Gluten Free Cheesecake

This gluten free cheesecake is creamy, easy to make and a total crowd pleaser! It has a simple gluten free graham cracker crust, luscious filling and is finished with a simple strawberry sauce.

As a gluten free recipe blogger, it probably shouldn’t have taken me over 5 1/2 years to share a gluten free cheesecake recipe, but better late than never!

Oftentimes, the filling for cheesecake is naturally gluten free, but it is the crust that contains the gluten because of graham crackers. We’ll be using gluten free graham crackers here to create a classic tasting recipe that is a total crowd pleaser.

If you love this recipe, try my gluten free peach cobbler or almond flour vanilla cake for another fun summer dessert!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Rich & creamy
• Gluten free
• Optional strawberry sauce
• Perfect for a summer dessert

Key ingredients

CRUST. We’ll be making a gluten free graham cracker crust using gluten free graham crackers! I have been able to find them in most grocery stores, but amazon also offers several options.

CREAM CHEESE. For this gluten free cheesecake, I highly suggest using the cream cheese blocks, rather than the spread. The blocks have a denser consistency which makes it better for recipes where you want a thicker texture and don’t need to worry about it spreading.

SOUR CREAM. Sour cream helps soften the texture of cheesecake and even add a bit of a tangy flavor to balance out the richness and density of the cream cheese.

EGGS. Eggs are key in binding all ingredients together and add structure to the recipe. Be sure you use real eggs that are room temperature!

SUGAR. You just need regular white sugar here! I do not recommend any subs in order to keep the texture and color consistent.

CORNSTARCH. Some cheesecakes use cornstarch, some don’t. I find the bake time gets too long without it and you can run the risk of burning the crust and the top of the cheesecake before the center bakes properly.

LEMON JUICE. This helps to round out all of the flavors in the cheesecake. This recipe won’t taste like lemon, but it does help balance the sweetness.

How to make gluten free cheesecake

PREP PAN. Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outer edges with a few sheets of foil to ensure there is no leaking from the water bath.

MAKE CRUST. Combine all ingredients for the crust. It should look like wet sand. It’s ok if it’s a bit crumbly. Add to your greased pan and press down evenly.

Add the spring form pan to a larger baking dish or pan and pour about a inch inch of hot water around the spring form pan.

MAKE FILLING. In a mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temp cream cheese and beat until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.

Add in the sugar and mix again until combined. Add in all remaining ingredients aside from the eggs and mix until combined.

With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined, scraping down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. Pour the filling on top of the crust.

BAKE. Bake for 60-70 minutes. The center may look a little jiggly when you wiggle the pan, but it shouldn’t look liquidy. It will continue to firm up as it sets, but it should be a bit jello-jiggly, just not liquidy. Careful not to over bake!

Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake cool at room temperature for about an hour, then transfer to the fridge for at least 3-4 hours or ideally overnight before serving.

MAKE STRAWBERRY SAUCE. To make the strawberry topping, add all ingredients aside from the cornstarch and water to a pot over low heat.

Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, then whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small dish. Add the cornstarch slurry to the pot and let the strawberry mixture simmer for a few minutes to thicken.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool and thicken. Ensure it is completely cool before adding to the cheesecake, I like to let it set in the fridge for an hour or two. Add the strawberry topping to the cheesecake once set, slice and enjoy! Try my gluten free berry chantilly cake next!

Do I need to do a water bath?

The need for a water bath might deter you from making cheesecake, but I promise it’s so much easier than you think.

A water bath will prevent this gluten free cheesecake from over-baking, curdling, cracking and drying out. It also helps ensure it bakes evenly and the center doesn’t sink.

And no, the cheesecake itself does not get submerged in the water. The water just goes around the pan which is why we foil the edges of the springform pan to ensure no water seeps in to the cheesecake itself.

Why did my cheesecake crack?

The cheesecake was baked for too long. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set and a 2 to 3-inch circle in the center is still wobbly, but not liquidy. Once it is fully cooled, the center will set.

Too much air was incorporated too into the filling. While it is important to mix the ingredients together pretty well, once the eggs are added, you want to mix just until incorporated to ensure that too much air isn’t added to the filling.

Drastic temperature changes during baking or cooling. Make sure the oven is completely heated before putting the cheesecake in, and don’t continually open the oven door to check on it- just use the oven light instead!

You want to keep an even temperature for baking. Once you remove from the oven, allow to cool at room temperature, don’t immediately place in the fridge.

How to store

Once prepared, this gluten free cheesecake will store in the fridge for about 5 days. Because of the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs, you do not want to store this recipe at room temperature because it will spoil fairly quickly.

You can store cheesecake right in the springform pan, but it does better when it’s fully sealed, so I suggest transferring to an air tight container. You can also cover tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

More desserts you’ll love!

• Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake
• Blueberry Pie Bars
• Gluten Free Peach Crisp
• Blueberry Crisp
• Gluten Free Orange Cake

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