No-Bake Christmas Cheesecake Bites with Gingerbread Crust
By Pauline Ortiz
25 min
Prep
25 min
Total
24
Servings
Easy
Level
These no-bake Christmas cheesecake bites make 24 servings when made in a mini muffin pan at home for a holiday treat. I like to add toppings at the last minute. The gingerbread crust firms up in the freezer, and whipped cream is added to the cheesecake filling to lighten it.
Start with room-temperature cream cheese that has been sitting out for a full hour. Whip at medium speed until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract and whip just until combined. In a separate bowl, whip chilled heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Whipped cream helps make a lighter filling.
Do not fill the crumb crusts before baking. Press 1 tablespoon of crumbs firmly into each crust liner and freeze the pan for at least 15 minutes before filling. I usually serve spooned filling in the crusts for an informal look, but 24 evenly filled crusts can be made by piping the filling into the crusts.
Add holiday decorations to individual bites before serving. Because paper liners and other decorations are visible through light-colored filling on a holiday tray, whether decorated or not, I like the convenience of removing liners after chilling.
What makes this special
- A standard 24-cup tin will yield enough batter for a smaller batch of holiday items to include in a holiday dessert tray.
- The batch cools in one pan, leaving room on the kitchen counter to prepare other tasks.
- These freezer-friendly bites help you serve dessert to your guests in advance.
- All the items are still paper-wrapped. They can be moved to a platter without removing the wrapping.
- Chilling the crumb crusts before filling makes them easier to remove from liners.
- Peppermint, sprinkles, and white chocolate are different versions of the same base that can be used for holiday treats.
Ingredients
- •2 cups gingerbread cookie crumbs
- •6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- •1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- •16 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- •1 cup powdered sugar
- •1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- •½ cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
- •crushed peppermint candies (for topping)
- •red and green sprinkles (for topping)
- •white chocolate (melted, for drizzling)
Instructions
- 1
Line a standard 24-cup mini muffin tin with paper liners.
- 2
Mix the gingerbread cookie crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until the crumbs are fully moistened. Press about 1 tablespoon of the mixture firmly into the bottom of each liner.
- 3
Freeze the muffin tin for at least 15 minutes to set the crusts.
- 4
Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until just combined.
- 5
Whip the cold heavy cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture until evenly incorporated.
- 6
Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling evenly over the chilled crusts, filling each liner to the top.
- 7
Refrigerate the bites for at least 4 hours, or until firm. For best results, chill them overnight.
- 8
Decorate with your desired toppings just before serving.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
155
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