Cranberry Cheesecake Parfaits

Cool and creamy, sweet and tart, my cranberry cheesecake parfaits make for a scrumptious dessert, perfect for the holiday season. Prepared with layers of fresh cranberry chutney, a rich vanilla bean "cheesecake" filling, and a sweet graham crumble, this cranberry cheesecake parfait recipe is a festive and easy-to-spoon-up alternative to pie!

Cheesecake in a glass

As late fall rolls in, and bags of fresh ruby-red cranberries begin to become abundant in the markets, the inner cranberry lover in me comes alive!

Fresh cranberries, with their sweet-tart flavor, are a seasonal favorite of mine. I love using them in everything from my classic cranberry sauce to my cranberry tarts and spiced apple-cranberry pie.

And seeing as I love a good dessert-in-a-glass, especially as part of a festive holiday spread, this cranberry cheesecake parfait recipe is at the top of my list as a fun twist to a classic cheesecake or pie!

Layered with sweet graham crumble "crust," creamy vanilla bean "cheesecake" filling, and fresh cranberry chutney for a bright, fruity pop, these parfaits are an easier—and equally delicious—alternative to traditional pie or cheesecake!

My recipe for cranberry cheesecake parfaits

To create those beloved cheesecake layers, I prep three simple components: a graham cracker "crust," creamy vanilla "cheesecake" filling, and a glistening cranberry topping.

All three layers are easy to prep. Once ready, simply layer them in a glass, chill until serving time, and dig in—with a spoon!

For the graham crumble, I just use some graham cracker sheets, a touch of melted butter, spice, honey and apple sauce, and mix together to form a tender and sweet crumble.

For the fluffy "cheesecake" layer, I blend cream cheese and sour cream with vanilla bean paste, sugar, and whipped cream. The result is light and mousse-like. (Vanilla extract or bottled vanilla bean paste work well too!)

For the chutney, I simmer fresh cranberries with diced apple and pear, a kiss of orange zest and juice, and warm spices until the berries soften. After a quick cool-down, it's ready to layer!

Layered into a glass, each spoonful of these parfaits is pure heaven—a perfect balance of flavors with a hint of warm spice!

Here's a sneak peek at my cranberry cheesecake parfait recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I simmer up my cranberry chutney, then let it cool.
2. Next, I prep my vanilla bean cheesecake “filling”, allowing it to chill as well.
3. Then, I prepare my graham crumble by simply mixing together my ingredients, and setting those aside to have ready to sprinkle in as the “crust” layer.
4. Once all the layers have been prepped, I assemble my cranberry cheesecake parfaits.
5. I then chill the cranberry cheesecake parfaits for at least 2 hours, even overnight (ideally), if making ahead.

Recipe

Cranberry Cheesecake Parfaits

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Cool and creamy, sweet and tart, my cranberry cheesecake parfaits are a scrumptious alternative to classic cheesecake or pie!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Yield: 6 parfaits

Nutrition Info: 877 calories (per parfait)

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook time: 8 minutes (for cranberry chutney)
Total time: 1 hour 8 minutes

Cranberry Chutney Ingredients:

• 12 ounce bag fresh, whole cranberries
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely diced
• 1 Bartlett pear, peeled and finely diced
• Zest of 1 orange
• ¾ cup orange juice (or water)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Filling Ingredients:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened at room temp
• ¼ cup sour cream
• Vanilla bean paste from 1 vanilla bean pod (split and scraped)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 8 fluid ounces cold whipping cream

Sweet Graham Crumble Ingredients:

• 18 full graham cracker sheets, finely processed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your cranberry chutney ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To make the cranberry chutney, add all of the ingredients up to and including the granulated sugar to a medium-size pot, and stir to combine.
3. Turn the heat on medium-high to high, and bring the mixture to a rapid simmer/boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer the mixture fairly vigorously for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring every now and again to move the cranberries around, until the cranberries begin to pop and split.
4. Pour the chutney into a clean bowl, and stir in the pumpkin pie spice. Allow to cool completely (can be expedited in the fridge).
5. Next, gather and prep your vanilla bean cheesecake “filling” ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
6. Add the softened cream cheese and the sour cream to a medium-size bowl, and using a spatula, work the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and slightly creamy.
7. Next, add in the vanilla bean paste and ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and using an electric hand mixer, mix the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Set aside for a moment.
8. Add the cold whipping cream to another small bowl along with the remaining sugar, and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fluffy and mousse-like. Cover and keep cold until ready to use. (You can put it into a piping bag and keep in fridge.)
9. Next, gather and prep all of our graham crumble ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
10. Add the finely processed graham crackers into a medium-size bowl, then add the remainder of the ingredients. Using your fingers or a fork, work the mixture together until moist and slightly crumbly, and well combined. Keep covered, or place into ziplock bag, and keep in fridge until ready to use.
11. To assemble the cranberry cheesecake parfaits, place 6, 10 ounce glasses in front of you, and to the bottom of each glass, add about 3 tablespoons of the graham crumble. Press down on it gently with a spoon to even/flatten it a bit.
12. Next, pipe in about 3 tablespoons worth of the vanilla “cheesecake” filling. Then, spoon over that about 3 generous tablespoons of the cranberry chutney.
13. Repeat the layering once more with the graham crumble, and then the “cheesecake” filling, finishing with the cranberry chutney.
14. Chill the parfaits for at least 2 hours to set (or even overnight, if making ahead), and serve cold.

Tips & Tidbits for my cranberry cheesecake parfait recipe:

• Fresh cranberries for best flavor: Fresh organic cranberries make for the best tasting chutney (filling), so opt for those if you can. Otherwise, you can use frozen cranberries. But do not thaw them, just use them straight out of the freezer when preparing.
• Make these cranberry cheesecake parfaits ahead: It's actually ideal to make this recipe a day ahead (or even two) of when you've like to serve these parfaits, because they will be thoroughly chilled and set, ready to dig into. And, you can keep the individual glasses gently covered with plastic wrap to keep them fresh.
• Festive or classic 10 ounce glasses: The glasses that I used to make these parfaits were 10 ounces (roughly), making 6 parfaits total. So you will need 6, 10 ounce glasses. You can use 8 ounce glasses, if desired, just use a smaller amount of ingredients when you layer into the glasses for slightly smaller parfaits.

Craving more festive, sweet-tart recipes? Check out my Cranberry Tart recipe, or my recipe for Apple Cranberry Pie, Cranberry Stuffing, Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites, Cranberry Orange Muffins, or even my recipe for Cranberry Banana Bread!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2014, and has been updated with even more love!