This Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake is the most decadent dessert everyone will save room for. It's made with just 9 ingredients and a few simple steps. Perfect for any fall occasion that needs an extra sweet treat.
Eating a gluten free diet doesn't mean you can't enjoy your favorite desserts like indulgent cheesecake! This show stopping recipe is one your family will ask for every holiday season. Trust me!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tools You'll Need
- Ingredients for Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Substitutions
- How to Make Gluten Free Gingersnap Crust
- How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Prep Ahead Options
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe FAQs
- Tips and Tricks for Success
- More Fall Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheescake
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The perfect make ahead dessert. Gluten free cheesecake takes a bit of time to make, but the results are 100% worth it! Plus, you can make it several days before your event, and keep it covered and chilled. It's one less thing to worry about when you have a lot of other dishes to prepare!
- You won't know it's gluten free! The main gluten free component of this cheesecake is the crust, which uses my Gluten-Free Gingersnaps. Making homemade gingersnaps for this crust is not only a great way to ensure that your cheesecake is safe for those with a gluten allergy, but the flavor takes this dessert to the next level.
- No starches or gums. Many gluten free cheesecake recipes use ingredients such as carob bean gum, brown rice flour, xanthan gum, or guar gum to firm up the filling. None needed in this easy gluten-free cheesecake recipe.
- Made with simple ingredients. During the fall, your kitchen is likely stocked with all the pantry staples needed to make all things pumpkin. So, you likely can whip this cake up tonight!
Tools You'll Need
- 8-inch springform pan
- 1 set of liquid measuring cups
- 1 set of dry measuring cups
- 1 set of measuring spoons
- Food processor
- Aluminum foil
- Stand mixer
- Silicone spatula
- Baking sheet pan with 1-inch lip
- Sharp knife
Ingredients for Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
This recipe starts with a simple gluten-free gingersnap crust. For this, you need gluten-free gingersnaps, granulated sugar, melted butter, and coarse Kosher salt.
For the pumpkin cheesecake filling, you need granulated sugar, light brown sugar, pumpkin puree, sour cream, cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice, Kosher salt, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Substitutions
- Store bought gluten-free gingersnaps. If you eat a gluten free diet, chances are you know where to find a variety of pre-made gluten free products. If you want to cut out a step in this recipe, then feel free to purchase your favorite brand of store-bought gluten-free gingersnaps.
- Omit the gingersnaps. Another great option if you don't love the kick of ginger that gingersnaps offer, is to skip the altogether. This crust works just as well if you use gluten-free graham crackers! Just ensure you have about 1 ½ cups of crumbs once pulverized.
- Substitute sour cream. I've always used sour cream in cheesecakes. I think it adds a great flavor and texture to the final product. However, if you're not into that, you can switch out the sour cream for one more block of cream cheese. So, instead of 1 cup of sour cream and 3 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese, you would use 4 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese.
- Use dairy free cream cheese if you cannot tolerate dairy. I sometimes find that in addition to limiting gluten, I need to limit my dairy consumption. I've found some really great dairy free alternatives to regular cream cheese. This one is my favorite.
How to Make Gluten Free Gingersnap Crust
- Prepare the cheesecake crust. In a large food processor, add the gluten-free gingersnaps and sugar
- Pulverize the cookies. Ensure that the cookies have been pulverized until they are just crumbs.
- Process. Process the crust ingredients until the texture of fine crumbs.
- Press into a pan. Use a glass with a heavy flat bottom to help ensure you have evenly pressed the crust into the pan.
- Blind bake the crust. Place the cookie crust in the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes at 350°F, or until lightly browned and set.
- Wrap the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil. This will help prevent the water bath from seeping into the cheesecake. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.
How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Start the cheesecake filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and sour cream.
- Beat the cream cheese and sour cream together. Beat on medium until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the pumpkin puree.
- Beat the puree into the mixture until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and coarse Kosher salt. Beat again until well combined. This should take roughly 4 minutes, or until the creamy filling is light and fluffy.
