Gingerbread Cheesecake is fun and festive and full of warm holiday flavors that are the perfect ending to your favorite holiday meal compliments of our Pastry Chef from the Cannery Restaurant at the Pillar & Post.
Gingerbread Cheesecake
Serves: 14 – 16 People
Ingredients:
1 package Gingerbread cookies
4 tbsp unsalted Butter, melted
1 1/3 cup granulated Sugar
2 lbs Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 tsp Vanilla extract
4 large Eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup Molasses
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground Cloves
1/2 tsp finely grated Lemon zest
Method:
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Combine butter, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 cups of cookie crumbs in a bowl.
- Press mixture firmly and evenly into bottom and one-third of the way up sides of prepared spring form pan.
- Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
- Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in remaining 1 ½ cups of sugar and the vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in molasses, salt, spices, and lemon zest. Pour filling into cooled crust.
- Bake until cheesecake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, 60-90 minutes. Carefully remove spring form pan, and let cool on a wire rack.
- Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 8 hours.
- Before serving, run a hot knife around edges of cheesecake to loosen, and remove sides of pan.
Happy Holidays!