These no-bake white chocolate cheesecakes are silky, citrusy, and downright festive topped with jewel-toned mulled berries simmered with cinnamon, cardamom, and orange. A buttery Walkers Shortbread gingerbread cookie crust anchors each glass, while folded whipped cream keeps the cheesecake light as a cloud. Make them a day ahead, chill, and crown with fruit right before serving for an effortless showstopper. If you’re craving a festive white chocolate dessert or a make-ahead treat for holiday dinners, these pretty parfaits hit the sweet spot: minimal effort, maximum sparkle, and guaranteed “wow.”
Time Breakdown
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time (fruit): 5–10 minutes
- Chill Time: 4 hours (or overnight)
- Total Time: about 4 hours 40 minutes
- Servings: 10 individual cups (4–6 oz/120–180 ml each)
Ingredients List
Gingerbread Shortbread Crust
- 2 (4.4 oz/125 g each) packs Walkers Shortbread Gingerbread Men, finely crushed (250 g total)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
White Chocolate No-Bake Cheesecake
- 8 oz (225 g) white chocolate, chopped
- 2 packages cream cheese, room temp (2 × 8 oz / 450 g total)
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- Zest of 1 orange + 1 Tbsp (15 ml) orange juice
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream, cold
Mulled Fruit Topping
- 2 1/2 cups (400 g) mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, cherries)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine or cranberry juice
- 2 Tbsp (25 g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch fine salt
- Zest of 1 orange + juice of 1 orange
Optional Garnishes
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream
- Sugared cranberries
- Extra Walkers Gingerbread Men, whole or halved
- Small thyme or rosemary sprigs
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.
- Food processor (or zip bag + rolling pin)
- Mixing bowls, rubber spatula
- Stand mixer or hand mixer with whisk
- Small saucepan with lid
- Heatproof bowl for melting chocolate (double boiler or microwave)
- 10 small glasses/jars (4–6 oz/120–180 ml) and piping bag or spoon
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Crust: Pulse cookies to fine crumbs. Stir in melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Spoon 2–3 Tbsp (20–30 g) into each glass; press lightly. Chill while you make the filling.
- Melt chocolate: Gently melt white chocolate over a double boiler (barely simmering water) or in 15–20 second microwave bursts; stir smooth. Let cool to just warm.
- Cheesecake base: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl.
- Enrich: Stream in cooled white chocolate; mix on low until combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
- Whip & fold: In a clean bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold 1/3 into cheesecake to lighten, then fold in the rest until no streaks remain.
- Fill & chill: Pipe or spoon filling over crusts, leaving headspace for fruit. Cover loosely and chill 4 hours or overnight.
- Mulled fruit: Combine berries, wine/juice, sugar, spices, salt, orange zest, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Cover and cook on medium-low until berries release juices and just soften, 5–10 minutes. Cool completely.
- Serve: Spoon mulled fruit on chilled cheesecakes. Garnish with whipped cream, a gingerbread cookie, sugared cranberries, and a tiny herb sprig. Enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Stable layers: Cool the white chocolate to lukewarm before adding so the filling stays silky.
- Thicker fruit: Simmer uncovered 1–2 extra minutes for a jammy sauce; cool fully before topping.
- Make-ahead: Cheesecakes hold 48 hours chilled (without fruit). Add fruit within 2 hours of serving for best texture.
- Kid-friendly: Swap wine for cranberry or pomegranate juice same sparkle, no alcohol.
Nutrition Table
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| per serving | 520 | 6 g | 36 g | 38 g | 1 g | 29 g |