This easy Christmas Cheesecake is the perfect make-ahead dessert for Christmas Day. A cinnamon Biscoff biscuit base topped with a creamy white chocolate and orange cheesecake filling, then decorated with fresh berries for a beautiful festive finish.
There's no baking involved, and you can make it the day before, leaving you with one less thing to do on Christmas Day.
I love a dessert that looks this impressive without spending hours in the kitchen, especially when there's already so much else to organise!
Recipe update: This recipe was originally published on 28 November 2019 and was fully retested in November 2026 to check the preparation and chilling times and ingredient quantities. The original recipe still worked well, but I've expanded the instructions, tips and FAQs.
Love cheesecake? Take a look at our healthy mango cheesecake or our post on how to decorate a cheesecake.
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love It
- Recipe Overview
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make Christmas Cheesecake
- Christmas Cheesecake Variations
- How to Decorate a Christmas Cheesecake
- Make Ahead Christmas Day Dessert
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage
- Dannii's Top Tips
- Troubleshooting Guide
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Christmas Recipes
- Recipe
- Feedback
Why You'll Love It
- Perfect for Christmas Day - A beautiful festive dessert that looks impressive on the table.
- No baking required - A simple biscuit base and creamy filling, with no oven needed.
- Make ahead - Prepare it on Christmas Eve and let it set overnight in the fridge.
- Delicious Christmas flavours - White chocolate, orange and cinnamon are the perfect combination, with a little freshness from the berries.
Recipe Overview
- Serves: 8 generous slices, made in a 20cm (8-inch) springform tin.
- Time: 1 hour preparation plus at least 4 hours chilling. Overnight is best for a firmer set.
- Method: Make a spiced Biscoff biscuit base, top with a creamy white chocolate and orange cheesecake filling, then chill until set.
- Equipment: Springform tin, mixing bowls, saucepan and electric whisk.
- Make ahead: Prepare on Christmas Eve, keep refrigerated and add the festive decorations just before serving.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Lotus Biscoff biscuits - These give the cheesecake a delicious spiced base. Digestive biscuits or gingernuts are good alternatives.
- Butter and cinnamon - Unsalted butter holds the biscuit base together, and a little extra cinnamon adds warmth.
- Cream cheese - Use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavour and texture. Reduced-fat versions can leave the filling too soft.
- White chocolate - Adds sweetness and helps the cheesecake filling firm up as it chills. Use a good-quality white chocolate that melts smoothly.
- Orange - Both the zest and a small amount of juice give the filling a fresh citrus flavour.
- Double cream - Known as heavy whipping cream in the US. This is whipped before being folded into the filling.
- Vanilla and honey - Add a little extra sweetness and flavour. Maple syrup can be used instead of honey.
How to Make Christmas Cheesecake
- Prepare the tin: Grease a 20cm (8 inch) springform tin with a little butter and then line the base with a circle of baking paper.
- Melt the butter: Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over a low heat.
- Crush the biscuits: Put the Lotus biscuits into a Ziploc bag and using a wooden spoon, bash them until they are crumbs.
- Combine the butter and biscuits: Add the crushed biscuits and cinnamon to the melted butter. Mix well.
- Make the base: Pour the biscuit mixture into the tin and press it down. Be careful not to pack it down too hard, otherwise you will have a very dense and hard base. Chill in the fridge for 45 mins.
- Melt the chocolate: Over a low heat, melt the white chocolate. Once melted, allow to cool slightly.
Alternatively, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Allow to cool slightly before using.
- Flavour the cream cheese: In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, vanilla, honey, orange zest and orange juice.
- Combine: Mix well to combine everything.
- Whisk the cream: In another mixing bowl, whisk the cream until soft peaks are formed.
- Make the topping: Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and fold it in. Then add the whipped cream and fold that in too.
- Add the topping: Take the base out of the fridge and spoon the cream cheese mixture on top of it. Using a palette knife, spread the mixture around until it is smooth.
- Chill: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until set.
- Carefully remove from the tin, transfer to a serving plate and decorate with fresh berries, orange segments, cinnamon sticks and a dusting of icing sugar.
Christmas Cheesecake Variations
This no-bake Christmas cheesecake is easy to adapt with different festive flavours.
- Gingerbread cheesecake - Swap the Biscoff biscuits for gingernuts, or use a little ground ginger alongside the cinnamon.
- Different biscuit base - Digestives make a more traditional cheesecake base. Chocolate biscuits are another option, although sandwich biscuits such as Oreos may need a different amount of butter.
- Festive fruit - Try raspberries, strawberries, pomegranate seeds or clementine segments on top for a colourful Christmas finish.
