Thank you Hills Bros. Cappuccino for sponsoring this post. Celebrate this Most Flavorful Time of Year with Hills Bros.®!
I don’t love coffee, but I love coffee-flavored desserts. I mean, what’s not love when you combine coffee, sugar, and cream? Hills Bros. Cappuccino has created this yummy Gingerbread Cappuccino that is a perfect addition to any dessert. Cream cheese, heavy cream, and the Gingerbread Cappuccino are combined to create these delicious Gingerbread Cappuccino Cheesecake Jars.
Technically you can eat gingerbread any time of the year, but for me it’s synonymous with Christmas and the holidays so I always look forward to this time of year and making delicious gingerbread treats. Hills Bros. Cappuccino holiday flavor Gingerbread is the perfect flavor boost for these cheesecake jars. The cappuccino is a flavorful combination of gingerbread and coffee and makes this creamy cheesecake filling extra special.
Gingerbread Cappuccino Cheesecake Jar Ingredients
There are three different elements to this dessert and each one is easy to make – the Gingerbread Cappuccino Cheesecake, the Speculoos Cookie Crumble and Caramel Sauce.
The gingerbread cappuccino cheesecake has the following ingredients:
- Cream Cheese
- Hills Bros. Gingerbread Cappuccino
- Light Brown Sugar
- Ground Ginger
- Heavy Cream
Combining the cream cheese and the heavy cream creates a light and airy texture for this no-bake cheesecake filling.
The Cookie Crumble tastes great with the cream gingerbread cheesecake filling and has the following ingredients:
- Speculoos Cookies
- Dried Cranberries
- Unsalted Butter
- Light Brown Sugar
- Ground Ginger
- Kosher Salt
The last major ingredient is the homemade caramel sauce. Caramel sauce is so easy to make on your own and tastes way better than anything you will find at the stores. It has just 5 base ingredients:
- Granulated Sugar
- Water
- Corn Syrup
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla Extract
- Unsalted Butter
Add the vanilla extract and the butter last. The vanilla extract is an optional ingredient, but I recommend not skipping it.
How to Make the Cheesecake Filling
The no-bake Gingerbread Cappuccino Cheesecake filling is easier to make than you think. A lot of recipes call for room temperature cream cheese, which is definitely a must if you are making a regular cheesecake that is baked in the oven. In that case you need room temperature ingredients to ensure that your cream cheese, eggs, sour cream etc. emulsify properly to create a creamy texture with no chunks of cream cheese or butter.
But since we are making a no-bake cheesecake this recipe starts with cream cheese straight from the refrigerator. Beat the cream cheese, the brown sugar, Gingerbread Cappuccino, and ground ginger together until the cream cheese is smooth and creamy.
Beating the cream cheese with the sugar introduces air pockets into the cream cheese which helps with the fluffy texture. Start with 2 tablespoons of the Gingerbread Cappuccino and add another tablespoon if you want a stronger taste.
Next, add the vanilla extract and the heavy cream. While the mixer is running, slowly add the heavy cream by pouring it down the sides of the bowl. Once all the cream is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form and the beaters leave visible tracks in the filling.
Taste the mixture and add additional spices or Gingerbread Cappuccino mix according to your taste. Mix it in by hand so you don’t over beat the filling.
How to Make the Cookie Cranberry Crumble
The cookie crumble is tasty and easy to make. I’ve added dried cranberries for a nice tart contrast. The dried cranberries are processed in the food processor until they are chopped. This step will take about 1-2 minutes. Add the cookies to the cranberries in the food processor and process until the cookies are crumbs. Dump the cookie crumbs and cranberries in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
If you do not have a food processor you can chop the dried cranberries with a sharp knife and place the cookies in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Add the brown sugar, kosher salt and ginger to the cookie cranberry crumbs and use a fork to combine the ingredients. Add the melted butter and use a fork to toss the crumbs and thoroughly coat them with butter.
Store the cookie cranberry crumbs in the refrigerator until ready to use.
How to Make the Homemade Caramel Sauce
Homemade Caramel Sauce is so good and takes less time to make than you might think. This recipe is for caramel sauce which means that there are equal amounts of cream and sugar. The corn syrup prevents crystallization and ensures the chances of having a creamy and smooth caramel sauce.
The two biggest tips for successfully making caramel sauce are:
- Once the sugar is dissolved and it starts boiling do not touch the sugar syrup until it has turned a beautiful amber. That means it is ready for the cream to be added.
- Watch it the entire time to ensure it does not burn. The sugar syrup will reach the right color and temperature in 5-7 minutes, so do not multi-task while making the caramel.
Be careful when adding the cream because it will bubble up when the cream is added. The bubbling is why you want to use a pan that is larger than the ingredients appear to call for. Once the cream is added you will need to stir it until the caramel is smooth and creamy.
