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.
Susan
Never worry about a cracked top of the cheesecake. Chef Michael Symon shared his dad’s secret . Heat a 10 ounce jar of fruit spread until it is pourable. Pour the fruit spread over the top the cheesecake and let it drip over the sides. It looks beautiful and no one will know the fruit spread is covering the cracks!
Mamma C
Hi Susan – I love that idea! Thanks for sharing.
Valerie
How would I alter the recipient to make it a pumpkin cheesecake?
Mamma C
Hi Valerie – I’ve never made a pumpkin version, but one reader did. She said she left out one block of cream cheese and added one can of pumpkin (15 ounces I assume) and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
Linda
Have you made this with Stevia or another natural sugar substitute?
Mamma C
Hi Linda – I haven’t tried it, but some readers have used Swerve or monk fruit sweeteners with success.
Megan
I’ve made this recipe with great success and the GF people in my life were beyond thrilled! But I have to ask, is it possible to add a layer of graham cracker crust to the bottom? Or would that totally alter the results?
Mamma C
Hi Megan – I’m glad you’ve been thrilled with the recipe! I haven’t tried making it with a graham cracker crust, but another reader did and said it was good. If you are baking the crust with the cheesecake, remember not to fill your pan with batter any higher than 3/4 full (or consider halving the cheesecake ingredients).
Kerrie
Made this today for my beautiful mom’s 79th birthday. This was the first time I have ever attempted a cheesecake, so I was pretty nervous, and had a backup birthday dessert plan just in case, but turned out so beautifully! Light and sooo delicious! I only had a 9 inch springform so I halved the recipe as suggested in the comments and it worked perfectly. New family tradition started! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Mamma C
Hi Kerrie – I just made this cheesecake last night for my son’s birthday today! I’m so glad your family enjoyed it. Happy Birthday to your beautiful mom!
Melinda
I love cheesecake but have some questions:
1) Can you substitute the sugar for erythritol? Should it be granulated or powdered?
2) Can you make a smaller portion? There are wilton 4 inch mini springform pans. How would I modify the recipe (reduce the quantity of ingredients) , cooking time and potentially the temperature to adjust for the smaller serving?
3) Due to its airy, fluffy nature, can this cheesecake be frozen?
4) Finally, can a version of this recipe be adapted to microwave cooking ?
Know these questions are unusual, but I’m the only person in my family who likes cheesecake, so am looking for some single or double serve options.
Mamma C
Hi Melinda – As the recipe states, you can freeze this cheesecake for up to three weeks. Some readers have substituted monk fruit sweeteners with good success. I’d use the granulated. I have not tested this in the microwave. People have halved the recipe, and it worked well. I’ve never tested it in a 4-inch pan. I encourage you to read through the comments to get more insight from others who have made this.
Jaclyn
I made this cheesecake and followed the recipe perfectly but my top browned. Also, it looked like it was fluffy when I first took it out of the oven and now it seems to have fallen and become dense. I used a gas oven; what do you think I did wrong?
Mamma C
Hi Jaclyn – It’s hard to say, unless it has something to do with your oven. I’ve had the cheesecake with a browned top before (when someone else made it) and it was still delicious. I’m hoping your cheesecake will be delicious as well after it has chilled.
valerie
when do you take it out of the springform pan?
Mamma C
Hi Valerie – After the cheesecake has chilled overnight, you can remove the ring of the springform and slice the cheesecake. Keep the bottom portion of the pan under the cheesecake, because it will be too hard to transfer the cheesecake off of it. You can place the cheesecake with the bottom of the pan onto a cake stand, if you wish. You also can store the cheesecake in the springform, covered in the refrigerator. I’ve updated the recipe instructions to include this information.
Darlene
I’m currently making this for the umpteenth time, and thought I’d mention that halving the recipe works great. I’m not always able to finish them before they were going bad in the fridge, so I started halving all the ingredients. The bonus this way is it all fits in my single springform pan, instead of only filling it up 3/4 and then having to put the rest in some other baking dish. You rock, Mamma C!
Mamma C
Hi Darlene – Bless you for letting me know that! That sure does come in handy. By the way, I have a chocolate version of this cheesecake that you might like.
Darlene
Ooooo, nice, thank you! I’m definitely checking it out. 🙂
Mamma C
Everyone who’s tried it is raving. I hope you love it!
Lee
I absolutely love this recipe. I use it with my own homemade cookie crust and it turns out excellent every time! I bake mine at 350 degrees because I have a gas stove. I turn the oven off after it has baked for 70 minutes, I leave it in the oven without opening the door for another for another hour. It turns out perfect! Thank you for sharing !!!!
Mamma C
Hi Lee – Wow, that sounds fantastic with the cookie crust! I make pies with sugar cookie crust and love them. Do you pre-bake the crust at all? Thanks for sharing your adjustments!