Whether you would like a baked raspberry cheesecake, a blueberry cheesecake, a gluten-free strawberry cheesecake, or a mixed berry cake, as I have done this time, this New York-style cheesecake recipe is sure to please! There is no water bath required, and it doesn't split! This happens to be a gluten-free cheesecake, because I used gluten-free crackers in the crust. If you don't need to avoid gluten, just use regular Graham-type crackers.
I make gluten-free cheesecake to serve to family and friends. In autumn, it might be Pumpkin Cheesecake; around the holidays, probably Cranberry Cheesecake; and of course, Chocolate Cheesecake and Berry Cheesecake are welcome anytime! I appreciate that I can prepare cheesecake the day before, leave it in the refrigerator overnight, and it's ready to just pull out and serve when dessert time rolls around.
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Gluten-Free Cheesecake Ingredients
- Cream cheese - Use the cream cheese that comes in blocks rather than the spreadable variety.
- Crackers - I like these gluten-free Honeygrams from Schar. They are slightly less expensive at Walmart when you can find them. If you prefer to make your own crust from scratch, follow the crust instructions in my Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe.
- Berries - Use blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or a mixture, as I have done here. They may be either fresh or frozen. If they're frozen, don't thaw them first.
- Raw Sugar - I use the less-refined raw sugar in my baking where honey or maple syrup aren't suitable. You could also substitute coconut sugar, but it will darken your cake and change the flavor a little.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cheesecake
Allow your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs to come to room temperature before you begin.
Start melting butter over low heat. Then, it should be ready to pour over the graham crumbs.
Line a springform pan with parchment and wrap it in foil to keep filling from leaking out into the oven.
Pulse graham crackers in a food processor to make crumbs.
With the machine running on low, slowly pour in the melted butter.
Press the crumb mixture into the prepared pan, and refrigerate it.
Toss some berries with lemon juice and sugar, and cook to soften.
Turn up the heat a bit, thicken with tapioca starch, remove from heat, and stir in the remaining berries.
Mix the filling ingredients together and pour half of it into the prepared gluten-free graham crust.
Scoop half of the berry sauce over it.
Top with the remaining filling.
Bake the cheesecake until it's just a little jiggly in the middle, and cool it slowly.
Refrigerate overnight and remove from the pan to serve.
How to Bake a Cheesecake
This cheesecake doesn't need a water bath to keep it from cracking. Avoid overbeating the eggs, bake at a lower temperature (325℉/163℃), allow it to cool slowly, and refrigerate it overnight.
If you're serving this for dinner guests, your oven will be free for the main course and gluten-free bread on the day of the event.
Cheesecake Variations
You can be creative with this basic recipe for New York-style cheesecake. For the berries in the recipe, follow the same instructions for:
- blueberries,
- raspberries,
- strawberries,
- blackberries, OR
- mixed berries.
Some other cheesecakes need some modification to the ingredients and method. Here, you'll find:
Recipe FAQ's
New York-style cheesecake is dense and creamy, with a sturdy crust, and is baked in the oven. Other cheesecakes are lighter and fluffier, with a milder taste, a delicate crust, and may not be baked.
Use the indicated amounts of cream cheese and sour cream. Bring all of your ingredients to room temperature before mixing. Then, don't overbake, and your cheesecake should be creamy.
Bake your cheesecake in the center of the oven, so your rack should be at the middle level.
Cheesecake should not sit out more than two hours before being refrigerated. Therefore, as soon as it has completed the two-hour cooldown time in the turned-off oven, it should be moved immediately to the fridge. For much of the cooldown time, the cheesecake will be in a safe temperature range after baking. However, you should chill it as quickly as possible after that.
When a New York-style cheesecake is fully baked, it should be firm around the outside. The center should be a little jiggly but not runny when you turn off the oven.
Meal Prep
This whole thing is a meal prep, really! Because the cheesecake sits in the refrigerator overnight, it's the perfect dessert to prepare for a special occasion and have it done a day ahead.
Storage
This gluten-free cheesecake keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. Keep it covered, and you'll enjoy leftover cake that still seems as tasty as it did in the beginning.
I have also frozen leftovers, which we have enjoyed later.
Top tip
Bake this gluten-free cheesecake until it's slightly puffed up, soft and jiggly in the center, but not runny. It's important to let it cool slowly, so it sits in the turned-off oven for two more hours with the door ajar, after it has finished cooking. Then refrigerate it overnight.
Equipment
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You'll need a springform pan to make a New York-style cheesecake. I line mine with parchment paper. I also need to wrap it in foil to keep it from leaking into the oven. No worries about water seeping into your cake with this recipe!
I am planning to try this pan next time.
Recipe
Berry Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups gluten-free Graham-type crackers (2 X 5.3 oz pkg. Schar Honeygrams)
- 4 ounces butter (1 stick)
Sauce
- 3 cups fresh or frozen berries, divided (Don't thaw if frozen.)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup raw sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour (or cornstarch)
Filling
- 32 ounces firm cream cheese (block style), at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream (8 oz)
- 1 cup raw sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5 large eggs
Instructions
Crust
- Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and wrap the outside with foil. (Some springform pans come with a leakproof pan protector, which eliminates the need for the foil.)
- Melt the butter over low heat.4 ounces butter
- Process Graham-style crackers in a food processor until they form crumbs. With the machine running on low, slowly pour in the melted butter.2 cups gluten-free Graham-type crackers
- Press the crumb mixture firmly over the bottom of the prepared springform pan and up the sides as far as you can. Set this into the fridge to chill while you prepare the sauce and filling.
Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, toss 1 cup of berries with the lemon juice and sugar. Heat, stirring occasionally, over low heat for the berries to warm and break down. You can turn the heat up a little as more liquid develops.2 tablespoons lemon juice½ cup raw sugar3 cups fresh or frozen berries, divided
- Meanwhile, stir the tapioca starch with 2 tablespoons of water to form a smooth paste. When the berries are warm, stir the tapioca-water paste into the berry mixture and cook over medium-high heat, stirring while it thickens and takes on a clearish, gel-like appearance. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the remaining berries. These berries should retain their shape pretty well. Set this sauce aside to cool.2 tablespoons water2 tablespoons tapioca flour
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 325℉ (163℃).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese at a medium-low speed until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, and the eggs, one by one.1 cup sour cream1 cup raw sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract½ teaspoon fine sea salt5 large eggs32 ounces firm cream cheese
Assembly
- Pour half of the filling into the chilled crumb crust. Pour half of the sauce over it. Then pour on the remaining filling. (Reserve the other half of the sauce for after baking.)
- You can smooth out each layer with a spatula as you add it. This will cause them to mix a little, and that's fine. In fact, if you want to swirl them together a little more, go ahead and do it! Just don't get it overly mixed and messy.
- Carefully place the foil-wrapped pan of cheesecake onto the center rack of the preheated oven. (If you use the pan that I have linked to, you won't need the foil.)Bake it for about 70 to 80 minutes. The top should be slightly puffed, golden brown, and just a little jiggly in the middle, but not runny.
- Leave the cake in the oven to cool with the door partly open, for 2 more hours.
- Spread the remaining sauce over the cheesecake and refrigerate it for 4 hours or overnight. Remove the springform pan from the cheesecake. Keep the cake refrigerated until you are ready to serve it.
Video
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the filling, as that may lead to a cracked cheesecake.
- You may prefer to keep the second half of the berry sauce aside to spoon over individual servings, as you plate them.
Cathy Brak says
I make variations of this cheescake often for special occasions! We love it!