Whatever you are doing right now, stop and get your baking mitts on.

I have a raspberry cheesecake recipe that will change your life. Okay, maybe that’s just a little bit dramatic for me to say, but it is really really tasty! I promise.

Classic and delicious, I made this for Christmas and (according to my family) now must prepare to recreate it EVERY Christmas for the rest of my life. Good thing I am not scared of commitment! Well, at least I’m not when it comes to desserts. Haha just kidding…mostly.

Why a raspberry cheesecake on Christmas you might ask? Well, when my step-sister was home for Thanksgiving she wasn’t sure she could/would come down for Christmas. She needed some convincing.

I knew bribery would solve her indecisiveness.

I told her I would make her anything in the whole wide world for dessert if she would promise to make the trip down to see us. She chose raspberry cheesecake.:) Done. Google and Martha Stewart came to my aide…and voila!…we had the yummiest raspberry-swirl cheesecake you ever did taste.

Raspberry-Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely ground graham crackers
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 ¾ cup sugar
• 6 ounces raspberries
• 32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• Boiling water, for roasting pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap exterior of a 9-inch springform pan (including base) in a double layer of foil; set aside.

2. Make sure you have a couple of trusty assistants who will diligently supervise and provide emotional support.

3. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

4. Process raspberries in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pass puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Whisk in 2 tablespoons sugar, and set aside.

5. Put cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I used a large bowl and a hand mixer); mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in a slow, steady stream. Add salt and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each until just combined (do not overmix). Pour cream cheese filling over crust.

6. Drop raspberry sauce by the teaspoon on top. With a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl sauce into filling.

7. Set cake pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Transfer to oven. Carefully ladle boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, 60 to 65 minutes.

8. Transfer cake pan to rack; let cake cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, 6 hours or overnight. Before unmolding, run a knife around edge of cake.

I kept the raspberry sauce that remained after swirling, refrigerated it overnight along with the cheesecake, and drizzled it over the slices when serving. Yum.

Writing this makes me want to go bake it again so I can eat it…all of it…

Want to see the original recipe? Find it here.

I hope that you all had an absolutely fabulous Holiday Season! Wishing you all the best for 2015!

xoxo

Sarah