Mini gingerbread cheesecakes are rich and creamy, filled with warm spices in a buttery Biscoff cookie crust. These festive cheesecake bites are baked in a muffin pan so they’re just the right size for passing around at holiday parties! Top them with whipped cream and mini gingerbread men cookies.
I love making miniature versions of my favorite homemade cheesecake recipes, from mini Oreo cheesecakes to mini pumpkin cheesecakes.
This post is sponsored by American Dairy Association Mideast. All opinions are my own.
These mini gingerbread cheesecake bites are a festive version of my original mini cheesecakes. If you loved my no-bake gingerbread cheesecake and are craving the smell of cinnamon, molasses, and nutmeg in the kitchen, you’ll love this easy Christmas dessert! Mini cheesecakes are perfect when you want to enjoy a seasonal treat, and still save room for Christmas sugar cookies.
I added a mini gingerbread man cookie on top of my cheesecakes. You can always top your cheesecakes with any Biscoff cookies leftover from the crust, too. The rich gingerbread cheesecake filling is made extra creamy with sour cream and full-fat cream cheese.
Speaking of, can I take a minute and acknowledge the farming industry, particularly the dairy farmers? In Ohio and West Virginia, dairy farm families raise more than 268,000 dairy cows on about 2,200 dairy farms. The milk makes it from these dairy farms to your fridge in as little as 48 hours.
It goes without saying that between my toddler and my baking, we go through so much milk, but also dairy foods like heavy cream, cream cheese, yogurt, and plenty of snacking cheese! After visiting a couple of dairy farms a few years ago, I think it’s unbelievable what these generational dairy farms can do.
What I Love About These Mini Gingerbread Cheesecakes
- Easy to serve, guests can help themselves. There’s no slicing, plates, or cutlery needed.
- Perfect for dessert boards and grazing tables. Why choose one Christmas dessert when you can have a few?
- Foolproof recipe. Make the gingerbread cheesecake batter in one bowl!
- No water bath. These bake in a muffin tin, so there’s no need to fuss with a traditional water bath. Mini cheesecakes also have a quick cooking time since they’re a lot smaller than a classic cheesecake.
- Great to make ahead. Bake these in advance and take them to cookie swaps and family gatherings.
Ingredient Notes
Here is a glance at the important ingredients in this gingerbread cheesecake recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full ingredients list with measurements.
- Biscoff Cookies – The Biscoff cookie crust is prepared the same way as my graham cracker crust, by combining the cookie crumbs with melted butter. If needed, you can substitute Biscoff cookies for graham crackers or ginger snaps.
- Full-fat Cream Cheese – Brought to room temperature. Full-fat cream cheese is always best for cheesecake, as its higher fat content yields a creamier texture.
- Sour Cream – This should also be at room temperature. Generally, I use full-fat sour cream. Plain or Greek yogurt is a good substitute.
- Molasses and Brown Sugar – Brings out the molasses cookie flavors in these gingerbread cheesecakes. I recommend light or dark molasses, but not blackstrap molasses, as it tends to be quite bitter. You could use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar, a pinch.
- Spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg are classic gingerbread spices. You could add ginger, allspice, or cloves if you’d like.
How to Make Mini Gingerbread Cheesecakes, Step-By-Step
Gather your ingredients and follow the steps below to prepare and bake these creamy gingerbread cheesecakes in a muffin pan.
- Prepare for baking. While the oven preheats to 350°F, line a muffin pan with baking liners.
- Make the crust. Grind the cookies into fine crumbs and combine the crumbs with melted butter. If the mixture still seems dry, you can add more butter as needed. I included a note in the recipe card. Afterward, spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the crust mixture into each cupcake liner. Press the crust tightly into the bottom of the liner with a spoon. Set aside.
- Mix the cheesecake filling. Now, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and spices until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. I find it helpful to cut the cream cheese into cubes first to make them easier to mix. Next, mix in the sour cream, molasses, and vanilla. Add the eggs, beating until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Fill the pan. Divide the cheesecake filling between the prepared crusts using a large cookie scoop or a ¼ cup measure. A heaping cooking scoop should fill the liners nearly full, leaving about ¼-inch at the top.
Bake, Cool, and Decorate the Mini Cheesecakes
Once you’ve assembled your mini gingerbread cheesecakes in the pan, it’s time to bake and then get them ready for serving:
- Bake. These mini cheesecakes only need about 15-18 minutes in the oven at 350ºF. The centers of the cheesecake should be slightly jiggly.
