Description
This delightful Carrot Cheesecake combines a rich and creamy cream cheese filling with a crunchy Oreo crust, enhanced by festive orange and green candy decorations perfect for celebrations. The cheesecake is baked to perfection, then chilled and adorned with candy melts piped to resemble carrot tops, making it both visually appealing and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups Oreo crumbs (about 15-20 Oreos)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Orange food coloring, to desired shade
- 4 large eggs
Decorations
- 1 cup orange candy melts
- 1 cup green candy melts
- Green and orange sugar sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Crush Oreos into fine crumbs using a food processor or placing them in a zip-lock bag and smashing with a rolling pin until you have 1 1/2 cups. In a large bowl, combine the Oreo crumbs with melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly coated. Spray an 8 or 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, then press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly to form the crust base.
- Make the cheesecake filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add orange food coloring gradually to achieve your desired shade. Carefully add eggs one at a time, mixing gently after each addition until just combined. Pour the batter evenly over the prepared crust in the springform pan.
- Bake and chill: Bake the cheesecake at 325°F (165°C) for 55 minutes or until the center is almost set but still slightly jiggly. After baking, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake and let it cool. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours to fully set.
- Melt and pipe green candy melts: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the green candy melts by heating in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each until smooth. Transfer the melted candy to a small zip-lock bag, cut a small tip off the corner, and pipe carrot stems in ‘V’ shapes onto a parchment-lined tray. Optionally, sprinkle green or orange sugar sprinkles onto the stems before they set. Let harden completely.
- Melt and drizzle orange candy melts: In another microwave-safe bowl, melt the orange candy melts using the same 30-second interval method, stirring until smooth. Place each cheesecake slice on parchment paper, transfer melted orange candy to a zip-lock bag with a smaller cut tip, and drizzle in a zig-zag pattern over the slices. Optionally, add sprinkles immediately after drizzling before the candy sets.
- Assemble and serve: Dot a small amount of melted orange candy on the top center of each cheesecake slice. Gently place a hardened green candy stem on the dot to resemble a carrot top. Allow all candy decorations to harden completely before serving. Enjoy your festive carrot cheesecake!
Notes
- Ensure cream cheese is softened to room temperature to avoid lumps in the batter.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter after adding eggs to prevent cracks during baking.
- The cheesecake must be thoroughly chilled for optimal texture and ease of cutting.
- Extra candy stems can be made in case of breakage during transfer.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking when piping candy melts.
- If you prefer, substitute Oreo crumbs with graham cracker crumbs for a different crust flavor.
