A perfectly spiced Ginger Cheesecake is meant to be the centerpiece of your holiday table. This chocolate ginger cheesecake uses fresh ginger in both the Oreo crust and the cream cheese filling for a sharper, brighter heat than a traditional gingerbread cheesecake.
What you should know first
Fresh ginger in both the chocolate cookie crust and the cream cheese filling is what makes this a ginger cheesecake and not just a spiced one. This article covers the water bath technique, how to tell when the cheesecake is done, and how to make chocolate curls from scratch.
⏱ Prep Time: 1 hour. Total Time: 8 hours (includes chilling). 🍽 Serves: 16. 🧾 Ingredients: 19. 📊 Difficulty: Intermediate. 🥛 Dietary: Vegetarian (gelatin optional).
- Fresh ginger and ground ginger both go into this recipe. Fresh ginger adds bright, peppery heat to both the crust and filling, while ground ginger gives the filling mellow warmth.
- 40 Oreo Cookies form the chocolate crust for the perfect ginger cheesecake. Use about 16 ounces of gingersnap crumbs for a classic gingerbread cheesecake.
- A water bath and slow cool in the turned-off oven give this cheesecake its silky, crack-free top.
- The cheesecake is done when only a 2-inch spot in the center jiggles. It finishes setting in the fridge.
- Gelatin in the whipped cream topping keeps it stable and sliceable for up to 5 days.
- Make chocolate curls ahead and store in a cool, dry place; they can be made the day before.
Generated with AI and experts from the Tara Teaspoon team.
I've got some stunning and delicious Fall and holiday desserts like Pumpkin Cream Pie or Maple Caramel Pie on my list. However, when I need a real showstopper, this cheesecake is at the top.
I got to create this spiced holiday cheesecake while working as the Food Director for Ladies' Home Journal magazine and immediately fell in love with its robust flavor.
Why this chocolate ginger cheesecake works
Unlike a traditional gingerbread cheesecake, this recipe skips molasses and gingersnap cookies entirely. An Oreo cookie crust plus fresh ginger give it a sharper, brighter heat and a rich chocolate base that make it a standout dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.
Here's what makes it special:
- Double the ginger: Fresh grated ginger goes into both the chocolate crust and the filling, with ground ginger added to the filling for deep warmth. Cinnamon and nutmeg round out the flavor profile.
- Impressive on the first try: A press-in crust and one-bowl filling keep this homemade cheesecake totally approachable. I walk you through the water bath, jiggle test, and how to cool the cheesecake so it comes out silky and crack-free.
- Make-ahead friendly: Cheesecake needs time to chill after baking, which works in your favor! Make it a day before and that's one less thing to juggle on the big day!
Jump to:
- What you should know first
- Why this chocolate ginger cheesecake works
- Ingredients
- Make a gingerbread cheesecake crust
- How to grate fresh ginger
- How to make this cheesecake
- How do I know when cheesecake is done cooking?
- How to make chocolate curls
- Tara's top tips for ginger cheesecake
- Equipment
- Storage
- FAQ
- More decadent holiday dessert recipes
- 📖 Full Recipe
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
This is gorgeous! What an exquisite dessert!
- Mary
Ingredients
Before getting started, learn more about the ingredients you'll need to make a flavorful ginger cheesecake. See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
Crust and filling
- Oreo cookies: You'll need 40 cookies (16 ounces) to make enough cookie crumbs for the crust mixture. If you'd prefer to make more of a gingerbread cheesecake, see the crust tip below.
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter and salt: I like to use unsalted butter and a little salt to control the flavor of the crust. If you only have salted butter, leave out the additional salt.
- Grated fresh ginger: If you need help with grating, read the ginger tip below.
- Cream cheese: For a creamy, lump-free filling, use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese softened to room temperature. It needs about 30 minutes on the counter before you get started.
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour: Adds to the creamy texture of the cheesecake and helps to prevent cracking.
- Ground spices: You'll need cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Large eggs and egg yolks: The eggs and yolks should also be room temperature. Let them warm up on the counter with the cream cheese.
