Gingerbread Cheesecake

My no-bake gingerbread cheesecake is just perfect for the festive season! Creamy and dreamy, with a beautiful gingery biscuit base and all the yummy flavours of festive spiced gingerbread, this cheesecake is a surefire winner!

Festive feasting

Christmastime is a time for indulgence for many. In our home, we make traditional Indian Christmas sweets alongside all the other seasonal bakes, to enjoy ourselves and to share with neighbours and friends. Please do have a look at a selection of my festive sweet treat offerings at the bottom of this post, and let me know if there is anything you would like adding too!

For the big day itself, however, feeding family and friends needs to be as stress free as possible. This naturally means making as much as I can ahead of time. This gingerbread cheesecake fits the remit perfectly: not only is it make ahead, but it has all the warm and cosy flavours of the season!

What ingredients do I need to make gingerbread cheesecake

• Ginger biscuits: you can use digestive biscuits to make the base, but I love the additional fiery and ginger flavours using ginger biscuits gives the cheesecake.
• Butter: I use melted unsalted butter to make the biscuit base of this cheesecake. This helps bind the biscuit base once it sets again, giving a rich, beautiful base for the no bake cheesecake.
• Double/heavy cream: whipped up, this gives body, richness and stability to the gingerbread cheesecake filling.
• Cream cheese: make sure to use a full fat cream cheese when making the filling for any no bake cheesecake recipe, as this is part of what helps the filling set firmly. Plus it gives the gingerbread cheesecake a wonderfully rich and decadent texture!
• Icing sugar: for sweetness in the cheesecake filling.
• Ground ginger: for rich ginger flavour in the cheesecake.
• Cinnamon: brings a gentle warmth of flavour to this dessert.
• Nutmeg: I use freshly grated nutmeg for best flavour. Brings a slightly nutty and woody flavour.
• Cloves: sweet and warm in flavour, use this one sparingly as it can be very potent!
• Treacle/molasses: this dark liquid adds depth of flavour and a little sweetness to the gingerbread cheesecake filling.
• Golden syrup: brings a caramel and sweet flavour to the filling.

What equipment do I need to make gingerbread cheesecake?

• Digital kitchen scales*: my recommended method of measuring ingredients is to weigh them out using grams rather than cups. I do, however, provide cup measures too, if you prefer working with this method.
• Measuring spoons*: for measuring smaller quantities such as tablespoons (tbsp) and teaspoons (tsp). A set of dedicated measuring spoons are far more accurate than using everyday eating spoons, so is a small investment well worth making.
• Food processor*: a quick way to make the ginger biscuit base. If you do not have a food processor, you can place the biscuits into a sealable freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin instead.
• Springform tin*: to make the no bake gingerbread cheesecake in. No need to line the base or grease before making the cheesecake, it should come off quite easily!
• Spatula*: for scraping the bowl down whilst making the no bake cheesecake filling and the gingerbread cheesecake crust.
• Mixing bowl*: to mix together the ingredients for the cheesecake filling.
• Electric hand mixer*: whilst you can beat your filling by hand, this handy tool makes it all a whole lot easier.
• Offset spatula*: to level off the gingerbread cheesecake once it has been added to the tin.

How to make this no bake Christmas cheesecake recipe

First, you make the gingerbread cheesecake crust, pressing in the tin, and then the gingerbread cheesecake filling to top. Once put together, it chills in the fridge until you are ready to decorate and serve. Easy peasy!

For the ginger biscuit base

Step 1: First, make the gingerbread crust cheesecake. Place the ginger biscuits into a food processor and blitz until they are completely crumbled. If you do not have a food processor, pop the biscuits into a sealable bag and bash them with a rolling pin until well crushed. Both work fine, one is definitely more therapeutic (!), but I prefer using a food processor purely for speed.

Step 2: Add in the melted butter and pulse a few times, scraping down the bowl to make sure everything is really well combined. Tip the biscuit mixture into an 8″ springform tin and press it down evenly to make a flat base. Pop the tin in the fridge to allow the base to chill until needed.

For the gingerbread cheesecake

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, beat the double cream until it reaches soft peak stage.

Step 2: In a separate large mixing bowl, and tip in all the remaining cheesecake ingredients. Mix in the whipped cream until everything is just combined.

Step 3: Transfer (or pipe, if you wish) the cheesecake mixture on top of the base, spreading it out evenly ensuring there are no air pockets in the cheesecake filling. Smooth over the top using an offset spatular or knife before chilling overnight.

For the decoration

Step 1: If you wish to decorate the cheesecake as I did, here is what I did. First, melt the white chocolate and drizzle it into two wide lines across one “corner” of the cheesecake to create an “L” shape.

Step 2: Set aside 5-6 of your gingerbread men first, then roughly crush the rest. Sprinkle these crumbs over the drizzled the white chocolate, making sure not to completely cover the drizzled chocolate.

Step 3: Cut the rosemary into little sprigs, and push these into the cheesecake at random points along the chocolate lines.

