Rich, creamy gingerbread cheesecake sits in a crisp gingersnap crust and is finished with a smooth, sweet, tangy glaze and festive gingerbread men. Simple to prepare and ideal for a crowd, this holiday dessert will be the star of any celebration.
My gingerbread obsession continues. I’ll be a little sad when I can’t openly eat endless amounts of gingerbread after December 26—my extended holiday day when I either relax in fresh pajamas watching Christmas movies or brave the mall for bargains while sipping a gingerbread latte. This year I’ve already binge-watched the movies, so I’m leaning toward option B: one last shopping splurge and plenty of gingerbread treats.
I hope there’s a slice of this gingerbread cheesecake left after Christmas dinner. It’s that good—creamy and light, perfectly spiced, with a crisp, sweet crust that’s full of flavor. The recipe is straightforward and reliable when you follow a few simple tips. I’ve made it many times for holiday gatherings and learned a few lessons along the way, so consider this a tried-and-true version.
Start with the crust: it’s easy and uses just a few ingredients—gingersnap cookie crumbs, sugar, melted butter and a pinch of salt. Combine the crumbs with sugar and melted butter, press the mixture into a springform pan, and bake briefly until set. Let the crust cool before adding the filling.
The filling is silky and lighter than many dense cheesecakes. It comes together from cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, molasses and a blend of warm spices—ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves—plus a touch of balsamic vinegar for balanced sweetness and tang. Beat the cream cheese until fluffy, add sugar and vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the molasses, spices and vinegar until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the filling into the prepared gingersnap crust and bake in a water bath to keep the surface from drying and cracking. To simplify the water bath, wrap the springform pan tightly in foil, place it in a deep baking pan, and pour in 4–6 cups of hot water while the pan sits on the oven rack to avoid spills. Bake until the center is still slightly wobbly but mostly set.
When the cheesecake is cooled and chilled, spread a glaze of sour cream, powdered sugar and vanilla over the top. Finish with gingerbread men or a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg for a festive touch—store-bought cookies work fine if you’re short on time.
Serve chilled and enjoy the reaction when friends and family taste this seasonal favorite. You might find yourself assigned cheesecake duty from now on, which is a nice problem to have because this recipe is easy and dependable. Once you’re comfortable with this method, try other flavor variations like salted caramel mocha or pumpkin praline cheesecakes for more holiday options.
For more cheesecake inspiration, consider these popular choices: Pumpkin Cheesecake in a gingersnap crust, Carrot Cake Cheesecake, and classic New York-style cheesecake.
Gingerbread Cheesecake Recipe
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Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs, approximately 12 ounces whole cookies
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the filling:
- 4 8- ounce blocks cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- For the glaze
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
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In a large bowl, combine gingersnap crumbs, sugar, melted butter and salt until clumps form.
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Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a springform pan.
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Bake the crust about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with foil.
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Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
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Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla, scraping the bowl as needed.
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Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and balsamic vinegar until combined.
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Pour the filling into the prepared crust and place the springform pan in a deep baking pan.
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Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake 60–65 minutes, until set but slightly wobbly in the center.
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Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
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Whisk together sour cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the chilled cheesecake and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
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Decorate with gingerbread men or a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg, if desired. Serve chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.