Eggnog Cheesecake! Rich, creamy cheesecake scented with nutmeg and spiked with a healthy dose of (optional) Bourbon. A gingersnap crust and whipped cream topping finish this luscious dessert.

If you love a cup of creamy-boozy eggnog, you’ll definitely love the flavor of this creamy boozy cheesecake. If you prefer your eggnog alcohol-free, simply omit the booze.

It’s a very easy cake to mix and bake. You just have to work at least a day ahead to give the cake time to set in the refrigerator.

This Eggnog Cheesecake is a perfect dessert for the holidays. You might also want to try making Eggnog Panna Cotta or Eggnog Macarons.

Ingredients for Eggnog Cheesecake:

Ingredient Notes:

Gingersnaps: Use packaged or homemade gingersnaps.
Cream Cheese: I use Philadelphia brand cream cheese.
Bourbon: Any brown liquor can be used. Rum or brandy would be a good alternative to bourbon. For an alcohol-free cake you can simply eliminate the liquor.
Nutmeg: Freshly grated nutmeg is more fragrant than pre-ground nutmeg. If using pre-ground, taste the batter and add more nutmeg as needed.

How to make Eggnog Cheesecake:

gingersnaps and sugar in a food processor. Melted butter poured over ground gingersnaps.

Grind the gingersnaps and sugar in a food processor.
Add the melted butter and pulse to combine.

Gingersnaps crumbs in a cake pan. Patting gingersnaps crumbs into a pan with a tenderizer.

Pour the gingersnap crumbs into a 9″ cake pan or springform pan.
Pat the crumbs into an even layer. Bake until browned and fragrant.

Cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl. Adding cream to batter. Adding bourbon to batter. Adding eggs to batter.

Mix the cream cheese and sugar until combined.
Add the heavy cream.
Add the bourbon, vanilla and nutmeg.
Add the eggs and mix on low speed until combined.

A cake pan in a larger pan and water pouring between the pans. A baked cheesecake.

Place the cheesecake pan into a slightly larger pan and pour water to come halfway up the side of the cake pan.
Bake the cheesecake for about 11/4 hours. Cool to room temperature then chill until firm.

an upside down cake pan and a blow torch.

Use a blow torch or a bowl of hot water to warm the sides of the cake pan.
Run a knife around the cake then flip it out of the pan. Flip the cake back over onto a serving plate.
Top the cake with whipped cream and nutmeg.

Pastry Chef tips for making perfect cheesecake:

To avoid lumps of cream cheese in the batter, make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature before mixing. Thoroughly scrape the bowl and beater after mixing the cheese and sugar and after each addition of eggs to the batter.
Do not mix the batter on high speed, especially after the eggs are added. Over mixing aerates the batter, causing it to puff up and crack as it bakes.
If you use a springform pan wrap the pan in foil so water doesn’t leak into the pan.
Do not use the convection setting of your oven. Convection baking is not good for custards.
Remove the cake from the oven when the center 3″ or so still “jiggles” when you tap the pan. It will continue cooking as it cools.
When the cake comes out of the oven run a paring knife around the top edge of the cake to separate it from the pan. This will help prevent cracking as the cake cools .
Chill the cake completely in the refrigerator before unmolding. As long as the cake is completely chilled it will be firm enough to flip out of a regular cake pan without cracking.

How to work ahead:

Cheesecake can be baked and refrigerated 3-4 days before serving. The cake can be frozen for up to a month. Wrap in a double layer of plastic before freezing.
Add the whipped cream topping within 8 hours of serving.

Tips for storing Eggnog Cheesecake:

Cheesecake can be held for 2-3 hours at cool room temperature.
The cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Individual slices of leftover cheesecake can be frozen for up to a month.

More Cheesecake Recipes

If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a star rating and a quick comment. Ratings and comments help my recipes show in search results. Thanks!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 reviews

Eggnog Cheesecake Recipe

By: Eileen Gray

Rich, creamy cheesecake scented with nutmeg and spiked with a healthy dose of Bourbon. Gingersnap crust and whipped cream topping finish the cake.

Prep Time30

Bake Time1 15

Chilling Time6

Total Time8 15

18 servings

Save Recipe

Ingredients

Graham Crust

8 oz ginger snaps
2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
1 oz unsalted butter (melted)

Cheesecake Batter

24 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
12 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
6 oz heavy cream (¾ cup)
2 oz Bourbon (¼ cup)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon nutmeg ((see note))
5 large eggs (room temperature)

Finish

8 oz heavy cream (1 cup)
2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
nutmeg

Instructions

Crust

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line the bottom of a 9"x3" round cake pan with a parchment round. If you're using a springform pan, wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil.
Combine the gingersnaps and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Grind the cookies to a powder. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until fragrant and browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven to 325°F.
8 oz ginger snaps, 1 oz unsalted butter, 2 oz granulated sugar

Batter

In a mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese & sugar and mix until well combined. Scrape the bowl and mixer attachment to make sure there are no lumps of cream cheese.
24 oz cream cheese, 12 oz granulated sugar
With the mixer running on low, slowly add the heavy cream, Bourbon, vanilla and nutmeg. Scrape the bowl and paddle attachment to make sure there are no lumps. With the mixer running on low add the eggs in 2 batches. Scrape the bowl and paddle attachment between additions. Pour batter into the pan.
6 oz heavy cream, 2 oz Bourbon, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 5 large eggs, ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
Set the pan into a slightly larger pan. Pour warm water between the cheesecake pan and the larger pan until it comes halfway up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is mostly set, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The center of the cheesecake will still jiggle a bit. Set on a rack to cool. Carefully run a small paring knife or spatula around the top edge of the cake to separate it from the pan.
Refrigerate several hours or overnight until completely firm.

Assembly

To remove the cheesecake from the pan, dip the bottom of the pan in a bowl of very hot water. Run a knife or spatula around the sides of the cake and flip it out onto a flat plate or cake board then flip right side up onto the serving platter. Refrigerate the cake while you prepare the topping. If you have a blowtorch you can use that to warm the bottom and sides of the cake pan then flip the cake out of the pan.
Whip the cream with the confectioner sugar, bourbon and vanilla to full peak.
8 oz heavy cream, 2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar, 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator. Ice the top of the cake with the cream. Lightly sprinkle the top of the cake with nutmeg. Refrigerate until serving.
nutmeg