Now that we’re all tired of pumpkin spice everything, it’s peppermint season. A friend passed this recipe onto me and I knew it would be perfect for this month. It is definitely more of a cheesecake made in a pie crust, so there’s no need to invest in a springform pan for this one. It is super easy to put together. The hardest part is crushing the candy canes! I think the next time I make it (and there will be a next time) I’ll try chocolate graham crackers for a twist.
Peppermint White Chocolate Cheesecake Pie
- 12 sheets graham crackers
- 4 candy canes, finely crushed, plus more for garnish (about 1/3 cup)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/3 cups heavy cream, divided
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 2 drops red gel food coloring
- Finely crush graham crackers in a zip-top bag or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add crushed candy canes, salt, and melted butter and stir to combine. Press evenly on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze 15 minutes or overnight.
- Combine chocolate and 1/3 cup heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Cool for 15 minutes.
- Beat remaining cup heavy cream with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Beat cream cheese, peppermint extract, and a pinch of salt in a second bowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add cooled chocolate mixture and food coloring; beat just until combined. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon filling into prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set, 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Just before serving, remove plastic wrap and sprinkle additional crushed candy canes on top of the pie.