Gingerbread Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Creamy, delicious, and absolutely bursting with holiday flavor, this Gingerbread Cheesecake is a holiday must! With a gingersnap crust, creamy spiced filling, and topped with tasty ginger whipped cream it’s perfect for the holidays!

Cheesecake is one of those recipes that everyone seems to gravitate towards. I know if I see cheesecake at a dessert table I’m going for it, there is no stopping me. But this Gingerbread Cheesecake, don’t even get me started.

If you want to make one dessert for the holidays it has to be this Gingerbread Cheesecake, you will fall in love in one bite. It is creamy, flavorful and a stunning recipe that will perfectly grace your dessert table.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

• With easily available pantry staple ingredients this recipe is quick to whip up.
• The flavors in this cheesecake recipe pair well together that you have a nice blend of flavors.
• You can top with whatever you like, but the whipped cream and gingerbread men are our favorites. Try my Kahlua or Classic Whipped Cream!

GINGERBREAD CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS:

With a delicious crust made with gingersnap cookies, butter, cinnamon and salt it is the perfect base to this recipe.

The filling is made with your normal cheesecake ingredients with added molasses, and spices to give you that delicious gingerbread flavor.

It is all finished off with a homemade whipped topping that is lightly spiced with cinnamon and piped around your finished cheesecake. Then it’s topped with cute little gingerbread men cookies.

RECIPE TIP: If you have everything on hand except for the gingersnaps, you can also make this cheesecake using a Graham Cracker Crust. Just follow the same measurements in the recipe card below.

HOW TO MAKE GINGERBREAD CHEESECAKE:

Pro Tip: Don’t let cheesecakes intimidate you, they are a really easy recipe to whip up.

Crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare a 9-inch springform pan by generously spraying with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. 

Add the gingersnap cookies into a food processor and pulse until you get a fine crumb. Then, add the cinnamon, salt, and melted butter, and pulse until well combined. 

Transfer the crumbs to the pan and use the bottom of a glass to press them tight to form the crust making sure to bring the crumbs about 1 inch up the sides then bake.

Filling

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese. Then, add the sugar and flour and mix on low speed until just combined. 

Add the molasses, vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and heavy cream and start mixing on low speed and slowly increase to high speed for about 1 minute. 

Beat the eggs in one at a time and fully incorporating each one before adding the next. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and give another quick mix. 

Pour the batter into the baked crust into the prepared pan with the gingersnap crust and bake for 1 hour or until the center of the cheesecake slightly jiggles. 

Once the hour is up, turn off the oven and leave the door closed to allow the cheesecake to cool for 30 minutes. Then crack the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for an additional 15 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the counter on a wire rack.

RECIPE NOTE: This multi-step baking and cooling method eliminates the need for a water bath and prevents the cheesecake from cracking.

Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, place in the refrigerator overnight for best results.

Topping

Once the cheesecake is set, prepare the whipped cream by whisking the heavy cream on high speed until it starts to thicken. Then add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, and mix until stiff peaks form. 

Pipe the whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake and top with gingerbread men cookies and enjoy!

I know that all of that looks super intimidating but I promise you that it is not at all!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

HOW TO STORE CHEESECAKE

This will keep in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container or wrapped in foil tightly.

To freeze, bake and cool as directed, once cooled in the refrigerator, remove your springform pan sides and place uncovered in the freezer for about one hour, then remove and remove from the bottom of the springform pan.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or tin foil and place in an airtight container or a large freezer bag, this should keep for about 3-4 months.

Let defrost in the refrigerator overnight before serving and then decorate.

OTHER GINGERBREAD RECIPES:

• Gingerbread French Toast Bake Casserole – A delicious breakfast recipe with french bread baked with gingerbread spices.
• Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip – A quick and easy holiday recipe made with gingerbread cake mix, frosting, and cool whip.
• Easy Gingerbread Candied Pecans – Baked with molasses, spices, and brown sugar coating the pecans nicely with amazing flavor.
• Honey Gingerbread Cupcakes – Homemade flavorful cupcakes topped with delicious honey buttercream.

Let’s Connect!

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!

Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!

4.75 from 20 votes

Gingerbread Cheesecake

Author Rebecca Hubbell

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Greek

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours

Servings 12 people

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Creamy, delicious, and absolutely bursting with holiday flavor, this Gingerbread Cheesecake is a holiday must! With a gingersnap crust, creamy spiced filling, and topped with tasty ginger whipped cream it's perfect for the holidays!

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Ingredients

  

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Crust:

• ▢ 2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs about 40 cookies
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 tablespoons salted butter melted

Filling:

• ▢ 32 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup molasses
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ▢ ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 4 large eggs

Toppings:

• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ Gingerbread cookies optional

Instructions

Crust:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. and prepare a 9-inch springform pan by spraying generously with non-stick spray and set aside.
• Add the gingersnap cookies into a food processor and pulse until you get a fine crumb. Add the cinnamon, salt, and melted butter, and pulse until well combined.
• Pour into the bottom of the springform and use the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass to press to form the crust making sure to bring the crumbs about 1 inch up the sides.
• Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool

Filling:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese for 4 to 5 minutes on med-high speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl 1 to 2 times.
• Add the sugar and flour and mix on low speed until just combined.
• Add the molasses and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
• Add the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and heavy cream and start mixing on low speed and slowly increase to high speed for about 1 minute.
• Add the eggs in one at a time and completely incorporate after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and give another quick mix.
• Pour the batter into the baked crust and bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until the center of the cheesecake slightly jiggles (like jell-0 not water).
• Once the hour is up, turn off the oven and leave the door closed to allow the cheesecake to cool for 30 minutes. Crack the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for an additional 15 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the counter. (this is an optional step; however, it does help reduce cracking)
• Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, place in the refrigerator overnight for best results.

Topping:

• Once the cheesecake is set, prepare the whipped cream by adding the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and mix on high speed until it starts to thicken. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, and mix until you get stiff peaks (about 3-4 minutes).
• Pipe around the edge of the cheesecake and top with gingerbread men cookies and enjoy!

Notes

• To Make As Cheesecake Bars:
  • line a 9”x13” baking dish with foil and spread your crust mixture in the bottom and bake for 10 minutes, remove. Prepare the filling according to the recipe directions then pour the filling over the crust. You do not need a water bath for bars.
  • Place in the oven at 350 degrees F and bake for about 40 minutes until the center is set, let cool on the counter, then remove to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 4 hours.
  • Top with your whipped cream and cut into bars and serve!
• My trick for cutting the perfect slice is to run a sharp knife under hot water to get the knife warm and then wipe off, this will cut nicely through your finished Gingerbread Cheesecake and give you that perfect slice.

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 197mg | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 1734IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 2mg

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