Cheesecake. It is a much loved dessert here in America. There are so many variations of cheesecake and toppings. My sister had a gorgeous display of cheesecakes at her wedding when she was married. Of all the kinds of cheesecakes, I think cherry is still the most classic! So, having said that, I have an absolutely delicious gluten free cheesecake recipe for you today using lactose free cream cheese and Greek yogurt with those sensitive to dairy in mind. I made this cheesecake for a Summer picnic recently, and it was a big hit. My mother used to make the most delicious cherry cheesecake when I was a child, and although this is a different recipe, it is light and creamy like the ones I remembered eating as a young girl. One of the reasons I like this recipe so much is it is light and not overly rich. It is super creamy with just the right amount of graham cracker crust. I used frozen sweet cherries to make the topping, and the consistency to spoon on top of the cheesecake was just right. I find that using frozen cherries versus canned gives a much better flavor and texture. I also like that the bake time is quick with very little chance of the top cracking.
In this recipe, I used an 8 inch springform pan, and it serves 8 to 10 people. Let’s make a cheesecake!
Gluten Free Cherry Cheesecake
For the Crust:
1 1/2 Cups of Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crumbs (I used Pamela’s Graham Crackers and made crumbs in my food processor. You could also use a zipper bag and a rolling pin to crush them.) Pre-made Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crumbs works as well.
1/4 Cup of Sugar
6 Tablespoons of Melted Butter
Filling:
2 – 8 ounce tubs of lactose free cream cheese (I used Green Valley from my local grocery store)
2 Large Eggs at room temperature
1/2 Cup of Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
Greek Yogurt Topping:
1 Cup of Plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 Cup of Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
Sweet Cherry Topping:
14 Ounces of Frozen Sweet Cherries
1/2 Cup of Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tablespoons of Water
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix your graham cracker crumb ingredients, and press it in the bottom and up the sides of the pan firmly. Set aside.
Now you’ll make the filling. Beat your cream cheese together with the sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl with electric beaters. Pour the filling into your graham cracker crust. Wrap the bottom of your springform pan with foil, and put it on a rimmed cookie sheet in case of any butter leakage. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, turn your oven up to 450 degrees F.
Now we will make the Greek yogurt topping while the cheesecake is cooling, this is the final baking step! While your cheesecake is cooling for 15 minutes, beat together the Greek yogurt topping ingredients, and spread it evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Bake at 450 degrees F. for just 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and cool at room temperature. Then, cover and chill in your refrigerator overnight or for 12 hours.
After it has chilled, you are ready for the last step, the cherry topping!
In a medium saucepan, cook the frozen cherries and sugar together until the sugar melts and the cherries thaw and start releasing their juices, stirring slowly and constantly over medium heat. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Bring the cherry and sugar mixture to a boil and slowly whisk in the cornstarch. Cook until nicely thickened. Last of all, stir in the lemon juice and cook another 30 seconds or until it’s a nice, loose, jammy consistency. Remove from the heat, and cool for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread the cherry topping evenly over the cheesecake with the back of a spoon, and chill for several hours until ready to serve. Remove the ring from the springform pan before serving and place it on a serving tray. This is really pretty on a fancy pedestal serving tray for company! I like to cut the cheesecake with a sharp knife run under hot water for clean slices, wiping the knife in between pieces. It’s so good! Also, if you like blueberries, frozen blueberries would work equally well in this recipe, so feel free to substitute. You could also use regular cream cheese if you are not sensitive to dairy.
I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Also, if you make this recipe, please leave me a review. Thank you! Sam
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