I made a White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake with an Oreo crust and crushed peppermint bark that tucks a playful surprise into the layers.
I love desserts that look fancy but are stupid easy, and this White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake is exactly that. It sits on a crunchy Oreo cookie crumbs base and the filling is lush with white chocolate, so each bite has a little surprise of peppermint bark.
Guests always ask if I shelled out hours and I never tell. It works for casual nights or a proper holiday table, think Oreo Christmas Cheesecake energy with surprisingly simple tricks.
You get the showstopper without the meltdown, and honestly, who wouldnt want that? People fight over the last slice.
Ingredients
- Oreo cookie crumbs give a crunchy chocolate base, mostly carbs and added saturated fat.
- Cream cheese provides rich tangy creaminess, it’s high in fat and protein, not lean.
- White chocolate melts smooth, very sweet and adds lots of sugar and fat.
- Heavy whipping cream whips light and fluffy, adds silkiness and extra calories.
- Peppermint extract gives cool mint flavor, strong so use sparingly or it overpowers.
- Powdered sugar sweetens smoothly, dissolves fast, mostly empty carbs no fiber.
- Crushed peppermint bark adds crunch and festive color, lots of sugar and saturated fat.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (about 24 Oreos), finely crushed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 24 ounces cream cheese (3 packages), softened to room temp
- 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped or white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for whipping the cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 cups crushed peppermint bark, divided (about 12 ounces)
- Pinch of salt
How to Make this
1. Make the crust: mix 2 cups Oreo crumbs with 6 tablespoons melted butter until it looks like wet sand, press firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan, then chill while you make the filling.
2. Melt the 8 ounces white chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring between each burst, cool to lukewarm before using so it won’t cook the cream cheese.
3. Beat 24 ounces softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar and a pinch of salt until smooth and free of lumps, scrape the bowl so it’s even.
4. Add the cooled white chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to the cream cheese and mix until combined, don’t overmix or you’ll make it runny.
5. Chill your mixing bowl and whisk a few minutes if you can, then whip 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream with the 2 tablespoons powdered sugar to medium to stiff peaks.
6. Fold about two thirds of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture gently to keep it light, then fold in 1 cup of the crushed peppermint bark (reserve the rest for topping).
7. Spoon the filling onto the chilled Oreo crust, smooth the top with a spatula, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup crushed peppermint bark over the top and press a few pieces in so they stick.
8. Chill the cheesecake at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight until firm; if you’re in a hurry pop it in the freezer for 45 to 60 minutes but let it sit at room temp 10 minutes before slicing.
9. To serve, run a sharp knife under hot water, dry it and slice for clean pieces, store leftover cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Equipment Needed
1. 9-inch springform pan, you’ll press the crust in and chill it there
2. Food processor, or a heavy zip-top bag plus rolling pin to crush the Oreos
3. Two large mixing bowls, one for crust and one for the filling
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk/paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese and whip the cream
5. Rubber spatula, and an offset spatula to smooth the top neat-ish
6. Heatproof bowl and small saucepan for a double boiler, or a microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate
7. Measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale if you want more exact)
8. Sharp knife and cutting board to chop the white chocolate and break up the peppermint bark
FAQ
White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Oreo cookie crumbs: swap for graham cracker crumbs (for a lighter crust), crushed chocolate wafer cookies, or gluten-free sandwich cookies. If you use graham and want chocolate flavor back, stir in 1-2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Unsalted butter: use melted coconut oil (measure 1:1) for a dairy-free crust, or use regular salted butter but skip or reduce the pinch of added salt.
- Cream cheese: substitute Neufchâtel for a lower-fat option with nearly the same texture, mascarpone for a richer silkier cheesecake (use same weight), or full-fat dairy-free cream cheese if you need vegan — note vegan types may need extra chill time to firm up.
- Heavy whipping cream: replace with chilled full-fat coconut cream (scoop the solid part) 1:1 for a dairy-free whipped cream, or fold in stabilized whipped topping for a quicker, lighter set (expect a slightly different texture).
Pro Tips
1. Let the cream cheese get really soft before you start, not just a little. Cut the blocks into chunks and leave them out for 45 to 60 minutes so they mix smooth, otherwise youll get lumps and end up overworking the mixer.
2. Melt the white chocolate slowly and let it cool to lukewarm. If it looks too thick or starts to seize, stir in a teaspoon of warm cream or a tiny bit of neutral oil until smooth, dont pour hot chocolate into the cream cheese or itll loosen the filling.
3. Chill your bowl and beaters, whip the cream to medium to stiff peaks, and fold it in gently. Use big sweeping motions and stop when there are no visible streaks, overfolding makes the filling dense or runny so be careful.
4. Peppermint extract is very strong so start light, taste as you go. Also save some big chunks of peppermint bark for the top so you have pretty texture, little crumbs everywhere just get lost in the filling.
5. For the cleanest slices freeze the cheesecake 45 to 60 minutes, then slice with a knife you dip in hot water and dry between cuts. Store leftovers tightly covered in the fridge so it doesnt absorb other smells.
White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe
I made a White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake with an Oreo crust and crushed peppermint bark that tucks a playful surprise into the layers.
12
servings
757
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9-inch springform pan, you’ll press the crust in and chill it there
2. Food processor, or a heavy zip-top bag plus rolling pin to crush the Oreos
3. Two large mixing bowls, one for crust and one for the filling
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk/paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese and whip the cream
5. Rubber spatula, and an offset spatula to smooth the top neat-ish
6. Heatproof bowl and small saucepan for a double boiler, or a microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate
7. Measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale if you want more exact)
8. Sharp knife and cutting board to chop the white chocolate and break up the peppermint bark
Ingredients
-
2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (about 24 Oreos), finely crushed
-
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
-
24 ounces cream cheese (3 packages), softened to room temp
-
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped or white chocolate chips
-
3/4 cup powdered sugar
-
2 tablespoons powdered sugar for whipping the cream
-
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
-
1 1/2 cups crushed peppermint bark, divided (about 12 ounces)
-
Pinch of salt
Directions
- Make the crust: mix 2 cups Oreo crumbs with 6 tablespoons melted butter until it looks like wet sand, press firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan, then chill while you make the filling.
- Melt the 8 ounces white chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring between each burst, cool to lukewarm before using so it won't cook the cream cheese.
- Beat 24 ounces softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar and a pinch of salt until smooth and free of lumps, scrape the bowl so it's even.
- Add the cooled white chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to the cream cheese and mix until combined, don't overmix or you'll make it runny.
- Chill your mixing bowl and whisk a few minutes if you can, then whip 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream with the 2 tablespoons powdered sugar to medium to stiff peaks.
- Fold about two thirds of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture gently to keep it light, then fold in 1 cup of the crushed peppermint bark (reserve the rest for topping).
- Spoon the filling onto the chilled Oreo crust, smooth the top with a spatula, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup crushed peppermint bark over the top and press a few pieces in so they stick.
- Chill the cheesecake at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight until firm; if you're in a hurry pop it in the freezer for 45 to 60 minutes but let it sit at room temp 10 minutes before slicing.
- To serve, run a sharp knife under hot water, dry it and slice for clean pieces, store leftover cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 173g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 757kcal
- Fat: 56g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 6g
- Monounsaturated: 17g
- Cholesterol: 111mg
- Sodium: 383mg
- Potassium: 132mg
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 45g
- Protein: 8g
- Vitamin A: 500IU
- Vitamin C: 0.5mg
- Calcium: 100mg
- Iron: 1mg
