This gluten free white chocolate raspberry cheesecake has been in my family for years for a reason. It's smooth and creamy and you'll wish you've had it all your life.

This cheesecake was originally posted on December 31, 2018 and has been updated with new pictures, a video, and more detailed instructions.
Some of the items linked in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission.
Years ago, my sister made this cheesecake from Mrs. Field's I Love Chocolate Cookbook. It was an unassuming paperback cookbook that I think she bought at a discount store. After tasting it for the first time, we were all hooked on this glorious cheesecake and all its white chocolate wonderfulness. It was, and still is, one of the best cheesecakes I've ever had!
Everyone thinks it even beats out the Cheesecake Factory's White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake by a landslide. It's marvelously smooth, has a serious white chocolate presence, and the raspberry sauce takes it over the top!! I've made dozens of cheesecakes throughout my baking days, and this is the one that everyone wants and refers to as "THE" cheesecake, meaning "THE" best!!
Making this cheesecake does have a few steps. However, the reward is so great that it's all worth it in the end. You can span it out over two days, unless you start early in the morning the day you're planning on serving it. Most of the time involved in the recipe is completely hands off.
Ingredients you'll need to make this cheesecake
crust ingredients
- Gluten free graham cracker crumbs -- I use my own recipe for this, but feel free to use something that's store bought.
- White chocolate -- there's white chocolate in the three layers of this cheesecake, so make sure you get actual white chocolate and not the fake stuff. I use Callebaut, either chopped off the block or in the callets (affiliate link).
filling ingredients
- White chocolate -- again, quality is important here because this isn't called a white chocolate "coating" cheesecake. Make sure your white chocolate has cocoa butter as one of the ingredients.
- Cream cheese -- don't skimp and get the "fat free" or "neufchatel" cream cheese. You need the fat in this recipe to create the perfect texture.
ganache ingredients
- White chocolate
- Heavy cream
raspberry sauce ingredients
- Raspberries -- fresh raspberries aren't required for the sauce (although you could use them if you'd like). Frozen raspberries (thawed or unthawed) are easy and relatively inexpensive.
- Lemon juice -- I switch off using either freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice
how to make white chocolate raspberry cheesecake
prepare the crust
- Pulse graham cracker crumbs, chopped white chocolate, and melted butter in food processor until white chocolate is finely chopped.
- Process on high until crust resembles wet sand and sticks together when pressed between fingers.
- Dump into 9-inch springform pan that's been wrapped in foil.
- Press firmly using the bottom of a glass onto the bottom and about one inch up the sides of the pan.
- Refrigerate until chilled.
make the filling
- Place a shallow pan of hot water in oven and preheat it to 275 degrees F. Whisk heavy cream into softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract and sour cream and blend briefly to combine.
- Add sugar, followed by eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Don't incorporate too much air into the mixture.
- Pour in the melted and cooled white chocolate and stir until smooth.
- Pour filling into prepared crust.
- Bake at 275 for one hour. Reduce temp down to 250 and bake for another hour and ten minutes. Turn oven off and, without opening oven door, allow cheesecake to sit in warm oven for another hour and ten minutes.
- Remove cheesecake and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Refrigerate for one hour before adding the ganache.
prepare the white chocolate ganache
- Melt white chocolate in medium bowl.
- Add hot cream, a little at a time, gently whisking until a smooth ganache forms.
- Carefully pour ganache over briefly chilled cheesecake and spread evenly with offset spatula.
- Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
make the raspberry sauce
- To a small saucepan, add raspberries (with their juices), sugar, and lemon or orange juice.
- Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow berries to break down and release all their juices.
- Blend (in a blender or with a handheld/immersion blender) until smooth.
- Pour through a sieve to strain out any seeds.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
gluten free white chocolate raspberry cheesecake faqs
Yes, you can purchase not just gluten free graham crackers, but any type of gluten free cookie you'd like to make the crust for this white chocolate cheesecake. Gluten free Oreo's, vanilla wafers, or shortbread are just a few examples, which have all been tested and worked great!
This raspberry sauce isn't just good on white chocolate cheesecake, it's also great on pancakes, ice cream, you name it!
No, cheesecake does not need to be baked in a water bath. By putting a shallow pan of water in the oven while the cheesecake is baking, and baking it for a longer time at a lower temperature, this essentially acts the same as a water bath without all the hassle.
Cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and can be frozen for up to 3 months! You can freeze it whole or cut into individual slices. Just make sure to wrap them well (double wrapping is best).
If you want pure cheesecake love, you have to make this gluten free white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. You will certainly fall in love with the very first bite 🙂
Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 1¾ cups (198g) gluten free graham cracker crumbs (homemade or store bought, OR any gluten free cookie crumb of choice)
- 4 oz (113 g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 3-4 tablespoon butter, melted (start with 3 tablespoon and add 1 tablespoon if mixture doesn't hold together when pressed between fingers)
FILLING:
- 18 oz (508g) white chocolate
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1½ pounds (3 8-ounce packages or 678 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- 8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (80g) heavy cream
RASPBERRY SAUCE:
- 2 12-oz pkgs (680 g) unsweetened frozen raspberries, thawed or unthawed, but not drained
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice (from about one medium orange) (or freshly squeezed lemon juice)
- fresh raspberries for granish (optional)
Instructions
MAKE THE CRUST:
- In a food processor, add the cookies and pulse into crumbs. Then add the white chocolate and butter and pulse until the white chocolate is finely chopped. Process on high for about 30 seconds and check the consistency. If the crumb mixture doesn't hold together when pressed between your fingers, add another tablespoon of melted butter and process again. The consistency will vary depending on what type of graham crackers/cookies you use.
- Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in aluminum foil. Press the crust into the bottom and about one-inch up the sides of the pan. Chill the crust.
MAKE THE FILLING AND BAKE THE CHEESECAKE:
- Set a shallow pan filled with hot water in your oven and preheat it to 275 degrees F.
- Melt white chocolate in the microwave at half power in 30-second intervals until nearly melted. Allow the unmelted chocolate to melt from the residual heat and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the heavy cream and whisk to combine. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream and mix gently until well incorporated. Pour in the sugar, followed by the eggs (one at a time), whisking until just combined after each (don't incorporate a lot of air while mixing). Stir in the melted white chocolate. Pour into the chilled crust and smooth the top.
- Set the cheesecake on the center rack of the oven and bake for one hour. Reduce the heat to 250° F and bake for one hour and 10 minutes longer. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another one hour and 10 minutes. Cool the cheesecake on a rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for at least an hour before adding the ganache.
MAKE THE GANACHE:
- Place the finely chopped white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on half power in 30-second increments until nearly melted. Place the cream in a microwave safe measuring cup and heat until just under a boil (time will differ depending on wattage of microwave). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate gradually and stir until smooth.
- Remove cheesecake from refrigerator and pour ganache over cheesecake. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Return cheesecake to the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. No need to cover.
FOR THE RASPBERRY SAUCE:
- Place raspberries (along with juices from bags), sugar, and orange juice or lemon juice into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until raspberries break down. Blend in blender or with an immersion blender and then strain through a sieve to remove seeds. Chill for at least 2 hours.
TO SERVE:
- To unmold, run knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen. Then remove the sides of the springform pan. Remove bottom of pan, if desired, and place on a cake stand or serving platter. Slice pieces using a chef's knife and pour sauce over pieces individually. Cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, but freezes very well (see notes).
Notes
Adapted from Mrs. Field's I Love Chocolate! Cookbook
Did you make this recipe? Snap a pic and tag @letthemeatglutenfreecake on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Christina McGreevy says
Quick question about the ingredients. Should the butter be salted or unsalted? Or does it not matter.
Thanks
Kim says
It doesn't really matter, but I personally always use salted butter.
Tony Knight says
Hi Kim, I've just discovered your site and it seems amazing. I started baking gluten-free eleven years ago when I was required to have an extreme diet -- gluten-free, casein-free, cereal-free, and soy-free. I lived like that for about three years before just giving up. Now I, and the rest of my family, need to go back to a gluten-free diet while light on dairy (from cow's milk), and must buy everything fully organic.
This recipe looks wonderful, even though it would be hard to meet all of our culinary requirements! Anyway, I'm sure I could figure something out, but your recipe calls for a giant vanilla wafer cookie, but your link goes to a banana pudding. I've searched your site and can't find your original recipe so perhaps you've updated or abandoned it. Anyway, just to let you know! But if you have any ideas they'd be appreciated 🙂
Kim says
Hi, Tony! The vanilla wafer cookie is within the banana pudding recipe itself. If you click the "jump to recipe" button at the top and it takes you down to the recipe card, you'll see the recipe for the "giant" vanilla wafer cookie 🙂