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Individual gingerbread cheesecakes topped with whipped cream on a blue surface.
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5 from 1 vote

Mini Gingerbread Cheesecakes

Mini gingerbread cheesecakes pair ultra-creamy spiced cheesecake with a pecan and graham cracker crust for a festive and indulgent holiday treat that's picture perfect when topped with gingersnap crumbs, whipped cream, and a dusting of nutmeg.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Cooling & Chilling Time3 hours 20 minutes
Total Time4 hours 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 191kcal

Equipment

  • 1 standard muffin pan
  • 12 muffin liners
  • 1 food processor
  • 1 electric hand mixer

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 3 ounces graham crackers (about 6 full graham cracker sheets)
  • ¼ cup pecans
  • 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake:

  • 12 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons plus 2 tsp. sour cream, room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons plus 2 tsp. heavy cream, room temperature
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon molasses
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

Topping:

  • 2 ounces gingersnap cookies (about 8 cookies)
  • cup heavy cream, chilled
  • 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
  • ground nutmeg, for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Place 12 muffin liners into a standard muffin pan and set aside.

Make the crust.

  • Add graham crackers, pecans, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until there are fine crumbs with no large chunks remaining.
  • Add melted butter and pulse until combined and the crumbs begin to stick together.
  • Divide the crust among the 12 muffin liners and press the crumbs into a solid crust using the back of a spoon. 
  • Bake the crusts for 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven down to 325°F. Let the crusts cool while you prepare the cheesecake.

Make the cheesecake.

  • In a large bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, sugar, molasses, cornstarch, spices, and salt. Using an electric handheld mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla and beat until combined.
  • Add egg and yolk and beat on low speed just until combined.
  • Spoon cheesecake onto the crusts so that muffin liners are ¾ filled. (You'll use about 2.5 Tablespoons of cheesecake per liner, and you may have a little bit of cheesecake leftover.)
  • Return the pan to the 325°F oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges of each cheesecake are set but the centers still wobble slightly when you jiggle the pan. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecakes sit in the warm oven with the door closed for 10 minutes. Then crack the oven door open and let the cheesecakes sit for another 10 minutes. Next transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the cheesecakes to cool completely (about 1 hour). Finally, transfer the pan to the fridge and chill the cheesecakes for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Garnish the cheesecakes.

  • Once the cheesecakes have cooled, remove the cheesecakes from the muffin liners and prepare the toppings.
  • Add gingersnap cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they become small crumbs.
  • Spoon cookie crumbs onto the top of each cheesecake.
  • In a large bowl, add heavy cream and confectioners' sugar. Using an electric handheld mixer, whip until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream over the cookie crumbs on each cheesecake. Sprinkle a bit of ground nutmeg over the whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: Cheesecakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, sealed in an airtight container. It's best to refrigerate them without the toppings, adding them just before serving. Let the cheesecakes sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Freezing: Mini cheesecakes can be frozen, sealed in an airtight container, for up to one month. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before topping and serving.
Since we're skipping the water bath, the cheesecakes may crack as they finish baking and/or sink a bit in the center as they cool. This is perfectly fine, and these imperfections will be covered up by the toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 268IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1mg