These adorable mini gingerbread cheesecakes combine two holiday favorites into perfect, personal-sized treats. Nestled in a spiced gingersnap crust with a rich and creamy cheesecake filling, they’re the perfect Christmas treat!
What makes these mini cheesecakes special is how they combine the classic spiciness of gingerbread with the rich, tangy smoothness of cheesecake. The gingersnap cookie crust adds the perfect amount of crunch while the filling stays impossibly creamy.
I love that they are already portioned for serving! Mini desserts are ideal for the holidays—they ensure everyone gets a taste of everything without feeling like they have completely overindulged. These are a perfectly poppable two-bite size!
Since you bake these in muffin tins, you don’t have to worry about special pans or equipment. So, if you’ve shied away from making homemade cheesecake before, these minis are the perfect place to start.
The small size means no fussy water bath, and if they crack on top, you can easily cover them with whipped cream. Plus, they’re ideal for holiday parties since your guests can grab and go.
Let me show you how to whip up these festive bites that’ll have everyone reaching for seconds. I’ll walk you through each step and add all my best tips! These little bites of joy will become your newest holiday tradition.
Are you looking for more fun holiday desserts? Try peppermint bark crackers, hot chocolate cupcakes, and peppermint Oreo truffles for more easy treats.
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🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Gingersnap cookies: These are the backbone of our crust and topping.
- Sugar
- Butter
- Cream cheese: Make sure it’s at room temperature before you start.
- Eggs
- Spices: You need cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground allspice.
- Powdered sugar
- Molasses: This is the ingredient that really brings home that gingerbread flavor.
- Heavy cream
- Gingerbread men: These are optional for decorating the cheesecakes.
🥣How to Make Mini Gingerbread Cheesecakes
- These mini cheesecakes are baked in a muffin tin. To make them easy to serve, add cupcake liners to the tin.
- First, we’re making our gingersnap crust. Crush the cookies, mix the crumbs with sugar and melted butter, and press into your cupcake liners.
- Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, spices, sugar, and molasses, mixing it all together until creamy.
- Pour your cheesecake mixture into the crusts and bake at 350 degrees F for 13-15 minutes. They are done when the middle is just set.
- Let them cool on the counter for a few minutes, then put them in the fridge for 5 hours.
- Make some homemade whipped cream by whipping heavy cream and powdered sugar for about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Top your mini cheesecakes with whipped cream. Add crushed gingersnap cookies or gingerbread men on top for decoration.
🍴Serving Ideas
These mini gingerbread cheesecakes are delicious right out of the fridge. But a little extra never hurts!
My favorite way to serve them is to break up some gingersnaps and sprinkle them on top. It’s quick, it’s easy, and I have leftover gingersnaps from making the crust anyway.
But a more adorable option is to make (or buy) some gingerbread men. Cut them in half and stick the top half in the whipped cream so it looks like your gingerbread man is in the cheesecake. Kids love this, and it is pretty cute.
You can also sprinkle pecans, cinnamon, or crystalized ginger on top of the cheesecakes. You don’t have to make a lot of effort to make these a huge holiday hit!
💭How to Store
Store the cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep well for 3-4 days. If possible, store the cheesecakes and toppings separately. Add the whipped cream and decorations just before serving for the freshest look and taste.
You can also freeze these mini cheesecakes. Wrap each cheesecake individually in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe container or bag. This double protection keeps the freezer burn at bay.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you start mixing. Lumpy cheesecake is not a good look!
- Letting these chill properly in the fridge is crucial for that perfect texture. I like to make them the night before – it’s one less thing to worry about on party day.
- Remember, baking should be fun. If your cheesecakes crack a little, who cares? They’ll still taste amazing, and you can always cover it up with more whipped cream.
- Speaking of whipped cream, while I make homemade, feel free to grab some store-bought, especially if you are serving these for a party. It’s one less thing to deal with at the last minute.
- Graham crackers work great as a substitute if you don’t have gingersnaps. To amp up the gingerbread flavor, add an extra teaspoon of ground ginger to the crust mixture.
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Mini Gingerbread Cheesecakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 10-12 ginger snap cookies crushed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
For serving
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 6-12 ginger snaps crushed into bigger pieces
- 6-12 gingerbread men cookies optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Crush the gingersnap cookies in a food processor until they are very fine.10-12 ginger snap cookies
- Add the sugar and melted butter to the food processor and mix together. Scoop a tablespoon of the crust in each liner. Spread evenly and press down using a spoon or your fingers.1 tablespoon sugar, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Put the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, cinnamon, ground clove, ginger, allspice seasoning, powdered sugar, and molasses, and mix again until smooth.8 ounces cream cheese, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 egg
- Scoop the mixture into the cupcake liners. Fill them to about 1/4 of an inch from the top. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the middle is slightly jiggly or not moving.
- Let them sit on the counter for a few minutes. Then place them in the fridge for 5 hours or overnight.
- Take the cheesecakes out of the liners and set them on a tray.
- Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until you get whipped cream, about 5 minutes. Scoop out into a piping bag or ziplock bag, snip the end off, and pipe on the tops of the cheesecakes.1 cup heavy cream, 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Cut a gingerbread man in half for the topping and place it in the middle of the whipped cream. You can also crush up leftover ginger snaps and sprinkle them all over the tops of the mini cheesecake.6-12 ginger snaps, 6-12 gingerbread men cookies
Notes
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you start mixing so your cheesecake isn’t lumpy!
- Letting these chill properly in the fridge is crucial for that perfect texture. I like to make them the night before – it’s one less thing to worry about on party day.
- If your cheesecakes crack a little, who cares? They’ll still taste amazing, and you can always cover it up with more whipped cream.
- Speaking of whipped cream, while I make homemade, feel free to grab some store-bought, especially if you are serving these for a party. It’s one less thing to deal with at the last minute.
- Graham crackers work great as a substitute if you don’t have gingersnaps. To amp up the gingerbread flavor, add an extra teaspoon of ground ginger to the crust mixture.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
