If you spot the new limited edition Candy Cane Oreos, you may want to buy two bags --- one for eating. and another for baking. They taste much better than I imagined (like Girl Scout Thin Mints in Oreo form) and have so many potential uses in baked goods. I couldn't decide whether to chunk them in brownies, put them in the bottom of mini cheesecakes or make redundant-but-fun double chocolate cookies with chopped cookies in the dough. However, yesterday I finally decided to go with an old cheesecake recipe we'd never tried.
This one is based on a recipe from Philadelphia Cream Cheese, but I updated it a bit by using Candy Cane Oreos for the crust, and putting Andes Peppermint Crunch Bits and a little vanilla in the filling. It's also an easy no-bake recipe which sets up in just a few hours. In fact, I was surprised at just how quickly it set.
And one final note. The cheesecake is not too sweet, so don't be shy about adding lots of candy to the filling.
Recipe
Peppermint Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 15 Candy Cane Oreos
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- ¼ cup water cold
- 16 ounces 2 packs cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Andes Peppermint Chips
Instructions
- In a food processor in a zipper bag with a rolling pin, crush the cookies. Combine the cookie crumbs and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch round springform pan. Chill until ready to use.
- In a metal bowl, whip the cream and set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine the cold water and gelatin. Turn heat to medium and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the gelatin mixture, milk and vanilla. Stir in the peppermint chips. Fold in the whipped cream.
- Pour cheese mixture over the crust and chill for a few hours or until firm.
Notes
Kathie
Received your book yesterday...so excited...it's wonderful!
Carole Resnick
Your book is a joy. I will have a busy and sweet 2013.
Sue
Now I'm going to have to hunt down the Candy Cane Oreos!! I found the Lemon Twist ones at a Rainbow Foods in Minneapolis. Hopefully I won't have to work so hard to find these. 😉 I checked at Trader Joe's today and the Candy Cane Joe's Joe's aren't in yet.
KAnn
I just wanted to tell you that the book just arrived and it's beautiful!
Katrina
This will have to be our next cheesecake, which is my husband and 14 year old's dessert of choice. I already have recently bought those Andes peppermint bits, now I need to go in search of the Candy Cane Oreos. Weren't they around last year? Finally found the gingerbread Oreos, they are good, too---but wouldn't be in this cheesecake. 😉
Anna
Hi Carol, the old recipe calls for 1 cup of chocolate wafer crumbs and 3 tablespoons of margarine or butter. Hope that helps. And since your peppermint crunch is probably less minty from being the freezer for a year, it might be a good idea to add about 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the filling. However, I would add it in addition to the vanilla rather than as a substitute.
This recipe was a really good one and I'm kicking myself for waiting 13 years to make it.
Lisa @ Snappy Gourmet
Ohhh Anna, that looks heavenly!!
Carole Resnick
What do you think about using peppermint extract instead of vanilla. I have not found the candy cane Oreos (went to 3 stores) so I will use chocolate wafer crumbs.
Still have a few bags of peppermint crunch in the freezer from last year.
Anna
Thanks Adri! I'm so happy to hear your husband enjoyed the biscotti. And good luck finding the Candy Cane Oreos. If you can't find Oreos, the Trader Joe's peppermint flavored sandwich cookies should work.
AdriBarr
I LOVE Thin Mints! They were my fave Girl Scout Cookie! Well, this cheesecake is just in time for Christmas!
And best wishes for great success on your book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the recipes were great. By the way, Bart (my husband and Taster in Chief) says your Double Chocolate Almond Biscotti are the best he has ever eaten, and I agree wholeheartedly.
Debbie
I LOVE this recipe...I am going to give it a try. I think it would be perfect around the holidays!
Jennifer
That looks inexpressibly delicious!