The caramel sauce can be made up to one week in advance and refrigerated. If the caramel sauce is refrigerated, warm it in the microwave for about 20 seconds until it pours easily from the jar but is barely warm.
Assembling the Cheesecake Jars
As its name says this yummy cheesecake dessert is served in jars, but if you don’t have 8-ounce jars you can use 8-ounce ramekins.
Scoop 1/4 cup of the Cookie Cranberry Crumble in the bottom of each jar and use the back of a spoon to press it into the jar.
Place the whipped gingerbread cappuccino cheesecake in an 18-inch pastry bag with a 3/8-inch to 1/2-inch tip and pipe the filling into the jar until it is about an inch from the top.
Add 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce and then top with whipped cream. Serve the dessert immediately or refrigerate and serve the next day.
I hope you try this yummy creamy dessert. As a baker I love trying new ingredients and was happy to discover Hills Bros. Cappuccino and how to use it to flavor this new dessert.
Where to Buy
You can get your Hills Bros. Holiday Cappuccino fix by shopping at Amazon for their seasonal flavors or for their year-round flavors.
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Gingerbread Cappuccino Cheesecake Jars
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cookie Cranberry Crumble
- 1/2 cup (76 grams) dried cranberries
- 4 ounces speculoos cookies or graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons (38 grams) packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt optional
Gingerbread Cappuccino Cheesecake Filling
- 12 ounces full fat cream cheese cold
- 2/3 cup (133 grams) grams light brown sugar, packed
- 2-3 tablespoons Hills Bros. Gingerbread Cappuccino
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream cold
Whipped Cream Topping (Optional)
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream cold
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
- For this recipe you will need 6 8-ounce jars for the individual servings. You can also use 8-ounce ramekins.
- Make the caramel sauce first because it will need time to cool to at least room temperature before it is used to top the cheesecake filling.
- The dried cranberries should be soft and plump. This recipe and the directions won’t work with dried cranberries that are hard or have been sitting in your cabinet for a few months.
- For the whipped cream topping place a metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator 30 minutes before making it.
For the Caramel Sauce
- Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a 2-quart non-reactive saucepan. Place the heavy cream in a measuring cup next to the stove along with the butter and vanilla. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and as it heats gently stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved do not stir the mixture again. Cook the sugar syrup until it turns amber or golden brown.
- Remove the pan from heat and slowly add the cold cream to the pan. Be careful, it will quickly boil up. Once the caramel has subsided return the pan to medium-low heat and stir until the caramel is smooth. Add the butter and vanilla and stir until fully incorporated. Pour the sauce into a heatproof container and allow it to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the caramel if assembling the dessert the next day.
For the Cookie Cranberry Crumble
- Place the dried cranberries in the bowl of a food processor and process until they are cut into small pieces. Add the cookies or graham crackers to the food processor and process until the cookies are crumbs. There shouldn’t be any large chunks or pieces.
- Pour the cookie crumb-cranberry mixture into a medium bowl. Add the brown sugar, ground ginger and kosher salt and mix until these ingredients are well incorporated. Break up any brown sugar clumps with your fingers. Add the melted butter and mix until all the cookie crumbs are coated with butter.
For the Gingerbread Cappuccino Cheesecake Filling
- Place the cold cream cheese, the brown sugar, Gingerbread Cappuccino and 1/2 teaspoon of the ground ginger in a large bowl. With a handheld mixer beat the mixture on low speed until the ingredients are combined and then increase the speed to high and beat until the cream cheese mixture is smooth and cream. Taste the mixture and determine if you want to add additional ground ginger.
- Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on medium, slowly add the heavy cream and when all the cream has been added increase the speed to medium high. Beat the mixture until the beaters start to leave visible tracks in the cheesecake filling and soft peaks have formed. You know you have soft peaks when you stop the mixture, lift up the beaters and the peaks of the whipped cheesecake slightly fold over. Do not overmix the filling. It is okay to undermix the filling, check for soft peaks and then continue to beat it until the right consistency is achieved.
- The cheesecake filling can be made 3 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to assemble the dessert.
Whipped Cream Topping
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of cold heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar and beat the cream on medium until the whisk attachment leaves streaks into the cream.
Assembling the Cheesecake Desserts
- Spoon the cheesecake filling into an 18-inch pastry bag with a plain or decorative tip of your choice. If you don’t have a pastry bag tip cut a 1/2-inch opening at the tip of the bag.
- Place 1/4 cup of packed cookie crumble in the bottom of an 8-ounce jar. Pipe the cheesecake filling on top of the cookie crumbs until it is about 1-inch from the top edge of the jar. Top the cheesecake with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce. Top with the whipped cream and serve.
- The cheesecake jars can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerate until ready to serve. If assembling the desserts in advance allow the desserts to sit a room temperature for 30 miutes and top with whipped cream right before serving.
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