Easy No-bake Ginger And White Chocolate Cheesecake (Wagamama Copycat)
on Jul 28, 2019, Updated Jun 25, 2020
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Fan of Wagamama’s ginger and white chocolate cheesecake? This copycat recipe tastes just like Wagamama’s. It’s a super easy no-bake mascarpone cheesecake with a tasty gingersnap crust. You need just 20 minutes and 7 ingredients to make it!
Table of Contents
- The BEST ginger and white chocolate cheesecake!
- A lower sugar no-bake crowd pleaser
- How do you make a no-bake cheesecake?
- How to make it step-by-step
- Helen’s Top Tips
- Not a big fan of ginger?
- How long does a no-bake cheesecake take to set?
- Can you freeze a no-bake cheesecake?
- More cheesecake recipes
- More lower sugar desserts
- The easiest ginger and white chocolate cheesecake (Wagamama style) Recipe
- A note on the white chocolate
- A note on the ginger
- A note on freezing this no-bake cheesecake
- A note on the caramel sauce
The BEST ginger and white chocolate cheesecake!
This no bake ginger and white chocolate cheesecake recipe is famous – at least in our family! For years we’ve called it the BEST ginger and white chocolate cheesecake, and no visit to Wagamama is complete without it.
When I googled it I couldn’t find Wagamama’s exact recipe. Although they have a cookbook, I assume that means it’s a top secret recipe.
So of course I decided to try making my own!
Did it taste just like the Wagamama version we know and love? I served it at a family dinner and there certainly weren’t any complaints. Is it bragging to say I think my version is a little bit better than Wagamama’s ? 😉
A lower sugar no-bake crowd pleaser
You know cheesecake. It’s a crowd pleaser, but it isn’t exactly healthy. My answer? Just have a small piece.
And put less sugar in it!
This white chocolate raspberry cheesecake is another white chocolate cheesecake recipe that’s popular in our house. This time it’s baked, but it’s still super easy. I keep this one super simple and on the less sweet side by using the white chocolate as the only sweetener in the cream cheese layer.
So of course I did the same for this cheesecake!
That’s not to say there’s NO other sweetness in it. The ginger biscuit/cookie base is sweet, as is the (optional but very highly recommended) caramel sauce that I like to drizzle over the top.
I really don’t think you need to add any more sugar to the cheesy part.
How do you make a no-bake cheesecake?
A no-bake cheesecake is generally very simple to make. It doesn’t contain any eggs or flour like a baked cheesecake does, and is largely based on a mixture of cream cheeses, cream, and sugar.
This ginger and white chocolate cheesecake is based on the same principle. I mix 2 cream cheeses together, but don’t add any more cream as mascarpone cheese is already very creamy.
As explained above, I also don’t add any extra sugar as I figure there’s already plenty in the white chocolate.
So these are the only ingredients I use to make this super easy no-bake mascarpone cheesecake:
- Ginger biscuits (US = ginger cookies or gingersnaps!) and butter for the crust
- Cream cheese
- Mascarpone cheese (= very creamy)
- White chocolate – you put most of it in with the cream cheese mixture, and save a bit to grate on top
- Crystallised ginger, or non crystallised ginger, or candied ginger, or stem ginger/ginger in syrup. Basically any kind of ginger out of a jar or packet that is sweet and that you can chop up into pieces!
- Caramel sauce to serve – I just buy ready-made caramel topping. You can skip this step, but I think caramel goes perfectly with the ginger and white chocolate flavours already in the cheesecake. You can even get no sugar or low sugar versions = bonus!
That’s just 7 ingredients. A very small price to pay for cheesecake heaven.
How to make it step-by-step
The step-by-step guide below should help you make the recipe perfectly first time. Scroll down to the end for the full recipe including ingredient amounts.
