Eggnog Cheesecake
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This creamy eggnog cheesecake has a luxurious texture, gingersnap crust, and spiced eggnog flavor. It’s a stunning dessert for your Christmas dinner parties.
**This post was updated December 8, 2024 with new photos and step-by-step recipe tips**
This eggnog cheesecake is creamy, silky smooth and a total showstopper. It has the perfect eggnog flavor with hint of nutmeg. The eggnog flavor is actually a little more mellow than having a glass of eggnog, but still deliciously rich and creamy. The crunchy gingersnap crust really takes it to the next level. I love to serve it with a simple dollop of whipped cream or drizzle of butterscotch sauce.
Making the Perfect Eggnog Cheesecake
Below, I’ve included step-by-step photos and recipe tips to help ensure success. Like any cheesecake recipe, the ingredients are pricey. So I highly recommend doing a careful read before jumping into the recipe below.
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 soft and chewy – so that the crust is crunchy and sturdy. I typically use store bought gingersnaps because it saves time and they’re very crispy.
- Start by crushing the cookies until they’re fine crumbs. This can be done either in a food processor, or by placing the cookies in a freezer bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. Note: you can also replace the gingersnap cookies with graham crumbs if needed.
- Then mix in the brown sugar and melted butter.
- Depending on how crispy your cookies are, you may need a little more or a little less butter. The mixture should feel like damp sand and if you squeeze it in your palms, it should hold together.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Pop in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes.
- Baking the crust on its own first helps give you a crunchy crust.
For the Creamy Eggnog Cheesecake Filling
The creamy cheesecake filling gets its eggnog flavor from using eggnog, extra egg yolks, 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.
- In a very large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, nutmeg and cornstarch until smooth and creamy.
- Be sure to turn off the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl a few times to ensure there are no lumps of cheesecake stuck to the bowl.
- Adding a little cornstarch helps to bind the cheesecake. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour.
- With the mixer on a low speed, carefully mix in the eggnog, vanilla extract and rum/rum extract.
- Whisk together the eggs and additional egg yolks in a small bowl.
- Then very gently whisk the eggs into the cheesecake batter a little at a time. You want to stop mixing as soon as you no longer see pieces of egg in the batter.
Recipe Tip
Always use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese when making cheesecake. Take the cream cheese, eggs and eggnog out of the fridge about 30 minutes before getting started so that they’re at room temperature before mixing the ingredients together. 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 tightly, then placed in a large roasting pan. Boiling water is poured in the roasting pan so there’s about 1 inch of water, then the whole contraption goes in the oven to bake. You can see what I mean in the photo below.
Wrapping the pan is necessary so that water doesn’t seep into the cheesecake. I always wrap the outside of the pan the pan first in an oven bag (the disposable kind used for baking a turkey). Then I wrap the outside with aluminum foil at least 4 times so that the bottom and sides are covered, and so that all the seams are covered.
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 cheesecake recipes, then be sure to try:
- Peppermint Cheesecake
- Gingerbread Cheesecake
- Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
- Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
Eggnog Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- large roasting pan (big enough for the springform pan to fit inside)
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 cups gingersnap crumbs (around 225 grams)
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 grams), melted – you may need a little more or a little less
Eggnog Cheesecake
- 24 oz full-fat cream cheese (680 grams), softened to room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar (200 grams)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, or 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup eggnog (180 ml)
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum, or 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 3 large eggs, whisked
- 2 large egg yolks, discard the egg whites, in addition to the 3 large eggs
- hot water, for the water bath
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees and position the oven rack about 1/3 from the bottom of the oven.
- Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with a plastic oven bag (the type you'd use for a turkey) and tie it around the edges either with a knot or the key lock tie included. Then wrap the outside with aluminum foil at least 3 times so that the bottom and sides are covered and all the seems are covered.
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.
- Using a wire whisk, whisk in the rum/rum extract and eggnog.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and additional egg yolks.
- Whisk the eggs into the cheesecake batter, about 1/2 at a time. Keep whisking until you no loner see pieces of egg.
- 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 1/2-1 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. (Keep the cheesecake in the roasting pan).
- 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.
Notes
- Gingersnaps: Gingersnaps can be replaced with graham crumbs.
- Cream Cheese: Be sure to use full-fat, brick style cream cheese.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The cream cheese, eggs, and eggnog should all be at room temperature before getting started. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before making the crust.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 slice (without whipped cream or butterscotch sauce) assuming the cheesecake is sliced into 14 uniform pieces.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cheesecake is best if enjoyed the day after it’s baked. Cheesecake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge before enjoying.
Amazing! Loved it. The only thing I changed, instead of wrapping the pan I just set it in a slow cooker liner in the water, easy peasy, and cooked beautifully.
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.
Made the recipe as stated except the crust which I had to make gluten free. It was awesome. I am picky when it comes to recipes and cheesecakes and this one was great! Even a non egg nog lover said it was one of his favorites. Thanks for the great recipe.