How to Make Luscious Holiday Cheesecakes

ET Digital’s resident lifestyle expert Hallie Stephens teaches you how to make two luscious holiday-inspired cheesecakes using Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Spiced maple walnut cheesecake and mini sugared cranberry orange cheesecakes will become holiday favorites this year! If you’re inspired to try these recipes, see below: Spiced Maple Walnut Cheesecake You’ll need: 8 graham crackers 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted, divided 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar, divided 2 Tbsp. butter, melted 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 cup sour cream 1 cup maple syrup, divided 4 eggs 1/2 cup whipping cream 1. Heat oven to 325°F. 2. Use pulsing action of food processor to pulse graham crackers, 3/4 cup nuts and 2 Tbsp. sugar until mixture forms fine crumbs. Add butter; mix well. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 min. 3. Beat cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and 1/2 cup maple syrup; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. 4. Bake 1 hour or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. 5. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours. 6. Bring cream and remaining maple syrup to boil in medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 to 12 min. or until reduced to about 2/3 cup, stirring frequently. Cool completely. 7. Drizzle maple-flavored sauce over cheesecake just before serving; sprinkle with remaining nuts.   Mini Sugared Cranberry Cheesecakes For the crust, you’ll need: 60 Vanilla Wafer Cookies 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup butter melted To make the crust: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Lightly spray mini 2 inch spingform pans with cooking spray and set aside. 3. Place vanilla wafer cookies into a food processor and pulse until only crumbs remain. 4. Transfer cookie crumbs into a bowl and add sugar and melted butter. Stir to combine. 5. Press the crumb mixture into the mini springform pans. 6. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookie crumb crust is golden brown. 7. Let crust cool completely on a wife rack before filling. For the sugared cranberries, you’ll need: 1 (12 oz.) bag of fresh cranberries 2 cups sugar, divided To make the sugared cranberries: 1. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved (around 2-3 minutes). 2. Stir in cranberries until well coated. 3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cranberries to a wire rack and let dry for at least 1 hour. 4. Working in batches, roll cranberries in remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar until well coated; let dry for at least 1 hour. For the cheesecake, you’ll need: 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature ½ cup sugar 1 tbsp orange juice ½ tbsp orange zest 1 cup homemade whipped cream (1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream and ¾ cup powdered sugar) To make the cheesecake: 1. Mix cream cheese, sugar, orange juice and orange zest together in a large bowl until smooth. 2. gently stir in whipped cream. 3. Spoon filling on to the crust.  4. Refrigerate for about 4 hours or until firm. 5. Remove cheesecake from springform pans and top with sugared cranberries and mint sprig.