Step 4: Fill in the gaps with whole spices, mini gingerbread men and red ball sprinkles in a random order as the feeling takes you. Enjoy!

Can I make this cheesecake without a special tin?

A springform tin is a really useful tool as it makes it so much easier to release the gingerbread cheesecake from the tin. If you do not have a springform tin, you could use a loose bottomed cake tin too. Anything that will allow you to lift the cheesecake out of the tin will work for this cheesecake.

Why is my gingerbread cheesecake runny?

There are a couple of things that could have gone wrong here. First, the cream cheese may have been overmixed. If this was the case, the cream cheese mixture would have looked like it split before you mixed it with the whipped cream. The other alternative is that the double (heavy) cream was not sufficiently whipped to stiff peaks. This means when it was combined with the cream cheese mixture, it was not firm enough to allow it to set, causing it to be runny instead.

How long does this gingerbread cheesecake recipe take to set?

I would recommend leaving this cheesecake to set overnight for best results. If you are wanting it sooner, I would still recommend leaving them to set for at least 4-5 hours before decorating and digging in.

Does no bake cheesecake have eggs?

There are no eggs in this gingerbread cheesecake recipe. As a general rule, if there were eggs in the cheesecake, it would need to be baked to allow the filling to set.

How long does no bake cheesecake last?

This gingerbread cheesecake no bake can be made a day or two before serving and will keep well in the fridge for up to four days before being enjoyed.

Should this gingerbread cheesecake be refrigerated?

Yes, it should be kept in the fridge due to the cream cheese and double cream used in the cheesecake filling.

Can no bake cheesecake be frozen?

Yes, it can! To freeze this cheesecake, make and chill as directed to the end of the cheesecake instructions. Once it has set overnight, carefully remove it from the tin and place the cheesecake in a freezer safe container. Seal the container securely and place in the freezer for up to three months. When you want to enjoy this cheesecake again, simply thaw it in the fridge for at least 24 hours before serving.

Remember if you are freezing this gingerbread cheesecake, not to freeze the decoration on the cheesecake. Instead decorate once thawed and soon before serving, to avoid soft gingerbread biscuits on top.

Additional tips for this gingerbread cheesecake recipe

• Press the biscuit base really firmly into the bottom of the pan to give a solid base for the filling. I use the end of my rolling pin to give me a flat surface to work with. A small glass, the back of a spoon or even clean fingers work just as well.
• The base can be baked if desired. Baking the crust makes it firmer and less crumbly, so it completely depends on the texture you prefer. If baking, once pressed into the tin, bake the gingerbread cheesecake crust for 5-7 minutes at 180C/350F. Please make sure the base and tin are fully cool before topping with the gingerbread cheesecake filling, or you will end up with a melted cheesecake puddle!
• The cream cheese should be at room temperature before mixing. Using ingredients at room temperature will ensure the cheesecake filling is smooth and creamy.
• Keep the double (heavy) cream cold until ready to use it. Cold cream whips up much better into the peaks required in this recipe. I even like to chill my beaters and my bowl to help the process along, but this is entirely optional.
• The decoration, as I have done here, can be mostly done ahead of time. I would recommend pushing the gingerbread men in as a last minute addition before serving, to allow them to remain as crisp as possible.

Troubleshooting

If you have any other questions about this recipe, please leave me a comment below, I will do my best to help you. And if you do make this recipe for gingerbread cheesecake, I would love you to leave me a rating and review below to share how you found it.

Additionally, you could also post a picture on Instagram and tag me when you share it with the world. Go on, you know you want to!

More recipes from my blog for you to enjoy

Do check out these other wonderfully festive recipes on my blog too:

Sticky toffee pudding cake: beautiful, rich sticky toffee sponge cakes, filled with caramelised white chocolate buttercream and a perfect toffee drip. Topped with absolutely spectacular caramelised white chocolate shards, this bake makes for a truly jaw-dropping celebration cake!

Cranberry and orange biscotti: my cranberry and orange biscotti recipe is yummy, crunchy and oh so simple to make, plus it will make your whole home smell utterly heavenly. Enjoy with coffee, as something to nibble on, or wrap up and give as a beautiful homemade gift!

Mini mince pies: a seasonal staple in the UK! Beautiful buttery shortcrust pastry shells filled with delicious homemade mincemeat and topped with a pastry snowflake. Perfect for festive family baking, Christmas gifting and getting in the holiday mood!

Christmas pudding cookies: what happens when brownie cookies get festive? The results are these fabulously adorable Christmas pudding cookies! A bake that is as fun to make as it is to eat, these cookies are brilliant to make and enjoy with children and all the family!

So many ideas, please do check out my Christmas baking section for even more festive recipes!

For now though, thanks for joining me today, my friends. Wishing you and all your loved ones a very Happy Christmas, from our home to yours! x

Recommended equipment and ingredients I used *

Digital kitchen scales	Measuring spoons
Food processor	Springform tin
Spatula	Mixing bowl
Electric hand mixer	Offset spatula