Eggnog Cheesecake
Flavorful and festive, this eggnog dessert recipe has a creamy filling and sweetly spiced cookie crust beneath swoops of homemade whipped topping.
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 853
- Total Fat
- 63 g
- Saturated Fat
- 37 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Cholesterol
- 249 mg
- Sodium
- 423 mg
Article by Emily Saladino
This rich, creamy eggnog cheesecake recipe makes every table merry and bright. A make-ahead marvel, the delicately spiced filling and irresistible cookie crust are prepared eight hours or more in advance. Thanks to a pro-tip from Food Network Kitchen’s recipe developers, the tangy whipped topping holds its shape perfectly, too.
How to Make Eggnog Cheesecake Like a Pro
Making a holiday cake with eggnog is foolproof thanks to these expert tips from Food Network Kitchen.
Bring the eggs and cream cheese to room temperature. Using room-temperature ingredients helps this cake with eggnog bake faster and more evenly. Take them out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes in advance.
Whisk—don’t beat—the eggs. Our recipe testers find that whisking the eggs by hand in a separate bowl before gently folding them into the batter prevents the dessert with eggnog from puffing and cracking in the oven.
Customize the spices. Freshly grated nutmeg makes a big difference, the Food Network Kitchen team says. But you can use ground or personalize this recipe for eggnog cheesecake by adjusting the ratio of nutmeg to cinnamon or adding a pinch of allspice.
Homemade eggnog makes a difference. The Food Network Kitchen team’s easy eggnog recipe uses pantry ingredients to develop rich, layered flavors. The splash of rum or brandy is optional but recommended.
The water bath is crucial. Setting the foil-wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan surrounded by boiling water distributes heat gently, so the eggnog cheesecake bakes up silky smooth.
Use speculoos cookies. The Food Network Kitchen team tested graham crackers and gingersnaps before landing on speculoos cookies for the crust. The cookies have warming spices and festive holidays flavor that balance rather than overwhelm the eggnog cheesecake filling.
Set the whipped cream. To keep the homemade whipped cream topping fluffy and flavorful, our recipe developers incorporate a small amount of room-temperature cream cheese and sweeten it with confectioner’s sugar, which contains cornstarch to stabilize it.
Other Eggnog Dessert Recipes
Some of Food Network Kitchen’s expertly tested recipes for eggnog desserts include:
Eggnog Cutouts. A simple sugar cookie dough and spiced glaze put all the flavor of eggnog in the palm of your hand.
Eggnog Whoopie Pies. Filled with an easy buttercream, these sandwich cookies are fun to decorate with sprinkles, edible glitter, and more.
Eggnog Meringue Cake. This elegant dessert sandwiches buttery white chocolate filling between layers of spiced cake, and tops it with crunchy toasted almonds.
Lime-Eggnog Gelatin Mold. Fans of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation might recognize this treat that combines tangy citrus Jell-O with creamy, Griswald-style eggnog.
Eggnog Cheesecake
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 12 hr 15 min (includes chilling, cooling and resting times)
- Active: 45 min
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 853
- Total Fat
- 63 g
- Saturated Fat
- 37 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Cholesterol
- 249 mg
- Sodium
- 423 mg
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 12 hr 15 min (includes chilling, cooling and resting times)
- Active: 45 min
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 853
- Total Fat
- 63 g
- Saturated Fat
- 37 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Cholesterol
- 249 mg
- Sodium
- 423 mg
Ingredients
Crust:
Filling:
Topping:
Directions
- For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Brush the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with a little of the melted butter.
- Pulse the cookies and salt in a food processor until very finely ground. Add the remaining melted butter and pulse until it resembles wet sand. Press the cookie mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake until dry on top, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely. Place the pan on a large sheet of foil and wrap up the sides. Place in a roasting pan.
- For the filling: Place 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese in a small bowl and reserve for the topping; cover and refrigerate. Put the remaining cream cheese in a stand mixer bowl, add the granulated sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon and beat on medium speed until very smooth with no lumps, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the heavy cream until combined. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and brandy, if using, and beat until combined.
- Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Whisk together the whole eggs and yolks in a medium bowl, then add to the mixer bowl, using a rubber spatula to mix the eggs into the cream cheese mixture until combined (avoid overmixing). Pour the batter evenly over the crust and smooth the top. Place the roasting pan in the oven and carefully pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the foil-wrapped springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cake is set but the center 3 inches is still slightly loose, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake to a cooling rack. Run a paring knife around the edge and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 8 hours to chill completely.
- For the topping: Bring the reserved 2 tablespoons cream cheese to room temperature. (If in a hurry, microwave the cream cheese until softened, about 10 seconds.)
- Whisk the confectioner’s sugar and cream cheese in a stand mixer bowl until combined and smooth. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the heavy cream. Increase the speed to medium high and whisk to firm peaks, about 2 minutes. Fold in the vanilla and brandy, if using, with a rubber spatula.
- Remove the springform ring from the cake and transfer to a serving platter. Spread with the whipped cream topping and grate over plenty of fresh nutmeg.
