Just wait until your guests get a glimpse of this gingerbread cheesecake at the Christmas table. They won’t be disappointed. And neither will you.
The cheesecake is thrice as nice as most thanks to the familiar notes of sugar and spice and everything nice playing a role not just in the filling but in the cookie crust and the stylish cookie toppers.
Why Our Testers Loved This
Our testers are gushing over this holiday cheesecake recipe. They found it to be smooth, creamy, and not overly rich. Trudy N. “highly recommends it to gingerbread lovers.”
Larry N. is calling this the “finest cheesecake that I have ever made.” High praise, indeed.
Notes on Ingredients
- Gingerbread cookie dough–You could substitute another roll out gingerbread cookie dough here, if you prefer.
- Cream cheese--Use full-fat cream cheese here for the most flavor and the best texture in your finished cheesecake.
- Unsulfured molasses–Light or dark molasses will work here, but don’t use blackstrap molasses. The flavor is too strong and bitter. If you find the flavor of molasses too strong, you can also replace it with honey.
How to Make This Recipe
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Roll out half of the cookie dough on floured parchment and bake until golden brown. Cool completely.
- Roll out the remaining cookie dough. Cut and bake gingerbread cookies, according to the recipe. Save them for decorating the cheesecake.
- Pulse the large square of gingerbread in a food processor to make 2 cups of gingerbread crumbs. Mix them with the butter and sugar and press into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until set, then cool completely.
- To make the filling, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sugar and vanilla, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time. Add the molasses, salt, spices, and zest, and beat well.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Scrape the filling onto the cooled crust, then place the springform pan in a shallow roasting pan. Pour boiling water around the pan, then bake until the cheesecake is golden brown and almost completely set.
- Cool the cheesecake completely. Transfer to the fridge and store, uncovered for at least 8 hours before topping with gingerbread men and serving.
Recipe FAQs
Pro Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. This will ensure a smooth, lump-free batter, and will help to prevent cracks in the baked cheesecake.
- To save time, you can replace the gingerbread cookie dough with store-bought ginger cookies to make the base for the crumbs. You won’t have the gingerbread men for decorating the finished cake, but you could top it with whipped cream or other decorative candies.
- Store the baked cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze, well-wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 months.
More Great Cheesecake Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
I made this over the weekend and it is a winner. This will become part of my yearly Christmas baking routine. Thanks for sharing!
gillian
Gingerbread Cheesecake
This gingerbread cheesecake tastes like classic Christmas spices—cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove—in each and every bite. A simple yet stunning holiday dessert.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the gingerbread cookie crust
- All-purpose flour, for the work surface
- 1 recipe unbaked Gingerbread Cookies
- 4 tablespoons (2 oz) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the gingerbread cheesecake filling
- 2 pounds (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap molasses)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, preferably organic (optional)
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Instructions
Make the gingerbread cookie crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Generously flour a large piece of parchment paper. Place 1/2 of the gingerbread cookie dough on the floured paper and roll it out to a 13-by-10-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Dust off any excess flour.
- Slide the parchment and dough onto a baking sheet and bake until it's firm and golden brown, about 14 minutes. Transfer the parchment and cookie to a wire rack and let it cool completely.
- On another generously floured piece of parchment, roll out the remaining gingerbread cookie dough about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, bake the remaining gingerbread cookie dough as directed in the Gingerbread Cookies recipe.
- Break the cooled rectangular cookie into several large chunks and pulse them in a food processor until finely ground. Measure 2 cups gingerbread crumbs and dump them in a bowl. Reserve the remaining crumbs for another use (like nibbling them or sprinkling them over ice cream).
- Add the butter and sugar to the crumbs in the bowl and mix until combined. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom and 1/3 of the way up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Wrap the outside of the pan with a double layer of aluminum foil. Bake until the gingerbread cookie crust is set, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the gingerbread cheesecake filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C). Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in the sugar and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce the speed to low. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the molasses, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and zest.
- Scrape the filling onto the cooled gingerbread crust. Place the springform pan in a large, shallow roasting pan. Pull out the center oven rack and set the roasting pan on the rack. Carefully pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the side of the springform pan and then push the rack back into the oven.
- Bake the cheesecake until the filling is an even, gorgeous pale shade of brown and appears set but is still slightly wobbly in the center, 60 to 70 minutes. (We had the best results when we took the cheesecake out at 65 minutes.) Transfer the springform pan to a wire rack and let the cheesecake cool completely.
- When the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, slide it in the refrigerator, uncovered, and come back for it 8 hours later.
- Before serving, run a knife or an offset spatula around the edge of the gingerbread cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Carefully remove the pan and, if desired, arrange the gingerbread cookies around the center of the cheesecake.
Notes
- Ingredients–Use room temperature ingredients. This will ensure a smooth, lump-free batter, and will help to prevent cracks in the baked cheesecake.
- Shortcuts–To save time, you can replace the gingerbread cookie dough with store-bought ginger cookies to make the base for the crumbs. You won’t have the gingerbread men for decorating the finished cake, but you could top it with whipped cream or other decorative candies.
- Storage–Store the baked cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it, well-wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 550 kcalCarbohydrates: 47 gProtein: 8 gFat: 38 gSaturated Fat: 22 gMonounsaturated Fat: 10 gTrans Fat: 0.2 gCholesterol: 178 mgSodium: 376 mgFiber: 0.2 gSugar: 45 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipe © 2013 Martha Stewart Living. Photo © 2013 Sang An. All rights reserved.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is a brilliant gingerbread cheesecake recipe and one which I will certainly use during the holidays. This may very well be the finest cheesecake that I have ever made.
If you love gingerbread, you have to make this gingerbread cheesecake recipe. The cookie dough is pretty standard and makes a tender cookie on its own.
This gingerbread cheesecake recipe is quite good. The recipe is involved because you have to make a separate gingerbread cookie for the crust; however, each portion isn’t difficult to make.
I sent feedback in because the baking temp seems too low at 325. Try 350-375. Creamy & delish! Yum.
Thanks, M.J. Cheesecakes are often cooked at 325F in order to achieve that perfect texture. If it took an exceptionally long time to bake, you may want to check that your oven is running at the correct temperature.
This one is a winner! It’s fun to make, it looks gorgeous, it tastes amazing with all the spice and texture nuances, and it makes for wonderful kitchen aromatherapy! It’s definitely worth using the different recipes with honey and molasses for colour and flavour variations. Cheers to gingerbread in all its forms of glory!
Ilda, I have just one word (said three times): Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!