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I can't wait to tell you about two knockout holiday treats that always impress everyone who visits. My Cookie Dough Cheesecake is truly winter wonderland material with its crumbly cookie base stuffed with dough surprises and finished with velvety white chocolate topping. When you match it with my Candy Cane Chocolate Shortbreads, you've created a sweet pairing that totally captures the magic of holiday baking. Making these goodies brings so much happiness to my home during Christmas time.
What Makes These Sweets Holiday Must-Haves
These desserts have turned into must-haves at our family get-togethers for good reason. The cheesecake wows everyone with its festive decorations and cookie dough hidden throughout each smooth layer. The shortbreads with their chocolate foundation, peppermint middle, and candy cane topping look like they jumped right off a Christmas card. And guess what? You can fix them up beforehand – super handy when holiday madness kicks in.
Christmas Flavors Come Alive
Those candy cane shortbreads taste like the holidays in cookie form. You first get the deep chocolate shortbread, then comes the cool peppermint wave, followed by sweet icing and crunchy candy bits on top. They're amazing with hot chocolate when it's freezing outside. And don't get me started on the cheesecake! Picture the smoothest vanilla cheesecake packed with sugar cookie dough chunks sitting on a buttery cookie bottom. It's basically Christmas that you can eat.
Let's Start With The Shortbread
For our candy cane cookies you'll need:
- Plus sugar milk and crushed candy canes for the topping
- 1 teaspoon each vanilla and peppermint extract
- 1 cup sugar divided
- 2 pinches salt
- 2 sticks butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 2 cups flour divided for our two layers
I always smash extra candy canes since they work great sprinkled on both sweet treats.
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Creating Cookie Magic
First, let's tackle the chocolate part. Combine 1 cup flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, butter, salt, sugar and vanilla until it forms a good dough. If it seems too crumbly, add tiny splashes of ice water. Wrap it and stick it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then whip up your peppermint section the same way but swap in peppermint extract instead of vanilla. While they're getting cold, we can jump into our cheesecake.
The Ultimate Holiday Cheesecake
For this stunner you'll want a 9 inch springform pan and stuff for three fantastic layers. We'll make our cookie bottom, our smooth filling loaded with cookie dough chunks, and that dreamy white chocolate finish. I always mix up extra cookie dough balls – some for inside, some for decoration, and a few for snacking while cooking. Want a perfect cheesecake? Use ingredients straight from the counter, not the fridge, and don't rush it.
Bringing It All Together
While your cheesecake bakes, we can finish those cookies. Flatten both doughs and cut your shapes, putting chocolate on the bottom, peppermint on top. Give them a quick chill then into the oven they go. After they cool down, add glaze and sprinkle with those candy cane bits. The cheesecake needs plenty of time to chill, so I usually make it a day ahead. Add the white chocolate topping and decorations just before you serve it.
Storage Secrets
Both treats last really well. Put your cookies in a sealed container and they'll stay good about 5 days. The cheesecake keeps in the fridge up to a week. You can even freeze parts of both – just wait to add cookie glaze and candy cane pieces after thawing. This makes planning ahead during Christmas craziness so much easier.
Holiday Baking Tips
After tons of holiday baking, here's what I've learned. Always cool your cookie dough – it really changes the texture. For the cheesecake, don't skip the water bath or you'll get cracks. Counter-warm ingredients are absolutely needed for both recipes. And remember, cookies are done when they're barely set – they'll harden as they cool down.
Making Memories
These treats have grown into such special parts of our holiday traditions. There's something wonderful about a kitchen filled with smells of chocolate, peppermint and vanilla. Every Christmas my family gathers to help decorate, watching snow fall outside while we scatter candy canes and put final touches on our goodies.
More Holiday Joy
If these hit the spot, you should try my Berry Cheese Cinnamon Cookies or Toasted Butter Pecan Treats next. They fit perfectly on any Christmas cookie plate. I'd love to check out what you make – share your photos and tell me how they turned out.
Sweet Holiday Wishes
From my home to yours, I hope these treats bring as much happiness to your holiday parties as they do to mine. Nothing beats homemade goodies to make Christmas time extra special. Happy baking friends.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I bake these in advance?
You can bake them up to 5 days early and store in a sealed container. To freeze, skip the glaze and toppings—they’ll last for 3 months.
- → Why is chilling the dough important?
It stops the cookies from spreading and makes the layers hold up well while baking. Plus, the dough is easier to work with when cold.
- → What if I don’t have peppermint extract?
You can leave it out! The crushed candy canes should give an excellent minty flavor without it. Vanilla extract works fine too.
- → My cookies spread too much—what happened?
This often happens if the dough wasn’t chilled or if butter got too warm. Make sure to chill well and use a cold baking sheet.
- → How do I layer them neatly?
Roll both doughs evenly, chill them, and sandwich firmly but gently. A quick freeze just before baking helps them hold their shape.