This Fluffy Crustless Cheesecake is simply the best, and it happens to be gluten free! One of the most popular recipes on Cooking with Mamma C. Don’t miss the video!
So, I casually mentioned in my last post that homemade chocolate liqueur is perfect to pour over cheesecake. In my head, I was thinking of this fluffy, crustless cheesecake — otherwise known as the best cheesecake I’ve ever tried.
It’s pure decadence!
I’m almost at a loss for words in trying to describe this dessert, which happens to be gluten free. It’s fluffy, airy, luscious and so delicately soft.
Delicious on its own, it’s flavored with vanilla and is just begging to be accented with your favorite topping. I’ve tried it with homemade versions of chocolate liqueur, strawberry liqueur and limoncello.
I know. To die for!
But it’d be excellent with non-alcoholic toppings like caramel sauce, raspberry coulis or strawberry preserves.
Like the liqueur, we enjoy this cheesecake on our trips to Connecticut to visit my in-laws for the holidays. A dear family friend makes it, and my mother-in-law stores it in the freezer to thaw when we arrive.
(She knows how much I love this cheesecake. Heck, I think everyone in Connecticut knows how much I love this cheesecake.)
I finally got the recipe over the summer, and have been waiting for Christmastime to try it. It’s definitely a special occasion kind of dessert, something to make when it can be shared.
It’s way too dangerous for me to have around just because. I don’t have that kind of self control.
But on Christmas day, I’ll happily indulge in this rich, fluffy crustless cheesecake, topped with our delicious chocolate liqueur. It’s the perfect present, don’t you think?
Here are some tips for this crustless cheesecake:
- To prevent lumps, let your cream cheese come to room temperature before starting. Beat each block one at a time, until it’s smooth and creamy. Add each ingredient one at a time, beating after each addition, just until combined. Then mix everything for seven minutes on a high speed that won’t splash. Your batter must be smooth before baking.
- To prevent over browning, move your top oven rack down to the second lowest position and bake your cheesecake there, with nothing above it so there’s room.
- To prevent cracks, bake your cheesecake in a water bath (bain marie) by filling a roasting pan 1/4 full with hot water and letting your springform pan (affiliate link) with the batter rest in it. When done baking, leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for one hour.
- Test to see if your springform pan leaks before filling it by letting it sit in the water bath for 10 minutes. If water seeps into the pan, you can dry it, then place your springform in a pie dish. Then set the pie dish with the springform in the water bath and proceed.
Buon Natale and Happy Hanukkah, my friends! May your days be filled with peace and joy.
P.S. I now have a chocolate version of this gluten-free, crustless cheesecake! You must try this Chocolate Cheesecake! And don’t miss these cheesecake topping ideas!
(Recipe Source: Barely adapted from family friends Lee and Carol, who said it originally came from Williams Sonoma)
Watch the video to see how to make Fluffy Crustless Cheesecake!
Fluffy Crustless Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 5 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 6 eggs (large)
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pint sour cream (low-fat is fine)
Instructions
- An hour ahead of time, unwrap your cream cheese blocks and set them out at room temperature to soften. When the cream cheese is softened, start the recipe.
- Move the top oven rack down to the second lowest position in your oven, with nothing above it (to prevent over browning the cheesecake). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan. (See notes if you have a 9-inch springform.)
- Fill a roasting pan 1/4 full with hot water. If you have a leak-proof springform, place it in the water bath. If you suspect your springform will leak, (see notes) place it in a pie dish, then place the pie dish with the springform in the water bath.
- In a large mixing bowl, add one block of cream cheese and beat it until creamy. Continue adding one block of cream cheese at a time and beating well, scraping the bowl as needed. There must not be any lumps in your batter. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition on low. Add the remaining ingredients one at a time, mixing to combine after each addition. When all ingredients have been added, beat on high (or as high as you can without splashing) for seven minutes.
- Transfer the batter to the springform pan (filling it no more than 3/4 of the way to the top; see notes for what to do with extra batter). Bake the springform in the water bath for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Then lower the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for 45-55 minutes. The top should be set, except for a small circle in the middle. Do not insert anything into the cheesecake to test it, or it will crack. Turn off the heat and let the cheesecake stay in the oven with the door ajar for one hour.
- Leave the cheesecake in the springform pan and let it finish cooling on a wire rack. Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight before cutting into it.
- To slice, remove the outer circle of the pan and dip a knife in warm water to make the cuts. (Keep the bottom of the pan under the cheesecake. You can even place the cheesecake with the bottom portion of the pan on a cake stand.) Store the cheesecake covered in the refrigerator (you can keep it in the springform) for up to three days or freeze it for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
- To test if your springform leaks, place your springform pan in the water bath and wait 10 minutes to see if any water seeps into your springform. If so, dry it, grease it and place your springform in a pie dish. Then place the pie dish with the springform in the water bath.
