Eggnog Cheesecake with Eggnog Whipped Cream

December 28, 2023

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With a flavorful gingersnap crust, wealthy filling, and spiced whipped cream, this eggnog cheesecake makes for a really jolly vacation dessert.

Close up of a slice of eggnog cheesecake topped with whipped cream on a stoneware plate.

There are some recipes I make for this website that come collectively tremendous quick. I check them a few times they usually work flawlessly.

Then there are different recipes that take quite a lot of work. And quite a lot of testing. Like, a lot of testing.

This eggnog cheesecake is a type of recipes. I began engaged on it a yr in the past, however couldn’t get it fairly proper, so I put it on maintain till I might get eggnog once more.

After just a few extra exams and tweaks, I lastly acquired it excellent. I wished a cheesecake with a silky-smooth filling and refined eggnog taste, paired with a stronger-flavored eggnog whipped cream.

I used to be so excited after I lastly nailed this recipe. It’s a scrumptious cheesecake, excellent for serving at your vacation celebration or Christmas dinner. You’re gonna like it.

Cake server lifting a slice of eggnog cheesecake up from the whole cheesecake.

WHAT FLAVOR IS EGGNOG?

In the event you love eggnog, you most likely simply assume that it tastes…properly, like eggnog! However in case you’ve by no means tried it earlier than, you’re most likely questioning what it tastes like and what taste it provides to recipes like eggnog cookies, eggnog eclair cake, and this eggnog cheesecake.

Eggnog is nice and creamy, with a custardy taste and texture due to the eggs in it. It’s historically made with the addition of vanilla and nutmeg, so each of these components play an essential function within the taste of eggnog.

In fact, it is usually widespread for eggnog to have rum or brandy in it. So often you will note rum extract or spiced rum added to eggnog-flavored treats, nevertheless it’s not strictly mandatory.

So what does that imply for this eggnog cheesecake?

It’s acquired all of the richness you like in my traditional vanilla cheesecake, with an additional silky filling and the heat of nutmeg working all through the crust and the filling. I like topping it with some eggnog whipped cream to actually deliver that taste house.

Slice of eggnog cheesecake on a stoneware plate with a glass of eggnog and a bowl of whipped cream in the background.

HOW TO MAKE EGGNOG CHEESECAKE

In the event you’ve by no means made cheesecake earlier than, I do know it might probably really feel intimidating. However I promise that it’s not as onerous as you assume – I’ll stroll you thru every step!

Elements you’ll want

There are 3 components of this eggnog cheesecake: the crust, filling, and whipped cream.

For the crust, I like to make use of a spiced gingersnap crust. It makes use of:

8 ounces crushed gingersnap cookies (about 25 cookies)
¼ teaspoon freshly floor nutmeg
4 tablespoons melted butter

I’ve additionally used speculoos (Biscoff) cookies rather than the gingersnaps. Each are scrumptious decisions!

For the cheesecake filling, you will want:

4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup eggnog

2 massive eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

pinch of sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly floor nutmeg

Ingredients for eggnog cheesecake arranged on a beige countertop.

You positively need the cream cheese and eggs to be room temperature earlier than you begin mixing the filling. In the event you neglect to set them out, be taught how you can soften cream cheese and how you can deliver eggs to room temperature.

Please use freshly floor nutmeg in case you can! The flavour is so significantly better than the pre-ground stuff, and the entire nutmegs will final mainly without end in your pantry.

Merely grate the entire nutmegs with a microplane if you want floor nutmeg. Straightforward peasy.

I recommend serving this eggnog cheesecake with eggnog whipped cream. For this, you will want:

1 cup heavy whipping cream, very chilly
¼ cup eggnog, very chilly
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
¼ to ½ teaspoon freshly floor nutmeg

Ingredients for eggnog whipped cream on a beige countertop.

In the event you’ve by no means made whipped cream earlier than, I’ve an entire put up that walks you thru how you can make home made whipped cream. Simply bear in mind, you need your cream and your eggnog to each be straight from the fridge and be tremendous chilly!

Making the cheesecake

Earlier than you begin assembling the cheesecake, prep your springform pan for baking the cheesecake in a water bathtub.

Tightly wrap the skin of the pan in heavy-duty foil to forestall leaks. In the event you nonetheless are nervous, you may skip the foil fully by putting the 9-inch springform right into a 10-inch cake pan and putting that into the roasting pan when filling the water bathtub.

Gingersnap cookie crumbs and butter mixed in a glass bowl.

Baked gingersnap crust in a springform pan.

To make the crust, stir collectively the crushed cookies, nutmeg, and butter till properly mixed. Press this combination into the underside and up the perimeters (about 1 inch) of the ready springform pan.

