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This Gingerbread Cheesecake recipe is made with a delicious shortbread crust, gingerbread cheesecake filling and a molasses mousse topping! It’s the perfect easy dessert recipe for the holidays!
If you need some other great dessert recipes that are perfect for family holiday gatherings, take a look at this Eggnog Cheesecake, my Cranberry Fudge Swirl Cheesecake, and my Classic Cheesecake Recipe. They are sure to please!
This post is sponsored by Walkers Shortbread, but all opinions are my own.
November is in full swing and I feel like the end of the year is moving quickly! We had a baby shower this past weekend in Charlotte with family and friends and it was wonderful. It was not only beautifully done, it was also very special. We celebrated with a group of people that I’ve known most of my life and are very familiar with our journey to getting pregnant and it was so wonderful to feel everyone’s excitement and be able to celebrate with them.
But now things really feel like they are moving! We’ve been busy getting ready to move into our new house, our current house is under contract and the holidays are fast approaching. Before we know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be upon us. It’s such a fun time of year and a great time for baking – I can’t wait!
A Fun, Festive and Easy Gingerbread Cheesecake
Gingerbread is one of my favorite flavors of the season. All the spices are just what this time of year is about. And this cheesecake has three great components that make it especially delicious – the shortbread crust, the thick and creamy cheesecake filling and the smooth mousse topping. So fun!
How to Make Shortbread Crust for a Cheesecake
To get started with the crust, you’ll want to get your hands on a couple boxes of Walkers Shortbread. I used the shortbread fingers, but feel free to use one of the other varieties. If you’ve never tried their shortbread before, you really should. It’s the best! So buttery and delicious – it’s hard to stop eating. And it makes a delicious crust. Pop the shortbread into a food processor to grind it into crumbs. It’s combined with a little sugar, cinnamon and butter and then pressed into a springform pan and pre-baked.
How to Make the Gingerbread Cheesecake Filling
The filling is flavored with brown sugar, molasses and lots of tasty spices! Of course ginger is the star of the show here, but there’s also a good bit of cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as some cloves. All the spices are what makes gingerbread so darn tasty! Be sure not to mix the filling at too high of a speed, as it can add extra air to the filling and can cause cracks during the baking and cooling process.
Once the cheesecake is baked and cooled, you’ll want to add the mousse. It’s a molasses mousse with some cinnamon and nutmeg. You’ll add the mousse topping to the cheesecake while it’s still in the springform pan, then allow it firm up a bit before removing the sides. The cheesecake is then finished off with some swirls of whipped cream and a few gingerbread men.
The final cheesecake is fun, festive and delicious! It was a big hit with all my taste testers and is perfect for the holidays – whether for a party or for your dinner table. I can’t wait for you to try it!
More Great Gingerbread and Christmas Recipes:
Best Gingerbread Cookies (Soft and Chewy Cutouts)
Moist Gingerbread Layer Cake
Gingerbread Cookies with Eggnog Icing
Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookie Cups
Watch How To Make It
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Gingerbread Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 1 Hr. 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 2 Hrs. 30 Minutes, Plus Cooling
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12-14 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Gingerbread Cheesecake recipe is made with a delicious shortbread crust, gingerbread cheesecake filling and a molasses mousse topping! It’s the perfect easy dessert recipe for the holidays!
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 3/4 cups (255g) Walkers shortbread crumbs (two 5.3 oz packages)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp (28g) butter, melted
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 24 ounces (678g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (225g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp (25g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (173g) sour cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 4 eggs
MOUSSE TOPPING
- 1 1/4 cup (300ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp (45ml) molasses
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
WHIPPED CREAM
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream
- 6 tbsp (44g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
2. Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
4. Cover the outsides of the pan with aluminum foil so that water from the water bath cannot get in. Set prepared pan aside.
CHEESECAKE FILLING AND TOPPING
5. Reduce oven to 300°F (148°C).
6. In a large mixer bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and flour until well combined (Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter, which can cause cracks). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. Add the sour cream, molasses, vanilla extract and spices and mix on low speed until well combined.
8. Add the eggs one at a time, beating slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
9. Pour the cheesecake filling into crust and spread evenly.
10. Place springform pan (covered with aluminum foil) inside another larger pan. Fill the larger pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.
11. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
12. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 30 minutes.
13. Crack oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
14. Remove cheesecake from oven and chill until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
15. When cheesecake has chilled and is firm, make the mousse topping. Add heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, molasses and spices to a large mixer bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
16. Set the whipped cream aside and in another bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
17. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese until well combined.
18. With the cheesecake still in the springform pan, pour the mousse on top and spread into an even layer.
19. Set in the fridge for another 1-2 hours, until mousse is firm, then remove from the springform pan.
20. Add the ingredients for the whipped cream to a large mixer bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
21. Pipe whipped cream around the edges of the cheesecake and decorate with gingerbread men.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 483
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 333.4 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.6 g
- Protein: 9.6 g
- Cholesterol: 130.9 mg
Enjoy!
I made this recipe and my cake is very dark compared to yours? I reviewed the ingredients again, and I used the right amounts etc..?
Did you use regular molasses or blackstrap molasses?
