Simple Eggnog Cheesecake

This cheesecake recipe is possibly the easiest cheesecake we have ever made. This boozy eggnog cheesecake is a simple stir and bake cake with an easy graham cracker crust. After some chilling time it sets up perfectly.

Enjoy the richness of cheesecake with real eggnog and spiced rum mixed right into the batter. The flavor is a warm nutmeg and rum eggnog experience that says Holidays are here. Your family will love this one.

This is a classic low profile nine inch cheesecake. This easy eggnog cheesecake recipe makes a nice rich dessert that slices into 16 servings of cheesecake. This is a great choice for the Holiday party pot luck or Christmas office party.

See All our Cheesecake Recipes Here

Serve this cheesecake with a plate of our eggnog cookies on the side. And try our holiday eggnog cocktail too! So many fun ways to enjoy eggnog this time of year.

Eggnog Cheesecake Ingredients:

These are the ingredients we used to bake this eggnog cheesecake.

Our eggnog cheesecake turned out great and we suggest you use these ingredients to exactly replicate this recipe. However, if you’re out of something or want to make changes, here are some substitutions that will work well and not ruin the integrity of the cake.

Substitutions:

• Substitute the spiced rum with two teaspoons rum extract. Rum extract is much bolder than the light rum we are using in this recipe. Crown royal or bourbon can also be substituted for the rum one to one. Remember the alcohol will cook out in this recipe and leave behind no alcohol flavor.
• Full fat Cream cheese can be replaced in part or in whole with Neufchatel cheese. Neufchatel cheese is lower in fat and calories, but bakes with a good cheesecake texture and flavor. Find it right in the cream cheese section of your grocers cooler.
• For the crust, make this cheesecake with a ginger snap crust with eggnog on the side for an intense holiday dessert. Gingersnap cookies can replace the grahams in a one to one substitution of the graham crumbs. Use brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar if you like.
• The eggnog can be either store bought or your own home eggnog recipe. A flavored Cheesecake eggnog may also be good in this recipe.

Tips For Eggnog Cheesecake Success:

Here’s how to make eggnog Cheesecake the best way. Success with baking cheesecake can be rather hit and miss for some of us. Here are some tried and true tips for a successful cheese cake.

This is a very easy eggnog cheesecake with a simple method. But it will be at its best if you follow these tips.

• All ingredients must be at room temperature before you begin the recipe.
• Follow the recipe exactly. Cheesecakes turn out best when you are precise.
• Use a springform pan for best results when un-plating your baked cheesecake. These pans are designed to open from the sides, or push up from the separate bottom, for easy cake removal. You can serve the cake from the bottom of the pan (here is a springform pan that won’t rust on Amazon) or remove it to your serving plate, as desired.
• Use a food processor (here’s mine on Amazon) for mixing if you have one. We used our Kitchen aid Artisan stand mixer (here’s a page of them on Amazon) and that also worked well for this cheesecake. but for a perfectly smooth batter food processing is the way to go.
• Give your self plenty of time to complete the recipe, bake and set up time. Cheesecakes are best when they are not rushed.
• Do not over mix the eggs. Egg proteins can be ruined with over mixing. Wait until the end of the mixing process to add them in and mix them well but not to frothiness.
• Once the batter is poured into the pan for baking, settle the batter by using quick little up and down motions and lightly banging the pan down on the counter. This helps improve the cake texture.
• Smooth the batter evenly over the top. We used a silicone spatula but there is still some bumpiness in the top of the cake. Try an offset spatula like this inexpensive set on Amazon to really smooth the top of the cake batter.
• Do NOT over bake your cake. When a cheesecake is finished baking it will still be pale rather than browned on top. And the middle will jiggle slightly.
• Do not bake cheesecake at too high a temperature. We have cheesecakes baked at all sorts of temperatures on the blog. We even make them under pressure in the instant pot, like our New York Style Instant Pot cheesecake and they turn out great. But each cheesecake recipe designed for its baking method.
• This cheesecake is a LOW temp baked cake. Don’t hurry it. Patience it your key to success with cheesecakes.
• ONCE BAKED: Cool this cake SLOWLY. We recommend leaving it in the oven with the door cracked at least 30 minutes up to 60 minutes. This helps the cake top to set and reduces cracking from moving the cake too quickly when it’s hot.
• CHILLING: Allow your cheesecake to chill thoroughly before serving. Leave the cake IN THE PAN until chilled to fridge temps. This gives the filling the best chance of holding up to cutting without losing its firm edges.
• Before opening the springform pan run a sharp clean knife around the perimeter of the pan if the cake wants to cling to the pan.
• When serving cheesecake use a very thin sharp knife. Clean the knife and dip it into hot water between each cut.

Storing Cheesecake Properly:

Allow the cheesecake to COMPLETELY chill to fridge temps in the baking pan. Once chilled, you can remove it from the springform pan and set the cake into an air tight container. It keeps at fridge temps up to five days.

To Make Eggnog Cheesecake Ahead:

Since cheesecakes require time to make and set up making them ahead of your party is a good idea. This cheesecake is a good choice for a make ahead dessert since it stores well in the fridge, covered, up to five days before serving.

That’s really nice when your planning a party and need to clear your ‘Day of’ schedule so you can set up your tables and do all the other stuff.

Freezing Cheesecake:

Cheesecakes freeze very well as a whole cake or in individual slices. Make and freeze this cheesecake for your holiday parties up to a month ahead.

1. Freeze the cheesecake AFTER it is completely chilled and set up.
2. Remove the chilled cake from the springform pan it was baked in.
3. To Freeze SLICES: Slice the cake with a hot clean knife and set the slices uncovered on a flat baking sheet to freeze. About two hours in most chest freezers.
4. Pre-freezing the cake whole or in slices uncovered will helps retain the clean sharp appearance of the cheesecake. Tightly wrapping and freezing a chilled cake can mush it up a bit.
5. Once frozen, wrap each slice, or your whole plain ungarnished cheesecake in plastic wrap. Then Cover the plastic wrapped slices or cake in foil.
6. Move the cheesecake (or slices) to an airtight freezer container to protect it for best results.
7. This cheesecake will freeze well for up to one month.

To defrost and serve. Remove the cheesecake (or slice) from the airtight container. Either set it in the fridge for a long slow defrost ( about 8 hours) or set it on the counter without wrapping to defrost to room temperature.

You can serve this as a frozen eggnog cheesecake if you choose to. Just take it out of the freezer and allow it warm slightly so you can cut it.

Cheesecake Garnishing Suggestions:

We chose to use a simple garnish. We just spurted some canned whipped cream around the top and sprinkled nutmeg over it. This is a quick, simple presentation that works great for serving to the family.

Add Holiday Flair to this cake when serving it for your Thanksgiving or Christmas party.

• Arrange sugared cranberries ,(we show you how to make them in this cranberry margarita recipe),on the cake top.
• For a green touch add sprigs of mint or small pine or cedar sprays on the top of the cake or on the side of the plate. Fresh Rosemary sprigs can also add green instead of the tree sprays.
• A beaded line of Whipped cream can be sprayed around the bottom of the cake for a more formal look.
• Arrange Poinsettia petals, pine cones or pieces of Holiday potpourri, around or under the cake plate.

Do you have ideas for decorating this cake for the holidays? Let us know in the comment section below. We love your creative input on how you make this cake and how you present it. Happy Holidays!

Related Content:

These three cheesecakes are also great for the holidays.