This Mexican Cheesecake recipe is one of our favorite holiday desserts! It’s wonderfully smooth, creamy and light. What makes it Mexican, you ask? Well, it’s the addition of my delicious Rompope, the Mexican version of eggnog, but way better!
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Best Pay De Queso
This version takes things up a notch with Rompope that makes every bite extra delicious. It looks fancy but it’s easy to make, so you get a showstopper without a ton of work. Serve it chilled, maybe with a little whipped cream on top, and watch it disappear fast!
Let’s talk about a dessert that’s rich, creamy, and loaded with holiday vibes: Rompope Cheesecake.
Rompope, Mexico’s take on eggnog, is smoother, sweeter, and doesn’t have that overpowering egg flavor. Pairing this delicious drink with cheesecake? Genius!
This recipe gives you a perfectly creamy cheesecake with just the right balance of Rompope’s sweetness and spices. Bring it to any holiday get-together and watch it steal the show. Plus, you don’t need to be a baking pro to make it.
This recipe makes one 9-inch cheesecake, enough for 12 generous slices. For smaller families or gatherings, split the batter between two 6-inch pans and enjoy one now and one later!
Make it for a festive party or just for yourself (we all deserve treats, right?). This Rompope Cheesecake has you covered.
🩷 xo, Ana
How To Make Mexican Cheesecake
Ingredients notes
**A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Step by step guide
⏰ About 30 minutes of hands-on work. The rest is baking, cooling, and chilling, so plan to make it the day before.
- Make the crust: In a food processor, add the cookies and pulse into fine crumbs.
- Add the melted butter and sugar. Pulse again until it looks like wet sand.
- Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. The flat bottom of a measuring cup makes this easy. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set it on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on.
- Beat the cream cheese. Soft, room temperature cream cheese is the secret to a lump-free batter. Beat it smooth before anything else goes in, and scrape the bowl often.
- Add the sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg. Beat on medium-low until smooth, about 1 minute, then scrape the bowl again.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each one disappears into the batter.
- With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the rompope and mix just until smooth. Finish by folding with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl. Don’t overmix. Extra air in the batter causes cracks.
- Finish by folding with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl. Don’t overmix. Extra air in the batter causes cracks. Add the mixture into the baked crust.
- Bake according to the instructions on the recipe card below.
Make the whipped cream
- In a chilled bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed
- Until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pipe or spread the whipped cream over the cheesecake and finish with sugared cranberries and rosemary. For clean slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts.
Ana’s Recipe Tips
- Water Bath: To avoid cracks, bake the cheesecake in a water bath. It’s not hard to set up and makes a big difference in the final texture.
- Don’t Overmix: When combining ingredients, mix just until smooth to avoid incorporating too much air, which can lead to cracks.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Store the cheesecake in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days. Use an airtight container or tightly wrap the pan with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- Freezer: If you’re prepping ahead, you can freeze the cheesecake (without toppings) for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. To thaw, move it to the refrigerator overnight.
- Leftovers: Individual slices can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container for an easy grab-and-go treat.
Now, go grab that Rompope and let’s bake a cheesecake worth talking about!
Print Recipe:
Rompope Cheesecake
Ingredients
The crust
- 3 cups Maria cookie crumbs - or graham crackers or Biscoff cookies
- ½ cup salted butter - melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar - skip if using Biscoff cookies
Cheesecake batter
- 32 ounces cream cheese (four 8 oz packs) - softened
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 4 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup rompope - room temperature
Whipped cream
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream - cold
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Garnish
- sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary - optional
Instructions
The crust
- Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C with a rack in the middle position. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with 2 to 3 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil so no water sneaks in during the water bath.
- Pulse the Maria cookies in a food processor into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand.
- Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. The flat bottom of a measuring cup makes this easy.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set it on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on.
Cheesecake batter
- Start heating 8 cups of water in a kettle or pot for the water bath.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the softened cream cheese on medium-low speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle.
- Add the sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg. Beat on medium-low until smooth, about 1 minute, then scrape the bowl again.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each one disappears into the batter.
- With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the rompope and mix just until smooth. Finish by folding with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl. Don’t overmix. Extra air in the batter causes cracks.
Bake and chill
- Set the foil-wrapped pan inside a large roasting pan and pour in the batter. Smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles.
- Place the roasting pan on the oven rack, then carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan until it comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake for 75 to 80 minutes, until the outer 2 to 3 inches look set and the center still jiggles slightly when you gently nudge the pan.
- Turn off the oven, prop the door open with a wooden spoon, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour.
- Lift the pan out of the water bath and peel off the foil. Run a thin knife around the edge to loosen the cheesecake from the pan, then let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight for the best texture. Release the springform ring and move the cheesecake to a serving plate.
Whipped cream and garnish
- In a chilled bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pipe or spread the whipped cream over the cheesecake and finish with sugared cranberries and rosemary. For clean slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts.
Notes
- Smaller cheesecakes: Split the batter between two 6-inch springform pans and bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still jiggle slightly.
- Rompope: Homemade or store-bought both work. Let it come to room temperature first so it blends smoothly into the cream cheese.
- Make ahead: Bake the cheesecake up to 2 days before serving. Add the whipped cream and garnish right before serving.
- Storage: Keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze without toppings for up to 2 months.
Your Private Notes
Nutrition
Mexican Cheesecake FAQs
Traditional pay de queso in Mexico is usually lighter and often made with condensed or evaporated milk. This version keeps a rich, classic cheesecake base and gets its Mexican twist from rompope, nutmeg, and a Maria cookie crust.
The usual suspects are overmixing, overbaking, or a sudden temperature change. Mix on low once the eggs go in, pull it while the center still jiggles, and let it cool slowly in the oven with the door cracked open. A crack still tastes great, and whipped cream hides it.
