Of all our cheesecake recipes, this easy, no-bake white chocolate cheesecake recipe takes the cake (or cheesecake!) as the most popular and requested.
We're talking thick and creamy cream cheese, mascarpone and double cream whipped up and enveloped in melted white chocolate for a sublime, velvety texture. Subtle bits of stem ginger throughout give a lovely little spice kick.
For folks familiar with the famous UK restaurant chain Wagamama, this is our attempt to recreate their legendary white chocolate cheesecake at home. Hopefully, we've come pretty darn close with this transportive yet simple stunner!
If you prefer other no-bake recipes, try this easy marshmallow fridge tart, peppermint crisp tart made with aero mint, easy date squares or this festive cassata ice cream.
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What's to love about this recipe
- Big impact cheesecake, little effort required.
- Suitable for any occasion, from summer parties to a Christmas dessert, tea time treat, special occasions like birthdays or a dinner finale.
- White chocolate and ginger is a perfect match - the creaminess of the white chocolate is subtly complemented by the spicy ginger biscuit base and stem ginger pieces throughout.
- No oven time or complicated water bath.
- No gelatine.
- If you're looking to recreate Wagamama's famous cheesecake, this is as close as you will get!
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the detailed and full ingredients list.
Gingernut biscuits
Also called ginger snap cookies. If you want to turn down the ginger, you can also use digestive biscuits, graham crackers or other plain biscuits.
Unsalted butter
We use unsalted butter, but using salted butter won't make a huge difference to the overall cheesecake, so feel free to use salted butter instead.
White chocolate
No need for high-end chocolate here. We've used everything from premium couverture chocolate and cheap supermarket chocolate to white chocolate chips, with very little difference in taste once everything's combined.
Double cream
Also known as heavy cream in the USA. Full-fat double cream is the best choice for this recipe. It's what gives you an *extra* creamy white chocolate cheesecake.
Mascarpone cheese
Adds incredible depth of flavour. Do not substitute with more cream cheese, ricotta or sour cream.
Soft cream cheese
Use a soft, spreadable cream cheese, like Philadelphia.
Icing sugar
Also called confectioners or powdered sugar in the US.
Stem ginger
Usually found in a jar in the baking aisle. Stem ginger is chunks of ginger that have been peeled, cooked and then preserved in a sugar syrup. A popular brand in the UK is Opies. You can very easily make your own with this excellent recipe from Tales from the Kitchen Shed.
We would highly advise against using ground ginger for this cheesecake.
This cheesecake also works brilliantly if you choose to leave the ginger out entirely. You can substitute stem ginger with a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Equipment needed
- 23cm/9'' springform cake tin.
- A stand mixer or a hand mixer.
- A food processor.
- Heatproof bowl.
- Baking paper/parchment paper.
- Mortar and pestle (if adding the ginger).
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1
- Place the ginger nut biscuits into a food processor and process on high speed until very finely crushed and sandy in texture.
You can also do this step by hand by bashing the biscuits with a rolling pin inside a sealable plastic bag.
- Melt the butter either in a small saucepan on the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
- Add the finely crushed biscuit crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined.
- Press the buttery biscuit mixture evenly across the base of a 23cm or 9-inch springform pan. Use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass to press down firmly and flatten.
- Place the cake tin in the fridge while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
Step 2
- Break the white chocolate into smaller pieces and place it in a heatproof glass or ceramic bowl.
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring well after each interval.
Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a large saucepan of gently simmering water (low heat), ensuring the bowl does not touch the water (or use a double boiler).
- Once fully smooth and liquid, remove the white chocolate from the heat source and set it aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
Step 3
- Pour the double cream into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, whip the double cream on high speed until it reaches the soft peak stage, being careful not to over-whip it.
Step 4
- In a separate large bowl, add the full-fat cream cheese and mascarpone cheese. Beat together using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until fully blended and smooth.
- Add in the whipped double cream. Continue whipping on medium speed until the cheese mixture is quite thick and will hold its shape. Careful not to overwhip it or it might become grainy.
Step 5
- Drain the stem ginger pieces.
(You can reserve 2-3 tablespoons of syrup from the jar in a small bowl to drizzle over the surface of the cheesecake later if you wish.)
- Finely mince the stem ginger either by hand using a sharp knife on a cutting board or in a mortar and pestle.
Step 6
- Add the cooled melted white chocolate and sifted icing sugar to the bowl of cream cheese filling. Gently fold them together by hand until just combined.
- Finally, fold in the finely minced pieces of stem ginger until distributed throughout.
Step 7
- Transfer the finished creamy cheesecake mixture into the cake tin on top of the chilled biscuit base. Use a spatula to smooth and level the top.
- Cover the tin and place the cheesecake in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours to allow it to fully set. Overnight is ideal.
- Before releasing the clip on the springform tin, use a long knife or palette knife to carefully slide between the cheesecake and the sides of the pan.
This step helps to ensure a clean and smooth release, preventing the cheesecake from sticking to the sides and avoiding any uneven or jagged edges.
- Transfer to a serving plate and decorate to your preference.
Top tips
Whip the double cream first
We prefer to give the double cream a head start by whipping it first on its own to the soft peak stage, before gently folding it into the cream cheese and mascarpone filling mixture.
This is not essential. You can add the unwhipped double cream directly to the cream cheese and mascarpone and whip everything together. But our preference is to whip the cream first as we find it lightens the overall texture slightly.
Use room-temperature cream cheese and mascarpone
It's important that the full-fat cream cheese and mascarpone cheese come up to room temperature before you start whipping them together.
Whipping them when still chilled straight from the fridge will not produce as light and creamy of a texture versus having them at room temperature first.
Double cream on the other hand, whips better when fridge-cold.