Bake the crust for 8 minutes, then let it cool when you make the filling.

Utilizing an electrical hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese till very {smooth}. Add the sugar and blend properly, then add the eggnog and blend till mixed.

Cream cheese whipped with a hand mixer in a white bowl.

Batter for eggnog cheesecake filling in a white bowl.

Add the eggs, one after the other, ensuring every one will get absolutely included earlier than including the subsequent. It would be best to scrape down the perimeters of your mixing bowl as wanted all through the method.

Lastly, add the vanilla, flour, salt, and nutmeg and blend till {smooth} and properly mixed. Pour the filling into the crust.

Place the wrapped springform pan or springform pan and cake pan into a bigger pan, reminiscent of a roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan till it comes midway up the perimeters of the springform.

Unbaked eggnog cheesecake in a water bath, ready to go in the oven.

Bake for 65-70 minutes; the eggnog cheesecake is finished when the perimeters are set however the middle nonetheless has a slight jiggle to it.

Now flip off the oven however go away the cheesecake inside. Crack the oven door and let the cheesecake to relaxation within the cooling oven for 1 hour.

After the hour has handed, take the cheesecake out of the water bathtub and set it on a wire rack to chill fully, then chill it within the fridge for at the very least 8 hours earlier than serving.

Eggnog whipped cream in a metal mixing bowl.

Making the eggnog whipped cream

Once you’re able to serve the eggnog cheesecake, place a steel bowl and the beaters of an electrical mixer within the freezer for 10-20 minutes. This may get them tremendous chilly earlier than making the eggnog whipped cream.

Add all the whipped cream components to the chilly bowl. Use the mixer to beat at low pace till mixed, then step by step improve the pace to excessive. Combine on excessive till the whipped cream varieties stiff peaks.

Alternately, in case you favor softer whipped cream, solely combine the cream till it holds medium peaks.

Serve the eggnog cheesecake with the eggnog whipped cream. Garnish with gingersnap crumbs and a few extra grated nutmeg.

Overhead view of a sliced eggnog cheesecake garnished with whipped cream.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

Retailer your cheesecake coated (or in an hermetic container) within the fridge for as much as 3 days.

I sometimes go away the cheesecake within the springform pan till I’m prepared to chop and serve it. The pan protects the cheesecake and I can merely cowl the highest tightly with foil.

Similar to with my caramel apple cheesecake, you may freeze eggnog cheesecake if you wish to make it greater than a pair days forward of time.

In the event you’re freezing the cheesecake complete, place the cooled cheesecake on a cardboard spherical and canopy it tightly with plastic wrap.

Alternatively, you may freeze particular person slices of cheesecake – slice and wrap each bit with plastic wrap.

Subsequent, wrap the cheesecake or particular person slices with foil.

Simply to be additional protected, I typically place the double-wrapped cheesecake in a freezer-safe zip-top bag, though that’s not completely mandatory.

Freeze the cheesecake for as much as 1 month for finest taste. Once you’re able to eat it, thaw at room temperature for a few hours or within the fridge in a single day. High with the eggnog whipped cream and luxuriate in!

Slice of eggnog cheesecake with a bite taken from it. A fork with the bite of cheesecake is next to it on the plate.

FAQS

Can I take advantage of home made eggnog on this cheesecake?

You should use both store-bought or home made eggnog on this recipe. I often use store-bought eggnog, however in case you occur to have some home made eggnog available, be happy to make use of it!

Even home made dairy-free eggnog will work on this recipe.

Can I take advantage of alcoholic eggnog on this recipe?

As a result of we now have youngsters in our household, I take advantage of non-alcoholic eggnog in my eggnog cheesecake. But when you will an occasion or internet hosting a dinner with all adults, you may completely use spiked eggnog within the cheesecake and whipped cream.

Can I add rum to this eggnog cheesecake?

In the event you’re not utilizing spiked eggnog however need the flavour of rum in both the cheesecake or the whipped cream, you may add spiced rum or rum extract as a substitute.

For the cheesecake, add 1 ¼ teaspoons of rum extract or as much as 2 tablespoons of spiced rum if you add the vanilla. For the whipped cream, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon rum extract or as much as 2 tablespoons of spiced rum.

Once more, simply ensure you aren’t serving this to youngsters in case you add spiced rum. Rum extract doesn’t comprise any rum, it merely mimics the flavour, so it’s protected for youths to devour.

I don’t like gingersnaps. Is there one other crust I can use as a substitute?

In the event you don’t need a richly spiced crust, don’t fear. You may swap out the gingersnap crust for my traditional graham cracker crust as a substitute.

