Holiday Bliss: Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes & Starbucks for Your Perfect Afternoon Treat
The holiday season is a magical time, filled with sparkling lights, festive music, and the warmth of cherished traditions. Yet, amidst the hustle and bustle of gift-giving, decorating, and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to forget to take a moment for yourself. This year, we invite you to embrace a delightful European tradition – the afternoon coffee and cake break – and elevate it with a touch of holiday magic. Imagine savoring a rich, aromatic coffee paired with an exquisite, easy-to-make dessert. Our Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes, perfectly complemented by Starbucks® Holiday Cookie Straws and Starbucks® Holiday Blend, offer just the indulgent pause you need to brighten your day and truly soak in the festive spirit.
This post has been sponsored by Starbucks. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For a truly exceptional holiday sweet break, you absolutely need to get your hands on Starbucks® Holiday Cookie Straws and Starbucks® Holiday Blend. These essential holiday products are readily available at your local Kroger store – or King Soopers if you’re in Colorado! Stocking up on these seasonal delights is the first step towards creating your perfect festive moment. Be sure to check the link below to locate the most convenient spot to pick up your Starbucks Holiday Cookie Straws and Starbucks Holiday Blend. These items are seasonal and fly off the shelves quickly, so don’t delay in securing yours!
Embracing the European Afternoon “Coffee and Cake” Tradition
During a memorable visit to Switzerland, I discovered a cherished, time-honored tradition that instantly captivated me: the afternoon coffee and cake break. It struck me then, and still does now, how wonderfully simple and beneficial this practice is, and why it hasn’t become a widespread custom here in the US. The couple I was staying with would, without fail, pause their day around 2 to 2:30 PM for their “coffee and cake” ritual. While “cake” was often the star, sometimes it would be an assortment of delicious cookies or a delicate French pastry. The constant, however, was a perfectly brewed coffee beverage paired with something sweet and comforting. I learned that this brief, restorative break was even common in Swiss offices, serving as a vital respite from the demands of a busy workday.
This delightful interlude was designed to help them recharge and power through to the end of the day. It’s an incredibly simple yet profound concept to inject a little more sweetness and calm into each day, isn’t it? For all of us coffee lovers and those seeking a bit more balance, it’s high time we began incorporating this wonderful European tradition into our daily lives, especially during the often-stressful holiday season.
Crafting Your Perfect Holiday Sweet Break
So, what’s the easiest and most delicious way to bring this charming tradition into your home this holiday season? It’s simple: with Starbucks Holiday Cookie Straws, Starbucks Holiday Blend, and our irresistible Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes. These delightful holiday flavors are available for a limited time only, making them even more special. Don’t miss out – head to your local store and purchase yours now while they’re still in stock and ready to elevate your festive moments!
I am a firm believer in embracing those small, precious moments that sprinkle joy throughout life. This holiday season, I’ve decided to make this daily afternoon sweet break my new personal tradition. It’s a dedicated time to pause, reflect, and enjoy the simple pleasures that make life so rich.
The Starbucks Essentials for Your Holiday Indulgence
To begin, brew your afternoon coffee using Starbucks Holiday Blend. The aroma alone is enough to transport you to a cozy, festive wonderland. Personally, I prefer a French press for making my coffee, as it truly brings out the full body and intricate notes of the blend. However, a standard coffee maker works just as well, or for ultimate convenience, you can opt for this blend in K-Cup® pods. This particular Starbucks blend is renowned for its delightful layers of herbal and sweet maple notes, making it the quintessential coffee for the holiday season. Its rich, comforting profile pairs exquisitely with Starbucks Holiday Cookie Straws. These straws are not just sweet and wonderfully chocolaty; they are specifically designed to be stirred into your coffee, slowly melting and infusing your drink with an extra layer of decadent flavor and a fun, interactive element.
The Perfect Pairing: Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes
The final, irresistible component of this perfect holiday break is a Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecake. These delightful individual treats encapsulate the very essence of the season. Each cheesecake features a perfectly spiced gingersnap crust, offering a delightful crunch and robust ginger flavor. This serves as the ideal foundation for the creamy, gingerbread-spiced cheesecake filling, which is infused with warm notes of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. A generous dollop of fluffy whipped cream on top provides a luxurious finish, balancing the spices with its delicate sweetness. It’s truly the best blend of holiday flavors, designed to bring the spirit of the season to life with every single bite.
One of the greatest advantages of these cheesecakes is that they are “no-bake.” This means less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the holidays. The simplicity of preparation makes them an ideal choice for busy festive periods, allowing you to create an impressive and delicious dessert without the stress of oven baking. The individual “mini” size also makes them perfect for portion control and elegant serving, whether for a quiet afternoon treat or a small holiday gathering. They are quick to assemble and simply require chilling, making them perfect to prepare in advance.
You can conveniently pick up all the necessary ingredients for these cheesecakes, along with your essential Starbucks products, at your local Kroger store. For me, King Soopers, with their fantastic Clicklist service, is a lifesaver. It’s perfect for those days when you’re feeling a bit lazy and prefer to skip the actual grocery shopping process – and let’s be honest, who isn’t a little lazy during the holidays? Their Clicklist service is truly life-changing for convenience, and if you have a local King Soopers, I highly recommend giving it a try to streamline your holiday preparations.
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Mini No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecakes
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs + additional for topping
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- Garnish: whipped cream crumbled gingersnap cookies
instructions
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Line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
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In a medium bowl, stir together crust ingredients. Press 1 to 2 Tbsp of the crust mixture into cupcake liners and chill for 2 hours.
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In a large bowl, beat together heavy cream, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Add in the cream cheese and sugar, beating until completely combined.
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Pour mixture into the prepared pie-crusts, smoothing over the top with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with additional gingersnap cookie crumbs.
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Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
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Cheesecakes can be made up to 2 days in advance. Simply keep them covered and refrigerated. Serve with Starbuck Holiday Blend coffee and cookie straws!