Looking for a dessert that says "wow" at your holiday party? Say hello to the gingerbread chocolate tart! This sweet treat is a match made in heaven, with a spicy gingerbread crust and a decadent, velvety chocolate ganache filling. And the best part? It's a cinch to whip up!

I love any excuse to eat chocolate. Velvety, rich, dark chocolate in ganache form to be exact! And what better time of year than Christmas to enjoy a special chocolate treat with family and friends?
Jump to:

The Perfect Christmas Dessert
I mean...LOOK at it!!! It's so festive 🤩. And guess what? It tastes even better than it looks! Seems impossible right? Let's break it down.
Crushed gingersnap cookies and butter make up the crust, baked to golden perfection. The filling is a velvety blend of dark chocolate and heavy cream, poured into the cooked crust and left to chill. Finally, this gingerbread chocolate tart is given a festive flair with gingerbread cookies, candied ginger, and a sprinkle of your favorite toppings. Trust me, your guests will be clamoring for the recipe after one bite!

The Gingerbread Crust
To create the gingerbread crust, start by mixing together crushed gingersnap cookies, melted butter, white sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon in a bowl. Keep stirring until you form a crumbly mixture. Then, press the mixture into a springform tart pan, making sure everything is packed tightly and evenly. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and smells delicious...that's it!

The Decadent Chocolate Filling
My favorite part 😍. There's a couple ways you can whip up the chocolate filling. My preferred method is to use the microwave but you can also use a double boiler on the stove. I like the microwave because it's a little bit easier to control the heating.
Either way, you'll need some chopped dark chocolate, heavy whipping cream, cubed butter, unsulphured molasses, ground ginger, a little espresso powder, and a touch of sea salt. While heating, stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and the filling is smooth and glossy. Pour the chocolate filling into the cooled crust and refrigerate until firm. To make sure the filling is set before serving, I like to chill the entire gingerbread chocolate tart overnight.

Tips and Tricks
- The chocolate filling - When it comes to prepping the filling, it's important to make sure you have all your ingredients measured and ready to go before you start cooking. You'll also want to make sure your chocolate is chopped finely so that it melts evenly and smoothly. And don't forget to use good quality baking chocolate for the best results! My favorites are Ghiradelli and Theo's.
- Extra flavor - If you're looking to add some extra flavor to your chocolate ganache, you can have fun with spices! Add in ¼ teaspoon of cardamom, or even chili powder for something truly unique. Don't add too much though!
- Chill overnight - To ensure that the chocolate filling sets, chill it in the refrigerator overnight. Then garnish just before serving.

FAQs About This Recipe
There isn't a specific one you need but using higher quality gingersnaps will definitely result in a more delicious crust. During recipe testing, I tried both Nabisco and Mi-Del ginger snaps and found that Mi-del brand had a stronger gingery flavor (which I like) so I stuck with that one.
Technically yes you can use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate but I wouldn't recommend it. You would have to adjust the amount of cream and butter so I can't guarantee the tart will set. Or that it won't be overly sweet.
I made them! You can too 😉 → Click here for my homemade gingerbread cookie recipe.
Have another question? Drop me a line in the comments below!


Gingerbread Chocolate Tart
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 9 inch Tart 1x
Description
Looking for a dessert that says "wow" at your holiday party? Say hello to the gingerbread chocolate tart! This sweet treat is a match made in heaven, with a spicy gingersnap crust and a decadent, velvety chocolate ganache filling. And the best part? It's a cinch to whip up!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 ½ cups finely crushed ginger snaps
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes.
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Optional garnishes: gingerbread cookies, sanding sugars, sprinkles, candied ginger
Instructions
Make The Crust
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine crushed gingersnaps, sugar, butter, and cinnamon together until thoroughly mixed.
- Using a flat-bottomed surface, press the gingersnap mixture onto the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Prick the bottom a few times with a fork.
- Place the pan on a middle rack in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool completely.
Make the Filling
- When the crust is completely cooled, make the chocolate filling. In a microwave safe bowl, add chopped chocolate, butter cubes, ground ginger, espresso powder, and sea salt. Drizzle evenly with molasses and pour in heavy whipping cream.
- Melt the mixture together in 15 second intervals in the microwave or over a double boiler. Whisk until smooth and shiny. Let cool until warm but not hot to the touch.
Assemble the Tart
- Pour chocolate filling into the cooled gingerbread crust. Place in the refrigerator and let chill until the chocolate sets and hardens, at least 4 hours up to overnight.
- Once chocolate is set, remove from fridge. Garnish as desired with gingerbread cookies, candied ginger pieces, sprinkles, and sanding sugar. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
To store, wrap the tart tightly in cling wrap and keep in the refrigerator for up 4 days.
Use an unsulfured molasses of the light flavor variety. I like to use Grandma's Original Gold Standard.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Setting Time: 4 hours to Overnight
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
Leave a Reply