I nonetheless recommend including the nutmeg to the crust, simply to deliver that nutmeg taste into all components of this eggnog cheesecake.

Can I make eggnog cheesecake and not using a mixer?

When making cheesecake, you need the filling to be tremendous {smooth}, which is absolutely troublesome to do by hand.

However in case you don’t have a mixer, my new favourite “hack” is to make my cheesecake fillings within the bowl of my meals processor. You don’t even want to scrub it out after utilizing it to interrupt down the gingersnap cookies for the crust in case you don’t wish to.

Assist! My water baths all the time leak. What can I do to forestall this?

Right here’s my favourite water bathtub hack to forestall leaks:

Place a 9-inch springform pan right into a 10-inch common cake pan. Each pans can now go into your roasting pan.

Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, outdoors of the 10-inch cake pan. You’ll get all the advantages of baking with a water bathtub with out the chance of leaks. Win!

Can I make eggnog cheesecake and the eggnog whipped cream forward of time?

Sure! For the reason that eggnog cheesecake wants to sit back for at the very least 8 hours within the fridge, you may make it as much as 2 days upfront.

Merely go away the cheesecake within the springform pan and canopy the highest tightly with foil and refrigerate till you’re able to serve.

If you wish to make the whipped cream greater than a pair hours forward of time, I recommend utilizing some unflavored gelatin to stabilize it, utilizing the identical course of as in my whipped cream frosting.

How do you get such clear slices of your cheesecakes?

Seize a big kitchen knife. Run it below extremely popular water for just a few seconds, then instantly wipe it dry with a clear kitchen towel or paper towel.

Now use the recent knife to slice into the eggnog cheesecake. Be sure to wipe the blade clear after every reduce, and run it again below the recent water as typically as mandatory.

You should use this methodology to slice nearly any cheesecake, in addition to recipes reminiscent of pistachio pudding dessert or banana cream bars.

For the cheesecake filling:

For the eggnog whipped cream:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Tightly wrap a 9 inch springform pan in heavy responsibility foil. This step prevents leaks when utilizing a water bathtub. I additionally take the additional step by putting the foil wrapped spring kind pan inside an oven bag whereas baking, however that is non-obligatory (see recipe notes under for more information on this course of). Flippantly spray the springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put aside.
In a medium bowl, stir collectively crushed gingersnap cookies, nutmeg and melted butter till completely mixed. Press the crumbs into the underside and about 1 inch up the perimeters of the ready springform pan.
Bake gingersnap crust in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Take away the pan from the oven and funky fully.
Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted along with your paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese till {smooth}. Add sugar and blend till mixed. Add within the eggnog and blend till included. Add eggs, one after the other, absolutely incorporating every earlier than including the subsequent. Be sure to scrape down the bowl in between every egg. Add in vanilla, flour, salt and nutmeg and beat till absolutely included and {smooth}. Pour batter into the ready crust.
Place the springform pan into a bigger pan and pour boiling water into the bigger pan till it’s midway up the facet of the springform pan. Bake for 65-70 minutes, the perimeters will look like set, however the middle will nonetheless have a slight jiggle to it. At this level, flip off the oven, however go away the door cracked and permit the cheesecake to relaxation within the cooling oven for one hour.
After one hour has handed, rigorously take away the cheesecake from the water bathtub and place on a cooling rack to chill fully. As soon as the cheesecake is totally cooled, place it into the fridge for at the very least 8 hours.
Earlier than serving, prime with eggnog whipped cream, a light-weight sprinkling of nutmeg and crushed gingersnap cookies.

To make the eggnog whipped cream:

Place a steel bowl and the beaters of an electrical hand mixer within the freezer for 10-20 minutes earlier than making the whipped cream.
Add the whipped cream components to the chilly bowl. Utilizing the mixer, beat at low pace till properly mixed, then step by step improve the pace to excessive. Combine on excessive till the cream varieties stiff peaks.

You might optionally add rum extract or spiced rum to the cheesecake and/or whipped cream. For the cheesecake, add 1 ¼ teaspoons of rum extract or as much as 2 tablespoons of spiced rum. For the whipped cream, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon rum extract or as much as 2 tablespoons of spiced rum.
Don’t be intimidated by the water bathtub course of. I’ve a put up that walks you thru baking a cheesecake in a water bathtub. You may skip the foil and oven bag for the water bathtub by putting your 9-inch springform pan right into a 10-inch cake pan. Set this whole factor into the roasting pan, then add the boiling water into the roasting pan, outdoors of the 10-inch pan. This may nonetheless let the water bathtub do its job with out the hazard of any leaks.

The default measuring system on My Baking Habit is US Customary. Unit conversions are supplied as a courtesy; please bear in mind that there could also be some discrepancies.