Go Back
slices of gluten-free blueberry cheesecake with whipped cream and fresh blueberry topping

Gluten-Free Blueberry Cheesecake

4 from 2 votes
Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
Layers of crisp gluten-free graham cracker crust, creamy blueberry filling and fresh blueberry topping make this blueberry cheesecake recipe a winner! It's rich, fruity, and DELICIOUS! 
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Print Pin
Servings: 1 (9-inch) cheesecake

Ingredients

For The Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 2 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs (240 grams)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
  • 5 Tablespoons butter melted (71 grams)
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

For The Cheesecake Filling:

  • 4 (8-ounce) blocks full-fat cream cheese,* softened to room temperature (907 grams)
  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar (250 grams)
  • 1 cup sour cream room temperature (226 grams)
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch (16 grams)
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon's worth)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries (340 grams/12 oz.)

For The Blueberry Topping:

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries* (340 grams/12 ounces)
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a *tiny* pinch salt less than 1/16th teaspoon!

Optional, For Serving:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Fresh mint
  • Lemon slices
  • Fresh blueberries

Instructions

First, Make The Crust:

  • Preheat & Prep. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. (I love to use pre-cut parchment rounds)
  • Crush Graham Crackers. Add gluten-free graham crackers to a food processor. Pulse until you've crushed the crackers to fine crumbs with no big lumps. (Don't have a food processor? You can do this in a large zip-loc bag with a rolling pin.)
  • Add Butter. Next, add sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon to graham cracker crumbs and pulse or stir to combine, until all crumbs are coated with butter and the sugar is evenly distributed.
  • Pat Out Crust. Pour the crust mixture out into your prepared springform pan and use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pat the crumbs out into an even layer along the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Note: the crust will not go all the way up the sides of the pan. Just about 1 inch up the sides!
  • Bake & Cool. Place the crust in the preheated oven and bake 10-12 minutes or until fragrant. Set the crust to the side to cool while you make the filling.
  • Prep Pan For A Hot Water Bath. If Using A Hot Water Bath (Recommended), wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with foil. To fully waterproof the pan (*highly recommended*), place the springform pan into a slow cooker liner bag or an oven bag/turkey bag. Pull the bag up the sides of the springform pan, then gather the excess to one side and knot tightly to keep the bag secure to the sides.

Make The Cheesecake Filling:

  • BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Make sure the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are all brought to room temperature or the filling will not mix correctly. DO NOT skip this step
  • Maintain Oven Temperature of 325 degrees F. Make sure you have a rack arranged in the center of the oven.
  • Prepare For Water Bath. Start bringing a small pot of water to a boil while you make the cheesecake. Set out a large roasting pan for a traditional water bath or a 9x13 pan for a modified hot water bath (SEE NOTES)
  • Combine Cream Cheese & Sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer. Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium-low speed 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and well blended
  • Add Eggs One At A Time on LOW Speed, until just barely mixed.
  • Add Sour Cream, Cornstarch, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice & Vanilla to the cream cheese mixture and mix on LOW speed until just barely combined. (Keep in mind that you don't want to add any extra air to the cheesecake, so mixing by hand or on low speed at this point is very helpful!)
  • Stir In Fresh Blueberries. Add 2 cups blueberries and mix them in as gently and slowly as possible so you don't add any extra air. Gently tap the bowl against the counter to help remove any air bubbles.
  • Pour Filling Over The Crust and smooth the surface with a spatula
  • Create Hot Water Bath. Carefully pour 3/4 to 1-inch of boiling water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Carefully lower the prepared & wrapped springform pan into the water so the water comes about 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan. (See notes for modified hot water bath instructions)
  • Bake. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake cheesecake 60-70 minutes or until the edges are just set and the center gently wobbles (like Jello or gelatin). If the center still seems sloshy and liquid, add 3-5 minutes to the bake time and check again. (Err on the side of under-baking rather than over-baking)
  • Cool 1-Hour In The Oven. When the cheesecake is finished baking, turn OFF the oven heat and crack the oven door open 2-3 inches. Let the cheesecake cool IN the oven for 1 full hour. (To help prevent cracks, you can run a thin knife around the edges of the springform pan before letting it cool.) Remove the springform pan from the hot water bath and the slow cooker liner/oven bag.
  • Chill Cheesecake Uncovered in The Fridge AT LEAST 4-6 Hours (up to overnight) before decorating.

