Gingerbread Cheesecake with Peanut Butter

This Gingerbread Cheesecake with peanut butter is a baked cheesecake with a thick, creamy filling, warm gingerbread spices, and rich peanut butter flavor.

Gingerbread cookies and pieces of crystallized ginger on top give it a festive finish and add a little crunch to every slice.

This recipe makes a delicious, cute Christmas cheesecake for holiday parties and family dinners.

You can prepare it ahead of time and keep it chilled until you are ready to serve.

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 ½ cups gingerbread cookie crumbs
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake filling:

• 2 (8 oz) packages Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup sour cream

For the topping:

• Mini gingerbread man cookies (store-bought or homemade)

Prep and Cook time

• Servings: 12 (approx.)
• Preparation: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Baking: 50 minutes

How to Make Gingerbread Cheesecake with Peanut Butter

1. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. Make the Crust

In a medium bowl, mix the gingerbread cookie crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar until combined.
Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool.

3. Prepare the Cheesecake Filling

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and peanut butter. Beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy.

Gradually add the brown sugar and continue beating until well blended.
Add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in the ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sour cream until fully incorporated.

4. Bake the Cheesecake

Pour the filling over the cooled crust in the springform pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.

• Turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake inside.
• Open the oven door slightly, about 2–3 inches (5–8 cm).
• Leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour.

This lets it cool gradually, which helps prevent cracks. You can use a wooden spoon to hold the door open.

5. Chill

Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until it’s fully set.

6. Decorate the Cheesecake

Once chilled, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan.
Top the cheesecake with mini gingerbread man cookies arranged around the edges.

Optionally, add some whipped cream around the gingerbread men for extra flair.

 7. Serve

Slice and serve chilled.

Enjoy the delicious Gingerbread Peanut Butter Cheesecake.

More Desserts Worth Baking:

• Fluffy Gingerbread Pancakes: Soft, fluffy pancakes filled with warm gingerbread spices and served with butter and maple syrup.
• No-Bake Biscoff Cheesecake: This creamy cheesecake has a crunchy Biscoff crust and plenty of caramelized biscuit flavor.
• No Bake Oreo Cheesecake: This easy cheesecake is made with crushed Oreo cookies and a smooth, creamy filling.
• Cinnamon Sugar Cookies: These soft cookies are coated in cinnamon sugar and have lightly crisp edges.
• 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies: These quick peanut butter cookies are easy to prepare with only three ingredients.
• Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Cookies: These soft pumpkin cookies are warmly spiced and filled with chocolate chips.

Storage Tips

Allow the cheesecake to cool completely, then cover it tightly or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4–5 days.

For the best texture, add the gingerbread cookies shortly before serving because they may soften in the refrigerator.

Freeze the undecorated cheesecake, whole or in individual slices, for up to 2 months. Wrap it well and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.