I wish I knew who started the Little Debbie Christmas tree cheesecake trend that has gone viral on TikTok and in some cheesecake groups I belong to on Facebook. I have loved these iconic little treats ever since I was a kid and I still love them as an adult. So after seeing a few of these pop up in my feed, I decided I had to jump on the bandwagon and create my own version! Although this might look like a complicated dessert, there is actually nothing to it! It’s just my favorite classic vanilla cheesecake base with plenty of the actual Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes baked right in the middle! I opted for a Golden Oreo crust and a white chocolate ganache topping and it is quite possibly my new favorite cheesecake that I will make every December. My only hitch was tracking down a couple boxes of the Little Debbie Christmas cakes. They are only in stores for a short time and they often sell out quickly, so snack a few of them as soon as you see them and set them aside! And if you are desperate, you can also always order them online if you need to. If you like this Little Debbie cheesecake, then you might also like some of our other holiday cheesecake flavors like Peppermint Bark Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes – You will need 2 boxes since each box only contains five of the little Christmas tree cakes and you want six of them for this recipe. Save the remaining four for stocking stuffers! Cream cheese – I recommend using full-fat cream cheese that has been softened on the counter at room temperature for 2 hours for best results. Sugar – Granulated white sugar sweetens the cream cheese without being overwhelming. Eggs – These are important for both texture and flavor. Sour cream & heavy cream – You can make a cheesecake without these two, but I think they make for a better tasting base with the best texture. Vanilla extract – This adds depth and complexity to the cheesecake filling. Flour – A small amount of flour helps stabilize the cheesecake and I think it prevents as much sinking when baking cheesecake without a water bath. Salted butter – For the crust. Golden Oreos – The flavor of a Golden Oreo crust is close to the flavor of the Christmas tree cakes, but other good options would be Nilla Wafers or even a classic graham cracker crust. Red decorating icing – I don’t usually love the taste of these little tubes of decorating icing from the store, but I didn’t want to make a tiny batch of red frosting. It’s more for the design element than anything. Green sanding sugar – I only had the Wilton green sugar sprinkles in my pantry and wish I had gone to the craft store for the kind with larger sugar granules to be more like the actual cakes themselves. Next year!
How to Make This Recipe
Tips for Success
Don’t overmix the cheesecake batter. Beating too fast or too long, especially after adding the eggs, is one of the most common reasons for cheesecakes to crack. Go ahead and mix the softened cream cheese and sugar really well first, then add the eggs one at a time on low speed just until combined. Don’t overbake. Baking too long is another common cause of cracks in cheesecake. The cheesecake should be set around the edges but it’s okay if it is still jiggly in the center. It will firm up as the cheesecake cools and chills in the fridge. Let the ganache set up before decorating. I made the mistake of getting impatient and doing my red icing lines before the ganache had firmed up and they sort of sank into it more than I would have liked. It’s not the end of the world, but for a better presentation I would give it a good hour in the fridge before adding the sprinkles and icing decorations.
How to Store Cheesecake
This cheesecake will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cover loosely with plastic wrap to protect it and to prevent sliced edges from drying out. This cheesecake also freezes well for up to 3 months. You can freeze the entire thing or our preference is to slice it into individual servings with pieces of parchment paper dividing each slice. Freeze them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until solid, then transfer to an airtight container for longer term storage. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
More Christmas Dessert Recipes
Gingerbread Truffles Frosted Peppermint Brownies Churro Toffee (Disneyland Copycat Recipe) Sticky Toffee Pudding Best Banoffee Pie
Fresh Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Christmas Star Bread
Festive Cranberry Coconut Cake
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
