Holiday Desserts That WOW!

This post brought to you by PHILADELPHIA cream cheese . All opinions are 100% mine.

Truthfully I'm not much of a baker, at least not in the classic sense. What I am is gutsy (or crazy), and that leads to me attempting some of the most complicated desserts I've ever seen. I can't bake cookies, but darnit if I won't bust this Peppermint Cheesecake Layer Cake out during the holiday season (originally from Southern Living magazine Dec 2011).

It involves 2 frozen cheesecakes and 3 layers of sour cream cake topped with a white chocolate cream. It has gotten rave reviews from friends (even causing one of them to declare she was out-baked!), so I wanted to share with you the recipe (HERE). For the record, I had never made any version of a cheesecake or sour cream cake before I attempted this, so if I can do it by carefully following a recipe…SO CAN YOU!

Personally I love cream cheese based desserts. Or maybe I just love cream cheese? Of course a classic cheesecake is always welcome, but I like to use cream cheese in other more subtle ways as well…you know, like layered in between 3 other cakes Subtlety never was a strength of mine now that I think of it. 

When it comes to cream cheese, Philadelphia is king. Is there any other kind? Savory or sweet, there are about a million ways to use this smooth and slightly tangy creation. Aside from just slathering it on a bagel, I mean. While the Peppermint Cheesecake Layer Cake tops my list of favorite desserts, it's definitely not the end of the list. I have also made this DE-LISH and moderately healthy version of a frozen peanut butter cup from Dashing Dish. Actually I've made it more times than I can count. Once I just froze the filling and ate it like ice cold fudge. Don't judge me. 

Even if you think you don't like cream cheese, I challenge you to try one of the recipes PHILADELPHIA cream cheese has on their website. I've had people tell me, "Oh I don't like cream cheese" and then gobble down the cream cheese laden concoction And trust me…while it can sometimes be a guilty pleasure (or just a guilty party in whole host of other badly behaved foods), there is a healthy side as well. There are low fat and fat free versions that work great on their own or combined with the original. Seriously. I do this all the time. 

Am I the only person who loves to use this unique ingredient? I've added it to scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soups, sauces, and spread it on cinamon raisin toast The low fat variety even makes a great "cheeseball" using dip mixes. Do you have any favorite recipes? Pin your recipes or get more ideas on Philidelphia's Pinterest board.