White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

White chocolate raspberry cheesecake is a decadent dessert ideal for special occasions. This creamy cheesecake has a chocolate cookie crumb crust and swirls of raspberry sauce throughout. If you love cheesecake like I do, this white chocolate raspberry cheesecake recipe is just for you! Serve it will extra sauce and fresh raspberries.

The raspberry sauce can be made with fresh or frozen raspberries, and is delicious over ice cream or Dark Chocolate Ganache Cake as well!

Ingredients for white chocolate raspberry cheesecake

Instead of traditional graham cracker crumbs, this version uses chocolate wafer cookies or cookie crumbs for the crust. Oreo cookies can be substituted as well, just omit the butter and sugar.

Fresh Raspberry Sauce

• 2 cups fresh raspberries or a 10 ounce package frozen raspberries, thawed.
• 1/2 cup water (4 ounces)
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Cheesecake

• 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons (5 ounces)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 2 ounces, meltedsugar (5 ounces) 
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 24 ounces full fat cream cheese, softened
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• Additional fresh berries for garnish

How to make the cheesecake

This cheesecake is baked for 45 minutes and then continues baking with the oven off, so it doesn’t require a water bath. But you will need to plan ahead, and make this the night before serving as it needs to chill several hours or overnight.

To make the sauce:

You will need about 6 Tablespoons of the raspberry sauce for the swirls. The rest of the sauce can be served on the side.

• In a medium sauce pan, combine raspberries, sugar, water, and cornstarch together.

• Bring to a boil and cook until sauce thickens, adjusting flame as necessary, about 5 minutes.

• Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer or sieve, pressing to extract as much of the sauce as possible.

• Discard the seeds and set aside to cool.

To make the cheesecake:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Make the crust by mixing the cookie crumbs, 3 Tablespoons sugar, and the butter in a bowl.

• Press mixture into the bottom of a 9″ springform pan.

• Melt white chocolate chips and half and half in a double boiler, or in a metal or glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth.

• In the work bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar at a low speed until smooth.

• Beat in eggs, one at a time, scrapping bowl each time to ensure eggs are blended. Next add vanilla, and white chocolate mixture, mixing until smooth and blended.

• Pour half of the cheesecake batter over the chocolate crust and drizzle with 3 Tablespoons raspberry mixture, swirl with a knife.

• Pour remaining batter and swirl 3 Tablespoons raspberry filling into the top of the cheesecake, using a knife to marble the sauce.

• Bake at 325 degrees F. for 45 minutes. Turn oven off and let cheesecake cool with oven door closed, until center jiggles slightly and edges are puffed and lightly golden brown, about 40 more minutes.

• Allow cheesecake to cool at room temperature about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Chill several hours or overnight. Serve this decadent dessert with additional raspberry sauce drizzled over the top of the cake. Serves 12.

Substitutions

• For an extra rich cheesecake substitute heavy cream for the half and half.
• Substitute Oreo cookies for the chocolate cookie crumbs if desired. Omit the butter and sugar if using Oreos.
• Blackberries, strawberries or blueberries are a delicious option as well. Try this Mango Sauce from Mad About Macarons for a tropical twist!

Love cheesecake? Here are a few more delicious options

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake Bites

Blueberry Cheese Pie

Limoncello Cheesecake from Christina’s Cucina.

This recipe is not a dessert, but this Smoked Salmon Cheesecake is a delicious appetizer for a cocktail or holiday party.