Introduction

This Gingerbread Tiramisu is a festive twist on the classic Italian dessert, combining warm spices and rich mascarpone with crisp gingerbread cookies. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it offers a delightful blend of creamy texture and cozy flavors.

The image shows a square glass dish filled with a layered dessert, with one large square portion removed from the bottom right corner, revealing creamy, light beige filling with a smooth texture. The top layer in the dish is made of dark brown dollops of cocoa-dusted cream arranged tightly in rows, alternating with flower-shaped beige cookies sprinkled with sugar crystals on top. The dessert is set on a white marbled surface, surrounded by more flower-shaped beige cookies scattered around, some stacked in white paper liners, and a small mesh sieve with cocoa powder resting on a white cloth underneath the dish. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup + 3 tbsp (104g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz mascarpone, cold
2 cups heavy cream, divided
Crisp gingerbread or gingersnap cookies (such as Pepperidge Farm Gingerman cookies)
2 cups strong brewed gingerbread coffee* (or unflavored coffee)
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 7oz package lady fingers
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions

Step 1: Fill a pot with a couple inches of water and set it over medium heat to simmer.
Step 2: In a heat-safe bowl that fits over the pot without touching the water, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth.
Step 3: Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk continuously until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 5 minutes (test by rubbing a bit between your fingers).
Step 4: Remove from heat and whisk in the molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract.
Step 5: Chill the egg yolk mixture by either refrigerating it until cold or placing the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice, whisking occasionally to cool evenly (should take about 5 minutes).
Step 6: Once chilled, whisk in the cold mascarpone until smooth.
Step 7: In a separate bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then gently fold it into the mascarpone mixture. The filling should be fairly thin.
Step 8: Mix the sugar into the brewed coffee and allow it to cool completely.
Step 9: Briefly dip the lady fingers into the coffee just for a second and arrange them in a single layer at the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan, cutting as needed to cover fully.
Step 10: Spoon about 5 large scoops (using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure) of the mascarpone filling evenly over the lady fingers.
Step 11: Arrange a layer of gingerbread cookies over the filling without dipping them in coffee.
Step 12: Add another 5 scoops of filling evenly over the gingerbread cookies, then lay down another layer of coffee-soaked lady fingers.
Step 13: Spread 3 to 4 scoops of filling over the final lady finger layer. At this point, about one cup of mascarpone filling will remain.
Step 14: Whip the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold into the leftover mascarpone filling.
Step 15: Transfer the whipped filling to a piping bag and pipe dollops over the surface of the tiramisu.
Step 16: Dust with cocoa powder and decorate with additional gingerbread cookies as desired.
Step 17: Refrigerate the tiramisu for at least overnight, ideally 24 hours, to allow flavors to meld.
Step 18: Slice and enjoy your festive gingerbread tiramisu!

Tips & Variations

Use gingerbread-flavored coffee or add a small amount of molasses and spices to your regular brewed coffee to boost the flavor.
For a boozy version, add a tablespoon of spiced rum or ginger liqueur to the coffee soak.
Whip the cream to stiff peaks to ensure a light, airy texture that holds the dessert together well.
If you prefer a less sweet dessert, reduce the sugar slightly in the mascarpone mixture or coffee soak.

Storage

Store the tiramisu covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Its flavors improve after at least 24 hours chilling. When ready to serve again, simply slice and enjoy cold. Avoid freezing as it can change the texture of the creamy filling.

How to Serve

A square piece of dessert with three visible layers sits on a white plate. The bottom two layers are light brown and textured, looking like soaked cake or biscuit soaked in coffee. Between these layers are smooth creamy beige layers. The top layer is thick white cream, sprinkled with dark cocoa powder in dollops. A heart-shaped biscuit or cookie with a golden brown color and slightly rough surface is placed in the middle of the top layer. The plate is on a white marbled texture with some cocoa powder and a cookie in the foreground. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this tiramisu ahead of time?

Yes, in fact, chilling it overnight or for 24 hours is best to let the flavors fully meld and the cookies soften perfectly.

What can I substitute if I don’t have gingerbread cookies?

You can use gingersnap cookies or a mix of cinnamon and spice cookies for a similar flavor profile. Lady fingers alone also work if you add extra spices to the coffee soak.