Holiday Nog Cheesecake Bites {with Cottage Cheese}

Made with a gluten-free cinnamon “graham cracker” crust and filled with a creamy holiday spiced cheesecake made of cottage cheese and cream cheese, these mini Eggnog cheesecake bites are the perfect appetizer or dessert for your holiday party.

There is nothing more festive than Holiday nog. At least, nothing other than Eggnog Cheesecake.

The filling has a full cup of Holiday Nog in it – without a doubt, it’ll satisfy your holiday sweet tooth.

In addition, it’s super simple to make in muffin tins. Give the gift that keeps on giving by baking these mini cheesecakes for your loved ones this holiday season. They will love you forever!

If you like this recipe, you’ll love my Healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake and my No Bake Cheesecake Bars.

What is in Holiday Nog

Yes, of course, you can use eggnog here. The reason this recipe calls for holiday egg is because I want to give you the option to use your favorite eggnog alternatives, like Oat Nog from Elmhurst, Holiday Nog from Malk, etc.

Traditional eggnog contains .. eggs. Surprise! To be hones, I love the spices in eggnog but was never a huge fan of the .. eggs.

So I personally made my own version of holiday nog:

• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup of coconut sugar

If you are like me who is not a huge fan of the store-bought eggnog, you need to give this a try. A good holiday nog actually, pairs well with ginger, white chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, and even chocolate.

Try garnishing your cheesecake with your favorite toppings or even pair your cake with your favorite spicy tea (I would opt for a Chai Tea Latte) or cup of joe.

“Did I do something wrong?” Fresh out of the oven

Don’t be alarmed that the holiday nog cheesecakes look like muffins when you check the oven!

They will come back down and just leave a nice, caramelized color and there may be some cracks on the surface.

Leaving the cheesecake in the oven while turning off the heat (with the oven door cracked) will help minimize the cracks.

In this case, this helps the heat come down slowly.

Ingredients for Holiday Nog Cheesecake

Now, check out these positively festive ingredients for this delicious holiday dessert:

Crust

• Graham crackers
• Coconut or brown sugar
• Butter, melted
• Cinnamon

Eggnog cheesecake Filling

• Eggs, room temperature
• Cream cheese, room temperature (Don’t skip this step or the cheesecake will come out not as smooth) or softened
• Cottage Cheese: For the extra protein and the tangy taste (trust me on this)
• Granular/Cane sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Holiday Nog, your choice *
• Nutmeg

How to Make Eggnog Cheesecake

First, preheat the oven to 350 F.

Lastly, turn off the oven and leave the eggnog cheesecake in with the oven door cracked open for 10 – 15 minutes.

The top of the mini cheesecake will puff up like muffins when they are in the oven. They will come down once cooled.

Finally, let the cheesecake cool for an hour or so and refrigerate for 3 – 4 hours

Serve with whipped cream, crumbled graham cracker, or just as it is! Enjoy!

Let’s Make it Together! Leave Your Questions in the Comments

Although traditionally, cheesecake recipes use either sour cream or heavy cream to soften and add moisture, we do nothing the traditional way here at Shuangy’s Kitchensink.

I find that Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt does the same and is a great higher protein option. So I replaced some of the cream cheese. Not only it add a little extra tangy taste, it also takes out a little extra guilt in indulging in all the holiday treats.

Am I right?

Got leftover cheesecake bites?

I don’t waste any dessert. I can always find a way to fancy up the leftovers.What about Eggnog Cheesecake Truffles?

In this case, use any leftover bites, roll them into balls, and dip the balls in melted chocolate. Freeze and enjoy!

What are My Favorite Ways to Serve Mini Holiday Nog Cheesecake

Without a doubt, this Eggnog Cheesecake tastes amazing on its own.

However, I love adding some fresh whipped cream on top and crumbling my extra graham crackers over it.

In addition, feel free to add a scoop of your favorite ice cream on the side. Yum!

Here is How You Can Store These

Generally, you can store this eggnog cheesecake in an airtight container for up to 5 days. OR you can store in the freezer- just take out to thaw about 10 minutes before wanting to enjoy!

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS