This Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake is a delightful mashup of creamy vanilla cheesecake stuffed with our favorite holiday snack cakes and topped with white chocolate ganache, the iconic red icing stripes, and green sugar sprinkles! It’s a fun and festive treat that is sure to delight everyone this Christmas season!
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make This Recipe
- Recipe FAQ’s
- Tips for Success
- How to Store Cheesecake
- More Christmas Dessert Recipes
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake Recipe
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 snag 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.
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 too 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
- Make the crust. Place your Golden Oreos (filling and all) in a large food processor (affiliate link) and pulse until crushed into fine crumbs. Drizzle the melted butter into the crumbs while processing until evenly moistened.
- Press into springform pan. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper. Transfer Oreo crumb mixture to the prepared springform pan. Press into an even layer on the bottom of the pan with a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup.
- Bake. Bake for 10 minutes at 325°F to help set crust, then remove from oven and cool.
- Beat cream cheese. In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Mix well using an electric mixer until smooth. Stop to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add remaining filling ingredients. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and 1 egg. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed just until combined between each addition.
- Layer. Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the prepared Golden Oreo crust. Arrange the unwrapped Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes on top of the filling with their tops pointing in to the center of the circle so you can fit all six of them. Pour remaining batter on top, completely covering the Christmas tree cakes.
- Bake. Transfer the cheesecake to the preheated oven and place a large pan of very hot water on the rack below the cheesecake. You could also do a real waterbath if you prefer, but I find this works almost just as well and it is foolproof. Bake for 60-70 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set and very slightly golden brown but the center of the cake is still jiggly with a wobble to it.
- Cool in oven. Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in it with the oven door ajar so it can cool gently for 30-45 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven (it will still be very hot) and run a thin paring knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. This is another trick to help prevent cracks because it loosens the cheesecake from the sides of the pan so it can shrink a bit. Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature.
- Chill. Transfer the cooled cheesecake to the fridge and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Make ganache topping. Make the white chocolate ganache by combining the chopped white chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir well until smooth and combined. Let cool for 15 minutes to thicken slightly. Pour white chocolate ganache over the chilled cheesecake and spread in an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set the ganache.
- Decorate. Sprinkle the cheesecake with green sprinkles and pipe wavy lines of red icing on top to finish. Slice and serve.
This holiday favorite dessert with the white Christmas tree shape, red stripes, and green sprinkles was first introduced in 1985!
Not at all! You can actually layer all kinds of other treats inside of cheesecakes and bake them without worrying about ruining it. In fact, another popular trend is to layer an entire fully baked pie in the middle of a cheesecake and bake it! Works great with other cakes or things like cookies or brownies also.
Absolutely! You could use any Little Debbie cakes, not just the Christmas tree ones, so you can enjoy this cheesecake any time of the year.
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
Brownies and bars
Fresh Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Bread
Christmas Star Bread
Cake
Festive Cranberry Coconut Cake
Did you make this recipe?
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.
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients123
Crust
- ▢ 2 cups finely crushed Golden Oreos (about 23-25 Oreos)
- ▢ 6 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Cheesecake
- ▢ 4 (8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese softened (32 ounces)
- ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
- ▢ 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ▢ 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream room temperature
- ▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream
- ▢ 4 large eggs
- ▢ 8 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
Topping
- ▢ 4 ounces white chocolate
- ▢ 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- ▢ Red decorating icing
- ▢ Green sprinkles
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper.
- Process Golden Oreos (filling and all) in a large food processor (affiliate link) until crushed into fine crumbs. Drizzle the melted butter into the crumbs while processing until evenly moistened. 2 cups finely crushed Golden Oreos, 6 Tablespoons salted butter
- Transfer Oreo crumb mixture to the prepared springform pan. Press into an even layer on the bottom of the pan with a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup.
- Bake for 10 minutes to help set crust, then remove from oven and cool.
Filling
- In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Mix well using an electric mixer until smooth. Stop to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. 4 (8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add sour cream, heavy cream, and 1 egg. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed just until combined between each addition. ½ cup full-fat sour cream, ¼ cup heavy cream, 4 large eggs
- Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the prepared Golden Oreo crust. Arrange the unwrapped Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes on top of the filling with their tops pointing in to the center of the circle so you can fit all six of them. Pour remaining batter on top, completely covering the Christmas tree cakes. 8 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
- Transfer the cheesecake to the preheated oven and place a large pan of very hot water on the rack below the cheesecake. Bake for 60-70 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set and very slightly golden brown but the center of the cake is still jiggly with a wobble to it. Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in it with the oven door ajar so it can cool gently for 30-45 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven (it will still be very hot) and run a thin paring knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature.
- Transfer the cooled cheesecake to the fridge and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Topping
- Make the white chocolate ganache by combining the chopped white chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir well until smooth and combined. Let cool for 15 minutes. 4 ounces white chocolate, 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Pour white chocolate ganache over the chilled cheesecake and spread in an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set the ganache.
- Sprinkle the cheesecake with green sprinkles and pipe wavy lines of red icing on top to finish. Slice and serve. Red decorating icing, Green sprinkles
Notes
- Storage: 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.
- Freezing: 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.
Nutrition
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups finely crushed Golden Oreos (about 23-25 Oreos)
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Cheesecake
- 4 (8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese softened (32 ounces)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- 8 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
Topping
- 4 ounces white chocolate
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Red decorating icing
- Green sprinkles
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper.
- Process Golden Oreos (filling and all) in a large food processor until crushed into fine crumbs. Drizzle the melted butter into the crumbs while processing until evenly moistened. 2 cups finely crushed Golden Oreos, 6 Tablespoons salted butter
- Transfer Oreo crumb mixture to the prepared springform pan. Press into an even layer on the bottom of the pan with a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup.
- Bake for 10 minutes to help set crust, then remove from oven and cool.
Filling
- In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Mix well using an electric mixer until smooth. Stop to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. 4 (8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add sour cream, heavy cream, and 1 egg. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed just until combined between each addition. 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 4 large eggs
- Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the prepared Golden Oreo crust. Arrange the unwrapped Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes on top of the filling with their tops pointing in to the center of the circle so you can fit all six of them. Pour remaining batter on top, completely covering the Christmas tree cakes. 8 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
- Transfer the cheesecake to the preheated oven and place a large pan of very hot water on the rack below the cheesecake. Bake for 60-70 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set and very slightly golden brown but the center of the cake is still jiggly with a wobble to it. Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in it with the oven door ajar so it can cool gently for 30-45 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven (it will still be very hot) and run a thin paring knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature.
- Transfer the cooled cheesecake to the fridge and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Topping
- Make the white chocolate ganache by combining the chopped white chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir well until smooth and combined. Let cool for 15 minutes. 4 ounces white chocolate, 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Pour white chocolate ganache over the chilled cheesecake and spread in an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set the ganache.
- Sprinkle the cheesecake with green sprinkles and pipe wavy lines of red icing on top to finish. Slice and serve. Red decorating icing, Green sprinkles
Notes
- Storage: 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.
- Freezing: 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.
Nutrition
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