1-Making a cranberry sauce: boiling 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water, a pinch of salt, and 8 ounces of fresh cranberries until the berries burst and the mixture thickens. Once done, cool it for at least 30 minutes, which can be done up to 3 days in advance for convenience.

2-Preparing the cheesecake filling: mix the softened cream cheese with 2/3 cup sugar, the yolks from 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Spread this filling onto the center of each pie crust from the 14-ounce box, leaving a 1-inch border. Then, spoon about 1/2 cup of the cooled cranberry sauce onto each and swirl it gently.

3-Folding and Baking Steps: Now, fold 2-inch sections of the crust over the filling, creating about 8 folds to enclose it partially. Brush the folded edges with a mixture of the egg whites and 1 tablespoon water for a nice golden finish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the crust turns golden and the filling is hot, then let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting each into 6 wedges, giving you 12 slices total.