Crush ginger bisuits/cookies in a food processor (or with a plastic bag and rolling pin!), mix with butter and press into a springform pan. (photos 1-4)
Whisk together cream cheese and mascarpone cheese, then melt white chocolate in a jug in the microwave. (photos 5-6)
Gradually whisk in the slightly cooled white chocolate. Stir through the ginger pieces, then spoon on top of the biscuit base. (photos 7-9)
Smooth with a spatula or metal spoon, then let set in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Take off the top part of the springform pan, then sprinkle with grated white chocolate! (photos 10-12)
Last but definitely not least, drizzle over caramel sauce and… enjoy!
Helen’s Top Tips
- Use a springform pan like this one to make your cheesecake in. Makes it really easy to get it out of the pan without it breaking up!
- I’ve mixed the cream cheese mixture with just a wooden spoon before. You’ll give your arm a good workout this way, but it takes just seconds to whisk it all up with a handheld whisk.
- Add the melted white chocolate slowly and whisk it in little by little. Sometimes it looks like it’s going a bit ‘grainy’ as you add it, but don’t worry – the finished cheesecake will look and taste just fine.
- Go easy on the amount of ginger you add to the cream cheese layer. It’s easy to have a taste and add a bit more, or add a bit more the next time you make it, but not so easy to take some out!
- Remember to save a bit of the white chocolate to grate and sprinkle over the top of the cheesecake. This step makes all the difference!
- Do yourself a favour and use shop bought caramel sauce for your topping. Just the ordinary stuff in a bottle works fine. I sometimes even manage to buy a lower sugar version.
Sneaky cooks’ inside info: the ratio of cream cheese to mascarpone to white chocolate doesn’t have to be exactly the same as mine! I’ve used slightly different proportions before (because the package size was different) very successfully.
Not a big fan of ginger?
You’re probably not even reading this if you aren’t, but bear in mind you can easily adapt this white chocolate cheesecake. Instead of the ginger pieces, try adding:
- chopped berries
- milk, dark or white chocolate chips
- crushed Oreos
- chopped pieces of your favourite candy/chocolate bar e.g. Snickers, fudge, Flake, Reese’s peanut butter cups… you get the idea!
How long does a no-bake cheesecake take to set?
Cheesecake is great for making ahead. You just need to plan ahead a little because no-bake cheesecakes need at least a few hours in the fridge to set properly.
This ginger and white chocolate cheesecake sets quite easily. You don’t need to add any gelatin or jello (yay).
So what sets it? Well, I find the cream cheese and mascarpone mixture stays relatively thick. But also the melted white chocolate naturally helps to firm up the cheesecake as it cools.
Can you freeze a no-bake cheesecake?
Absolutely! Again – no-bake cheesecakes are the perfect make ahead dessert.
I usually freeze this ginger and white chocolate cheesecake on the base of the springform pan I’ve made it in. I loosely cover it with aluminium foil, and place the whole cheesecake in a large container.
Defrosting is easy. Simply let sit on the counter top for a couple of hours before putting it in the fridge, or let it defrost in the fridge overnight.
I usually add the optional caramel sauce topping at the last minute, or I let people help themselves.
More cheesecake recipes
- white chocolate baked cheesecake (with raspberry puree)
- chocolate malt cheesecake in a glass
- a lighter blueberry and white chocolate cheesecake in a glass
- burnt Basque cheesecake – this is a legendary crustless cheesecake that you just have to try!
More lower sugar desserts
- 30-minute healthy chocolate cake (don’t think – just try it!)
- Greek yogurt blueberry muffins
- really easy mini banana bread
- 6-ingredient chocolate self saucing pudding (lower sugar, no eggs)
Or if you need more easy dessert inspiration, check out this awesome list of 21 5-minute no bake desserts, or this list of 11 really easy desserts with only 6 ingredients or less.
