Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingerbread Cookie Crust and Eggnog Whipped Cream

The simplest Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingerbread Cookie Crust and Eggnog Whipped Cream for your holiday baking needs. A classic cheesecake filling, made super special with the addition of eggnog, nutmeg, and a splash of bourbon! Oh, and let’s not forget that amazing gingerbread cookie crust. It’s the perfect compliment to this sweet, creamy, and perfectly spiced cheesecake! Be sure to decorate this cheesecake with the eggnog whipped cream, a few gingerbread cookies, and sugared cranberries to create a beautifully festive Christmas dessert. This luscious, rich, eggnog flavored dessert is unlike any other cheesecake you’ve had before! It’s SO good and the perfect addition to all of your holiday baking.

→ This post is also available as a Web Story: Eggnog Cheesecake

About The Recipe

‘Tis the season for all things eggnog! With only 10 days until Christmas, we are working hard to develop new and exciting Christmas recipes that feel nostalgic, but are completely new. Which is how we stumbled up the idea for this eggnog cheese cake with gingerbread cookie crust!

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The idea for this cheesecake actually came to us around the time we made our Gingerbread Cupcakes. We had made a small portion of our Gingerbread Cookies to use as decoration and, since we had some leftover, we were trying to find creative uses for them! But…that batch of cookies went into our stomachs rather into a new and fun recipe.

BUT we did come up with the idea of a gingerbread crust. So, we were part of the way there.

Fast forward a few weeks to the Eggnog Cookies we made! We had the same conundrum. What can we do with all this leftover eggnog? Our first thought was Eggnog Ice Cream, of course! But…we still had this gingerbread crust idea floating around in the backs of our mind.

Well, this kind of seemed like it was meant to be. We had just bought some cream cheese at the store the other day.

The leftover eggnog plus another batch of cookies that we had made for our Gingerbread Sheet Cake created this wonderfully sweet, decadent, and extra festive cheesecake!

There was absolutely no waste with this recipe. We even baked the scrapes from the cookie dough and broke them up to make the crust!

The best part, though? It’s simple, delicious, and the perfect bake to serve after Christmas dinner! It’s the ultimate holiday bake.

Why You’ll Love This Eggnog Cheesecake

• If you have leftover gingerbread cookies or eggnog, it’s the perfect way to use them!
• It’s made with a homemade bourbon concentrate, which means you get the MOST bourbon flavor out of this cheesecake.
• You don’t need to build a crust all the way up the sides of the pan.
• You also don’t need a springform pan!
• This recipe is not only VERY easy to make, but it also stores well.
• It’s a serious crowd-pleaser during the holiday’s!

Equipment Needed

• Food Processor
• Mixing Bowls
• Rubber Spatula
• Stand-Mixer
• 10 Inch Cake Pan
• Aluminum Foil
• Roasting Pan or Large Cake Pan

Ingredients

(Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

For The Crust:

• Gingerbread Cookies
• Granulated Sugar
• Melted Butter

For The Cheesecake:

• Cream Cheese
• Granulated Sugar
• Bourbon Concentrate
• Ground Nutmeg
• Large Eggs
• Eggnog

For The Eggnog Whipped Cream:

• Heavy Cream
• Powdered Sugar
• Eggnog

How To Make This Eggnog Cheesecake

In the bowl of a food processor, process gingerbread cookies until fine crumbs. About 2-3 minutes on high speed.

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Combine cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix well.

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Dump mixture into a cake pan. Evenly pack and press the cookie crust on the bottom.

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Beat eggs in a medium sized bowl with a whisk until well combined. Set aside.

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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.

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Add the bourbon concentrate and nutmeg. Stir.

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Add the eggs in four additions beating well in between each addition. Scrape down the sides as needed.

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Stir in the eggnog.

Pour cheesecake mixture on top of the cookie crust. Place cheesecake in large cake pan or roasting pan and pour boiling water into the pan, careful not to spill any into the cheesecake. Bake at 300 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake stay in the oven until it’s set in the middle. Take out of the oven and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, or overnight.

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The next morning, using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream, eggnog, and powdered sugar until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes.

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Turn out the cheesecake using 9 inch cake board. Spread or pipe cream over the top of the cheesecake.

How To Get Cheesecake Out of A Cake Pan

It’s really not complicated, I promise! In three simple steps, we’ll show you how. All you are going to need one nine inch round cake board, your stove top, whatever you’re going to serve the cheesecake on, and the completely cold and set cheesecake.

1. Place the cheesecake over the eye of your stovetop. Let heat over medium heat until the pan is slightly warmed, but not too hot to handle.
2. Pick up the pan and place the cake board on top of the cheesecake top. Keeping your hand holding the cake board, turn the pan upside down, and you should feel the cheesecake release.
3. Slowly pull your hand down away from the pan and discard the cake pan. Quickly grab plate or cake plate and place it on the bottom of the cheesecake. Invert and remove the cake board.

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And it’s done! No need to mess with springform ever again.

Decorating Ideas

With cheesecake, the possibilities are endless! Especially with one that is all about Christmas. Here are a few of our favorite ways to decorate this cheesecake!

