Wait... eggnog cheesecake? Seriously? Oh yes... you better believe it. This is one special cheesecake. Eggnog whipped cream, a butter biscuit base, and lashings of double cream to decorate.
Trust me... one slice of eggnog cheesecake and your tastebuds will be rocking around the Christmas tree!
Why you’ll love this eggnog cheesecake recipe
- It's a big, bold luscious, smooth and creamy dessert, perfect for the holidays.
- Unlike a baked cheesecake, this one requires absolutely no baking. So, there is no oven rack or wire rack in sight. This makes it easier to make, as there’s no need for an oven or baking pan.
- It looks incredible and is the perfect Christmas party showstopper.
- Forget that bland fruitcake recipe that you go to every year – this takes a festive classic and reimagines it, with stunning flavors!
Equipment needed to make this recipes
There are a few important kitchen items you’ll need before you start making this eggnog cheesecake.
- Food processor – you’ll need a good quality food processor to blitz up your buttery biscuit base
- 9 inch springform cheesecake pan – accept no substitutes for cheesecake recipes! A 9 inch springform pan is the ultimate no bake cheesecake accessory. The springform pan makes it so easy much easier to remove the cheesecake after it has set – you'll end up with a beautiful looking cheesecake, fit for a festive feast
- Kitchen weighing scales – when it comes to making cheesecakes, precision is crucial. Make sure you get your measurements on point by using a proper set of kitchen scales
What to serve with this eggnog dessert
Wine
Enjoy your eggnog cheesecake with a semi or demi-sec dessert wine sparkling. Another fine choice would be Chardonnay.
Of course, you could also keep in the festive spirit and serve a slice of eggnog cheesecake, a hot mug of cocoa, or even a glass of warm mulled wine.
Tea or coffee
You can’t go wrong with a cup of tea and a slice of cheesecake. No-bake cheesecakes also pair perfectly well with iced rooibos tea with raspberries and mint.
Eggnog
If you're an eggnog lover, why not serve this cheesecake with a cup of eggnog?
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Variations to this recipe
- If you want a more plain base, leave out the cinnamon and nutmeg from the biscuit base.
- If, on the other hand, you want to add even more Christmas spice to the base, add a ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves alongside the cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Add some rum extract to the filling for that extra Christmas kick.
Popular substitutions for this recipe
This eggnog cheesecake is perfectly adaptable. Here are a few ideas when it comes to substituting ingredients:
- Digestive biscuits are my recommendation for this biscuit base. They are just such a great all-rounder. However, you can replace them with something similar, and go for a Graham cracker crust, for example, as Graham cracker crumbs are delicious. You can use any biscuits you wish, including Hobnobs, for a fantastic crumb mixture.
- If you're a big fan of ginger biscuits, make your base a gingersnap crust by using gingersnap biscuits instead of digestives.
- If you want a less decadent cheesecake, replace the double cream with sour cream
- Swap cream cheese for mascarpone cheese if you prefer.
- If you can’t get hold of vanilla paste, you can swap it like for like with a splash of vanilla extract.
If a cup of tea isn’t your… well, ‘cup of tea’, then serve this wonderful eggnog cheesecake with your favorite cup of coffee.
Top Tips:
- When it comes to baking no bake cheesecakes, always use full fat cream cheese. The reduced fat version of cream cheese doesn’t hold up as well and won't set properly. It can also sometimes give you a grainy cheesecake mixture.
- Be sure to pack down your biscuit base properly so that it gives you a strong and stable cheesecake foundation. I recommend using the bottom of a large glass or even a coffee tamper to really back down that biscuit base to make it as dense as possible.
- It's important to remove bubbles in the cheesecake filling before chilling it in the fridge. I do this by dropping the tin onto the countertop 5 to 10 times from about 5 inches.
- For the very best results – this is an eggnog cheesecake we're talking about here, so it really does deserve to be the best – allow your cheesecake to set fully in the fridge for about 24 hours. Six hours is a minimum.
- Beat the cream cheese softened. For this, it's best to have cream cheese at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
How do I make sure my cheesecake eggnog sets?
No bake cheesecakes need a little bit of extra love in order to get that beautiful texture. Follow these steps and yours will be amazing!
Leave the cheesecake to set in the fridge for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
Whisk the filling properly. If you under-whisk , you'll have a thin texture and the cheesecake won’t set properly.
Always use full fat cream cheese and leave it out of the fridge for around ½ hour before adding it to your filling.
Do I need gelatin for this recipe?
No, gelatin isn't needed. When whisked properly and left to set in the fridge, your cheesecake mixture will be perfectly thick and luscious, without any need for gelatin.
Does this cheesecake need a water bath?
No. When you place the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan full of water, water baths are only necessary for baked cheesecakes. This is a no-bake cheesecake.
What cream cheese should I use?
Any kind, as long as it's full fat. The reduced-fat kind will give you a filling that’s not thick enough and doesn’t set properly.
Spreadable cream cheese from any good supermarket will be fine.
Why does my cheesecake crust fall apart?
The strength of your biscuit base is down to how dense it is. The density is achieved by packing the crumbs down firmly. First, follow the measurements below, as you want just the right amount of butter to help the biscuit crumbs bind properly.
