Gluten-Free New York Cheesecake

By
Teri Gruss, MS
Teri Gruss, MS
Freelance writer and nutrition expert Teri Lee Gruss, M.S. has written hundreds of recipes focusing on healthy gluten-free cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/7/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Piece of New York cheesecake with cherry topping on a plate, whole cheesecake in the background

​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Chill Time: 5 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 1 9-inch cheesecake
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
595 Calories
40g Fat
53g Carbs
9g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 595
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 51%
Saturated Fat 22g 111%
Cholesterol 171mg 57%
Sodium 353mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 30g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 135mg 10%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 242mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This decadent version of New York cheesecake is made with two pounds of cream cheese and one whole pound of sour cream. It also happens to be made with a gluten-free graham cracker crust, which makes it perfect for those who can't partake in a typical cheesecake. Those cherries look impressive, but there's no cooking needed to achieve that thickened texture, as they're a canned pie filling but nonetheless delicious.

Cheesecakes are all about delayed gratification—all that time filling, cooking, and chilling—so you want to be sure the recipe is going to be worth the effort. This one is. And yes, like all cheesecakes, it requires multiple-step assembly, but none of them individually are hard to do. It just takes a little planning. However, when the cheesecake is finished, the rewards are so worth the efforts.

"The gluten-free New York cheesecake was fantastic! I used cornstarch in the cheesecake instead of rice flour, and I didn't add sugar to the cherries because I like them a bit tart. Make sure you wrap the bottom of your springform pan with heavy-duty foil to catch any leaks." —Diana Rattray

Gluten-Free NY Cheesecake/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 1 1/4 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, from about 9 crackers

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 4 tablespoons (2-ounces) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

  • 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 4 large eggs

  • 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour, or cornstarch

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Sour Cream Topping:

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Cherry Pie Filling:

  • 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

Make the Crust

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 325 F/163 C. Wrap the bottom of a 9-inch springform cake pan with heavy-duty foil to help prevent leaking. Set aside.

    Ingredients gathered for the graham cracker crust

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

    

  2. Place gluten-free graham crackers in a plastic zip bag and finely crush with a rolling pin.

    Graham crackers being crushed in a plastic zip bag with a rolling pin

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  3. Pour crumbs into a bowl. Add sugar and nutmeg and stir to thoroughly blend.

    Fine graham cracker crumbs and sugar being stirred with a spatula in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats

  4. Add melted butter and stir to combine.

    Crumbly graham cracker and butter mixture being stirred with a spatula in a glass bowl

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  5. Press crumb mixture into bottom of springform pan. Don't press the crumbs on the sides of the pan. Refrigerate while preparing the cheesecake filling.

    Crumb mixture evenly spread over bottom of springform pan

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

Make the Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients gathered for the cheesecake filling

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  2. Place cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high until creamy.

    Cream cheese and sugar in a glass mixing bowl

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  3. Add eggs, one at a time until each is fully incorporated before adding the next one.

    One egg added to smooth cream cheese and sugar mixture

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic 

  4. Add sweet rice flour, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat on high until smooth.

    Smooth filling being beaten with a handheld electric mixer

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  5. Remove crust from refrigerator. Pour cheesecake filling into springform pan and smooth top with a spatula. Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

    Cream cheese filling evenly distributed in springform pan

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

Make the Sour Cream Topping

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients gathered for the sour cream topping

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  2. While cheesecake is baking, place the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and whisk ​until smooth.

    Sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in a glass bowl, metal whisk to the side

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  3. Remove cheesecake from oven. With a light touch, use a spatula to spread sour cream topping over the baked cheesecake. Return cake to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake there for 1 hour before removing. Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

    Sour cream topping evenly spread over cheesecake

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

Make the Cherry Pie Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients gathered for the cherry topping

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  2. Combine cherry pie filling with sugar and vanilla. Stir to combine.

    Cherry pie filling being stirred in a bowl with a cooking spoon

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  3. Spread cherries over chilled cheesecake just before serving.

    Cherry filling being spooned over baked cheesecake on a cake plate

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

  4. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

    Cheesecake with cherry topping, one piece cut and set out on cake plate

    ​​The Spruce Eats / Zorica Lakonic

Warning

Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans, and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.

Tips

Even the best springform pans can leak. To prevent seeping cheesecake batter, wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a sheet of heavy-duty foil.

Variation

Cherry is really delicious with cheesecake, but feel free to use different pie fillings instead, such as strawberry, lemon, or blueberry.

How to Store and Freeze Cheesecake

  • Cheesecake should be refrigerated after it's cooled, chilled, decorated, and served. It can keep in the fridge for 5 days at least.
  • Cheesecake is also an excellent candidate for the freezer; it's especially helpful to freeze individual slices rather than the whole cake. Wrap each slice in plastic and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. When you're ready to eat it, thaw in the refrigerator and dig in.

What Is the Difference Between New York Cheesecake and Regular Cheesecake?

New York cheesecake relies heavily on cream cheese to create its dense, rich texture and have that telltale sour cream layer. Many other cheesecake recipes use a combination of sour cream and heavy cream to thin out the batter, which makes the end result more silky and creamy. Other recipes use ricotta cheese, for a light and airy texture that almost melts on the fork.

How Do I Remove a Cheesecake From a Springform Pan?

  • Slide a spatula or knife around the side of the pan and carefully unlatch the pan, and remove the side band.
  • You must chill the cheesecake for several hours, preferably overnight, to remove the bottom of the pan. Carefully slide a flat icing spatula under the cheesecake to loosen the bottom. Use a cake lifter or two large, wide spatulas to move the cheesecake to a plate.