Make The Blueberry Topping:

  • Set aside 1/3 of the Blueberries. Set aside 1/3 (4 ounces/113 grams) of the fresh blueberries for later.
  • Combine. Add the remaining 2/3 blueberries, the sugar, water, lemon juice, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan.
  • Cook to Soften. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a spatula, until the blueberries soften and the sauce thickens, about 5-8 minutes. (The sauce will go from opaque to translucent and glossy.) It's ok to gently break up some of the berries with your spatula as they cook, if you like.
  • Stir in Remaining Blueberries. Add the reserved 1/3 of the blueberries, along with the vanilla extract and cook 2-3 minutes more.
  • Cool To Set. Let the blueberry sauce cool a bit, then transfer to an airtight container or jar and chill in the refrigerator. The blueberry sauce will thicken up even more in the refrigerator. The ideal texture for using on cheesecake is thick, but scoop-able, but not runny or liquid. If you want to thin it out more, you can stir in 1 teaspoon of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Decorate & Serve The Cheesecake:

  • Prepare Stabilized Whipped Cream. In a glass or metal bowl or a stand mixer, beat heavy cream on medium speed until it starts to get fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip on high heat until stiff peaks form. (The whipped cream should hold its shape on your spatula even when you rotate it around.)
  • Option 1: Decorate the Whole Cheesecake. Spoon blueberry topping on top of the chilled cheesecake and spread almost to the edges, leaving about a 1-inch border. Pipe whipped cream around the sides, and add any desired garnishes. This looks gorgeous, but can be a bit messier for slicing and plating.
  • Option 2: Decorate Individual Slices. Cut the cheesecake into slices and plate. Spoon blueberry topping over the cheesecake slice, letting it run down the sides. Dollop or pipe whipped cream on top and add any desired garnishes.
  • Pipe Whipped Cream Swirls. Add whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I used an Ateco 849 closed star tip) and pipe small swirls of whipped cream around the border.
  • Store Leftover Cheesecake covered in the refrigerator 2-3 days. (The cheesecake will store best if the topping is stored separately rather than spread on top.)

Notes

Ingredients + Tips:

  • SOFTEN INGREDIENTS FASTER. Do NOT microwave any of the ingredients to soften them! Instead, fill a bowl with warm (not hot!) water and place eggs, closed container of sour cream and sealed packages of cream cheese in the bowl. They'll come to room temperature in about 15-20 minutes, rather than about 1 hour it'll take just sitting at room temperature.
  • GRAHAM CRACKERS. Regular graham crackers are NOT gluten-free. To keep this gluten-free, you must buy the Gluten-Free graham crackers, such as Pamela's, Schar, or Kinnikinnick. Our favorite are Pamela's for taste and texture.
  • CREAM CHEESE. We only recommend blocks of full-fat cream cheese for cheesecake. Do not use cream cheese spreads. Our go-to brand is Philadelphia cream cheese for taste and texture.
  • PIPING TIP. To pipe the whipped cream swirls, I used an Ateco 849 closed star tip.

Hot Water Bath Instructions:

  • For Traditional Water Bath: Follow instructions above in recipe card.
  • For Modified Hot Water Bath: If you don't have a pan large enough to fit a 9-inch springform pan, you can place a 9x13 pan on a rack below the center rack in the oven. Fill 9x13 pan with boiling water before placing the springform pan on a sheet pan on the center rack in the oven above the 9x13. The steam coming from below will help you prevent cracks and help control browning. It's not as effective as a traditional water bath, but is better than skipping it entirely!
  • If You Choose NOT To Use A Hot Water Bath, just keep in mind your cheesecake will brown more than mine and may form cracks as it bakes or cools. This is purely cosmetic, but it will impact the look of the cheesecake. You can cover it up with the blueberry topping, if desired.

Video

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: blueberry cheesecake recipe, gluten-free blueberry cheesecake

Find the recipe:

sweetsandthankyou.com/gluten-free-blueberry-cheesecake/