gluten free eggnog cheesecake is the perfect holiday dessert for so many reasons. It’s full of eggnog, creamy cream cheese with hints of nutmeg and vanilla. The cheesecake is topped with eggnog whipped cream – which is my favorite part. I topped the whole thing with candied hazelnuts . They are optional but they add an unexpected crunch that pairs with the creamy cheesecake so well.
The process of this cheesecake is fairly easy and majority of your time is spent hands off while it bakes + then chills.
gluten free eggnog cheesecake key ingredients
Cream Cheese – this is an obvious ingredient for a cheesecake the key to a good cheesecake is to have all of your ingredients at room temperature prior to combining. This way everything combines well and you won’t have chunks of anything… no one likes chunks unless they’re made of chocolate.
Eggnog – this is an important part of this recipe, you want to make sure you use a high quality eggnog. My favorite eggnog is from Farmboy here in Canada. Its thicker and extra creamy with prominte hints of nutmeg. If you have a Farmboy near you, I would recommend using theirs.
Sour Cream – this might be surprising but it adds an extra cream and smooth element to your cheesecake. The tang of sour cream pairs really well with the sweetness of the eggnog.
Eggs – again, you want to make sure your ingredients are at room temperature, this will make all the difference in your baking!
Vanilla bean paste – this is my favorite ingredient to add to all of my baking. I love vanilla bean paste over extra because I find the flavor to be much more prominent. I also love seeing the vanilla beans. If you don’t have vanilla bean paste you can sub in vanilla extract!
if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram or leave a comment below!
gluten free eggnog cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 3 cups graham cracker crumbs I use kinnikinnick graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
Eggnog Cheesecake Filling
- 4 blocks cream cheese softened / 32 oz
- 1 cup sour cream room temp
- 1 cup eggnog
- 2 eggs room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste sub vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Eggnog Whipped Cream
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup eggnog
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Candied Hazelnuts (optional)
- 1 ½ cup raw hazelnuts
- 1 egg white
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- pinch nutmeg
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10” springform pan with foil, make sure it is sealed well otherwise water will leak into your cheesecake. Lightly grease the inside of pan, set aside.
- In a bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and salt until it looks like wet sand. Press into springform pan, pushing it up the sides a bit. Press down until it is firm in your pan, set aside.
Eggnog Cheesecake Filling
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, eggnog, eggs, vanilla bean paste and nutmeg until well combined. There should be no clumps and it should form a smooth, fluffy batter. Pour batter into springform pan and jiggle to set into place.
- Place springform pan in large roasting dish and place in oven, pour about 2-3 cups of hot water in the roasting pan, or until it reaches about halfway up the springform pan. Close oven. Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until the edges are firm but the centre still has a bit of jiggle. Make sure not to open the oven during the baking period.
- Once cheesecake is done, turn off oven, open the oven door and leave the cheesecake to rest in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven, take out of roasting pan, remove foil and let sit on the counter for at least one hour to cool. After an hour, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight!Before removing, run a butter knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen from pan.
Eggnog Whipped Cream
- Beat whipping cream, eggnog, powdered sugar and vanilla extract for about 3-5 minutes or until it forms into a fluffy cream.
Candied Hazelnuts
- Place raw hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes, or until the shells on them begin to crack. Once they have cracked, remove from oven and shake them in a bag or between 2 bowls to remove the shells.
- Turn oven down to 250 degrees F. Mix together egg white, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg and salt until combined and then toss hazelnuts in mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Mix the hazelnuts around after the first 15 minutes.
- After 1 hour remove from oven, let cool and then serve on top of cheesecake.
