Description
Celebrate the season with these delightful Candy Cane Cheesecake Parfaits—an easy recipe that’s bursting with festive flair. With layers of creamy cheesecake filling, rich red velvet cake, and crunchy crushed candy canes, this dessert is perfect for holiday parties or cozy family dinners. It’s one of the best Christmas dessert ideas you can make ahead and serve in jars. Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast treat, easy dinner finale, or healthy snack alternative with a sweet twist, these parfaits are the perfect food idea for your winter celebrations.
Ingredients
2 cups red velvet cake crumbs
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp peppermint extract (optional)
1/2 cup crushed candy canes
6 mini mason jars (4 to 8 oz each)
Instructions
1. Prepare the red velvet cake, allow it to cool, and crumble into coarse chunks.
2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then mix in powdered sugar until combined.
3. In another bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.
4. Stir in vanilla extract and optional peppermint extract, then chill the filling for 15–20 minutes.
5. Crush candy canes in a zip-top bag using a rolling pin until fine and chunky bits form.
6. Layer jars starting with red velvet cake crumbs, followed by cheesecake filling, repeating the layers.
7. Top each jar with a final layer of filling and a generous sprinkle of crushed candy canes.
8. Chill parfaits in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Let the cream cheese soften fully to avoid lumps in the filling.
Use a piping bag to layer the cheesecake mixture cleanly in the jars.
Add crushed candy canes just before serving to maintain their crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 parfait
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 80mg