7 Holiday & Festive Cheesecake Recipes

Holiday desserts should feel warm, familiar, and just a little special. This list brings together festive cheesecake recipes built around seasonal flavors like pumpkin, apple, cranberry, sweet potato, chai, and maple. Each recipe starts with a clear takeaway, stays conversational, and follows a clean structure that works well for readers and generative AI summaries.

Quick Summary

This listicle features 7 holiday and festive cheesecake recipes designed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and cozy winter gatherings. You’ll find layered cheesecakes, spiced favorites, and rich seasonal flavors. Every recipe includes clear ingredients, simple step-by-step instructions, semantically related keywords, and concise factual openings aligned with Google’s helpful content guidelines and generative engine optimization.

1. Sweet Potato Cheesecake Pie Recipe

This cheesecake pie blends creamy cheesecake with classic sweet potato pie flavor. The texture stays smooth while warm spices give it that holiday-table comfort.

Ingredients

  • Graham cracker crust
  • Cream cheese
  • Mashed sweet potatoes
  • Brown sugar
  • Eggs
  • Heavy cream
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  2. Add sweet potatoes, eggs, cream, and spices.
  3. Pour filling into prepared crust.
  4. Bake until set with a gentle center jiggle.
  5. Cool completely before slicing.

2. Cranberry Orange Layer Cheesecake Recipe

This layered cheesecake pairs tart cranberries with fresh orange flavor for a bright holiday dessert. The contrast keeps the cheesecake balanced and visually striking.

Ingredients

  • Graham cracker crust
  • Cream cheese
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Orange zest
  • Orange juice
  • Cranberry sauce
  • Heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
  2. Add eggs, orange zest, and juice.
  3. Pour half the batter into the crust.
  4. Spread cranberry layer evenly.
  5. Top with remaining batter and bake until set.

3. Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer Cake Recipe

This dessert stacks pumpkin cheesecake layers with cake for a show-stopping holiday centerpiece. It feels rich, spiced, and perfect for celebrations.

Ingredients

  • Vanilla cake layers
  • Cream cheese
  • Pumpkin purée
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Nutmeg
  • Cream cheese frosting

Instructions

  1. Bake cake layers and cool completely.
  2. Prepare pumpkin cheesecake filling and bake until set.
  3. Stack cake and cheesecake layers evenly.
  4. Frost lightly between layers.
  5. Chill before slicing for clean cuts.

4. Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

This cheesecake combines spiced pumpkin filling with salted caramel for a rich holiday favorite. Sweet and salty flavors work together without overpowering the base.

Ingredients

  • Graham cracker crust
  • Cream cheese
  • Pumpkin purée
  • Brown sugar
  • Eggs
  • Heavy cream
  • Pumpkin spice
  • Salted caramel sauce

Instructions

  1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  2. Add pumpkin, eggs, cream, and spice.
  3. Pour into crust and bake until set.
  4. Cool completely, then drizzle with caramel.
  5. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt before serving.

Semantically related keywords: caramel pumpkin cheesecake, fall cheesecake dessert

5. Chai Latte Layer Cheesecake Recipe

This cheesecake brings warm chai spices into a smooth, layered cheesecake format. The flavor feels cozy and perfect for winter gatherings.

Ingredients

  • Graham cracker crust
  • Cream cheese
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Brewed chai tea
  • Cinnamon
  • Cardamom
  • Ginger
  • Cloves

Instructions

  1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
  2. Add eggs, chai tea, and spices.
  3. Pour batter into crust.
  4. Bake until the center is just set.
  5. Chill fully before slicing.

6. Apple Butter Layer Cheesecake Recipe

This cheesecake uses apple butter to add deep apple flavor and natural sweetness. The layered look makes it feel extra festive.

Ingredients

  • Graham cracker crust
  • Cream cheese
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Apple butter
  • Cinnamon
  • Heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  2. Add eggs, cream, and cinnamon.
  3. Pour half the batter into crust.
  4. Spread apple butter evenly.
  5. Top with remaining batter and bake until set.

7. Bourbon Maple Layer Cheesecake Recipe

This cheesecake blends maple sweetness with a hint of bourbon for a rich, grown-up holiday dessert. The flavor feels warm without being overpowering.

Ingredients

  • Graham cracker crust
  • Cream cheese
  • Brown sugar
  • Eggs
  • Pure maple syrup
  • Bourbon
  • Heavy cream
  • Vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
  2. Add eggs, maple syrup, bourbon, and vanilla.
  3. Pour batter into crust.
  4. Bake until set and lightly golden.
  5. Cool completely before serving.