Peppermint Bark Cheesecake a Creamy Holiday Treat

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake combines a thick chocolate cookie crust with a rich white chocolate cheesecake filling for a decadent holiday dessert.

For my Christmas present a few years ago, my little brother, tagged me in a photo on Facebook of his handwritten recipe for Peppermint Bark Cheesecake. It was the fastest and easiest way for him to get it to me.

The first task was to reduce the recipe because his made FOUR 8" pie size or TWO 9" springform pan size.

What can I say? He is a professional cook and making small amounts for normal household consumption is a challenge for him.

Ingredients for Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

The ingredients are pretty simple and easy to find.

• self-rising flour (or use 1 cup all-purpose flour plus ½ teaspoon salt and 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder)
• cocoa powder
• butter
• sugar
• cream cheese
• eggs
• white chocolate
• vanilla
• candy canes (approximately 12 large or 36 small)

My brother made his own cookie to create the cookie crust. You can skip this step, and the ingredients, by using premade chocolate wafers or sandwich cookies; enough to make about 1 ½ cups of cookie crumbs.

Or you could skip the homemade crust and use a premade mint chocolate crust, but it will probably be spearmint flavored instead of peppermint.

Recipe

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Ingredients

 

CRUST

• 1 cup self-rising flour (see note)
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup ground candy canes (approximately 12 large or 36 small)
• ⅓ cup butter (melted)
• 1 egg (beaten)

CHEESECAKE

• 24 ounces cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 11 ounces white chocolate (melted)
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• Mix flour, cocoa powder, ½ cup butter, sugar and 1 egg. Roll out dough to the size of a cookie sheet then slide it on cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes (longer if you dough is thicker then ⅛").
• Turn off oven and leave the cookie in until dry, about 45 minutes. It needs to be as dry as a chocolate wafer or graham cracker.
• Pulse candy canes a few times in a food processor to crush them. Remove half and set aside for the topping.
• Break the cookie into chunks and add to the bowl of the food processor with the candy canes. Pulse until it is crumbly but not so much it is like flour. Add melted butter and the beaten egg and combine by hand until just moistened.
• Press into two 8 inch pie pans or one 9 inch springform pan. Put pans on a cookie sheet or wrap the springform pan in aluminum foil to prevent leakage.
• Preheat oven to 325℉.
• Combine all cheesecake ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and pour into the crust (s).
• Bake for 35 minutes for pie pans, or 45-50 minutes for the springform. Watch closely for any cracks, the center should jiggle slightly when done. Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack, approximately 2 hours.
• Chill in the refrigerator at least 8 hours.
• Before serving top with remaining crushed candy canes.

Notes

If you don't have self rising flour use 1 cup flour plus ½ teaspoon salt and 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder.

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