Gingerbread Cheesecake is creamy and tangy and full of warm holiday flavors that is the perfect ending to your favorite holiday meal.
When McCormick® reached out to me to work together in creating a holiday recipe using some of their most amazing baking spices I was thrilled because I am obsessed with all things gingerbread and all things holidays! For proof check out my Gingerbread Cookies, Gingerbread Pancakes and Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip from last year, I am a lover of all things gingerbread. 
Flavors are memories to me. Aside from the gingerbread cake my grandmother used to make for us when we were kids the scent of these spices bring back memories of french toasts, German chocolate covered holiday cookies, pies and all the holiday seasons filled with goodies as a kid.
It all came flooding back into my head as I was baking this Gingerbread Cheesecake and the smell of these iconic flavors like McCormick Ground Cinnamon and McCormick Ground Nutmeg were wafting through the kitchen. 
- Sometimes I make double the crust and put half on the bottom as described in the recipe and the other half through the middle of the batter layer for a delicious spiced ribbon of buttery cookies. Since it is in the middle it won’t bake crisp, it will be like cookie butter.
- To get the perfect top with no cracking at all, make sure you are using a water bath. To be clear about how to do it, you’re going to need a sheet of foil that is wider than your cheesecake pan, I find extra wide foil works perfectly on this. Then put the cheesecake pan in the middle of the sheet and press the sides of it up the outside of the pan. Put the pan in a larger pan and fill that outside pan with an inch of hot water. This controls how the heat cooks the cheesecake and now with the water bath it will cook it evenly for you. Cracked Gingerbread Cheesecake risk averted!
- Top the Gingerbread Cheesecake with mini gingerbread men. I use graham crackers and spices here on purpose because you can mimic the gingerbread flavor with all the same spices in the cheesecake so there is no need to waste delicious gingerbread cookies on the crust. But that doesn’t mean they can’t get used as decorations on top or even grated over the top instead of a dusting of spice.
- To slice the perfect slice of cheesecake make sure you have chilled it all the way through. Even better? Put it in the freezer 1-2 hours before serving and then slice for perfect slices.
Gingerbread Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham crackers
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Ground Ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 cup butter , melted
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese , room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons McCormick Ground Ginger
- 2 teaspoons McCormick Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon McCormick Ground Nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Ground Cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Wrap the outside of your springform pan in foil for a water bath.
In a food processor add the graham crackers, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter and process for 15-20 seconds or until all the ingredients have a fine moist crumb.
- Add them to the bottom of the springform pan and press up the sides of the pan about an inch.
- In a stand mixer add the cream cheese and beat until fluffy.
- Add in the brown sugar and beat until fully combined, then add in the vanilla and the eggs one at a time.
- Add the molasses, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves on medium speed until fully combined.
- Pour into the springform pan, place the pan into a larger pan and fill the outer pan with an inch of hot water.
Bake in a water bath for 60 minutes.
- When done baking turn the oven off and remove the pan from the water bath and just leave it in the oven to cool gently.
Refrigerate for 6-8 hours or until fully chilled before serving.
- Serve with whipped cream dusted with cinnamon.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of McCormick®.
I am celiac and i make gluten free gingerbread and i used those as the crust and the family loved it.
Thanks for the feedback, Jan.
Wow, this was so good. Very gingerbread-y flavor, and the top didn’t crack! Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Sonya.
Can you make this with ginger cookies instead of Graham crackers for more of a gingerbread taste?
I haven’t tried it but it sounds like a delicious idea!
Just made this today , smells like heaven!
It is for Christmas day ( today is sunday and xmas is wednesday ! Should I freeze it or fridge ! Thanks
I would freeze it. Enjoy!
My friend made this for Thanksgiving! She use cinnamon graham crackers to make the crust (great idea). It was so good I ate some for breakfast.
That does sound fantastic!
Sounds delicious. Thanks for the water bath tip. I have a wonderful recipe for New Yrok style cheesecake, but i have only been able to make it once without it cracking. How long do you cool this cheesecake in the oven and do you leave the door slightly open or fully closed?
Crack it open a few inches and let it cool for a couple hours, more than that is unnecessary. I like to let it cool to room temperature before it goes in the fridge, so even once it comes out of the oven make sure it is not warm at all before it goes in the oven. This is playing it a little loose with how long it sits out, but it should only take another 20 minutes tops. Then refrigerate until fully chilled. I hope you love this recipe!
I made this for a ladies Christmas lunch, and it was enjoyed by all.
Sp glad to hear, Patty! Thanks for the 5 stars.
For many years I have tried recipes trying to reproduce a pumpkin cheese cake that I had at Falling Water’s small restaurant in western PA. I found it this year!!! It’s Betty Crocker’s Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake. It has two layers – the top one is pumpkin, the bottom cream cheese cake, and a gingersnap crust!
You could use the gingersnap crust instead of creating the one in this recipe. It’s just 2 cups of gingersnap crumbs and 1/4 c. of melted butter – great crust and so easy.
Thanks for the tip!
Can you leave the molasses out? I don’t have any
No, I’m sorry but you really need molasses for this recipe.
What size springform pan for this recipe? I have a 10″ but don’t know if that will affect the cooking time. I am planning on making this to bring to a Christmas dinner. Thank you.
I used a 9 inch springform pan. It might take a little less time because it’s a little thinner in a 10 inch.
Looks like I can adapt the crust for my 23 year old daughter who cannot eat gluten. Years ago she loved eating ginger bread and my molasses spice ginger cookies. I have a feeling this will bring back happy flavor memories of the past.
That’s so sweet of you!
Would you be able to make these as individual cheesecakes in a muffin pan?
Yes, bake 25-30 minutes 🙂
Do you not have to pre-bake the crust before adding the filling?
No, it all gets baked at the same time. Enjoy!