Gluten Free Eggnog Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust
An altered version of a recipe found online. I added Honey Whiskey and switched the flour to rice flour. The crust is made from gluten-free gingersnaps. I also used Vanilla-Cinnamon eggnog instead of traditional.
An altered version of a recipe found online. I added Honey Whiskey and switched the flour to rice flour. The crust is made from gluten-free gingersnaps. I also used Vanilla-Cinnamon eggnog instead of traditional.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/3 cups trader joe's gluten free gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick) melted, plus more for coating the pan
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 shots rum brandy or honey whiskey
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup vanilla-cinnamon eggnog
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- Carbohydrate 6.05987873649563 g
- Cholesterol 95.4566666666667 mg
- Fat 4.91868833333333 g
- Fiber 0.255022849545062 g
- Protein 2.89124087039803 g
- Saturated Fat 2.33421875 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (86g)
- Sodium 125.191290448416 mg
- Sugar 5.80485588695057 g
- Trans Fat 0.634165416666666 g
- Calories 74 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
- Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter.
- Place the cookie crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the crumb mixture into the pan and, using the bottom of a cup, press evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides.
- Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Place the crust on a wire rack to cool slightly, at least 15 minutes.
- Mix together the sugar and flour in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth.
- With the mixer running, slowly pour in the sugar mixture and beat until incorporated.
- Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add the vanilla, nutmeg, and salt and then slowly pour in the eggnog; mix until just combined.
- Add the egg yolk, then the whole eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to incorporate completely before adding the next.
- Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle as needed.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust, tap to remove any bubbles, and bake until the edges of the cake are browned and the center is barely set, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and let the cake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
- Cover with a baking sheet and let cool until the pan is lukewarm to the touch, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove the baking sheet, loosely cover the cheesecake, and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 days.
- To serve, run a knife around the inner edge of the pan, remove the sides, and slice.
Standard recipes rarely account for the physical temperature of dairy components when building a dense custard. Cold cream cheese will stubbornly resist blending, trapping pockets of air that expand during baking and fracture the surface. Ensuring all four whole eggs and the single yolk sit at ambient temperature for at least an hour before mixing creates a cohesive emulsion with the sugar and rice flour.
Stirring sugar and rice flour together in a separate bowl prior to addition prevents clumping. Granulated sugar acts as a mild abrasive against the dense dairy proteins, while the small quantity of rice flour acts as a stabilizing agent to absorb excess moisture from the specialty vanilla-cinnamon eggnog. Pouring this dry mixture steadily into four blocks of softened cream cheese while the paddle attachment runs on medium speed guarantees a smooth batter without over-aerating.
Baking requires precise thermal management. The 9-inch springform pan needs a preliminary 12 to 15 minute bake at 325°F for the gluten-free gingersnap crumb and melted butter base, followed by a gradual cooling phase. Once the main filling sets at the edges with a slightly wobbling center after 45 to 60 minutes, turning off the oven entirely allows the residual heat to gently finish the interior structure over a 60-minute window. Chill the final dessert for up to three days before releasing the springform ring.
