Candy Cane Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
By Yankee Magazine|Oct 23 2026|
I love peppermint and chocolate together, and I love a cake that you can make ahead without worrying about it drying out. The crust for this cheesecake is made with Oreo Thins, which have just the right ratio of cookie to filling.
Note: You can buy crushed candy canes online, which will save you the time and effort of unwrapping and crushing individual canes.
Make-Ahead Instructions: Bake the cheesecake according to the recipe and refrigerate it still in the pan, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Before serving, remove the rim and garnish the top edge with additional crushed candy cane pieces.
Yield
10 to 12 servings.
For the crust
Ingredients
25 Oreo Thins
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with a double layer of foil, sealing it well up the sides, so water can’t seep in during baking.
To make the crust, pulse the Oreo Thins in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Press the mixture in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Bake until set and fragrant, about 12 minutes.
For the filling
Ingredients
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1¼ teaspoons peppermint extract
½ cup crushed candy cane pieces, plus more for garnish
Instructions
To make the filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and cream together until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, beating about 10 seconds after each addition. Mix in the peppermint extract, then fold in the ½ cup crushed candy cane pieces.
Pour the filling over the crust. Set the springform pan inside a large roasting pan and place it on the oven rack. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake at 325°F until the edge is set but the center is still a bit jiggly, about 55 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door open for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, run a knife around the edge of the pan, and refrigerate, springform collar still on, for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days, tightly covered with plastic wrap.
Before serving, remove the springform collar and garnish the top edge of the cheesecake with additional crushed candy cane pieces.