Toppings
- Chocolate candy melts: Candy melts set up firm without tempering and scrape easily into curls. Learn how to make pretty chocolate curls from melted chocolate below!
- Unsweetened gelatin powder: If you want to make stabilized whipped cream, I recommend using unsweetened gelatin powder (like Knox brand). This is optional and the topping can be made gelatin-free.
- Heavy cream: Cold heavy cream whips faster and thicker than room temperature or warm cream.
- Confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract
Make a gingerbread cheesecake crust
Turn this ginger cheesecake into a gingerbread cheesecake by swapping the Oreos for gingersnaps. You’ll need about 16 ounces of gingersnap crumbs (3½ to 3¾ cups) for the crust mixture.
The fresh ginger in the crust becomes optional with gingersnaps, but keeping it in adds an extra punch of flavor.
How to grate fresh ginger
- Start by peeling the ginger root with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Then remove any hardened edges on the nubs. Use a microplane or the small side of a box grater to finely grate the root. That's it!
How to prepare a water bath
- Protect outside of springform pan: Set your springform pan on a few sheets of foil and bring the sheets up to seal the outside of the pan and prevent water from seeping in. (You can also place your springform pan in a silicone cheesecake pan protector.)
- Use larger pan for the bath: You'll also need a large roasting pan (or lasagna pan) that comfortably fits the springform pan inside. Line the bottom of the roasting pan with paper towels (Yes! Paper towels. They prevent the foil from staining the roasting pan.) and set the foil-wrapped springform pan on top.
- Fill larger pan with water: Place the roasting pan in the heated oven and gently pour a pitcher of water into the pan outside the wrapped springform pan. The water should come about ⅓ to ½ of the way up the outside of the cheesecake pan.
Do I really need a water bath?
Although setting up a water bath is a little tedious, it's your best insurance for a smooth, creamy cheesecake. Since the water around the pan can’t get hotter than boiling, it shields the filling from the oven’s direct heat and adds steam, helping the custard bake evenly. Without one, cheesecake will bake up denser, with darker edges and a higher chance of cracking.
How to make this cheesecake
Cheesecake rewards a little attention to detail. Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial to get familiar with the process before you start. See recipe card for comprehensive directions.
Make the crust
- Step 1: Line the bottom of your springform pan with a parchment circle. Set it aside.
- Step 2: Place Oreos in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs.
- Step 3: Add the sugar, salt, melted butter, and ginger to the food processor. Pulse until fully combined.
- Step 4: Add the crust mixture to the pan and begin pressing it evenly up the sides. Continue along the bottom of the pan until crust is firm and even.
Make the filling
- Step 1: Beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and grated ginger together until smooth.
- Step 2: Sift in the flour and ground spices. Mix until incorporated.
- Step 3: With the mixer on low speed, begin adding the eggs and yolks one at a time. Without overmixing, stir eggs in until just combined.
- Step 4: Pour the filling over the crust. Before baking, prepare a water bath for the cheesecake by following the directions below.
- Step 5: Once the cheesecake is cool, gently remove the outer ring.
- Step 6: Use a long spatula to separate the cheesecake from the parchment covered base and carefully transfer it to a serving platter or cake stand.
How do I know when cheesecake is done cooking?
The cheesecake is ready when the edges are set and the center still has a gentle wobble. This is called the jiggle test, and it’s the best way to avoid over baking.
Look for these things before turning off the oven:
- Edges: The outer 2 to 3 inches should look slightly puffed, matte, and golden. If the edges are still shiny or liquid-looking, it needs more time.
- Center: Gently nudge the pan. A 2-inch spot in the center should jiggle like set Jell-O, not slosh like liquid. The cheesecake finishes setting as it cools, so don’t wait for the center to look fully firm.
- You can use an instant read thermometer to double check, and the center should read 150ºF.
How to cool a cheesecake after baking
Cooling in stages helps prevents cracks. The cheesecake goes from oven to counter to refrigerator, and each step matters.
Once the cheesecake passes the jiggle test, turn off the oven and crack the door open slightly. Leave the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes to let it finish cooking slowly and adjust to the temperature change.
Next, lift the springform pan out of the water bath, remove the foil or silicone wrap, and set the pan on a wire rack. Cool at room temperature for about 2 hours before refrigerating.
Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. This final chilling period fully sets the cheesecake and deepens the flavor.
How to make chocolate curls
- Step 1: Melt the chocolate candy melts in the microwave in short 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst.
- Step 2: Spread a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of a flat baking pan. Chill a few minutes so the chocolate is just set, not melted.
- Step 3: Let chilled chocolate soften at room temperature for a few minutes then use a straight edge or spatula to scrape the chocolate into rough curls.
- Step 4: Use a small tool or kitchen tweezers to transfer chocolate curls and big shavings to a plate to chill until ready to use.
Make whipped cream and finish cheesecake
- Step 1: If using gelatin, bloom it in cold water, then heat it to dissolve. Allow to cool. For gelatin-free whipped cream, skip to step 2.
- Step 2: Whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks. (Gelatin-free whipped cream should be whipped all the way to firm peaks and is now ready to use. Skip to step 5.)
- Step 3: Add the dissolved gelatin and continue to whip.
- Step 4: Whip to firm peaks.
- Step 5: Dollop the cream on top of the cheesecake in an impressive pile! To fully set the gelatin-stabilized whipped cream, chill the cheesecake for 1 to 2 hours.
- Step 6: Add chocolate curls and shavings just before serving.
Tara's top tips for ginger cheesecake
- Use a measuring cup for a smooth crust: The bottom of a measuring cup is a great tool for pressing the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Start with your hands, then smooth the crust with the measuring cup.
- Line the pan with a parchment circle: I cut the parchment circle just larger than the pan base so the edge gets caught and sealed in the springform ring when I attach it. That keeps the parchment from shifting while you press in the crust, and it gives you an easy way to slide the finished cheesecake onto a platter.
- Don’t over-mix the filling: Over-mixing, or whipping too much air into the filling, can cause cracks and an airy texture. Mix in the eggs on medium speed just until they disappear into the batter.
- Cut clean slices: Make sure the cheesecake is fully chilled so the filling is firm. Dip a long, sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and repeat between each cut for neat slices with clean edges.
Equipment
Make sure you have these helpful tools for making this dessert.
- Microplane for the ginger
- Food processor
- Springform pan
- Parchment paper
- Foil or silicone pan protector
- Roasting pan or lasagna pan
- Small baking sheet
- Small spatula for making chocolate curls
Storage
Make-ahead: Bake the cheesecake up to 4 days in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. If you’re topping it ahead of time, use gelatin-stabilized whipped cream up to a day in advance, and add the chocolate curls just before serving.
Refrigerate: Cover leftover cheesecake with plastic wrap or store it in a cake carrier in the fridge up to 5 days.
Freeze: I don't recommend freezing cheesecake unless you want to freeze individual portions and eat them frozen or partially thawed. Thawing frozen homemade cheesecake can often result in an undesirable texture in the cream.
FAQ
There are a few common mistakes to avoid while making homemade baked cheesecake. Use this section to troubleshoot cracks, sinking, and soggy crusts.
A baked cheesecake will crack if the filling is overwhipped (too much air in the filling), overbaked, or cooled too quickly. Cheesecake is actually a custard, so the eggs set best with gentle heat and a slow cool.
Using room temperature cream cheese and eggs helps to prevent an over-mixed filling. Room temperature cream cheese blends smoothly right from the start, but cold cream cheese breaks into chunks, leaving lumps in the filling. To remove the lumps you'll have to beat the filling for longer to smooth them out, adding excess air that can cause cracks. Room-temperature eggs also blend in more quickly and evenly, so you can mix the filling less.
It's normal for a slight dip to form as the cheesecake cools. However, a deep sink usually means the center was underbaked. When the cooling process starts, the center should be jiggly like just-set gelatin. If it is fluid, like liquid, it needs to bake a little longer.
You can use an instant read thermometer inserted in the center to check that the temperature reaches 150ºF.
The center can also sink if the filling was over-mixed and had too much air in it. The extra air will make cheesecake puff up in the oven and then collapse as it cools.
