Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake is the perfect addition to any holiday party or gathering. This festive treat is a blend of creamy cheesecake and delicious Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes that will surely delight your taste buds.
If love Little Debbie Christmas Trees then you will love this Little Debbie Christmas Tree Dip. After the first bite, it will quickly become your favorite festive dessert dip.
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Ingredients
You will need a few simple ingredients to help you make this cheesecake. This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you need, you can find the full list and amounts in the recipe card.
- Golden Oreo cookie crumbs – This crust gives a delicious flavor to this festive cheesecake. But, you can switch out the cookie crumbs for graham cracker crust if you want.
- Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter works best for this recipe.
- Cream cheese – I recommend using full-fat cream cheese. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to ensure a creamy texture in the filling.
- Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness to the cake batter.
- Large eggs – It’s important to use the right size of eggs to get the best consistency.
- Sour cream – This adds flavor and creaminess to this delicious dessert.
- Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- All-purpose flour – Flour is needed in this cheesecake batter to help it set up properly.
- Milk – I recommend using dairy milk for this recipe. You will want to use full-fat milk for the best flavor.
- Christmas Tree Little Debbie Snack Cakes – These snack cakes are the star of this dessert and add a unique twist to traditional cheesecake.
- Powdered sugar – You will use this to make the perfect icing for this delicious holiday cheesecake.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream gives the frosting for this seasonal treat the best consistency. However, milk can be used instead.
- Salt – A dash of salt will help balance out the sweetness.
- Red food coloring – Add a few drops of red food coloring to your frosting for a great color.
- Green sprinkles – These holiday sprinkles are perfect for garnishing the top of your cake and giving it that Christmas tree vibe.
How to Make this Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake recipe
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this cheesecake. You can find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Make the crust by mixing the cookie crumbs and melted butter together in a medium bowl. Press firmly into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake in a 325-degree f preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool.
Step 2: Beat on high speed the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time and beat on medium speed until well mixed. Add the sour cream and pure vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
Step 3: Gradually add the flour and milk, mixing until just combined. Gently fold in the Christmas tree cake pieces.
Step 4: Pour the cheesecake filling over the prepared Golden Oreo crust in the springform pan. Smooth the top with a spatula to create an even layer. Tap the pan on the counter lightly to remove any air bubbles.
Step 5: Bake the cheesecake in the 325-degree f preheated oven for 1 hour or until the center is set and the top is lightly browned. Turn off the oven and crack open the oven door. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1-2 hours. Chill for 4-6 hours.
Step 6: Make the buttercream frosting by beating together butter and powdered sugar. Scraping down the sides of the bowl. Then add in the vanilla and salt. Slowly add the heavy cream or milk and beat for 3-4 minutes until fluffy.
Step 7: Remove 1 cup of the frosting for the red icing. Lightly spread half of the white buttercream on top of the cheesecake. Chill until the frosting has set. About 1 hour or so.
Step 8: Finish frosting the cheesecake, add the red stripes and green sprinkles if desired. Chill for at least one hour.
Hint: Once you add the flour to the cheesecake batter be careful to overmix it. Mix it until just combined no more than 1-2 minutes.
These Christmas Tree Cake Balls are one of my most popular posts during the holiday season. You will love it.
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- 9-inch spring form pan
- Piping bag – A Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off will also work for the red stripes
Storage
Storage – Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 5 days in the fridge. However, I recommend serving within three days for the best taste and texture.
Freezing – You can freeze this cheesecake before adding the icing and different toppings for 2-3 months. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Add the frosting before serving.
Test Kitchen Tips
- A food processor will give you the best crust, but you can also use a Ziploc bag and rolling pin to crush the cookies.
- Make sure that you use room-temperature ingredients for the cheesecake filling. It will help you get a smooth and creamy batter.
- Let your cheesecake cool at room temperature, then refrigerate it before adding any frosting or decorations on top. This will help keep its shape while decorating.
- The red stripe may run if you freeze the cheesecake and thaw it, so I don’t recommend adding that until you are ready to serve it if you are freezing it.
- For the green sprinkles, I used green sanding sugar. You can use any small green sprinkles.
FAQ
Yes, you can use your favorite cookie, animal crackers, gingersnap cookies, and vanilla wafers would work great for this sweet treat.
This popular snack cake was invented in 1985. Over the years they have been perfected to have their tree shape.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake:
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- 9 Inch Spring Form pan
- Piping bag – A Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off will also work for the red stripes
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups Golden Oreo cookie crumbs about 24 cookies
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 32 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk
- 2-3 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes cut into small chunks
Topping
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3-4 drops Red food coloring
- Green Sanding Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a medium bowl, combine the Golden Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated with butter.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, creating an even crust.
- Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove and let it cool while you prepare the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
- Gradually add the flour and milk, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Gently fold in the chunks of Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes into the cheesecake batter.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the prepared Golden Oreo crust in the springform pan. Smooth the top with a spatula to create an even layer.
- Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until the center is set and the top is lightly browned.
- Once baked, turn off the oven and crack the oven door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1-2 hours.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill and set completely.
- Carefully run a knife around the edge of the springform pan before releasing the sides.
To make the frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and pale in color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to the mixture. Mix until well incorporated. The salt enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- With the mixer on low speed, add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Beat the frosting on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add more cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar, a quarter cup at a time.
- Continue to beat the frosting on medium-high speed for an additional 3-4 minutes until the buttercream is light, creamy, and fluffy. This extra beating time makes the frosting airy and smooth.
- Remove 1 cup of the frosting. Stir in red food coloring to the small portion of frosting until it reaches your desired color. Set aside.
- Once the cheesecake has completely chilled and set, lightly spread half of the buttercream frosting evenly over the top of the cheesecake as a crumb coat. Refrigerate the cheesecake until the crumb coating is set.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the cheesecake.
- Place the reserved red frosting into a piping bag and decorate the top with waves of icing.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.