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Chocolate Gnome Cheesecakes

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4.3 from 75 reviews

Celebrate the holiday season with these whimsical Chocolate Gnome Cheesecakes, featuring rich chocolate cookie crusts, velvety chocolate cheesecake filling, and charming decorations with ganache hats, whipped cream beards, and candy noses, all dusted with powdered sugar to resemble snowy gnomes. Perfect for festive parties, dessert tables, or gifts, these mini cheesecakes combine elegance, playfulness, and delicious chocolate flavor in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

The Crust:

  • 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (such as Oreos, finely crushed)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

  • 16 oz (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup melted semi-sweet chocolate

Gnome Decorations:

  • ¾ cup chocolate ganache (or melted chocolate for hats)
  • Whipped cream or frosting (for beards)
  • Mini candy-coated chocolates or white chocolate chips (for noses)
  • Strawberries or chocolate cones (optional, for hat shape)
  • Powdered sugar (for dusting ‘snow’)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners or silicone molds to ensure easy removal and perfect shape for each cheesecake.
  2. Make the Chocolate Crust: In a small bowl, combine the chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter until the texture resembles wet sand. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each lined muffin cup and press firmly using the back of a spoon or tamper. Bake for 5 minutes, then cool.
  3. Prepare the Chocolate Cheesecake Filling: Beat softened cream cheese on medium speed until smooth (~2 minutes). Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and vanilla extract until silky. Stir in melted semi-sweet chocolate until just combined resulting in a thick, glossy batter. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed until just incorporated—avoid overmixing to prevent cracks.
  4. Fill and Bake: Divide filling evenly over cooled crusts, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 18–20 minutes until centers are just set and slightly jiggly. Turn off oven, crack door, and cool cheesecakes for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture.
  5. Prepare the Gnome Decorations: For ganache hats, combine ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips with ½ cup hot heavy cream, stirring until smooth and glossy. Let cool slightly. Alternatively, use melted chocolate or chocolate cones for hats. Pipe whipped cream or frosting with a star or round tip around the bottom half of each cheesecake to create a beard. Top with a ganache hat and add mini candy or white chocolate chip “noses.” Dust with powdered sugar to resemble snow.

Notes

  • For the crust, pressing firmly helps prevent crumbling.
  • Use foil or parchment liners for cleaner edges and easy peeling.
  • Do not overbeat after adding eggs to avoid cracks in cheesecake tops.
  • Ganache cools and thickens making it easier to shape hats.
  • Refrigerate thoroughly before decorating to maintain shape.
  • Optional: Strawberries or chocolate cones can be used as alternative hat shapes.

Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/chocolate-gnome-cheesecakes/