Wrap the springform pan tightly in a few sheets of foil, or set it in a silicone pan protector, so water from the bath can’t seep in. Pressing the crust firmly into the pan also helps it stay crisp and hold together when sliced.
More decadent holiday dessert recipes
Like this chocolate and ginger cheesecake, these impressive desserts are perfect for special holidays. Try bakes like Cranberry Pound Cake, Raspberry Tart (with Pastry Cream), Almond Pound Cake, and Raspberry French Toast Casserole with Cream Cheese.
Keep dessert on repeat this season with more of my favorite holiday recipes:
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📖 Full Recipe
Ginger Cheesecake With Chocolate Crust
Ingredients
Crust
- 16 ounces Oreos (40 cookies, to make cookie crumbs, can be swapped with gingersnaps if desired)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
Filling
- 4 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each, room temperature)
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 large egg yolks (room temperature)
Toppings
- ½ cup chocolate candy melts (to make chocolate curls, optional)
- 1 envelope Knox Unsweetened Gelatin (optional)
- 4 cups heavy cream (cold)
- ⅔ cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Crust
- Heat oven to 350°F with rack in the lower third. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment; set aside. Tip: cut the parchment just larger than the bottom of the pan so that it gets sealed into place once the ring is attached.
- In a food processor crush Oreos until mixture is fine crumbs. Add the sugar, butter, grated ginger, and salt, and pulse until well combined. You'll have 4 cups of crust mixture, and it should have the consistency of wet sand.
- Press mixture into the pan so crust is about ⅜ inch thick on the bottom and all the way up the sides (you may have a little extra depending on your pan). Set crust aside.
For the Cheesecake
- In a mixer beat together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and grated ginger until there are no lumps. Sift in the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Mix to combine.
- While mixing on low to medium speed, add eggs and yolks one at a time, scraping sides of bowl as needed between each addition, until completely combined. Don't over whip the mixture once the eggs go in. Set filling aside.
- Prepare the pan and water bath by placing the springform pan on a few sheets of foil. Bring the foil up around the sides to seal the pan and prevent water from seeping in.
- Then line the bottom of a roasting pan with paper towels and set the wrapped springform pan on top. Pour the prepared filling into the crust.
- Fill a pitcher full of water. Place roasting pan in the oven and gently pour the pitcher of water into the pan, around the springform pan, so the water comes about ⅓ to ½ of the way up the sides.
- Close the oven and bake cheesecake until the center is only slightly wobbly and cake is set, 70 minutes. Tent cheesecake with a sheet of greased foil part way through baking if the top is getting too brown.
- Turn oven off and crack the oven door a little. Let cheesecake sit in cooling oven for about 30 minutes. Then remove the roasting pan from the oven and lift the springform pan with the baked cheesecake out of the water. Peel off the tinfoil and cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Then chill cheesecake in refrigerator 4 hours or overnight.
- When chilled, gently unlatch the springform pan and loosen the ring. Lift ring from cheesecake. Using a spatula, lift cheesecake from the parchment-lined bottom and transfer to a serving platter. Finish cheesecake with toppings.
For the Toppings
- For chocolate curls: Melt ½ cup chocolate candy melts in a bowl in the microwave. Heat in 30 second bursts, stirring between, until smooth.
- Spread into a thin, even layer on the bottom of a clean baking sheet (I used a quarter sheet pan). Chill in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Remove and let sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 minutes, then use a small spatula or bench scraper to scrape chocolate from the pan into curls. Gently transfer to a plate and chill until ready to use.
- For gelatin-stabilized whipped cream: Sprinkle the gelatin over ⅓ cup cold water in a heatproof bowl. Let "bloom" (soften) about 2 minutes. Microwave bloomed gelatin until hot and stir to dissolve completely. Let cool a few minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl whip heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until combined (soft peaks). Add dissolved gelatin and continue to whip to the consistency of firm peaks.
- Spoon and swirl stabilized whipped cream on top of cheesecake. Chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours to set the cream.
- For gelatin-free whipped cream: Whip cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla to firm peaks. For best results, keep refrigerated and spoon on top of cheesecake just before serving.
- Top cheesecake with chocolate curls just before serving. Leftover cheesecake can be covered and stored in the fridge up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
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