Description
This Gingerbread Cheesecake is a festive and rich dessert perfect for the holiday season. Featuring a nutty brown butter gingersnap crust, a creamy gingerbread-spiced cheesecake filling, topped with a white chocolate gingerbread ganache and finished with sweet whipped cream, this recipe combines classic gingerbread flavors with luscious cheesecake texture for an unforgettable treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Brown Butter
- 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter
Gingersnap Crust
- 44 gingersnap cookies (285 g)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) brown butter from above
- 2 tbsp (28 g) brown sugar
Gingerbread Cheesecake
- 32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
- 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
- Remaining brown butter from above (about 1/2 cup or 120 ml minus 1/2 cup used for crust)
- 1/3 cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (85 g) molasses
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
Gingerbread Ganache
- 4.5 oz (127 g) white chocolate bar, chopped
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 tbsp molasses
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of allspice
- Pinch of cloves
Whipped Cream
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (34 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Brown Butter: Melt the unsalted butter over medium heat in a pot. Allow it to simmer until foamy and fragrant with a nutty brown color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Measure out 1/2 cup (120 ml) brown butter for the crust; reserve the remainder for the cheesecake batter.
- Prepare Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Wrap the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with multiple layers of tinfoil to prevent water seepage during baking. Alternatively, use the 10-inch pan method described for water bath safety.
- Make Gingersnap Crust: Pulse gingersnap cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add the 1/2 cup brown butter and brown sugar then pulse again until combined.
- Form Crust: Press the gingersnap crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Use a ¼ cup measure to help pack the crust evenly.
- Bake Crust: Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely while preparing the cheesecake batter.
- Preheat Oven: Ensure oven is at 350°F (175°C) if not still heated from crust baking.
- Make Cheesecake Batter: In a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, and cornstarch on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and lump-free. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add Flavorings: Mix in the remaining brown butter, sour cream, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides again to ensure full incorporation.
- Prepare Water Bath: Place a pot of water on the stove to boil, enough to reach about 1.5 inches up the sides of the springform pan for baking.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs and yolks one at a time to the batter, mixing on low speed to incorporate fully after each addition. Avoid overmixing to prevent batter aeration.
- Pour Batter: Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled gingersnap crust in the springform pan.
- Set Up Water Bath: Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Carefully pour the boiling water around the springform pan, ensuring water does not splash into the cheesecake. If using the 10-inch pan method, place cheesecake pan inside the 10-inch pan first.
- Bake Cheesecake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour. After 1 hour, turn off the oven, crack the oven door open using a wooden utensil, and let the cheesecake remain in the oven for an additional hour to finish baking as it cools gradually.
- Cool and Chill: Remove cheesecake from oven and loosen crust edges with a butter knife. Let cool completely on counter, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight until fully set and cold.
- Prepare Ganache: In a double boiler, melt chopped white chocolate with heavy cream over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, melt in 10-second microwave intervals, stirring frequently.
- Flavor Ganache: Stir molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves into the melted ganache until combined.
- Make Whipped Cream: Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
- Assemble Cheesecake: Pour the gingerbread ganache over the chilled cheesecake and smooth with a mini offset spatula. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes until ganache sets.
- Decorate: Pipe whipped cream around the edges of the cheesecake. Optionally, garnish with mini gingerbread men and sugared cranberries. Serve and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients, especially cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream for a smooth batter.
- Wrapping the springform pan in several layers of tinfoil prevents water from leaking into the crust during the water bath bake.
- The water bath helps the cheesecake bake evenly and prevents cracking.
- Do not overmix the eggs into the batter to avoid incorporating excess air, which can cause cracking.
- Allow sufficient chilling time to ensure the cheesecake is fully set before serving.
- Ganache can be gently reheated if it firms up too much before pouring.
- Leftover cheesecake can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days; the flavor intensifies after resting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cheesecake)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
