How to make Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes made to look like gingerbread men! With a buttery biscuit base, gingerbread cheesecake filling, topped with a swirl of dairy-free gingerbread whipped cream decorated with iced gingerbread cookies, they’re Vegan, No-Egg, No-Dairy, easily made gluten-free and the perfect festive Cheesecakes that the whole family will enjoy!
No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes
My Mini gingerbread man cheesecakes are the best dessert for the holidays. Last year I made Mini No-Bake Polar Bear Cheesecakes which went super viral (over 30 million views across social media), I wanted to create a new theme for this year and what better than GINGERBREAD! These bite-size cheesecakes have a deliciously buttery and crumbly base, made with gingerbread flavoured Oreo cookies, with a thick and creamy gingerbread cheesecake filling. They BURST with spice, flavour and texture! The creaminess of the cream cheese filling is rich and soft, and the spice adds a soft chew which combined is truly scrumptious! And then they’re topped with a swirl of ultra smooth whipped gingerbread cream and actual iced gingerbread cookies to look like little gingerbread men, they’re SO CUTE! Can it get any better than this?
Looking for more gingerbread recipes? Check out my:
- Vegan Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
- Viral Vegan Gingerbread Tiramisu Brownies
- Easy Vegan Gingerbread Steamed Pudding
- Viral Vegan Gingerbread Cake
- The BEST Vegan Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
- No-Bake Gingerbread Oreo Pops
Why you’ll love these cheesecakes
- No-bake cheesecake means super easy to make and prep!
- Ultra-creamy vegan gingerbread filling made with simple, plant-based ingredients that taste just as indulgent as classic cheesecake!
- Warm gingerbread spice in every bite for that cozy holiday flavour everyone craves.
- Gingerbread Oreo cookie base that adds crunch, sweetness and the perfect base for this dessert.
- Perfectly portioned sizes – great for festive parties, gatherings, gifts, or simply enjoying for one with a cozy festive film.
- Freezer-friendly so you can make them ahead and pull out a treat whenever you need a sweet treat! Adorable gingerbread cookie decoration which is fun, unique and makes the dessert a showstopper!
- They’re incredibly cute, great for the kids to get involved in making and decorating!
- Allergy-friendly & dairy-free so more people at your table can enjoy them.
- Picture-perfect dessert that looks impressive but is incredibly simple to make.
- Guaranteed crowd-pleaser for vegans and non-vegans!!!
Mini gingerbread cheesecake FAQ
What biscuits should I use in the base?
- You can use plain biscuits like digestives or Graham crackers. I opted for the gingerbread Oreo cookies as it adds a delicious crunch to the base and sweet, gingerbread flavour. Another great option is to use gingerbread cookies!
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
- To make this recipe gluten-free, swap out the wheat based biscuits for a gluten-free option. I like to use the brand ‘Love More’ and Sainsburys own brand Deliciously free from digestives. To add ginger flavour to the base, simply add in a dash of ground ginger when blitzing up the biscuits. Also use gluten-free flour in the gingerbread cookie decorations.
Can I make this recipe in advance?
- You sure can. I personally like to make the cheesecake ahead of time, the day before and allow them to have enough chilling time before removing them from the tin. Decorate with the whipped ginger cream and gingerbread cookies day of serving.
What cream cheese should I use for the filling?
- Either Violife cream cheese or a free from cream cheese will work fine, as long as they’re the full-fat version. A high enough fat content will ensure the cheesecake sets in the fridge.
Whats the best tin to use?
- Individual cheesecakes are great because they’re super easy to make, easy to serve and they look good on a plate. There’s also many ways of making them including setting them in glasses, making them in cupcake cases or loose base cookie cup tins which is my go-to. I am ALWAYS asked what tin I use to make my mini cheesecakes and it’s a mini 6 pan, loose base cookie cup tin. You want the tins to be deep so you get a tall cheesecake. To ensure the cheesecakes come out of the tin with ease, you can lightly grease them with some dairy-free butter before adding in the layers. If you have a loose base tin, this may not be needed but it is a good optional step. Linked the tin you’ll need here.
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Any questions regarding the recipe, ask in the comments below. Happy baking all!
Print
Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes
- Total Time: Overnight
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make the most adorable and delicious Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes, decorated to look like gingerbread men! Perfect for the Holidays! Vegan, No-Egg, No-Dairy, Easy to make!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the base
- 100g of gingerbread Oreo cookies (see notes for alternatives)
- 50g of dairy-free butter / margarine
Ingredients for the filling
- 125g of cashew nuts (soaked and drained, see step 1)
- 280g of vegan cream cheese ( I use Violife)
- 75g of icing / powdered sugar
- 50g of coconut cream (thick white cream from a can of coconut milk)
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons og ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Ingredients for the cream
- 220ml of dairy-free whipping cream ( I use The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream)
- 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- Drop of brown food gel (optional)
Ingredients for the gingerbread cookies
Instructions
Method (base)
- Add the dairy-free butter / margarine into a small saucepan, place on the hob and heat over low until fully melted. Remove from the heat and add into a medium sized, heat-proof mixing bowl.
- Add the biscuits / cookies into a blender or food processor and blend until fine (if you’re using plain biscuits, now is the time to add in the ground ginger). Pour the biscuit crumbs into the melted butter and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers, should hold its shape. Press approximately 1 & 1/2 tablespoon of mixture into each loose base cookie cup tin, making sure to compact it in using clean hands. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble.
- Place into the freezer whilst you make the filling.
Method (cheesecake filling)
- The cashew nuts will need to be soaked overnight in water. See notes (at the bottom of the recipe card) for more details.
- Drain the cashew nuts from the water and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, icing sugar, coconut cream, vanilla and ground spices. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed. I use a ‘Kitchenaid Powerplus blender’. It’s best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it as smooth as possible. You might need to stop the mixture a few times and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated and smooth.
- Equally pour the mixture into each tin, making sure to tap the cheesecakes onto the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
- Place into the fridge overnight to set.
- Once set, remove from the fridge, and push out the cheesecake (as the base is loose bottomed). To make it easier, place the tin into the freezer for 15 minutes to help firm up the cheesecakes, then slide a knife around the edges of the cheesecakes to help loosen them from the tin. Making the cheesecakes firmer will help push them out the tin and won’t damage them.
Method (cream)
- In a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment or hand whisk, whip up the dairy-free cream along with the spices until thick and holds a peak ( add a drop of brown food gel for a gingerbread colour, optional). Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle.
- Pipe a swirl of the cream on top of each cheesecake.
Method (gingerbread cookies)
- Make a batch of my vegan gingerbread man cookies, bake, allow them to cool.
- Break up the gingerbread men at the head and arms (watch the tutorial here), and press into the sides of the cheesecake and creams on top. Press the head on top of the whipped cream, the arms on either side, and same with the legs at the bottom of the cheesecake (see photos for reference).
- Use the royal icing to pipe the gingerbread man decorations, and allow this to set at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer.
- Top with a light dusting of icing / powdered sugar.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
To store: Keep fresh by storing in a air tight / sealed container in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature fully before serving. Best enjoyed within 1-3 days of making.
Soak the cashews before use – Allow the cashews to soak in a bowl of water for a few hours before using. You could even soak them overnight. This will allow them to blend creamy without bits in the batter.
Cookie alternatives: You can use plain biscuits / cookies for the base and add in a dash of ground ginger.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: cheesecakes
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
