Name: Baked Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 350 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (24 squares); 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 6 tablespoons salted butter (melted); 8 ounces white chocolate baking bar; 32 ounces cream cheese (4 blocks, room temperature); ⅔ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup sour cream; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 4 large eggs (room temperature, lightly beaten); 4 standard-size candy canes (crushed (about 1/2 cup)); 4 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate (finely chopped); 1/2 cup heavy cream; homemade whipped cream; crushed candy canes

Peppermint Cheesecake should be creamy, balanced, and full of holiday flavor, not heavy or mint-overload sweet. This baked cheesecake delivers a velvety texture and the perfect mix of white chocolate richness and cool peppermint contrast.

A slice of cheesecake with chocolate crust, chocolate topping, whipped cream, and peppermint pieces.

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★★★★★

"Wow! I don't usually like things with peppermint, but this cheesecake tastes amazing!"

-Kelly

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Note from Erin

Every Christmas, my family expects a cheesecake for dessert. It's kind of my thing at this point.

Over the years, I've made everything from classic New York style to more creative ones like crème brûlée cheesecake, but this baked Peppermint Bark Cheesecake might be my favorite yet!

Helpful Ingredient Tips

The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.

Ingredients for a dessert, including cream cheese, eggs, sugar, white chocolate, chocolate, and candy canes.

Chocolate Graham Crackers: I like using chocolate graham crackers because they have a subtle chocolate flavor that balances the cheesecake's richness.
Pure Peppermint Extract: I played around a little with the amount I added and found that 1 teaspoon gives a clear peppermint flavor without tasting too strong. I only add it to the filling, not the ganache, so there's a nice balance between the cool peppermint and the rich chocolate topping.
Candy Canes: Regular candy canes crush into nice, crisp shards that stay visible after baking, while crushed peppermint candies are powdery and can tint the whole batter pink.
Chocolate for Ganache: I tested several kinds and found bittersweet to be too intense. Dark chocolate gives the best contrast without overpowering, and semisweet works well if you prefer a slightly sweeter finish.

Tips to Make the Best Peppermint Cheesecake

A step-by-step collage showing chocolate cookies being crushed, mixed with sugar and butter, then pressed in a pan.

Prepare the Crust

Let the melted butter cool for a few minutes before mixing it in. Warm butter can make the crumbs greasy and lead to a soggy crust.

A glass bowl of chopped white chocolate next to a bowl of melted white chocolate on a light gray surface.

Melt White Chocolate

When only a few small pieces of unmelted chocolate remain, stir vigorously until smooth.
If the chocolate starts to thicken or look grainy, whisk in ½ teaspoon of warm vegetable oil to restore its smooth texture.

Four bowls show cheesecake batter being made: creamed mixture, added ingredients, blended eggs, and smooth batter.

Make the Filling

Wait until just before pouring the cheesecake batter into the pan to mix in the candy pieces, then work super quickly so it all gets distributed before the color starts to bleed.

Side-by-side images of an unbaked and a baked round cake in metal pans on a light gray surface.

Bake and Cool

When fully baked, the edges should look set while the center still jiggles slightly.
Turn off the oven and open the door without moving the cheesecake. An abrupt temperature change can cause cracking even with a water bath.

Three-step collage: cream with chocolate, melted chocolate, and chocolate being spread on a cake with a spatula.

Top with Ganache

Let the ganache rest 10–15 minutes until it's glossy and thick enough to drip off of a spoon in ribbons.
Chilling the cheesecake before adding the ganache helps it set into an even layer rather than soak in.

Top Tip!

I thought the white chocolate might make this batter sturdy enough to skip the water bath, like with my Strawberry Cheesecake, but testing proved otherwise! The water bath version was creamier and perfectly smooth, while the one without cracked.

Wrap your springform pan in a silicone sleeve, or nest it inside a larger cake pan, then set it in a roasting pan for the water bath. Not only do those methods prevent leaks better than wrapping in aluminum foil, but they're also easier!

Chocolate cake with whipped cream swirls and crushed peppermint, surrounded by milk, plates, and utensils.

Before You Sprinkle the Peppermint

During testing, I found that crushed candy canes start to melt after about 30 minutes when sprinkled on top of the whipped cream but stay intact for a couple of hours on the ganache. For the prettiest peppermint candy garnish, wait to add until you are ready to serve.

Note from Erin

Helpful Ingredient Tips