This creamy Eggnog Cheesecake has a luxurious texture, gingersnap crust, and deliciously spiced eggnog flavor. It’s a stunning dessert for your Christmas dinner parties or family celebrations. 
This eggnog cheesecake is creamy, decadent, not too sweet and a total showstopper. It has the perfect eggnog flavor isn’t too strong, but instead has a hint of nutmeg that tastes delicious with the crunchy gingerbread crust. It combines 2 classic holiday flavors – so it tastes like Christmas in velvety smooth cheesecake form. I love to serve with a simple dollop of whipped cream.
For the Gingerbread Crust
The crust is made with gingersnap cookie crumbs, a little brown sugar and melted butter. You want the gingersnap cookies to be very crispy as opposed to being soft and chewy in order to make the crust crunchy and sturdy. I typically use storebought gingersnap wafers because it saves time and they’re very crispy.
For the Creamy Eggnog Cheesecake Filling
The creamy cheesecake filling gets its eggnog flavor from using eggnog, nutmeg and rum. You could substitute the rum with rum extract (you can find in the baking aisle in the grocery store, near the vanilla extract usually), or simply leave it out altogether. I definitely recommend using full-fat eggnog because it has a thicker texture than the low-fat version – which gives the cheesecake a better texture.
Pro Tip: Always use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese when making cheesecake. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes before getting started so it’s room temperature. Room temperature ingredients make the cheesecake batter mix together evenly without lumps in the batter.
Baking & Cooling the Cheesecake
This eggnog cheesecake is baked using the water bath method. This means that the outside of the springform pan is wrapped aluminum foil, then placed in a large roasting pan. Boiling water is poured in the roasting pan so there’s about ½ inch to 1 inch of water, then the whole contraption goes in the oven to bake. You can see what I mean in the photo below. 
The water in the roasting pan keeps moisture in and minimizes changes in temperature. This means your cheesecake stays extra creamy and reduces the risk of the cheesecake cracking.
When the cheesecake is done baking, cool it slowly (this helps reduces the chances of cracks) then place it in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours. This helps the flavor of the cream cheese and eggnog really fuse together for the best flavor. It also ensures that the cheesecake sets properly. It also means that this is a great make-ahead dessert for over the holidays because you can easily make it the day before you plan on serving it.
This eggnog cheesecake is seriously creamy, has the perfect eggnog flavor, and the gingersnap crust really takes it to a whole other level. If you have leftover eggnog – be sure to try these eggnog pancakes for breakfast, this eggnog French toast casserole, or even these eggnog cinnamon rolls.
Or if you need other holiday dessert ideas, check out:
Eggnog Cheesecake
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 cups gingersnap crumbs
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
Eggnog Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz full-fat cream cheese* softened to room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or 2 tablespoons flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup eggnog
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum or 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 3 large eggs whisked
- hot water for the water bath
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees and position the oven rack on the bottom ⅓ of the oven.
- Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in aluminum foil at least 3 times so that all the seems are covered and no areas are showing.
Gingersnap Crust
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the gingersnap crumbs and brown sugar. Stir in the melted butter
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Then remove from the oven, leaving the oven turned on.
Cheesecake Filling
- In a very large bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft. Turn down the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Beat in the sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg.
- With the mixer on low speed, mix in the vanilla extract, rum/rum extract, and eggnog.
- Beat in the eggs, mixing only until just combined.
- Place the cheesecake crust in the middle of a large roasting pan, then pour the cheesecake filling on top of the crust.
- Pour the hot water into the roasting pan, so that there's about ½-1 inch of water in the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Place the roasting pan with the cheesecake inside in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top looks almost set, except for in the very middle.
- Remove from the oven. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath until room temperature.
- Then remove the springform pan from the roasting pan, cover the cheesecake, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- When ready to serve, trace around the edges of the cheesecake with a very thin knife. Then unclamp the springform pan.
- Optionally, sprinkle with a little extra nutmeg and dollop each slice with whipped cream.
If I only have a 10.5” springform pan on hand, how much more filling/crust mix do you suppose I’d need?
I’d multiply all the ingredients by 1.33 for the most accurate adjustment.