The effort to flavor ratio is absolutely off the charts with this recipe for Ginger Snap Vanilla Cheesecake. This stuff is seriously so easy and ridiculously good. Every time I make this, I have a really hard time getting my mind off of it (and I'm not that big of a "dessert person"). Exchanging the traditional Graham cracker crust for crushed ginger snap cookies takes this dessert to a whole new level and transforms it into something special. I'm so excited to be sharing it with you!
Ginger Snap Vanilla Cheesecake Ingredients
There are two main components to this dessert: the ginger snap crust and the vanilla cheesecake filling. Both use very simple ingredients and are easy to put together.
Ginger Snap Cookie Crust
The ginger snap cookie crust uses the following ingredients:
- Ginger Snap Cookies, Crushed
- Unsalted Butter, Melted
- Fine Sea Salt
This is as simple as crushing or blending the ginger snaps, pouring the melted butter over the top, and combining it with the salt until you reach a sandy consistency. Press it out evenly across the bottom and up the sides of a greased cake pan lined with parchment paper. Then bake it for 8 minutes to set the crust. Using a cake pan instead of a springform pan is a bulletproof method to ensure that the water from the water bath doesn't seep into your cheesecake and ruin your crust. (Been there - done that!)
Filling
This vanilla cheesecake filling is also really simple and comes together fairly quickly. If you don't have a hookup to get fresh vanilla beans directly from Madagascar (some of my wife's family is teaching abroad, and this is one of the AWESOME perks), feel free to substitute for vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
- Softened Cream Cheese
- Browned Unsalted Butter
- Sour Cream
- White Sugar
- Vanilla Bean
- Fine Sea Salt
- Eggs
One important step is to tap the cheesecake on the counter a few times to help bring some of the air bubbles to the surface before baking it. This will help to give you a smooth consistency, and it will also look better. This recipe also uses a water bath while baking. This helps to cook and cool the cheesecake evenly.
Cooling Process
Speaking of cooling, it's important to cool the cheesecake slowly in order to avoid having the top split and crack. This recipe doesn't call for any toppings to hide any flaws, so here's how I keep the top from splitting:
- After the cheesecake is baked, use a wooden spoon to prop the oven door open and allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and the water bath, and allow it to cool on the counter for 1 hour to room temperature.
- Once it's at room temperature, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, minimum. 8 hours, up to overnight, is preferred.
Is cheesecake not exactly your thing? Go check out my other dessert recipes here! You might also like my recipes for Harvest Apple Hand Pies, or The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Did you make this recipe for Vanilla Ginger Snap Cheesecake?
Let me know in the comments below how yours turned out, and don't forget to leave a rating!
Recipe
Vanilla Ginger Snap Cheesecake
Equipment
- Food Processer, Blender, or Zip Top Bag and Rolling Pin To Crush Ginger Snap Cookies
- 9-inch Cake Pan At least 2 inches tall, but 3 inches preferred
- Parchment Paper
- Stand Mixer Optional, but Preferred
- 9x13-Inch Baking Dish For Water Bath
Ingredients
Ginger Snap Crust
- 2 ½ Cups Ground Ginger Snap Cookies
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted Plus more (un-melted) for greasing
- ¼ Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 (8 Oz.) Packages Cream Cheese
- ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter
- ½ Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Vanilla Bean Split and Scraped (Substitute 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract)
- ¼ Teaspoons Fine Sea Salt
- 2 Large Eggs Beaten
Instructions
Ginger Snap Vanilla Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Using a food processor, blender, or zip-top bag and rolling pin, crush the ginger snap cookies until fine crumbs form.
- Combine the crushed cookies, melted butter, and fine sea salt until you reach a sandy consistency.
- Generously grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with butter and line with parchment paper. Winkles and creases are ok, but try to make it as smooth as possible and add another layer of butter.
- Add the crust mixture to the cake pan, pressing down on the bottoms, then up the sides of the cake pan. Try to go up the sides to at least 2-inches.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
Vanilla Cheesecake Filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F
- Add butter to a small sauce pan, and heat over medium-high heat until melted. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the milk solids in the butter turn brown, but don't burn, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, fine sea salt, browned butter, and vanilla bean scrapings (or extract) on medium speed until smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the sour cream and mix on medium speed until incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the beaten eggs and mix on medium-low speed until just combined. (Take care not to overmix the batter.)
- Pour the batter into the cake pan with the prepared ginger snap crust. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to get rid of most of the air bubbles.
- Fill a 9x13-inch casserole dish ¾ full with warm water. Place the cake pan in the casserole dish, carefully transfer it to the preheated oven, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. It should no longer jiggle, and the top should no longer look wet or shiny.
- Turn the oven off, and prop the door open with a wooden spoon for 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake to cool gradually (this is important to avoid the top cracking).
- Transfer the cake pan (not the whole water bath) to a wire cooling rack and cool for an additional 1 hour until room temperature. Cover the cake pan with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally 8 hours or overnight.
- Once completely chilled, grab the parchment paper with both hands and carefully remove the cheesecake from the cake pan. Slice and serve.
Natalie says
Made this for Christmas, and it will now be an annual staple. Thank you so much!
Spencer Klickman says
Thanks for the review, Natalie! So glad you enjoyed it!
Stanley says
Love the ginger snap crust on this! This is a super easy and delicious recipe as well.