Cranberry Orange Cheesecake

Thanksgiving is fast approaching!

Which means it is time to start planning for your Thanksgiving dinner, and more importantly, your Thanksgiving desserts!  This cheesecake starts with a gingersnap crust and is lightly flavored with orange, and then topped with cranberries and orange zest, and looks and smells amazing!

I made this particular cheesecake to be sold at The Festival of Trees this week, and I will admit that I am jealous of whoever gets to buy it and eat this beauty!

Cranberry Orange Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 3/4 c. gingersnap crumbs
1/3 c. butter (melted)

Cheesecake:

24 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 c. sugar
1 c. plain Greek yogurt (room temperature)
3 eggs (room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp orange extract
zest of 1 orange

Topping:

1 bag cranberries
1 c. sugar
1 c. water

zest of 1 orange

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Crust:

In a medium bowl, mix gingersnap crumbs with the melted butter, then press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325.

Cheesecake:

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until smooth.  Mix in the sugar, yogurt and eggs with the mixer for another 2 minutes.  Stir in the extracts and orange zest.  Pour into the prepared crust.

Place the pan in the oven on a rack above a 9x13 pan containing about half an inch of water.

Bake for an hour and a half.  Once done baking, turn off the oven, leaving the pan in the oven with the door ajar for an additional hour.

Move to the refrigerator to set for at least 3 hours.

Topping:

Place cranberries, water and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Cook berries until they pop and begin to slightly reduce but retain their shape.

Using a slotted spoon, pour cranberries onto the chilled cheesecake.  Top with orange zest.

Enjoy!