- Beat again until well combined. This should take roughly 4 minutes, or until the creamy filling is light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract. One at a time, add the eggs, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Add the vanilla and combine on low speed.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread until smooth, as needed. Place pan on top of a sheet pan with at least a 1-inch lip. Gently pour warm water into the sheet pan, until about ½ inch deep.
- Bake. Bake this gluten free Oreo cheesecake for 40-45 minutes, or until mostly set. The center of the cheesecake should still jiggle slightly.
- Allow the cake to cool. Once baked, turn off the oven and let the cheesecake remain in the oven until completely cooled to room temperature, about 1-2 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and gently cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator and chill for an additional 4-6 hours or overnight.
Prep Ahead Options
- Prepare the gluten-free gingersnaps ahead of time. If you do this, bake the amount of cookies you need, and then store in a zip top bag for up to 4 days before preparing the cheesecake. I always like to keep some bags of frozen cookie dough balls in the freezer, it helps make this cheesecake a no-brainer!
- This cheesecake can be fully prepared up to 24 hours in advance. Once baked, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions
This cheesecake is the ultimate holiday dessert. It's perfect to take to a family Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and even works for Christmas. Your friends and family will be drooling!
Recipe FAQs
Are cheesecakes naturally gluten free?
Typical cheesecake is often made with graham cracker crust and graham crackers are almost always wheat based. This cheesecake is made with a gluten-free gingersnap crust using gluten-free gingersnaps to keep it wheat free.
I do not have a stand mixer. Can I use a hand mixer?
Yes, a good electric hand mixer should do the trick. Make sure to scrape down the bowl to make sure the filling becomes fully incorporated.
Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?
A blender is going to make the gingersnap crust too fine and mealy. If you do not have a food processor, I would recommend placing the crust ingredients together in a large Ziplock plastic bag and crushing the ingredients together using a rolling pin or meat mallet. For best results, I do recommend a food processor whenever possible.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Leave the oven door closed as it cools. If you allow the cheesecake to cool with an open oven door, it is going to create a drastic change in temperature and result in the creamy cheesecake filling cracking. Instead, leave the oven door closed and allow the temperature to lower very gradually.
- Make sure to grease the sides of the pan. This will prevent the sides of the cheesecake from sticking and allow for easy removal once cooled.
- Master the water bath. If you're new to baking cheesecakes, you may find the tips in this resource helpful: How to Bake a Cheesecake in a Water Bath.
More Fall Recipes You'll Enjoy
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheescake
This Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake is the most decadent dessert everyone will save room for. It's made with just 9 ingredients and a few simple steps. Perfect for any fall occasion that needs an extra sweet treat.
Ingredients
CRUST INGREDIENTS
- 16 gingersnap cookies about 1 ½ cups
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of coarse Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS
- 3 8- ounce blocks cream cheese room temperature (24 ounces)
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 15- ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and set aside.
- Place the gluten free gingersnaps, sugar, and salt into a food processor, and puree until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. Press crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the springform pan. Place in the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the mixture is lightly browned and set. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Wrap the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and repeat. Add the sugar and, and beat the mixture on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer on high, and cream together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Once the mixture is light and fluffy, add pumpkin puree and cream until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl in between additions. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Turn the mixer on low speed until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and scrape down the sides of the bowl, ensuring that the mixture is fully incorporated.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and place onto a sheet pan with at least a 1-inch lip. Place the sheet pan in the oven, and gently pour warm water into the pan, until it is about ½ inch deep. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is set, but still jiggles slightly. Check the cake halfway through baking, and if needed, loosely lay a piece of foil over the cake to prevent it from overbrowning.
- Once the cake is baked, turn the oven off, and let the cake remain in the oven until the oven is completely cool, about 1-2 hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, and gently cover. Place in the refrigerator until the cake is completely chilled, 4-6 hours or overnight. Remove the springform from the pan, and cut into 12 slices before serving.
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