No Bake Cranberry Orange Cheesecake

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This No Bake Cranberry Orange Cheesecake has a bright, refreshing orange filling topped with a sweet cranberry topping and sparkling cranberries! It will be a showstopper on the dessert table this holiday season. It is SO good, you definitely don’t want to miss it!

Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Orange Cheesecake

This flavor of this cheesecake is nothing short of amazing! It’s so much better than you’d even expect. It was a HUGE hit with everyone. Even the hubs, who initially turned it down and then decided to try it, loved it. Within a few hours, he’d had 3 slices! Here’s a few more reasons you should give it a try.

• Perfect combo of flavors. If you like cranberry and orange together, you will LOVE this cheesecake. The fresh orange flavor of the cheesecake and whipped cream pairs so beautifully with the lightly tart and sweet cranberry topping. Just the right balance of bright, sweet and tart!
• Easy to make. There a number of steps, but they aren’t hard. You make the crust, the filling, and the cranberry topping. At the end, you’ll whip together the whipped cream and sparkling cranberries. The best part is you don’t have to turn on your oven!
• Fun and festive. The bright orange and cranberry reds of this cheesecake, along with the sparkling cranberries, truly make this dessert a showstopper worthy of the holidays. Whether it adorns your Thanksgiving table or comes along to a party, it’s sure to wow everyone.

For more cranberry orange recipes, check out my cranberry orange layer cake.

Recipe Ingredients

The list looks long, but many ingredients are used several times. And aside from the filling, the other parts of this cheesecake just need a handful of ingredients. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Crust

• Graham cracker crumbs – You can buy them already crushed or make your own. I do think making your own from sheets of graham crackers tastes better and has better texture.
• Sugar – Lightly sweetens the crust.
• Salt – For a little extra flavor.
• Unsalted butter – The butter holds the crust together. You can use salted butter, if you’d like. Just leave out any additional salt.

Orange Cheesecake

• Cream cheese – The cream cheese should be full-fat brick-style cream cheese. Low fat cream cheese or the kind in the tub will be too soft. Be sure it’s at room temperature, so you don’t have a lumpy filling.
• Sugar
• Sour cream – Adds the classic tangy flavor to the filling while balancing out the richness of the cream cheese.
• Orange – You’ll need both fresh orange juice and orange zest for the cheesecake filling. Be sure to zest the orange before juicing it.
• Heavy whipping cream – For the whipped cream, which adds volume and lightness to the cheesecake. Be sure to keep it cold until using, so that it whips properly.
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens the filling while also helping to stabilize it.
• Vanilla extract

Cranberry Topping

• Sugar
• Cornstarch – To thicken the filling.
• Cranberries – You can use frozen or fresh cranberries. If using frozen cranberries, thaw them first.
• Orange – You’ll use both fresh orange juice and orange zest in the topping as well.

Sparkling Cranberries

• Sugar and Water – The sugar is melted in the water to create a sticky syrup that coats the cranberries.
• Fresh cranberries – Fresh cranberries are best for the sparkling cranberries, though frozen and thawed will work in a pinch.

Whipped Cream

• Heavy whipping cream – It must be COLD or it won’t whip up properly.
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens the filling while also helping to stabilize it.
• Vanilla extract
• Orange zest – For just a hint of orange in the whipped cream.

How To Make No Bake Cranberry Orange Cheesecake

Each part of this cheesecake comes together in a few simple steps. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.

Make the filling

• Beat the cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until combined and smooth. Mix in the sour cream then add the orange juice and orange zest. Mix until well combined and smooth.
• Add the whipped cream. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the mixture into the cream cheese mixture in two parts.
• Chill. Transfer the filling to the crust in an even layer. Refrigerate.

Make the cranberry topping

• Cook the cranberries. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan until there are no lumps. Stir in the cranberries, orange juice, and orange zest. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cranberries begin to pop and release their juices.
• Thicken the mixture. Mash the cranberries and continue cooking. It should thicken a bit but keep in mind that it will thicken more as it cools so it doesn’t need to be super thick.
• Puree. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth then strain the mixture to remove the cranberry skin and lumps.
• Chill. Let the cranberry mixture cool to room temperature then add it to the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 5-6 hours or overnight, until firm.

Make the sparkling cranberries

• Make the simple syrup. Bring 1/2 cup of sugar and the water to a simmer in a saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
• Coat the cranberries. Add the cranberries to the simple syrup. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, stirring a couple of times to ensure they are coated with syrup.
• Roll. Spread the remaining sugar evenly on a plate or cookie sheet. Roll a few cranberries at a time to coat them in the sugar then let them dry for 30-60 minutes.

Finish off the cheesecake

• Make the whipped cream. Whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and orange zest on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Decorate the cheesecake. Remove the cheesecake from the pan. Pipe swirls of the whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake (I used Ateco tip 847.) Finish with slices of orange and the sparkling cranberries. Refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Tips For The Perfect No Bake Cheesecake

• Use room temperature cream cheese. This is important for every cheesecake. Room temperature cream cheese is so much easier to mix and ensures there are no lumps in the filling.
• Use cold heavy whipping cream. On the flip side, you want to make sure that the heavy whipping cream is cold. I recommend just keeping it in the fridge until you need it. If it’s not cold, it won’t whip properly.
• Don’t over mix the whipped cream. When adding the whipped cream to the cheesecake filling, be sure to gently fold it together just until it’s well combined. Over stirring it can knock some of the air out, leaving you with a cheesecake that isn’t as thick or fluffy.
• Don’t boil the topping too much. If the cranberry topping mixture boils, that’s fine – but do not boil it for more than 1 minute, or the cornstarch can begin to break down.
• Chill before topping. Allow the topping to cool to at least room temperature before adding it to the top of the cheesecake, so that you don’t melt the top of the cheesecake filling.

How To Store Leftovers

• Fridge. Cranberry orange cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. You can either keep it covered in plastic wrap (using toothpicks to keep it from touching the decoration) or transfer it to a cake carrier or other airtight container.
• Freezer. Flash freeze the cheesecake until solid. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

More Cranberry Desserts To Try

• Cranberry Bliss Bars
• Cranberry Fudge Cheesecake
• White Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
• Sparkling Cranberry White Chocolate Cupcakes
• Easy White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge
• Cranberry Fudge Layer Cake

This recipe was updated 11/14/2024. For the original version of the recipe, download the recipe PDF.

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