- Cool. After baking, remove the cheesecakes from the oven and cool them completely in the pan. Finally, refrigerate them for at least 2 hours before adding the toppings and serving.
- Add toppings. These are topped with my favorite whipped cream. For the best whipped cream, chill the bowl and mixer in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, so it’s nice and cold. I topped each gingerbread cheesecake with a gingerbread man cookie since I was already making them for the holidays, but leftover Biscoff cookies also work, or even a sprinkle of cookie crumbs.
Tips for the Best Mini Cheesecakes
- Cool them in the pan. The gingerbread cheesecake should be mostly set with a slight jiggle in the center when it comes out of the oven. The mini cheesecakes will continue to set up as the cool down. Leave them in the pan until they’re cooled to room temperature.
- Line the pan. Cupcake liners make it super easy to remove the cheesecakes from the muffin pan afterward.
- Don’t overmix. Overmixing can result in a cracked cheesecake. But don’t worry, if your mini gingerbread cheesecakes do crack a little, you can cover up the cracks with whipped cream!
- Chill the cheesecakes before serving. Once cool, refrigerate these mini cheesecakes for at least 2 hours before you serve them. I also recommend leaving off garnishes like whipped cream and cookies until it’s time to eat.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- Make-ahead and refrigerate. These can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Make sure the cheesecakes are completely cool before placing them inside the container to avoid a soggy crust. I always recommend adding the topping the day you plan to serve.
- Freeze. Fully chill the gingerbread cheesecakes before freezing. Then, transfer them to an airtight container to freeze for up to one month. Thaw the cheesecakes overnight in the refrigerator and add the toppings before serving.
More Christmas Dessert Ideas
For more information about dairy nutrition, to find delicious new recipes and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit Drink-Milk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Print
Mini Gingerbread Cheesecake Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 46 minutes
- Yield: 15-16 servings
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These mini gingerbread cheesecakes are flavored with warm spices and molasses, with a buttery Biscoff cookie crust. They’re a festive and easy holiday dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (186g) Biscoff cookie crumbs
- 3–4 tablespoons (43-56g) unsalted butter, melted
- 16 ounces (452g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (95g) light brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) molasses
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
For the Toppings (optional):
- 1 cup (236ml) heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup (65g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with baking liners.
- Grind the Biscoff cookies into a fine crumb using a food processor or blender.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with 3 tablespoons of the melted butter and stir until well combined. If the mixture still seems dry, add an additional tablespoon.
- Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the crust mixture into each cupcake liner and press into the pan with a spoon. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, spices and vanilla extract until well combined and free of any lumps, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Next beat in the sour cream and molasses until well combined. Then add the eggs, beating until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Use a large cookie scoop (or ¼ cup measuring cup) to spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners. A heaping cooking scoop should fill the liners nearly full, leaving about ¼-inch at the top.
- Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes. The centers of the cheesecake should be slightly jiggly. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan.Then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours prior to serving. Keep stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Add toppings prior to serving.
- For the topping: Prepare the whipped cream. Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon onto chilled cheesecakes and top with a cookie.
Notes
- Biscoff cookies can be swapped for graham crackers or gingersnaps. 25-26 Biscoff cookies will give you 1 ½ cups of crumbs. Since the crumb and texture of cookies can vary, I’ve suggested 3-4 tablespoons of butter. If after adding 3 tablespoons of butter your crust seems dry, add an additional tablespoon
Just about to make these sound delicious how long do they keep for?
They are best within 3 days but will keep up to 7 days in the fridge. You can also freeze any leftovers for up to 2 months.
These taste amazing!
Love to hear that Lorie! Thank you!
Hi, does the powdered sugar and the whipped cream at as a stabilizer so the whipped cream keeps the shape? Or should I find another way to make stabilize whipped cream if I’m not gonna be serving for an hour or two
Hi Steve, yes the powdered sugar is to stabalize the whipped cream. It will be fine in the fridge as long as it’s properly whipped to stiff peaks.
These look amazing. I’m going to make these in mini cupcake tins, instead of regular sized, for cute tea party bites. How much do you think I should reduce the cook time?
Hard to say for sure, but try around 8 minutes and see how the centers look
These were so easy to make & were delicious, great Christmas time dessert!
Thank you so much Kim! I am so happy to hear that!
I don’t see any ginger in the ingredients. Shouldn’t there be some ginger powder included for this recipe?
Ah yes! Thank you Denise, It’s updated