familiar, yet fresh, making it a total crowd pleaser.
- Double the Fun: Combines sugar cookie crust and cookie dough balls inside the cheesecake for playful texture and flavor bursts.
- Festive Sprinkles: Christmas sprinkles add a joyful pop of color that’s perfect for celebrations or everyday sweetness.
- Water Bath Magic: A classic water bath technique delivers a silky smooth, crack-free cheesecake every time.
- White Chocolate Ganache: The topping perfectly complements the sweet tang of the cheesecake, adding that extra touch of luxury.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This recipe’s ingredients are all about balance — the rich cream cheese pairs beautifully with the sweet and buttery sugar cookie elements, and the sprinkles add just the right amount of whimsy. Here’s a little about why each one earns its spot:
- All-purpose flour: The base for both the crust and cookie dough balls, it provides structure and that classic cookie texture.
- Baking soda: Helps the crust rise slightly, ensuring a tender crumb that holds together well.
- Unsalted butter: Using room temperature butter allows for even mixing, giving you that melt-in-your-mouth richness.
- White granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with browning in the crust and cookie dough.
- Pure vanilla extract: The essential flavor booster that infuses warmth and depth throughout.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and create that creamy, custardy texture in the cheesecake.
- Christmas sprinkles (jimmies): For the festive flair—they’re not just decoration but add a cheerful crunch too!
- Cream cheese: The star of the cheesecake, smooth and tangy to balance the sweetness perfectly.
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt: Adds creaminess and a subtle tang that keeps the cheesecake bright.
- Heavy cream: Ensures silkiness in the cheesecake filling and richness in the ganache.
- White chocolate chips: Melted into ganache for that luscious finish that ties it all together.
- Milk: Moistens cookie dough balls for the perfect dough consistency.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors — don’t skip it!
Make It Your Way
What’s great about this Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Recipe is how flexible it feels. I love adding my own spin depending on the season or who I’m sharing it with—you can absolutely make it your own.
- Variation: One year, I swapped the Christmas sprinkles for pastel ones at Easter, and it instantly felt fresh and fun for spring celebrations.
- Dairy-Free Adaptation: I’ve had friends successfully replace cream cheese with a plant-based version and coconut cream for the heavy cream, making it allergy-friendly without losing the creaminess.
- More Cookie Dough: If you’re a cookie fan like me, feel free to toss in extra cookie dough balls—it makes every bite a delightful surprise.
- Chocolate Twist: Adding a bit of cocoa powder to the crust changes things up for chocolate lovers without losing that sugar cookie vibe.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Recipe
Step 1: Get That Sugar Cookie Crust Perfect
Start by preheating your oven to 350℉ and prepping a 9-inch springform pan—spray it generously and line the bottom with parchment paper. One kitchen trick I swear by is baking the flour for the cookie dough balls for a few minutes beforehand. It’s subtle, but it helps keep the dough from tasting raw later on. Mix your dry ingredients together, then whip butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Adding eggs and vanilla slowly gets your dough creamy and ready. Don’t forget the sprinkles—they bring so much fun into this crust. Press the dough evenly across the pan bottom, no need to go up the sides. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until it’s golden and smelling amazing.
Step 2: Roll Out Those Cookie Dough Balls
While your crust bakes, it’s time to mix up the cookie dough balls. This part is a little hands-on but so worth the effort! Mix your flour and salt, then whip butter and sugar like before before adding vanilla and milk. Toss in sprinkles last for that signature pop of color. The fun (and slight chaos) starts when you roll these tiny balls—think dime to nickel-sized. Pro tip: I recruit my family for this step; it turns into a cute little assembly line. Once rolled, pop them into the freezer—firm cookie dough balls bake into delightful little surprises inside your cheesecake.
Step 3: Mix, Pour, and Bake That Cheesecake
Lower your oven to 325℉ and set up a water bath. This might sound fancy but trust me, it’s a game changer. Beating your cream cheese and sugar until ultra smooth ensures no lumpy cheesecake—scraping the sides halfway through makes all the difference. Blend in sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla next before gently mixing in eggs one at a time. Finally, fold in most of your frozen cookie dough balls. Pour this luscious batter over your warm crust, set up that water bath carefully, and bake for 80-90 minutes. Look for set edges and a gently jiggly center, then cool slowly with the oven door cracked to avoid cracks. Patience here will pay off big time!
Step 4: Top It Off with White Chocolate Ganache
The finishing touch is a glossy, white chocolate ganache. Heat your cream until it’s just steaming—warm but not boiling—then pour it over the white chocolate chips. Let it sit a couple minutes before stirring; if it’s stubborn, a few quick trips to the microwave in 20-second bursts do the trick. Pour this velvety ganache over your chilled cheesecake, pop it back in the freezer for 10 minutes, then add the rest of your cookie dough balls and sprinkles for a show-stopping look and texture.
Top Tip
I’ve made this cheesecake many times, and here are the tips that truly make it foolproof. These little tricks have saved me from cracks, soggy bottoms, and uneven textures—so trust me, they’re worth following.
- Flour Bake for Cookie Dough: Toasting your flour briefly before mixing cookie dough balls improves texture and flavor, plus cuts down on the raw taste.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Take your dairy out a couple hours ahead for smoother mixing and no lumps in the cheesecake batter.
- Water Bath Setup: Wrapping your springform pan twice tightly with foil is key to avoid water leaks when you do the water bath method — the last thing you want is a soggy crust!
- Slow Cooling: Leaving the oven cracked for 30 minutes after baking prevents cracks and gives you that perfectly smooth top every time.