Could I use ginger snaps for the crust instead
Sure!
What if I added too much sour cream? I added a 1/2 cup more by mistake. 😬
Not ideal, but it should be OK. You might just need to bake it a little bit longer.
Can I used ginger snap cookies instead of what used
Sure!
Just curious if you could use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
That should be fine.
Hi!! Thank you for the recipe! I was wondering – how would you convert this into a six inch cake? I can’t seem to find a good way to convert a nine inch down to a six inch. Thank you!!!!
I haven’t done a 6 inch, so I’m not sure.
Can you make the mousse a day in advance and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to decorate? I made the cheesecake and I would like to make the mousse while the cheesecake is baking and finish it tomorrow.
I wouldn’t really recommend it. The whipped cream might deflate if you try to restir it and then add it to the cheesecake later.
Im making this a few days in advance. When do you recommend placing the whipping cream on the cake?
Anytime should be fine really. As long as you’re using the powdered sugar in it, it should stay stable for several days.
Lindsay, what kind of molasses do you use for this? I love blackstrap but maybe it would be too powerful?
I haven’t tried the blackstrap, but I would recommend using regular molasses.
This nails the flavor of traditional gingebread cookies, and the mixture of textures is perfect!
However, for my taste, it was too sweet. I would get rid of the tbsp of sugar in the crust and I would cut in half the powdered sugar that goes into the whipped cream.
Also, if your pan is not non-stick, don’t forget to use parchment paper or to oil it. The cheesecake is very rich and creamy, and it will stick to the pan if you don’t do something to prevent it.
Making this today! Perhaps someone can answer whether this is baked with foil over the top? I understand covering the sides to prevent water leakage but it’s not clear as to whether the top is covered…
No, there’s no foil over the top. I hope you enjoy it!
Could I use double cream instead whip cream.shops got none?
I haven’t ever used double cream, but as long as it’ll whip well, it should be fine.
I am trying to make the mousse. I have combined the whipping cream, molasses, spices and powdered sugar according to the recipe. It will NOT thicken let alone form stiff peaks! What now?
This is for the Gingerbread Cheesecake.
There really isn’t any reason I can think of that it wouldn’t thicken. Heavy whipping cream is made to do just that. Are you able to make just whipped cream?
Not that this is helpful three years later, but I learned to whip the cream first until it has stiff peaks and then incorporate everything else. I’ve had the same issue in the past!
Excellent! The filling is dense and creamy, but not heavy. It’s not cloyingly sweet. The spices are well balanced. I added a pinch of salt, grated lemon zest, and black pepper. For the crust, I subbed homemade gingersnap cookie crumbs for the shortbread and added some grated fresh ginger. The cheesecake baked for 1 hour 30 minutes. I left it in the oven with the door closed, then cooled it completely in the oven with the door open and the light off. The top was completely level and smooth. For the water bath I set the 9″ springform pan inside a 10″ cake pan, then set the cake pan in a large roasting pan. No need to wrap the springform pan in foil. I love a make-ahead dessert and this was perfect! Made it 2 days ahead and it was still excellent on day 3. I didn’t make the mousse, but covered the filling with dark and white chocolate curls instead. At serving time I added a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream and drizzled with a bourbon caramel sauce.
Your additions and the bourbon caramel sauce sound yummy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake!
I loved this, however… I discovered that using dark brown sugar changed the color quite a bit and didn’t look as pretty. I wish the recipe had specifically said light. And having baked my own gingerbread men for the top I wish I had just used them in the crust too.
I agree with other comments to half the powdered sugar in the whipped cream–it is really sweet. I also wish the mousse wasn’t so soft, as it started to lose its shape when the cheesecake was cut. That said, this is definitely a crowd pleaser.
I’m glad you enjoyed it overall. The mousse should stay plenty thick. Mine was thick for days without any issues. My guess is it had something to do with the whipped cream (adding the powdered sugar helps stabilize it) or the cream cheese being too soft or perhaps reduced fat cream cheese.
I have made a lot of cheesecakes, but had trouble with this. The cheesecake part pulled away from the pan while cooling and when I put the mousse on it oozed down into the sides of the pan and looks like a mess.It tastes great but the cheesecake is very dense. I think it was over cooked. Is there a certain temp that it should be cooked to? Should it still be a little jiggly in the center?
I was going to take it to a dinner party but was embarrassed to present it as it was. Had to whip up a cake to take instead. My husband wants me to give it another try for Christmas.
It’s possible that it was over baked. I don’t test the temperature of my cheesecakes, but you do want the edges of the cheesecake to be set and center still jiggly. It’ll firm up a good bit more during the cooling process, so it will over bake if it’s too firm before cooling. For the mousse topping, it sound like the whipped cream wilted. The powdered sugar is used to stabilize it, so if you happened to reduce that at all, it wouldn’t stay firm. Be sure to use the full amount and whip the cream until nice and stiff and it shouldn’t deflate. I hope that helps!
How many days in advance can you make the cheesecake if you’re not planning to freeze it? (I’m sorry if I missed the answer to this in the comments!)
Cheesecake is best for 3-4 days and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.