If you are looking for a creamy, easy holiday dessert, then this No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake is for you! With a dash of freshly grated nutmeg, some whimsically piped whipped cream, and a pop of color from fresh berries, this is the perfect dessert for the holiday season that doesn't require any oven space.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Find yourself fighting for oven space or simply don’t have the time to wait for an entire cheesecake to bake, cool, and chill? Yup. Me, too.
This no-bake dessert is silky smooth and so much easier to whip together than a baked cheesecake. No water-bath or stressing about a cracked top.
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At the peak of the busy holiday season, this NoBake Eggnog Cheesecake is the type of foolproof recipe that you need. Nutmeg and cinnamon enhance the eggnog flavor and the classic graham cracker crust adds the perfect amount of crunch.
Make it ahead of time and store in the refrigerator to cut back on last-minute stress.
Top with sugared cranberries, fresh raspberries, vanilla whipped cream, or just leave it as is.
How it Works
Some may say no-bake cheesecake isn't a true cheesecake, but with a dessert this creamy and delicious you won’t ever feel like you are sacrificing flavour or texture by opting for this easier, (dare I say?) tastier recipe.
Where a classic cheesecake calls for eggs and then delicately baking the custard in a water bath, this no-bake recipe combines smooth cream cheese and spiced eggnog. The mixture is lighted up by folding in whipped cream.
Adding confectioners’ sugar instead of granulated sugar makes the filling smooth and not grainy. The eggnog cheesecake filling is good enough to eat off a spoon, but even better set in a graham cracker crust.
Gelatine is used to help set the filling for clean, velvety smooth slices.
Ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs - you can buy these pre-crushed or as sheets and do it yourself
- Unsalted butter - it will be melted, so no need to bring to room temperature
- Cream cheese- brick-style cream cheese works best; must be at room temperature
- Eggnog - of your choice!
- Powdered gelatin - this will help set the eggnog for velvety smooth slices
- Heavy cream - look for heavy whipping cream that is 30 to 35% milk fat
- Confectioners' sugar - sifted, as needed
- Nutmeg - freshly grated, if you can! Use a microplane.
- Cinnamon
- Berries for decorating
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Tools and Equipment
Rather than using a food processor, you can simply crush the graham crackers in their pour or in a zip-top plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- 9-inch springform pan or 8-inch cake pan with removable bottom
- Electric mixer (hand or stand)
- Spatula
- Piping bag and tips (for whipped cream)
Steps for Making a No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake Recipe
- Make the Crust - mix the ingredients and press into the pan. Chill for at least 15 minutes.
- Bloom the Gelatin - sprinkle the gelatin over water and let bloom; microwave to liquify before mixing into the filling.
- Mix the Filling - mix the room temperature cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Whip the Cream - in a clean bowl, whip the cream to medium peaks then fold altogether.
- Chill the Cheesecake - Spoon the filling into the crust. Chill to set for at least 3 hours.
- Decorate! - Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with whipped cream and decorate as desired. Top with fresh berries and/or sugared cranberries.
Start by pressing the graham cracker mixture up the sides of the pan.
Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or small glass to press into an even layer.
Scoop the mixed cheesecake filling into the prepared crust.
Use an offset spatula to smooth out the cheesecake filling so that it is flat on top.
No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake Recipe Video
Decorating the Cheesecake
I love to finish off just about any holiday dessert with sparkling cranberries, like on this Yule Log Cake. Fresh raspberries or sliced cranberries add the perfect pop of color.
For the whipped cream, use a star tip (or a couple different ones) and piping bag to pipe swirls and dollops. I create a similar crescent pattern as this Buttercream Flower Cake.
Of course, you can dollop on the whipped cream with a spoon (a mountain of fluffy cream is always a good idea), but if you want to be a little extra, then pipe it on!
No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake Serving and Storage
No-bake cheesecake must be stored in the regreigarator. After the initial set-up, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To serve, gently run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan before release the spring-form or outer ring of a loose-bottom pan.
Use a dry, sharp knife to cut the cheesecake. Clean the blade often for cleaner slices.
Wrapped well in plastic, you can freeze no-bake cheesecake for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
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Recipe
No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake
Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butteer melted
- 1 pinch salt
No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake
- 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
- 5 tablespoon water
- 2 boxes Cream Cheese at room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 cup eggnog at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream Topping
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- fresh berries for topping
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until evenly moistened.
- Tip the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Starting with the sides, press the mixture into the sides and bottom of the pan.
- Use the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup to tightly pack the crumbs. Freeze the crust while you make the filling, at least 15 mintues.
No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake
- In a microwave-safe mug or bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, add the room temperature cream cheese. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix on medium-low for another 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Zap the gelatin mixture in the microwave for about 15 seconds. The gelatin should be liquid but not too hot. Stir the liquid gelatin mixture into the eggnog.
- With the mixer on low, slowly pour the eggnog into the cream cheese mixture. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape the cream cheese mixture into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a cleaned bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a separate bowl with a hand mixer and whisk, add the heavy cream. Whip on medium-high until medium peaks form.
- Stop the mixer and fold half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Once incorporated, fold in the remaining whipped cream until thoroughly combined.
- Spoon the cheesecake filling into the chilled crust. Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight before slicing.
- Before serving, run a thin knife around the inside of the springform pan. Carefully unlock the pan and remove the collar. Top with whipped cream and decorate as desired.
Whipped Cream Topping
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer), whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until medium-stiff peaks.
Assembly
- Place the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the cream around the edges of the cheesecake or decorate as desired.
- Scatter with fresh berries before serving.
Thatdarn Millenial
Lovely recipe, but oh my god the layout of this post is absolutely awful to try and work with - please include a condensed printable version or list ALL THE STEPS without a half dozen breaks and descriptions and images in between. It's almost not worth the effort of copy and pasting everything into one document so it becomes a cohesive recipe to follow...
Jordyn
Delicious and creamy! I love love eggnog.
Ella Jenkins
Great recipe! I used a splash of rum for the whipped cream topping and added more grated nutmeg on top. Will make again!