Decoration suggestions
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of the reserved stem ginger syrup over the finished cheesecake before serving.
- Garnish the top of the cake with white chocolate curls, shavings or finely grated white chocolate for an elegant finish.
- Decorate by piping swirls of freshly whipped cream around the edges or across the top.
- For a salted caramel flavour like Wagamama's cheesecake, drizzle the top with warmed dulce de leche, caramel sauce or caramel syrup.
- Sprinkle very finely chopped crystallized ginger across the top of the cheesecake to add crunch.
- Decorate with a few fresh raspberries.
- Cover with a white chocolate ganache.
Storage suggestions
This no-bake white chocolate cheesecake will keep fresh for up to 4 days when stored properly in an airtight container, or tightly covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
Freezing cheesecake has some divided opinions. You CAN freeze it, but you might find a slight graininess in the texture, especially if you keep it frozen for longer than a month.
FAQ
The overall lifespan of a cheesecake is 4 days. Ideally, you should make the cheesecake no longer than a day in advance of serving it, for optimal freshness
That's definitely down to taste! Baked cheesecakes tend to have a denser texture because they contain eggs. No-bake cheesecakes are often lighter due to air being whipped into a few of the ingredients.
From a maker's perspective, no-bake cheesecakes are less effort to make but by no means less tasty than their baked cousins. If it's your first time making a cheesecake, start with a no-bake recipe.
It will be down to two things:
1. Make sure that you whip the dairy ingredients until they are quite firm and will hold their shape.
2. It's important to rest a no-bake cheesecake for at least 6 hours in the fridge to firm up. If you remove the cheesecake, put any leftovers back in the fridge as soon as possible.
Ideally yes. It's both more hygienic and you also prevent any odours from other products in the fridge affecting the cheesecake (think last night's potent curry).
If you are worried about any piped decorations on your cheesecake being damaged by cling film or foil, try turning an empty cookie tin upside over the cheesecake in the fridge.
We would advise against it. You may end up with the outsides starting to freeze whilst the inside is still not set.
If you do want to give it a helping hand, don't leave it in the freezer for longer than 30 minutes, then move it to the fridge and put your patience hat on.
New York-style cheesecake - Baked, heavy and contains eggs like most baked cheesecakes.
Italian cheesecake - Lighter, uses ricotta cheese, baked.
No-bake cheesecakes - Usually contain gelatine or other ingredients that will help the cheesecake to set. This is a lighter cheesecake than the baked versions and much easier to make, especially for beginners.
More recipes using cream cheese
Recipe
White Chocolate Cheesecake (with ginger)
Ingredients
For the base
- 250 gram ginger nut biscuits - or other plain biscuits like digestives
- 80 gram unsalted butter
For the cheesecake filling
- 350 gram white chocolate
- 200 gram double cream - fridge-cold
- 250 gram mascarpone cheese - room temperature
- 400 gram soft cream cheese - room temperature
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar - sifted
- 60 gram optional: stem ginger - about 5 pieces
Instructions
For the base:
- Place the ginger nut biscuits into a food processor and process on high speed until very finely crushed and sandy in texture.You can also do this step by hand by bashing the biscuits with a rolling pin inside a sealable plastic bag.
- Melt the butter either in a small saucepan on the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
- Add the finely crushed biscuit crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined.
- Press the buttery biscuit mixture evenly across the base of a 23cm or 9 inch springform cake tin. Use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass to press down firmly and flatten.
- Place the cake tin in the fridge while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
For the cheesecake filling
- Break the white chocolate into smaller pieces and place it in a heatproof glass or ceramic bowl.
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring well after each interval. Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water.
- Once fully smooth and liquid, remove the white chocolate from the stove and set it aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Pour the double cream into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the double cream on high speed until it reaches soft peak stage, being careful not to over-whip it.
- In a separate large bowl, add the full-fat soft cream cheese and mascarpone cheese. Beat together using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until fully blended and smooth.
- Add in the whipped double cream. Continue whipping on medium speed until the cheese mixture is quite thick and will hold its shape.Careful no to overwhip it or it might become grainy.
- Drain the stem ginger pieces. (You can reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the syrup in the jar to drizzle over the cheesecake if you wish.)
- Finely mince the stem ginger either by hand using a sharp knife on a cutting board or in a mortar and pestle.
- Add the cooled melted white chocolate and sifted icing sugar to the bowl of cream cheese filling. Gently fold together by hand until just combined.
- Finally, fold in the finely minced pieces of stem ginger until distributed throughout.
- Transfer the finished creamy cheesecake filling into the cake tin on top of the chilled biscuit base. Use a spatula to smooth and level the top.
- Cover the tin and refrigerate the cheesecake for a minimum of 6 hours to allow it to fully set, but ideally refrigerate overnight.
- Before releasing the clip on the springform tin, use a long knife or palette knife to carefully slide between the cheesecake and the sides of the tin.This step helps to ensure a clean and smooth release, preventing the cheesecake from sticking to the sides and avoiding any uneven or jagged edges.
Notes
Top tips
Whip the double cream first
We prefer to give the double cream a head start by whipping it first on its own to soft peak stage before gently folding it into the cream cheese and mascarpone filling mixture. This is not essential. You can alternatively add the unwhipped double cream directly to the cream cheese and mascarpone and whip everything together. But our preference is to whip the cream first as we find it lightens the overall texture slightly.Use room temperature cream cheese and mascarpone
It's important that the full-fat cream cheese and mascarpone cheese come up to room temperature before you start whipping them together. Whipping them when still chilled straight from the fridge will not produce as light and creamy of a texture versus having them at room temperature first. Double cream on the other hand, whips better when fridge-cold.**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
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