The easiest ginger and white chocolate cheesecake (Wagamama style)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 ounces ginger cookies, (UK/Australia=biscuits) either blitz in a food processor, or seal the cookies in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin
- 2.5 ounces butter, melted
- 9 ounces cream cheese
- 9 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 7 ounces white chocolate, reserve 2 pieces for grating over at the end
- 3 pieces candied ginger, chopped into small pieces (or crystallized ginger, or ginger in syrup – add more to taste)
- store-bought caramel sauce
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then empty the biscuit/cookie crumbs into it. Stir well, then press the crumbs into a 9-inch springform baking pan. Pop into the fridge while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
- Break up the white chocolate and melt in a glass jug in the microwave in 30-second bursts (I find 3 to 4 bursts about right). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese either with a handheld whisk or a wooden spoon. Slowly whisk in the white chocolate.
- Stir through the ginger pieces, then pour the cheese mixture on top of the biscuit/cookie base. Spread over evenly, then cover and let set in the fridge for at least a few hours, or overnight.
- Serve fairly small pieces with a bit of caramel sauce (if using) drizzled over the top. Yum!
My husband and I always have this cheesecake at Wagamama’s. We even had a Wagamama’s takeaway delivered a few days ago but the cheesecake was a little soft and warm from being in the same bag as the hot food but it was still amazing. Once we had it in the restaurant near us but it was partly frozen solid in the middle so I believe they get them delivered frozen to the restaurants but on that occasion it wasn’t fully defrosted. They also serve it with a sweet ginger powder sprinkled over it but don’t sniff it, it hits the back of your nose with a real kick 😂 . I don’t know if they have stopped using the powder because the takeaway version didn’t have it. I’m going to be making your version regularly because it is the best flavour cheesecake in my opinion. Ginger biscuits are usually called Ginger Nuts in the UK but I don’t know why. Thank you.
Hello Anna! I’m so happy that you’re going to try the recipe for yourself. I promise it’s really easy to make, and is quite like the Wagamama version. Actually, I might go as far as to say it’s better as it’s not quite as sweet. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much for leaving your comment 🙂
Hi Helen, I don’t normally comment on recipes however I have to in this one. I made this over the weekend for friends and it was soooo divine!!! 100% tastier than the restaurant version. It was so simple to make, thank you for the recipe!!
Hello Mo! Ahhh thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! I so appreciate it – and of course am very pleased that this cheesecake went down well at your dinner party. It’s a huge compliment that you thought it was even better than at the restaurant. Thank you!!!
Hi Helen
If i want to make a larger cheesecake, 10″ for example. How much do i multiply the ingredients by please?
Would it work if I doubled it?
Thank you
Hello Radhika! Do you want to serve more people, or is it just that your pan is a bit larger? Either way, you can just slide the little slider next to ‘servings’ (at the top of the recipe) up a bit and the ingredients amounts will change automatically. For a 10 inch pan (which is only a little larger than the 9 inches I suggest) doubling would be too much. Although if your pan is also quite deep, it would be fine! Good luck, and let me know how you get on!
It would be to serve more people. I do have both 9 and 10 inch pans, and yes the pan is quite deep. I just wasn’t sure if doubling up on the recipe would affect the overall setting process.
Thanks Helen!
I think it will be fine, radhika. Because of the white chocolate it sets fairly firmly as long as it’s in the fridge for long enough. Good luck!
Hi Helen
I go especially to Wagamama’s to have this cheesecake!
I’m going to make your recipe for an upcoming dinner party this weekend, can the actual cheesecake topping ingredients (excluding biscuit base) be increased a little to give it more depth or is it best to stick to the quantities stated?
Thank you x
Hello Radhika, I always order this when I go to Wagamama’s, too! Since this is a no-bake cheesecake, it would be absolutely fine to increase the amount of filling if you’d like to. I don’t think it would ruin the balance of flavors although you might just want to make sure you’ve got plenty of the topping for everyone to have as much as they like. Let me know how you get on!
Thank you for your response Helen! I’m not a fan of thick biscuit bases on a cheesecake but I do like a deep cream cheese filling. Looking forward to trying your delicious looking recipe!