- Even if you have a 10-inch springform, just fill it 3/4 full so it doesn't overflow. If you only have a 9-inch springform pan, fill it 3/4 full with the batter. Bake the remaining batter in two ramekins or another suitable baking dish, in a water bath, ideally in a separate oven, so you can pull out them out earlier without affecting the springform cheesecake. I baked my extra batter in a separate oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then 25 minutes at 375 degrees, then left it in the oven with the door ajar for 20 minutes. If you don't have a separate oven, bake the ramekins/baking dish in the same oven with the springform cheesecake for the full amount of time (it's important not to open the oven during baking) and just know that the ramekins/baking dish will come out a bit overcooked, but tasty.
- This cheesecake is barely adapted from a Williams Sonoma recipe.
Patti
Hi Mamma C,
I made a cheese cake almost identical to,this but I only used 32 oz of cream cheese. I am wondering about the beating part. You say not to over beat it but then you say to beat it for seven minutes. I did the same thing to mine. I beat it with my kitchen aid with the whip attachment but did not beat for 7 min. I want to try it this way. Mine came out great but it did brown to much on the edges. I saw where someone said if you use the water bath this will not happen.
I love your recipe and can’t wait to make it. I also use swerve for sugar and you can’t tell the difference.
Please advise on the beating part.
Thanks so much
Mamma C
Hi Patti – This recipe calls for beating after each ingredient is added, then beating the batter for seven minutes. The seven minutes (with a paddle attachment) is required to create fluffiness and volume. Make sure your cream cheese is softened and comes to room temperature before you begin, so you won’t end up overbeating the cream cheese when you add each block. Enjoy!
Karen C Lewis
Going to make this again, but this time in a smaller pan so I can get some individual mini cakes. My thoughts on doing this (too keep it from cooking too fast due to the smaller volume): place ramekins or smaller pans in separate bath with COLD water. That way the cold water can absorb the heat and keep the batter in the smaller containers from heating up faster than the big cake.
Mamma C
That’s an interesting idea. Please let us know how it works!
Karen
If I use my 9.5″ springform, how many ramekins can I get out of it? I’ve used the 10″ spring form and I can easily slice 16 pieces. But I want to have some extra to put in some smaller springform pans (5″ diameter). How many ramekins did you fill up with a smaller springform pan?
Thanks.
Karen
Mamma C
Hi Karen – I think I usually fill up four ramekins with extra batter, but it’s been a while.
Karen C Lewis
Awesome recipe! I made it last night and had it this morning for breakfast! It is delicious and delightful!
Mamma C
I’m happy to hear that, Karen! Thanks for letting me know.
Marti
Would a round Pyrex baking dish be suitable for baking a 1/2 recipe ( (i’m baking for only 2 people)?
I don’t have a springform pan, but do have an 8″ round glass baking dish, which is about 2.5″ deep.
Mamma C
Hi Marti – That might not be large enough. Here is a baking pan conversion chart.
Crystal
I’m making this recipe tonight for probably the 4th time. It is *delicious*! Your instructions are easy to follow and the recipe is pretty easy to make. This is the first recipe I used a bain Marie for, the first time I made the recipe I made one with the water bath and one without to see the difference and they definitely turn out better using the water bath! My husband can’t wait until tomorrow to dig into the cheesecake! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Mamma C
That’s great to hear, Crystal! I’m glad the instructions are easy to follow. Enjoy!
Emily
This looks amazing! I’m just beginning to venture into baking and can’t wait to make it this week. My husband requested I make the cheesecake with a chocolate graham cracker crust (his favorite), however. Would I need to make any modifications to this recipe to be able to factor that in?
Mamma C
Emily, I’ve never made this with a crust, so I don’t know if any changes need to be made. If you try it, be sure not to fill your pan higher than 3/4 full with batter. You’ll probably have extra batter to put in another baking pan or ramekins. Let me know if you try it!
maria in nj
Momma C I cheesecake was delicious…everyone loved it! But I have a question about cutting it…is there a method that you use to get a nice cut…I did the wet knife trick and that did not work, when I cut into it there was still a good portion that adhered to the knife with each pass…..any suggestions?
maria in nj
Hello Momma C, the cheesecake was an overwhelming success!! Everyone loved it! Sorry for another question but…is there a trick to cutting it? I tried to cut it using the wet knife method and that did not work, it was soft and fluffy and I could not get a good nice clean cut…any suggestions?
Mamma C
That’s great news, Maria! I will sometimes freeze the cheesecake and slice it when it’s partially thawed. Some people swear by using unflavored, waxed dental floss to slice cheesecake. I haven’t tried it, but I think I will next time.
Keti
Hello,
I’m not sure how it can be transferred to a cooling rack after 1 hour of the cake remaining ajar in the oven. When I went to take it out after 1 hour it almost collapsed. Now it looks funny on the top which I will cover with caramel sauce.
Another thing, after being in the fridge over night do you take it out to soften before guests start eating? If so how much earlier do you suggest?
Thank you
Mamma C
Keti, the cheesecake should stay in the spring form pan while it’s cooling on a wire rack. I’m sorry if my instructions weren’t clear on that point. (I just updated the recipe to clarify.) After being refrigerated overnight, the cheesecake will be firm on the edges but soft in the middle, but you can leave it out for 30 minutes or so before serving, if you prefer it even softer.