Use the bottom of a large glass or a coffee tamper to pack those biscuits or cracker crumbs!
What else can I use to decorate an eggnog cheesecake?
Anything, use your imagination! Crushed nuts like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or pistachios. You could even add fruit, like strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.
How many people does this eggnog cheesecake serve?
This size of cheesecake contains servings for between 8 to 12 people.
How do you store eggnog whipped cream cheesecake?
The best way to store your eggnog cheesecake is to chill it in the fridge. Store it in a suitable airtight container. You could use a large cheesecake container or slice up the leftovers and store them in smaller containers.
How long will it last in the fridge?
Eggnog cheesecake will stay fresh for 2 to 3 days when you store it in an airtight container or covered with aluminum foil in the fridge. Just try keeping it for that long!
Can you leave it at room temperature?
No. Dairy products should be kept in the fridge and shouldn’t be left out of the fridge for more than two hours. You can leave it out for half an hour if you don’t want it fully chilled, but don’t leave it for more than 2 hours.
Can I freeze this recipe?
You can freeze eggnog cheesecake, although you will certainly lose a bit of texture. My advice is to store it in the fridge and eat it within 3 days.
If you do decide to freeze your eggnog cheesecake, slice it up first. Then flash freeze the slices on a baking tray. This involves freezing them for 30 minutes to an hour, then storing them together in the same container.
Eggnog cheesecake will store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How do I thaw cheesecake?
Defrost in the fridge overnight, to minimize the impact on the taste and texture.
Can this recipe be scaled?
No, this recipe can’t be scaled. The measurements are precise and are specific to the size of the cheesecake tin.
Can this recipe be made in advance?
Yes it can. You can make this eggnog cheesecake up to 2 days in advance. However, it’s best to leave the home run stage, the decorating stage, until you’re ready to serve it.
More Christmas dessert recipes
If you can't get enough of sweet holiday dessert Christmas recipes, you're going to love these!
- Christmas pavlova wreath – make this the centerpiece to your festive feast!
- White chocolate yule log – so beautiful and so incredibly delicious
- Eggnog ice cream – if you're an eggnog lover, you won't want to miss this one
- Chocolate flapjacks – the perfect Christmas sweet treat
- Chocolate cheerio baubles – these little treats double as Christmas decorations!
- Chocolate fairy cakes with Amarula buttercream – each cake is utter heaven!
📖 Recipe
No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A tasty way to finish off your Christmas dinner. This eggnog cheesecake is set in the fridge so there's no baking needed for this creamy dessert.
Ingredients
Base
- 14 oz digestive biscuits
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter
Eggnog Crème Pâtissière
- 2 cups eggnog
- 3 eggs, separated
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp milk
Filling
- 1 ½ cups cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- ¾ cup icing sugar
- 1 ½ cups double cream
To decorate
- ½ cup heavy (double) cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- For the Biscuit Base: Blitz the biscuits, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a food processor until a crumb is formed.
- Pour the melted butter in while the machine is running.
- Spoon the mixture into the base of a 23cm (9in) springform cake tin level with the back of a spoon and compact with the bottom of a glass.
- Place in the fridge to set.
- For the eggnog crème pâtissière: Place a large pan over a medium-low heat. Pour in the eggnog and heat until steam rises from the eggnog.
- Once the eggnog has reached the desired temperature, remove it from the heat. Whisk through the egg yolks one at a time until they are fully incorporated. Return to the heat.
- Make a cornflour slurry by whisking the cornflour and the milk together until they resemble a paste.
- Whisk the slurry into the eggnog and continue to whisk it until it thickens and starts to resemble a creme pâtissière (thick custard).
- Once this is achieved, remove the pan from the heat, place it in cold water, and whisk until the mixture has cooled. Set aside.
- For the cheesecake filling, place your cream cheese and vanilla paste in your mixing bowl, then whisk till smooth.
- While still whisking, add a tablespoon of icing sugar until everything is incorporated.
- Add the eggnog creme pâtissière and combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until you achieve soft peaks, and then fold through the rest of the filling.
- Remove the base from the fridge and pour the filling over the top, then gently drop the tin onto the kitchen counter a few times to let any bubbles out.
- Place the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 6 hours or best results overnight.
- To remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, use a cloth that you have run under hot water or, as I do, get a blow torch and slightly heat the sides until loose. Remove the side and base and smooth the edge with a pallet knife you have held under warm water.
- To decorate: Place the heavy (double) cream, icing sugar, and vanilla paste into a bowl and whisk until you achieve a soft peak consistency.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag decorate as you so desire, and sprinkle over the cinnamon. Use our pictures for inspiration.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- I have deliberately tried to steer away from using gelatin but if you wish to do so you can skip making the creme patisserie and just add the eggnog and around 8 gelatin sheets to the cheesecake
- You can use any biscuits you wish for the base. I used Hobnobs as they remind me of Christmas and Thanksgiving. Graham Crackers will work too.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Chill
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 521
- Sugar: 20.4 g
- Sodium: 568.4 mg
- Fat: 37.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 21.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 38.3 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 8.2 g
- Cholesterol: 141.1 mg
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