- Mince pie twist - A little Christmas mincemeat could be served alongside or spooned over individual slices. I would avoid mixing a large amount directly into the filling, as the extra moisture could affect how it sets.
How to Decorate a Christmas Cheesecake
One of my favourite things about this cheesecake is how easy it is to make it look special without needing any complicated decorating skills.
I like to use fresh berries, orange segments and a few cinnamon sticks, then finish with a light dusting of icing sugar for a snowy Christmas look.
You could also add white chocolate curls, pomegranate seeds or a few small sprigs of fresh rosemary for extra festive colour. Remove non-edible decorations before serving.
For the best results, decorate just before serving, as fruit can release moisture and icing sugar will gradually dissolve.
For more inspiration, see my How to Decorate a Cheesecake guide.
Make Ahead Christmas Day Dessert
This is such a useful dessert when you're planning Christmas dinner because most of the work can be done the day before.
I recommend making the cheesecake on Christmas Eve and leaving it to set in the fridge overnight. Not only does this save time on Christmas Day, but it also helps the filling become firm enough for neat slices.
Keep the cheesecake covered and undecorated until you're ready to serve. Then add the berries, orange and icing sugar just before bringing it to the table.
You can make it up to two days ahead if necessary, provided it is kept properly chilled and eaten within the recommended storage period.
Serving Suggestions
This Christmas cheesecake is lovely served just as it is, with fresh berries to balance the sweet white chocolate filling.
For a festive drink alongside it, try our hot mulled apple juice, Christmas punch or Christmas snowman hot chocolate.
If you're putting together a Christmas dessert table with a few smaller treats as well, these are some of our favourites:
Storage
In the fridge: Keep the cheesecake covered in the fridge at 0-5°C. For conservative food-safety guidance, eat within 48 hours of making and always check the use-by dates of the dairy ingredients. Store leftovers promptly in airtight containers and avoid leaving the cheesecake out on the table for extended periods.
In the freezer: This cheesecake can be frozen for up to 2 months for best quality. Freeze it without the fresh fruit and icing sugar decorations, either whole or in individual slices. Wrap well and place in an airtight freezer-safe container.
To defrost: Transfer it to the fridge and leave it to defrost overnight. Once fully thawed, eat within 24 hours and decorate with fresh berries just before serving.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Use full-fat cream cheese. Low-fat versions contain more moisture and might not set as firmly.
- Don't crush the biscuits too finely or pack them down too hard. This can make the base difficult to cut. You want it to hold together but still be slightly crumbly.
- Cool the melted white chocolate slightly before adding it. It should still be liquid, but not hot. Fold it in gently so the filling stays smooth.
- Whip the cream separately. It should be thick enough to form soft peaks before you fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
- Measure the orange juice. Only add the tablespoon specified in the recipe, as too much liquid can affect the texture.
- Leave it to set overnight if possible. Four hours is the minimum, but a longer chill makes it easier to remove from the tin and slice.
Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cheesecake won't set | Reduced-fat cream cheese, under-whipped cream or too much liquid. | Chill overnight. Next time, use full-fat cream cheese, whip the cream to soft peaks and measure the orange juice carefully. |
| Filling is grainy or lumpy | White chocolate was overheated or began setting when mixed with the cream cheese. | Melt gently and allow to cool slightly, keeping it fluid before folding into the cream cheese mixture. |
| Biscuit base is too hard | Biscuits were crushed too finely or pressed down too firmly. | Allow a few minutes out of the fridge before slicing. Next time, press the crumbs down more gently. |
| Biscuit base crumbles | Biscuit crumbs were too coarse or the butter wasn't mixed through evenly. | Crush into small, even crumbs, mix thoroughly with the melted butter and press lightly into the tin. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh berries are best because they hold their shape and don't release as much moisture. If you use frozen berries, defrost them fully and drain well before adding them, as excess liquid can bleed into the cheesecake topping.
No. This recipe uses white chocolate, full-fat cream cheese and whipped double cream to create a filling that firms up when chilled. There is no need to add gelatine.
Yes! I recommend keeping it in the springform tin for travelling, as this protects the cheesecake and makes it easier to transport. Keep it chilled in a cool bag with ice packs, then refrigerate it when you arrive. Remove it from the tin and add the festive decorations just before serving.
