Candy Cane Cheesecake (No Bake)

10/12/2017 by thebakingexplorer 31 Comments

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In America, it's popular to send candy cane grams to friends, but this is not a habit we've picked up on in the UK as yet. However, candy canes originated in Europe and we certainly have a fondness for eating and decorating our Christmas trees with them. These minty sweet treats inspired me to make a delicious no bake Candy Cane Cheesecake! I've made it with an oreo base rather than a biscuit one as the chocolate flavour pairs perfectly with the creamy mint filling. Then I've topped it with a dark chocolate ganache, and added whipped cream and crushed candy canes on top. As it's no bake, it is perfect for making in advance so you can focus on Christmas dinner!

The recipe and photos for this post were updated in November 2020.

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

It is really important to stick to the ingredients and use full fat cream cheese and double cream (a cream with a 48% fat content), both of these ingredients are essential to ensure the no bake cheesecake sets. If you want to make a low fat version, I suggest doing this in small dessert glasses or ramekins as they will not set well enough to be sliced.
I am based in the UK and I find that Philadelphia cream cheese is the thickest and best quality cream cheese to use for no bake cheesecakes. I have made many cheesecakes with supermarket own brand cream cheeses too, and they have worked great. If you can though, I think it is worth spending a little more for Philadelphia (and no they haven't paid me to say this!)
If you don't want to use Oreos for the base, you could substitute if for digestive biscuits (or graham crackers) just increase the butter to 135g.
You can use either butter or baking spread for the biscuit base, I find that baking spread makes the cheesecake easier to remove from the tin as it doesn't make the base set as solidly.
You can find lots of answers to common no bake cheesecake questions on my How To Make A No Bake Cheesecake guide. If you've never made a no bake cheesecake before, I highly recommend reading through my guide first!
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make a Candy Cane Cheesecake

To make the base blitz the oreos into crumbs using a food processor. Mix in the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom of the tin. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

For the cheesecake filling, use an electric mixer to mix together the cream cheese, icing sugar and peppermint extract. Once it is smooth with no lumps, add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick. Then stir in the white chocolate.

Smooth the mixture into the tin on top of the oreo base, then put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to set. To decorate, make a chocolate ganache and pour it over the top, then add whipped cream and crushed candy canes.

What is the best way to crush the candy canes?

Pop them into a large mixing bowl and very gently bash them with the end of a rolling pin. Or you can put them in a ziploc bag, seal it up, then gently bash with a rolling pin. You need to use the bash up fragments as soon as possible, if you leave them in the bowl for a while they will stick together.

How do you make sure the cheesecake sets?

When you’re mixing the filling, you want it to get to a stage where you can scoop some up with your spatula or spoon and you have to give it a tap on the side of the bowl or slight flick of the wrist to get the mixture off the spoon. If it’s sloppy and slides right off the spoon without any encouragement needed, then you need to mix it more. Always use an electric mixer for best results. It’s also very important to use full fat cream cheese and double cream (heavy cream), as any low fat versions will affect the setting of the cheesecake. I always set my cheesecake overnight in the fridge, I’d suggest a minimum of 4 hours.

How long does the cheesecake last and can it be frozen?

The cheesecake should be stored in the fridge and will last for 3-4 days. You can freeze the undecorated cheesecake, however you do need to let it set in the fridge first. Setting it in the freezer will affect the texture and it won't be as nice. Once it's set in the fridge, you can remove it from the tin and put the cheesecake in a box or tupperware. You could also slice it up, and freeze in portions. Then you can easily defrost a few slices at a time depending on when you'd like some cheesecake!

How do you remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin?

To see step by step photos and a video showing you how to remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin, as well as the answers to lots of other common no bake cheesecake questions, check out my How to make a No Bake Cheesecake guide!

Can this recipe be made in a different sized tin?

This recipe is for a 23cm (9") springform tin, if you would like to convert this recipe for a smaller or larger tin, please check out my Conversion Guide.

Can this cheesecake be made gluten free?

Yes! To make this recipe gluten free, swap the biscuits in the biscuit base for gluten free biscuits. I would also recommend that you check the packaging of everything you're using in the recipe in case of cross contamination.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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