I would be lying if I said I wasn’t trying to use up this container of eggnog in the fridge before we head out of town. I know–it’s a tough job–but somebody’s got to do it.
In addition to adding eggnog to my morning bowl of oats (which is AWESOME, BTW) I’m now also baking it into desserts. Not just any dessert though–my favorite kind of dessert of all time: cheesecake.
My latest revelation: mini cheesecakes are pretty much the ideal dessert for small gatherings because 1) like most miniature things, they’re completely adorable; 2) they’re ridiculously easy, and 3) no one is left with 9,000 calories-worth of leftover cheesecake in their fridge after an already indulgent evening. On top of that I’ve realized if you arrive at a party bearing cheesecake people automatically assume you have a God-given culinary talent. Well, multiply that x100 when you have a tray of mini eggnog cheesecakes in hand.
If you have eggnog already in the fridge and need an easy dessert to impress fellow guests at a holiday gathering over the next couple of weeks, look no further.
Cheesecake does have a reputation for for being finicky, mostly when it comes to rapid changes in temperature–not that I can blame it) but once you have the basics down it’s pretty simple to master. Mini ones are actually easier and less likely to crack, so they’re perfect for beginners. Before you go running to the fridge to claim the last bit of eggnog, get yourself a proper pan (I have and highly recommend this one) and read over these 5 tips for perfect mini cheesecakes.
5 Tips for Making Mini Cheesecakes
1. Don’t use light or fat-free cream cheese. They just contain a bunch of fillers that, in my opinion, negate any claims they make about being healthier. Miniature cheesecakes are portion-controlled, so go for the real stuff!
2. Use room temperature everything: eggs, cream cheese and eggnog
3. Don’t over-beat your eggs. Doing so will only add unwanted air into the batter. Fresh eggs are always best since the whites get watery over time.
4. Bake until centers are just set but still jiggly. 18 minutes seem to be the sweet spot in my oven. Cracks usually mean you’ve either gone overboard beating your batter, overcooked your cheesecake or the oven temp was too high.
5. Don’t rush the cooling process. This cooling method seems to work best for mini versions: 5 minutes with oven off and door closed, 5 minutes with oven cracked, 30-45 minutes on the counter followed by 2-3 hours in the fridge.
INGREDIENTS Eggnog Cheesecakes Homemade Whipped Cream DIRECTIONS With oven rack on the middle rung, preheat oven to 300F. Lightly brush your mini cheesecake pan (12 cups) with a neutral flavored cooking oil, such as canola. In a food processor, process graham crackers with on/off pulses until finely ground. Add melted butter and pulse until incorporated. Using your fingers or the bottom of a round shot glass or small espresso cup, press crumb mixture firmly into each cheesecake cup to form crust (approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons per cup). Bake 8 minutes. While the crust bakes, prepare the filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth (about 2 minutes on medium), scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. Add eggnog, egg, flour, vanilla extract and nutmeg and mix on low until just incorporated. Spoon 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons batter into each cup and bake at 300F for 18 minutes. When 18 minutes has passed, turn off the oven and let cheesecakes sit 5 minutes longer. Crack the oven door and give them another 5 minutes to gradually cool before placing them on the counter to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. While cheesecakes chill, make homemade whipped cream. Chill a medium-sized bowl and whisk in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Then, combine sugar and cream and whip just until peaks can stand on their own. Avoid over-whipping–it ain’t pretty. Top each cheesecake with homemade whipped cream (fill and snip off the corner of a small sandwich plastic bag for the spiral effect), a sprinkle of nutmeg and crumbled ginger snap just before serving, if desired.
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (140 grams) ground ginger snap cookies (plus additional for garnish, if desired)
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon eggnog, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
A special thanks to my friends at the American Egg Board and The Good Egg Project for sponsoring this egg-licious holiday dessert recipe!
How much sugar? don’t see it listed in the ingredients
Sorry about that! It’s 1 1/4 cups and I updated the recipe. Hope they turned out ok!
These look fantastic and I absolutely agree with full fat cream cheese. Can’t wait to try these soon! Hope you had a wonderful holiday!
mmm,these look yummy! I think I have a bit of eggnog left in my fridge too!
This is why we are friends. I’ll be right over.
Amen to full-fat cream cheese! These look great, Elle! Merry Christmas to you and the Mr.