How to Serve Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Recipe
Garnishes
I keep it simple yet festive—extra Christmas sprinkles on top, and sometimes a few fresh berries for a tart contrast. If I’m feeling indulgent, a light dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of extra melted white chocolate never hurt!
Side Dishes
This cheesecake pairs beautifully with a cup of strong coffee or spicy chai tea. For a fun brunch, I like serving it alongside fresh fruit and maybe some whipped cream to keep things light and balanced.
Creative Ways to Present
For birthdays or holiday parties, I like to place this cheesecake on a festive serving platter surrounded by sugar cookie cutouts in playful shapes—sometimes even homemade candy canes for the winter months. Turning it into mini individual cheesecakes in jars is another hit when portion control is a must.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
After your cheesecake chills overnight, I keep leftovers wrapped tightly in the fridge—sometimes in the springform pan wrapped with foil, other times sliced and stored in an airtight container. It stays fresh and creamy for up to 4-5 days, which lasts about as long as it takes my family to devour it!
Freezing
If you want to make it ahead or save some for later, freezing works like a charm. Wrap the whole cheesecake securely or slice it and wrap each piece individually. It keeps great for up to 2 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Reheating
Since this is a chilled cheesecake dessert, reheating isn’t usually needed. If you’re craving a softer texture, let slices sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before digging in — it makes the texture extra creamy and luscious without any baking.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Eggs are essential for the structure and creaminess of the cheesecake in this recipe. However, if you need an egg-free version, you can experiment with egg substitutes like flax eggs or commercial replacers, but the texture may be less rich and firm.
The water bath keeps the cheesecake baking gently and evenly, preventing cracks and ensuring a smooth, creamy texture. It creates a moist oven environment that’s perfect for delicate cheesecakes like this Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Recipe.
You can, but I recommend making the dough yourself for the best flavor and texture that blends with the cheesecake. Store-bought dough may contain preservatives or be too soft, which could affect the baking time and final consistency.
Using a well-chilled crust and the water bath technique helps prevent sogginess. Also, wrapping your springform pan tightly with foil to avoid water leaks and baking the crust fully before adding the filling are key steps to keep your crust crisp and delicious.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Recipe feels like a little hug in dessert form. It’s become my go-to for holidays, birthdays, and anytime I want to surprise people with something sweet yet unique. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I do—trust me, your friends and family will be asking for seconds (and thirds).
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Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Recipe
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Sugar Cookie Cheesecake combines a buttery sugar cookie crust, festive cookie dough balls, and a rich, creamy cheesecake layer, all topped with a luscious white chocolate ganache and colorful Christmas sprinkles. Perfect for holiday celebrations, it offers a delightful blend of textures and flavors that will impress your guests.
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Crust
- 1 ¾ cup All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 1 Large egg, room temperature
- 1 Egg yolk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup Christmas sprinkles, jimmies
Cookie Dough Balls
- 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour (baked for 5 minutes then cooled)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon Milk
- ½ cup Christmas sprinkles, jimmies
Cheesecake
- 24 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup White granulated sugar
- ½ cup Sour cream, room temperature or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup Heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 4 Large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ Cookie dough balls (from above)
White Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup White chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup Heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare sugar cookie crust: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray, line the bottom with a 9-inch parchment paper circle, and spray again. In a medium bowl, mix 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla, egg, and egg yolk, mixing on medium until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Stir in Christmas sprinkles. Press dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan; do not press up sides. Bake for 30 minutes until golden on top.
- Prepare cookie dough balls: While crust bakes, preheat oven to 350℉ and bake 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes; cool completely. In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Beat butter and sugar on high for 2 minutes, then add vanilla and milk, mixing on medium until combined. Add flour mixture, mix on low until just combined. Stir in Christmas sprinkles. Roll dough into dime- to nickel-sized balls and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Freeze until firm.
- Prepare cheesecake batter and bake: Preheat oven to 325℉. Beat cream cheese and sugar on high for 2 minutes, scraping sides halfway. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla; beat on medium until smooth and lump-free. Add eggs and mix gently on low just until combined. Fold in ¾ of the frozen cookie dough balls. Pour batter over cooled sugar cookie crust. Prepare a water bath by placing the springform pan either inside a 10-inch cake pan then into a roasting pan with hot water half way up the cake pan or wrap the springform pan tightly in foil twice and place in roasting pan filled halfway with hot water. Bake cheesecake for 90 minutes until edges are set and center slightly jiggles. Turn off oven, crack door, and cool cheesecake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely on wire rack, then wrap and chill refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Prepare white chocolate ganache: Place white chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small pan over medium heat until hot and steaming. Pour hot cream over white chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir gently with rubber spatula until smooth, reheating in microwave in 20 second intervals if needed.
- Assemble and finish cheesecake: Remove cheesecake from refrigerator, take off springform pan and parchment paper. Pour ganache evenly over cheesecake. Freeze for 10 minutes until set. Top with remaining cookie dough balls and Christmas sprinkles before serving.
Notes
- Remove dairy ingredients from the refrigerator 2 hours before baking for best texture and ease in mixing.
- Baking flour before using in dough balls ensures better texture and reduces raw flour taste.
- Freezing cookie dough balls before adding to cheesecake batter prevents them from melting during baking.
- Using a water bath helps prevent cracking by providing gentle, even heat and moisture during baking.
- Cooling the cheesecake gradually by leaving oven door ajar helps avoid cracks on the surface.
- Wrap springform pan tightly in foil during water bath to avoid water leaks into crust, but ensure double wrap for best protection.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
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