This Gluten Free Blueberry Cheesecake is smooth and creamy, filled with juicy blueberries, and topped with a sweet, jammy blueberry compote.
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My husband is so funny. He doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, and he’s one of those eat to live people. Don’t tell him, but I think he married the wrong person 🤫 I’m a live to eat person, if you couldn’t already tell that, haha! All my life, my hobby has been baking (cooking too, but baking has always been a passion of mine from as far back as I can remember).
When I make a new recipe and he tastes it, he will be brutally honest. It’s not always easy to hear the criticism, but it’s a must because I don’t want to put out a recipe even my own husband won’t eat. However, when he actually really likes something, not always but 9 times out of 10 he says it’s the best (fill in the blank) he’s ever had! He’s said that about my Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes (“they’re the best cupcakes I’ve ever had!“). And my Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls (“they’re the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had!“). Oh, and I can’t forget my Spaghetti and Meatballs (“the best meatballs I’ve ever had!“).
So when I asked him to taste this cheesecake and tell me what he thinks, he said “this might be my new favorite cheesecake!” That said so much to me because for so long nothing could dethrone my White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. But this blueberry one sure offers not only the richness from a cheesecake AND the light, bright flavors of blueberries and lemon with that unmistakable burst of juicy berries.
here’s what you’ll need to make this lovely cheesecake
- Gluten free graham cracker crumbs — there are several brands of gluten free graham crackers on the market these days, all of which are acceptable for this crust. You can also make your own gf graham crackers using my recipe (which is SO easy, it’ll probably take you less time than running to the store looking for gf graham crackers)!
- Fresh blueberries — you really need fresh blueberries as frozen ones will be too soggy and make the cheesecake very watery.
- Lemon zest — lemon goes so well with blueberries and also offers a burst of brightness.
- Sour cream — sour cream lightens up the cream cheese in the filling so it’s not overly rich.
- Cornstarch — just a little bit is all that’s needed to stabilize the filling.
prefer to watch?
how to make blueberry cheesecake
the crust
- Combine gluten free graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter in small bowl until mixture is like wet sand.
- Press into the bottom and about one inch up sides of 8-inch springform pan (affiliate link).
- Refrigerate while you make the filling.
the filling
- Mix softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, whisking just until you no longer see streaks of yolk.
- Whisk in cornstarch just until combined.
- Fold in sour cream, blueberries, and lemon zest.
- Pour into chilled crust.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 65-70 minutes, or until the center jiggles ever so slightly.
- Turn oven off and open door about 6 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven for 2 hours.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
The Blueberry Compote
- Add half the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Allow mixture to come to a slow boil, reducing temperature as necessary and stirring frequently, until blueberries have broken down and released their juices, about 5 minutes.
- Mix cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry and pour it into the blueberry mixture while bubbling.
- Continue to stir for 30 seconds to one minute, until mixture has thickened considerably.
- Add the remainder of the fresh blueberries and stir to combine.
- Cool completely before adding to top of cooled cheesecake. Mixture will thicken further upon sitting.
My no-water-bath method for baking cheesecakes
Thought you had to bake cheesecakes in a water bath, didn’t you? Well, what if I told you without a lot of fuss, you can bake them without a water bath and have excellent no-crack results? You CAN!!!
I’ve been using this method for many, many years and it hasn’t failed me yet. Instead of baking cheesecakes in a water bath, place a shallow pan of hot water (a 9 by 13-inch Pyrex dish is what I use) in the oven alongside or on a rack below the cheesecake. This creates a nice moist and humid environment for the cheesecake to gently bake, which is great for preventing cracks and avoids the headache of messing with a water bath.
blueberry cheesecake fAQs
Yes, cheesecakes are the PERFECT dessert for freezing! Wrap the completely chilled whole cheesecake in a layer of plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Alternatively, cut slices and wrap each slice individually. I would suggest freezing any topping separately in a well-sealed container.
While blackberries and raspberries would work great in this recipe, I would not suggest using strawberries in the filling of this recipe because of their water content.
My method for placing a shallow pan of water in the oven (alongside or on the bottom rack) while the cheesecake bakes keeps the environment moist to prevent cracks without the hassle of a water bath.
more gluten free cheesecakes to try
- Gluten Free No Bake Cheesecake
- Gluten Free Dutch Apple Cheesecake
- Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
You’ll love the pop of juiciness from the fresh blueberries baked right into this Gluten Free Blueberry Cheesecake AND piled atop each slice.
Gluten Free Blueberry Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 7 oz (200g) gluten free graham cracker crumbs (homemade or store bought)
- 1 stick (8 tbsp or 113g) butter, melted
- 1 tbsp (15g) sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 lb plus 1½oz (500g) cream cheese, softened
- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp (15g) cornstarch
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 8 oz (250g) fresh blueberries
- zest of one lemon
Blueberry Compote
- 13 oz (375g) fresh blueberries, divided
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Place a shallow dish (I use a Pyrex 9 by 13-inch pan) filled with hot water onto the bottom shelf of your oven and place another shelf in the middle position.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Break up the graham crackers into smaller chunks and run them through a food processor into fine crumbs.
- Add melted butter and sugar to graham crackers in small bowl and stir until the mixture is like wet sand.
- Press this into the bottom and about one inch up the sides of an 8-inch springform pan and refrigerate while you make the filling. See notes below.
Make the Cheesecake Filling:
- Mix the softened cream cheese with the sugar until smooth. This can be done in a large bowl or using a stand or hand mixer. If using a mixer, set it to the lowest setting so as not to incorporate too much air into the mixture (which could cause cracks).
- Whisk in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, just until well combined.
- Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
- Fold in the sour cream, blueberries, and lemon zest just until fully incorporated.
Bake the Cheesecake:
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the chilled crust.
- Bake at 325°F for 65-70 minutes, or until the center of the cheesecake jiggles ever so slightly.
- Turn the oven off, open the oven door approximately 6 inches, and allow the cheesecake to finish cooling in the oven for 2 hours.
Make the Blueberry Compote:
- In a small saucepan, add ½ the blueberries, along with the sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Stir and bring to a low boil over medium heat.
- Continue stirring frequently until most blueberries have released their juices and popped, about 5-7 minutes. The liquid will be very syrupy and thin.
- Stir together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth. While stirring constantly, pour in the cornstarch slurry and continue to stir and boil until the mixture has thickened, at least 30 seconds to one minute.
- Fold in the remaining blueberries. Set the compote aside (or refrigerate) until the cheesecake has cooled completely.
Chill and Serve:
- Remove the cheesecake from the cooled down oven and spoon the blueberry compote on top. There may be some leftover, which can be served alongside each piece.
- Chill for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Cut and serve with extra compote, if desired.
Storing Cheesecake:
- Cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. See notes below.
Notes
Adapted from RecipeTinEats’ Blueberry Cheesecake.
I’m making these in muffin trays right now and they look delicious! (Portion control attempt…. haha) Thanks for the recipe!!!