Just WOW!! I decided to leave the quantities as stated in the recipe and the cheesecake turned out amazing. I too added some ginger syrup to caramel sauce, it was delicious! So the feedback for my dinner guests? They said it was better than Wagamama’s!! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Hi again Radhika! Thank you so much for reporting back, and I’m absolutely thrilled that your guests enjoyed it so much. I love your idea of adding some of the ginger syrup to the sauce. Mmm!
Can this be served at room temperature/ will it hold up at room temperature after setting in the fridge? I have to travel an hour to get to my friend and then not sure what room there will be in her fridge.
Hello Katie! I’m so happy you’re going to try this! It will be absolutely fine travelling for an hour out of the fridge. I would try to put it back in the fridge when you get to your friend’s if it’s going to be a while before you’re eating it, but if it’s just another hour or so it’ll be fine. A lot of cheesecake recipes suggest taking it out of the fridge a little before you eat it, anyway. I hope you enjoy it!
Want to make this for Christmas. Do you do equal amounts of the cheeses, roughly how much in grams
Thanks
Hi Trish! Glad you like the look of this and I think it would be perfect for Christmas, especially as you can make it ahead. There’s a little button just above the ingredients list that you can click to change the ingredients to grams. And yes, it’s equal amounts of both cheeses. Good luck and let me know if it’s still not clear 🙂
Medium this last year, and I’m making it again this year, because it was easy, and damn good, thank you 🙂
Ah so happy you liked it enough to make it again, Kyle! I find this a great make ahead recipe for Christmas etc! Enjoy!
This looks good and really straight forward. I am going to try it this season.
Great to hear, Izzy. Let me know what you think!
This cheesecake was simply divine and so simple to make. It’s win-win all the way !
Hi Bhavika! Thank you so much for your feedback. I love this cheesecake too – it’s definitely one of my go-tos!
Wow! My son works in wagamamas and I recently tried the cheesecake for the first time and loved it. I followed your recipe and gave some to my son to try and he loved , said it tasted just like wagamamas. My husband can’t get enough either. 😊
That is the biggest compliment ever (coming from someone who actually works in Wagamama). I really appreciate you taking the time to review. Thank you, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Oh my goodness this is SO good! The Wagamamas version is my favourite desert ever and this is just the same! I can’t believe how close it is. I bought the Tesco Finest salted caramel sauce and warmed it through with some of the syrup from the ginger jar and a touch of water to get a more runny consistency – it was bang on and everyone loved it. Thank you for such a fab recipe, I will definitely make this again!!
Hi Heather! Thank you so much for reporting back! I really appreciate it, and I’m so glad you like the recipe. I love the sound of what you did with your caramel sauce!
Hi,
Which ginger biscuits did you use. Will mcvities ginger nut biscuits create a very hard base? Thanks.
Hi Meeta! Mcvities are fine, but I tend to just use any ginger biscuits. Supermarket own brand usually. No, the base doesn’t end up hard at all because you have all the yummy butter mixed in! You just get a subtle gingery flavour. I hope you enjoy it!
So excited to make this!
If not freezing and leaving in fridge how long will it last? 2/3 days?
Hi Natsy! I’m so pleased you’re going to give this a go! I’m sure you’ll love it, and it’s soooo easy to make. And yes, it will be good in the fridge for at least that long. To be honest we’ve left it for even longer and it still tasted great. I think you’ll be fine up to 5 days actually, but it’s probably at its best for up to 3 days. Just make sure it’s in a sealed container or covered well, of course, and you’ll be fine. Enjoy!
This recipe worked brilliantly. Instead of a caramel sauce we use a rhubarb and ginger compote which worked really well.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Douglas. I’m so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake – and great idea to add a compote!
I was looking for a cheesecake recipe and stumbled upon this. I love the candied ginger. So delicious!
So glad I could help you, Ashley! Thanks for leaving a comment!
This recipe is a winner! My youngest son’s favorite dessert is cheesecake and I am always looking for unique recipes to surprise him. This is not only unique but delicious!
So glad you and your son enjoyed it, Mary Beth!