Gingerbread Cheesecake

This gingerbread cheesecake has a buttery gingersnap cookie crust and a creamy spiced cheesecake filling. This is the perfect make ahead dessert for the holiday season!

 

When it comes to the holidays, I love baking with all the wonderful seasonal flavors. Gingerbread is definitely top of the list! Like making my homemade gingerbread men cookies decorated with royal icing, my banana gingerbread loaf, or this easy gingerbread poke cake. 

This cheesecake starts with my vanilla cheesecake base, but I add in warm spices and molasses, and pour the cheesecake batter over a gingersnap crust for even more gingerbread flavor. It’s everything you love about gingerbread in a creamy cheesecake dessert!

There’s something about the warm spices wafting through your kitchen isn’t there? Now just cut me a slice and bring on the Christmas movies!

If you’re a fan of festive desserts, you’ve got to try my No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake! Made with an Oreo crust, peppermint extract, and melted white chocolate, this easy, make-ahead cheesecake is perfect for your Christmas dessert spread—no water bath needed!

Why This Recipe Works

• Creamy gingerbread cheesecake made with warm spices
• Easy gingerbread cheesecake filling made in your stand mixer
• Great make ahead holiday dessert
• Can freeze any leftover slices!

Ingredients Needed

• Gingerbread cookies – If you can’t find gingersnap cookies you can always use graham crackers, vanilla wafers or digestive biscuits.
• Salt
• Butter – I used unsalted butter but you can also use salted butter. Just omit the added salt. 
• Granulated sugar 
• Brown sugar – I used packed light brown sugar, but you can also use dark brown sugar. If you have run out try making your own homemade brown sugar!
• Spices – I used a combination of ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
• Molasses – Use unsulphured or dark molasses. Do not use blackstrap molasses.
• Cream cheese – Make sure your cream cheese is softened before you begin. Read my tutorial on how to soften cream cheese. I also recommend full fat cream cheese in the blocks, not the tubs which can have a different texture. 
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs – You want room temperature eggs so you get a creamy filling. Read my tutorial on how to bring eggs to room temperature fast. 
• Sour cream – Full fat is best, but a low-fat may still work. I do not recommend fat-free sour cream. And you could try swapping and use plain full-fat Greek yogurt. 
• Heavy cream – You want heavy whipping cream. For the whipped cream, you want the cream cold so it whips up to full volume.

How To Make Gingerbread Cheesecake Recipe

Make the gingerbread crust

Prep oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C), with rack in middle of oven.

Make the cookie crust. Pulse the cookies in a food processor or blender until they are ground into fine crumbs. Put in a large bowl, and stir in the melted butter, sugar and salt.

Assemble the cookie crust. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan, using the bottom of a measuring cup (or you can use your fingers).

Bake the crust. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Make cheesecake filling

Combine cream cheese and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment beat cream cheese and sugars on medium speed for 4 minutes.

Add molasses and beat to combine. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. 

Beat in vanilla and spices until combined. 

Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. 

Add heavy cream and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and along the bottom to make sure all of the cream cheese has been incorporated.

Bake the cheesecake

Lower the heat on the oven to 325°F (160°C).

Wrap springform pan. Wrap the outside of the springform pan in three layers of aluminum foil, ensuring none of the pan is exposed. You can also use a slow cooker liner. You want to make sure that the springform pans sides and bottom are completely covered with tinfoil so that no water seeps inside and ruins the cheesecake. 

Bake the cheesecake. 

Prepare pan and boiling water. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water.

Pour filling into pan. Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan, over the crust. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Place in oven. Place the roasting pan with the springform pan in it, in the oven.

Add hot water. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan, pouring until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 1 1/2 hours until the edges of the cheesecake are set and slightly golden brown, and the middle of the cheesecake is set but still slightly wobbly.

Allow cheesecake to cool in oven. Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door and let the cake cool in the oven, as the oven cools, for another hour, which will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.

Chill the cheesecake. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan. Run a knife around the edges on the inside of the cheesecake to release from the springform pan. Cover the top of the cheesecake with a paper towel or wax paper(to help with condensation forming) and then cover in foil. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

Serving the cheesecake. When ready to serve, remove the foil. Run a knife around the edges and remove the outer ring of the pan. Cut into slices and serve.

Recipe Tips

• Use the block style of cream cheese. I recommend using blocks of full-fat cream cheese for the cheesecake filling. Based on my experience of creating different cheesecakes, blocks of full-fat cream cheese give a smooth, silky, and creamy cheesecake. Don’t use the kind in the tub. 
• Soften cream cheese first. You need the cream cheese at room temperature before you start mixing ingredients so you get a smooth filling.
• Wrap the springform pan well. You don’t want any water from the water bath to leak in and ruin the cheesecake and oreo crust. I like to wrap in a few layers of tin foil, and then wrap in a slow cooker liner. I’ve also used a silicone pan as well that’s also a great option. Read more here about what is a water bath?
• Use a water bath. A water bath, or also known as a bain marie, allows the cheesecake filling to cook slowly so you get a smooth filling and no cracks in the top of the cheesecake. Read my full tutorial on a water bath for cheesecake.
• Cool the cheesecake slowly. You need to let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the heat off and the door open. This will help prevent cracks in the top of the cheesecake.

Serving Suggestions 

I like to top this with whipped cream. For a fun twist try serving with my cinnamon whipped cream instead!

For more decadence serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Storage Instructions

Stored properly, the cheesecake can last up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

You can also freeze any leftover cheesecake. I like to freeze individual slices can be wrapped and frozen for later enjoyment. I like to place individual slices of cheesecake on a cookie sheet and freeze uncovered for an hour.

Once frozen I wrap each slice in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag for added protection. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then unwrap and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs:

More Recipes To Try

If you’re craving more cheesecake, then be sure to try my decadent Oreo cheesecake! There’s Oreos in the filling and made with an Oreo crust. Then topped with chocolate ganache.

Or if it’s summer time, try my peach cobbler cheesecake. It’s made with cinnamon peaches, a crumble topping, and topped with cinnamon whipped cream.