Easy No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecake
Yield: One, 7" cheesecakeThis no-bake gingerbread cheesecake recipe is super simple and easy to make! You are going to LOVE this recipe featuring velvety cream cheese, molasses & chopped ginger. It's the perfect dessert for the holiday season.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
No-Bake Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter *melted
Gingerbread Cheesecake Filling
- 2 eight oz bars cream cheese *at room temperature *see note below
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter *softened *see note below
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger paste *see note below
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream *see note below
Molasses & Ginger Drizzle
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon chopped ginger paste
Recipe notes:
Cream cheese: make sure to buy full-fat cream cheese. Reduced fat options will result in a less creamy and less well-set cheesecake. Unsalted butter: when you mix cream cheese and butter together, be sure your butter is very soft. If the butter isn't soft enough you may end up with tiny flecks throughout your filling. It will still taste great, but a super smooth, velvety texture is preferable. Chopped ginger paste: chopped ginger paste can usually be found in the produce section of your local grocery store. I normally find it beside the fresh herbs that need to be refrigerated, it’s typically in a small tube or jar. Heavy whipping cream: leave heavy whipping cream in the refrigerator until you are ready to whip it. Warm cream will be harder to work with.Instructions
- Take cream cheese out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, 30 minutes out of the refrigerator should do the trick. Gather all of your ingredients and make your graham cracker crust while you wait for your cream cheese to soften.
- Open one package of graham crackers and place them in a food processor or a large zip lock baggie. One package of crackers should amount to approximately one cup of crumbs.
- Crush graham crackers into crumbs that are fairly even in size using your food processor or a rolling pin. Measure one cup of crumbs into a small mixing bowl (if you crush one package of graham crackers and come up a little bit short, open another pack and crush 1-2 more crackers).
- Add brown sugar to crumbs and whisk until well combined.
- Melt unsalted butter and add to the mixing bowl. Use a spoon or small spatula to mix the butter into the crumbs. Mix until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Press crumbs into the bottom of a 7" spring form pan and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to add filling.
- Place room temperature cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Microwave unsalted butter for 10-15 seconds and add it to the bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine cream cheese and butter. Mix until smooth.
- Add sour cream, sugar, molasses, chopped ginger paste, vanilla, salt and ground cinnamon. Mix again until all ingredients are well combined, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula when necessary. Set aside.
- Take out another small mixing bowl. Measure cold heavy whipping cream into the bowl. Mix on high until stiff peaks form (this will take around 4-5 minutes).
- Use a spatula to transfer whipped cream into the large mixing bowl containing all other ingredients. Fold the ingredients together gently until well combined. Do not over mix.
- Take pie crust out of the refrigerator and use a spatula to spread cheesecake filling evenly into your spring form pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
- In a small bowl or glass Pyrex measuring cup, combine ingredients for drizzle/glaze (molasses, powdered sugar and chopped ginger paste). Whisk together and cover with plastic wrap. Chill overnight.
- When you are ready to serve your cheesecake, remove from spring form pan and drizzle with glaze. Set additional glaze to the side so guests can add extra if the prefer. Enjoy!