White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

🧂 Ingredients

• 22 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (not double-stuffed), broken in half
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 cup Hood Sour Cream
• 4 oz white chocolate, chopped
• ⅓ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candy like starlight mints, plus more for topping
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

• 1 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and side of 9-inch springform
  pan.
• 2 Process the cookies in a food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds.
  Add the melted butter and pulse until combined, 6 to 8 pulses. Transfer the
  crumb mixture to prepared pan and use your hands to press the crumb mixture
  evenly into the bottom of the pan. Tip: Using the bottom of a dry measuring cup,
  firmly pack crust into pan. Bake until fragrant and set, about 10 minutes. Let
  cool completely on wire rack.
• 3 For the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. In a stand mixer
  fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth,
  about 1 minute, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time,
  beating just until incorporated, about 30 seconds total. Scrape down the sides
  of bowl. Add the sour cream, vanilla, peppermint extract, and beat just until
  combined, about 15 seconds. Add the chopped white chocolate and the peppermint
  bits and fold into the cheesecake quickly (you want to mix quickly and minimally
  because the peppermint bits will begin to tint the batter pink).
• 4 Pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust. Lift and gently tap the pan on the
  counter to release any air bubbles. Pop any air bubbles that have risen to
  surface.
• 5 Bake the cheesecake until the edges are set and center jiggles slightly when
  shaken and (it Bake until edges are just golden and center jiggles slightly when
  pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Run a knife
  around edge of pan rim. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2
  hours. Refrigerate, uncovered, until completely cold, about 6 hours or
  overnight.
• 6 To unmold the cheesecake, run a small sharp knife between around the sides of
  the pan, then unlock and release the sides. Optional: To loosen the crust from
  the pan, slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom, then slide
  the cheesecake onto your serving platter.
  
  For the topping, in a large bowl, beat the cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar
  with an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) until stiff peaks form. Spread
  half of the whipped cream over the cheesecake and spoon the remaining half into
  a large plastic bag, snip off one bottom corner of the bag with scissors and
  pipe the whipped cream in small circles around the edges of the cake. Sprinkle
  the top with more crushed peppermint candies.
• 7 Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. It
  can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Info