Name: Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans and Cranberry Compote
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce; 1 tsp. orange juice; 1 tsp. lemon juice; 1 tsp. sugar; 1 (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese; 1+1/2 ounces pure Grade B maple syrup; optional: 1 ounce of brandy; 12 to 15 candied pecans ( I used store-bought); whipped cream, as a garnish; ground cinnamon, as a garnish; 3 pounds cheese cream, at room temperature; 1+1/2 cups sugar; 1 tsp. ground nutmeg; 6 eggs, at room temperature; 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract; 1 + 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs; 3 Tbsp. sugar; 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg; 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter - melted

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This Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans is probably the coolest cheesecake you’ll serve this holiday season! Served with a sweet-tart cranberry compote on the side, this Eggnog Cheesecake topped with a maple frosting is creamy, delicious, and pure decadent! Best of all, there’s No actual eggnog is in this recipe; it’s all in the spices!

Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans on top served on a white plate with whipped cream on the side.

This Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans… but Better!

We’re not crazy about drinking the traditional holiday eggnog. Among our family and friends, people either love it or hate it.

But we ADORE this EGGNOG CHEESECAKE! Why? Well, because this cheesecake is rich and creamy, tastes fabulous, and will compliment any holiday dessert table.

This cheesecake recipe caught my eye in an issue of Charleston magazine a few years back. I briefly read through the ingredients, and noticed, that there wasn’t any actual eggnog in the recipe. So I decided to try it.

Instead, this Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans is loaded with cream cheese, eggs, and enough nutmeg to give it an amazingly rich flavor of eggnog. And, it’s paired with a cranberry compote to give you that ‘wow’ sensation with this dessert.

And I have been making it every year.

We can’t believe the holidays are around the corner. We’re already making a list for our holiday dinner and will be adding this delicious eggnog cheesecake to it.

A slice of eggnog cheesecake on a white plate with dots of whipped cream around it.

Serve this cheesecake with a tablespoon of cranberry compote beside it, and you’ll have a wonderful holiday cheesecake to serve family and friends.

It will give them something to talk about the next day.

The sweet and tart flavors in the cranberry compote compliment this cheesecake till no end! And it adds that warm holiday feeling at the end of the meal.

It’s Perfect!

A Slice of cheesecake served on a white plate.

Cook’s Notes and Tips:

This recipe is relatively easy to follow, but you will need to put a little time aside to make this cheesecake, along with the frosting and the cranberry compote.
The recipe calls for a lot of cream cheese, but I can assure you this makes a large cake, enough to feed a crowd.
It’s a good idea to make this cheesecake the night before, then add the frosting and pecans the day you serve it. Cheesecake always tastes better after it’s been chilled overnight.
Make-Ahead: You can make this cheesecake up to 2 days ahead.
To Store and Freeze: Always allow the cheesecake to cool after baking, before covering with foil wrap and freezing. Freeze for up to one month. Thaw on your counter, at least 2 to 3 hours before serving.

*Full Recipe Card Below!

Ingredients Needed for Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans and Cranberry Compote:

For the Crust:

1 + 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter – melted

For Cheesecake Filling:

3 pounds cheese cream, at room temperature
1+ 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
6 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For Mascarpone-Maple Frosting:

1 (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1+1/2 ounces pure Grade B maple syrup
optional: 1 ounce of brandy
12 to 15 candied pecans (store-bought)
whipped cream, as a garnish
organic ground cinnamon, as a garnish

For Cranberry Compote:

1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce
1 tsp. orange juice
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar

How to make Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans and Cranberry Compote?

First, Make the Crust:
A. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and remove the top rack. Lightly grease a 9-inch spring-form pan.
B. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, nutmeg, and melted butter in a bowl. Press mixture onto the bottom of the pan and BAKE it for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool before adding the cheesecake mixture.

Second, Make the Cream Cheese Filling:
1. REDUCE oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place cream cheese, sugar, and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix on low speed or beat with a hand-held mixer until smooth.

2. Add eggs one at a time, mixing enough to incorporate. Add vanilla last, stirring to make sure all ingredients are well blended. Set aside.

3. Tear 3 large squares ( 12 x 14) of aluminum foil or 1 larger square of heavy-duty foil wrap (18 x 18). Stack foil sheets flat on the counter and place the spring-form pan in the middle of the stack.

A springform pan with the cookie crust sitting over a sheet of foil.

Begin to bring up the foil up the sides to wrap the pan, be careful not to tear the foil. This will prevent any water from entering the cheesecake.

4. Pour cream cheese mixture into the prepared crust.

5. Once the pan is watertight, place it in a large roasting pan or larger baking pan.

A springform pan with cream cheese cake with foil wrapped around the cake pan.

6. Place this in the oven with the rack slightly pulled out to give you easy access
for adding water. Carefully and very slowly pour hot water into the larger pan until the water reaches halfway up the side of the spring-form pan. Be careful not to get water in or on the cheesecake.

THEN BAKE cheesecake for 1 hour.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven, and remove the cheesecake from the water bath, and set it aside to cool. Once cooled, place it in the refrigerator, uncovered to finish setting, at least 4 hours. Then cover with foil wrap and refrigerate for few more hours, or overnight is best.

Make the Frosting:
In the meantime, prepare the mascarpone-maple frosting.
In a bowl, beat the mascarpone with maple syrup until creamy and smooth. Optional: add in 1 ounce of brandy. Do not over whip. Refrigerate until ready to frost.

Cranberry compote:
Heat all ingredients in a small pot for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove and cool completely. Chill before serving.

NOTE: Before frosting the cheesecake, allow the mascarpone frosting to warm up at room temperature for about 5 minutes or so. This will allow you to frost the cake easily.

When ready to serve:
Open the clip, and slowly remove the pan. Place the cheesecake onto a large serving plate and frost the top of the cake with the mascarpone frosting and also lightly coat around the sides. Decorate with some candied pecans on the top and sides. Gently sprinkle with some cinnamon over the cheesecake. Serve with the cranberry compote on the side. Optional: Garnish with whipped cream with each slice.

How To Make this Easy Cranberry Compote:

Take one can (15-ounces) of “whole berry” cranberry sauce.
Heat in a small saucepan with some orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar for a few minutes.
Then cool the mixture in the fridge before serving (see full recipe below).

An Exquisite Dessert

Your family and friends will LOVE this Eggnog Cheesecake with candied pecans! Try it, you won’t be disappointed!

ENJOY!!

More Delicious Desserts!

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Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans and Cranberry Compote

Yield: 12 to 14 servings

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

An Eggnog Cheesecake is loaded with cream cheese, eggs, and enough nutmeg to give it an amazingly rich flavor that is just decadent. Then it's topped with luscious maple-mascarpone frosting and decorated with candied pecans and cinnamon sprinkled on top. This recipe doesn't have any actual eggnog, it's all in the spices!