• Use the eggnog cream to pipe a design onto the cheesecake. From a snowflake to a snowman, or just a beautiful repetitive pattern using a piping tip.
• Mini gingerbread cookies are a great way to decorate this! Especially if the gingerbread men are decorated, too.
• Sugared cranberries are the perfect festive addition.
• Sugared (or plain) rosemary can also add a bright pop of green! Just be sure to remove it before serving.
• A sprinkle of ground nutmeg on top of the cream would be gorgeous.
• A light drizzle of melted chocolate (milk, dark, or white) would be delicious and fun!
• Edible flowers can also make this cheesecake stand-out from the rest.

What Is Bourbon Concentrate and How Do I Make It? (2 ways!)

Bourbon concentrate is our sub for vanilla in this recipe! Since we were making an eggnog cheesecake, it only seemed fitting. All it is is bourbon cooked down to intensify it’s flavor…but if you’re wondering how to make it, no worries! We have you covered.

All you need is 1/8 (1 oz.) of bourbon. The simplest method is to place it in a measuring cup or glass bowl and microwave on high heat for 30 seconds – 1 minute, stopping in-between to ensure it doesn’t over-boil and cause a mess in the microwave. It should be cooked down to 1 Tablespoon.

The second method is also very simple. Place the bourbon in a small pot and place over low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the aromas are strong and the bourbon is cooked down slightly. It should be about 1 Tablespoon.

If there’s too much bourbon, cook it down a little more. If you have a little bit too less, just cook down a little bit more and fill the rest of the Talespoon.

Can I Use Store-Bought or Leftover Eggnog For This Recipe?

Absolutely! Just be sure you like the flavor and that it’s not spoiled! The only thing you need to remember is, if the eggnog already has alcohol in it, leave out the bourbon in this recipe.

Cake Pan or Springform?

While you can use a springform for this recipe, I promise it’s actually much easier to use a 10 inch cake pan! Springforms tend to be a little tedious and annoying, especially when trying to lock it or unlock it. With a cake pan, there’s no need to worry! Oh, and the best part? With a cake pan, you don’t have to worry about water seeping through the pan and ruining your cheesecake!

Water Bath Tips & Tricks

If you’re nervous about baking in a water bath, you don’t need to be! It’s actually not hard to do at all. Oh, and the best part about a water bath? It helps prevent cracks in your cheesecake AND helps keep it from browning. It’s a wonderful, but also intimidating thing that every baker has to overcome. We’re here to help! All you need is a roasting pan, your cake pan, and some aluminum foil.

Before you even being on this recipe, wrap the outside of cake pan in aluminum foil. Set that aside until you’ve gotten everything together and are ready to bake. Once ready to bake, place the cheesecake in the roasting pan and set it on the middle oven rack. With a pot or tea kettle of boiling water, slowly pour the water into the roasting pan. Slowly close push the oven rack back, careful not splash any water into the cheesecake and close the door.

See? It sounds more complicated than it is, but I promise your cheesecake will thank you. If you’re still a little uneasy, here are a few things you can do to make life easier for you.

• Use a tea kettle to boil the water. This way, it already has a spout and it’s easier to direct the water.
• Fill the pan until you have 1/2 inch – 1 inch of water.
• Place the roasting pan in the oven before you add the water. This helps prevent a lot of spilling!
• Don’t be nervous! Just remember that whatever happens, happens! Take a deep breath and enjoy the time in the kitchen. If you’re nervous the entire, something is bound to go wrong. Positive mindset equals a positive outcome! And, if something does go wrong, that’s okay! It happens to everyone. Even us!

Expert Tips

• When making the crust, make sure your cookies are not decorated. Plain gingerbread cookies are needed for this recipe.
• Do not leave large chunks of cookie when grinding. It needs to be about the consistency of sand.
• When packing down the crust, it’s best to use a metal measuring cup to ensure a tight and even pack.
• Before beginning this recipe, ensure that the cream cheese is room temperature. If the cream cheese is cold, it will be difficult to mix and more likely to leave lumps.
• Be sure to mix the cream cheese, sugar, nutmeg, and bourbon concentrate VERY well. Scrape down the sides often to ensure no lumps.
• If there is cream cheese getting built up on the wall of the bowl when adding the eggs, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides.
• Once the eggs are added, try not to beat or mix too much. Eggs will retain air and give extra (and unwanted) lift to this cheesecake. That causes cracks!
• Don’t be afraid of the water bath! Read above for a few tips to help.
• When the cheesecake is baking, DO NOT open the oven door. You will lose all the moisture in the oven and it’ll either cause the cheesecake to sink or crack.
• Also, I know it may be tempting to fully set this cheesecake, but do not over bake this cheesecake! Follow the baking times and instructions listed in the recipe card below for best results.
• Once the cheesecake is ready to come out of the oven, take out of the water bath, and let it cool completely at room temperature.
• When the cheesecake is at room temperature (this generally takes about 5-8 hours), cover with aluminum foil and place in the fridge overnight.
• Do not try to cut into this cheesecake or turn it out until it’s beed refrigerated.

When you make this Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingerbread Cookie Crust and Eggnog Whipped Cream, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

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