My Eggnog Basque Cheesecake recipe is a festive twist on the classic burnt-style basque cheesecake. It’s a low-fuss cheesecake recipe that doesn’t require a water bath or constant supervision, but it absolutely delivers on flavor! The caramelized surface adds a rich depth of flavor that blows the standard cheesecake out of the water. This is the perfect twist on cheesecake for your holiday table!
“I made this for NYE and it was soooo good! I followed the recipe with the exception of using 2 tbsp gf flour because that’s what I had. It was so flavorful and creamy and was a hit at our party. I think next time I will use a little more spice and rum because I like a lot of flavor, but it was great as is, too.” – Courtney (So Much Food reader)
Table of Contents
There’s No Water Bath Needed for This Boozy Cheesecake!
My husband’s favorite dessert is cheesecake, but I genuinely hate making it (unless it’s cheesecake bars, which are much easier!). It’s not that I can’t, because I can, but it’s so fussy and requires a mess of a water bath, a long cooking time, cooling it with the door cracked, etc, etc. just to keep the top from cracking. Who wants that kind of pressure?
This is where the basque-style cheesecake comes in and is going to be your favorite new dessert for special occasions. It doesn’t require a crust or any fancy baking techniques — it’s a super straightforward recipe that is actually so delicious.
The “burnt” exterior has a similar flavor to the burnt sugar on top of creme brûlée and provides the best flavor contrast to the creamy cheesecake interior. Now that I’ve mastered this style, I don’t see myself going back to classic cheesecake any time soon!
What is Basque Cheesecake? Basque cheesecake comes from San Sebastian, in the Basque region of Spain (where my family is from!). It’s a custardy cheesecake with no crust that gets its texture from cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream. Baking it at a high temperature gets you the burnt-style crust with a creamy interior.
Special Equipment You’ll Need
Key Ingredient Notes
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Eggnog. The star ingredient! You can use your favorite boozy eggnog or a non-alcoholic variation. Homemade or store-bought — doesn’t matter!
- Full-fat cream cheese. I tested this recipe with several different brands of cream cheese and the clear winner was Philadelphia brand! It was the creamiest with the best texture so I cannot recommend using an off-brand cream cheese for this recipe.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar works just fine here.
- Spices + flavorings. Vanilla bean paste adds richness, while ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves enhance the eggnog flavor.
- Eggs. Help bind the cheesecake together.
- Rum. I like using a dark or spiced rum for maximum richness and flavor.
- Heavy cream. Breaks up the cream cheese so the eggnog cheesecake isn’t too dense or heavy.
- Cornstarch. Some recipes call for flour, but I developed this recipe to be gluten-free by using cornstarch to help thicken the filling. (Just ensure that the eggnog you use is also gluten-free!)
How to Make Eggnog Basque Cheesecake
Jenny’s Tip: You’ll want to use a tall (3″) cake pan when making this cheesecake or a tall springform pan with a removable bottom.
Step 1: Prep the pan. Everything about basque-style cheesecake is different, including the way we prepare the baking pan! To start, use a pastry brush to brush 1/3 of the melted butter all over the pan.
Then, press a piece of parchment paper into the pan and try and smooth the edges. Brush more melted butter over that piece of parchment and press another piece of parchment in so that all the sides are covered and there’s a bit of parchment overhang around the whole pan. Smooth the ripples in the parchment to the edges of the pan so that cheesecake batter doesn’t get trapped between the sheets.
Finally, finish by brushing the rest of the melted butter over the inside of the pan and you’re ready to bake!
Step 2: Make the batter. You’ll first need to beat the cream cheese with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved (this will take up to 4 minutes). Then, add the eggs one at a time. The reason we add the eggs one at a time is to prevent overmixing, which is what causes cheesecakes to crack!
Beat in the rum, vanilla, and spices before adding the cornstarch and cream. (To prevent the cornstarch from clumping up, you’ll first want to whisk it together with the cream before mixing it into the batter.)
Step 3: Bake the cheesecake. After pouring the batter into the prepared pan, I always tap it on the counter a few times to settle the batter and remove any air bubbles. This eggnog cheesecake requires no water bath, and it takes about 40 minutes to set up and for the top to turn a deep brown.
Jenny’s Tip: If your cheesecake is done but the top hasn’t browned to your liking, broil it for 1 – 2 minutes (but watch it very closely to prevent burning!).
Step 4: Cool completely. After baking, the cheesecake needs to cool on a wire rack (not the stovetop!) until it reaches room temperature. Then, it needs to chill in the fridge for 2 – 4 hours to finish setting up.
Chef Tips & Tricks for Making a Basque-Style Cheesecake
Preheat your oven. Preheat your oven for at least 30 minutes before you put the cheesecake in. This ensures that your oven is actually up to temperature and that the top will start browning right away.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl OFTEN. The only annoying part about making an eggnog rum cheesecake is scraping the sides of the bowl down often. The cream cheese will stick to the sides of the bowl as the filling mixes, so make sure to scrape the sides often to get a perfectly smooth filling with no lumps.
Use the jiggle test (don’t over-bake!). This cheesecake is meant to be very jiggly in the center when you pull it. It’s meant to be custardy! The cheesecake is done when the top is browned and the center is still quite jiggly, like Jell-O.
Let it cool, then chill it. Serving Basque cheesecake at room temperature is traditional, but I actually really like serving it chilled! After it cools down, refrigerate it for 2-4 hours before serving.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Holiday Desserts to Try
- Chewy Eggnog Snickerdoodles
- Cranberry Ricotta Cake
- Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Whiskey Cake
- Cranberry Cheese Danishes
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Eggnog Basque Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 oz full-fat Philadelphia brick cream cheese, room temperature (four 8oz blocks)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons dark or spiced rum
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup full-fat eggnog, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 425ºF. Arrange the oven racks so that they’re in the center of the oven. Let the oven preheat for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the baking pan. Brush the sides of a 9 x 3-inch springform pan or cake pan with some of the butter. Press a 12×16-inch piece of parchment into the pan so that some of the parchment is above the edge of the pan. Brush the paper with more butter and then press another sheet of parchment paper the opposite direction so that all the sides are covered and there’s a parchment overhang around the entire cake pan. Try to smooth out the paper to the sides of the pan as best as possible. Brush the remaining butter all over the paper and up the sides. Set the prepared pan on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Having a sheet pan under the cake pan ensures that if there’s an overflow, it doesn’t end up on the bottom of your oven.
- Whisk the cream and eggnog. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the cream, eggnog, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar together. Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is very smooth and the sugar is dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another minute.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. After you've added all the eggs, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl again. On low speed, beat in the vanilla bean paste, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and rum until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. On low speed, beat in the heavy cream and eggnog mixture. Make sure there are no lumps in the cheesecake batter.
- Bake the cheesecake. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter several times to settle the batter. Bake for 40 minutes, until the top is deeply browned but the center is still very jiggly. If the top isn’t brown enough, set the oven to broil for 2 minutes.
- Cool, then chill before serving. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack or trivet, not on the stove. Chill for at least 2-4 hours before serving. Top with soft whipped cream and a light dusting of freshly grated nutmeg.
Storage Instructions
- Storage: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also wrap slices tightly in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Rate & Review This Recipe
I made this for NYE and it was soooo good! I followed the recipe with the exception of using 2 tbsp gf flour because that’s what I had. It was so flavorful and creamy and was a hit at our party. I think next time I will use a little more spice and rum because I like a lot of flavor, but it was great as is, too.
So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Courtney!