More Christmas Recipes
If you've tried this Christmas cheesecake recipe, please leave a comment below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy and you can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Christmas Cheesecake
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Biscuit base:
- 200 g (7 oz) of Lotus biscuits - crushed into crumbs
- 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) of Butter - unsalted
Cheesecake filling:
- 120 g (4 ¼ oz) of White chocolate
- 300 g (1 ⅓ cups) of Cream cheese (full fat)
- 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of Orange zest
- 1 tablespoon of Orange juice
- 2 tablespoons of Honey
- 200 ml (6 ¾ floz) of Double (heavy) cream
Optional decoration
- Fresh berries
- Orange segments
- Cinnamon sticks
- Icing sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the tin: Grease a 20cm (8 inch) springform tin with a little butter and then line the base with a circle of baking paper.
- Melt the butter: Melt 100 g of Butter in a large saucepan over a low heat.
- Crush the biscuits: Put 200 g of Lotus biscuits into a ziplock bag and using a wooden spoon, bash them until they are crumbs.
- Combine the butter and biscuits: Add the crushed biscuits and 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon to the melted butter and mix well
- Make the base: Pour the biscuit mixture into the tin and press it down. Be careful not to pack it down too hard, otherwise you will have a very dense and hard base. Chill in the fridge for 45 mins.
- Melt the chocolate: Over a low heat, melt 120 g of White chocolate. Once melted, allow to cool slightly.Alternatively, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Allow to cool slightly before using.
- Flavour the cream cheese: In a mixing bowl, add 300 g of Cream cheese (full fat), 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of Honey, 1 tablespoon of Orange juice and 1 tablespoon of Orange zest.Combine: Mix well to combine everything.
- Whisk the cream: In another mixing bowl, whisk 200 ml of Double (heavy) cream until soft peaks are formed.
- Make the topping: Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and fold it in. Then add the whipped cream and fold that in too.
- Add the topping: Take the base out of the fridge and spoon the cream cheese mixture on top of it. Using a palette knife, spread the mixture around until it is smooth.
- Chill: Put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Serve: Carefully remove it from the springform tin and use the palette knife to wiggle it from the base. Put it on a serving plate/board and then decorate it with Fresh berries, Cinnamon sticks, Orange segments and Icing sugar.
Recipe Notes
- Use full-fat cream cheese. Low-fat versions contain more moisture and might not set as firmly.
- Don't crush the biscuits too finely or pack them down too hard. This can make the base difficult to cut. You want it to hold together but still be slightly crumbly.
- Cool the melted white chocolate slightly before adding it. It should still be liquid, but not hot. Fold it in gently so the filling stays smooth.
- Whip the cream separately. It should be thick enough to form soft peaks before you fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
- Measure the orange juice. Only add the tablespoon specified in the recipe, as too much liquid can affect the texture.
- Leave it to set overnight if possible. Four hours is the minimum, but a longer chill makes it easier to remove from the tin and slice.
Nutritional Information
Where nutritional information is provided, it is approximate and calculated using online tools. Values can vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, but we endeavour to be as accurate as possible.
All timings are a guide and may vary depending on the ingredients, equipment and, where relevant, the appliance used. Changing the serving size may also affect the time needed.
Catherine UK says
Just made this delicious cheesecake for the family for Christmas Day. Absolutely wonderful cheesecake, everyone absolutely loved it, only wish I could upload pics! Also great that you don’t need to bake the base, very easy to make and added a dusting of icing sugar to the fresh berry’s on the top which gave it a festive feel. 5* for sure!
Chris Collins says
I'm an absolute sucker for cheesecake! This Christmas version was so delicious!
Elizabeth says
This is one seriously gorgeous cheesecake, perfect for cinnamon fans like me! Thanks for such an easy, tasty recipe!
Jessica Formicola says
I made this over the weekend and it was incredible! I can't wait to make it again for Christmas!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
I adore a great no bake cheesecake, especially around the holidays when everything is so hectic. Delicious!
Danielle Wolter says
I am just loving the orange zest in this cheesecake. This sounds incredible - I am a sucker for cheesecake.
Andrea Metlika says
Great flavors in this delicious Christmas Cheesecake.
Patty at Spoonabilities says
Ohhh yum! Love that this is so easy and quick to make -- and no baking required! This recipe will definitely be on our holiday menus!
Anita says
That crust tastes amazing, and I love all the orange flavors in the cream cheese mixture. And best of all, no bake!
Deanne says
I'm so excited to make this cheesecake for Christmas. I love the crust!
Sara Welch says
What a great dessert for the holidays! Adding this to my holiday menu, indeed!
Denisse Salinas says
This cheesecake looks amazing! Love that is can be made in advance and frozen! Great to take some stress out of the busy holidays!
Justine Howell says
First off, so pretty. Flavors amazing too for the season.
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog says
I love this idea of a no bake cheesecake with cinnamon and orange flavor for Christmas! White chocolate makes it more indulgent and sweet.