Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
A deliciously creamy gluten free pumpkin cheesecake that is perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients
For The Crust:
- ¾ cup gluten free gingersnaps or Graham crackers (*see note)
- ½ cup pecans
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
Pumpkin Layer
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree (*see note)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup light brown sugar (*see note)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (*see note)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon optional
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (*see note)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 24 ounces cream cheese (*see note)
Creamy Sour Cream Layer
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan.
- In a food processor, grind the gluten free gingersnaps or graham crackers.
- Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of the pan, then chill crust, 1 hour.
- Put oven rack in middle position and Preheat oven to 350° F
For the Cheesecake:
- Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined. (You can also mix in a Vitamix.)
- Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
- Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case springform leaks).
- Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
For the Sour Cream Layer:
- Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl, then spread on top of cheesecake and bake 5 minutes.
- Cool cheesecake completely in pan on the rack, about 3 hours. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of the pan and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Garnish with pecans around the edge of the cheesecake.
Notes
- You can use gluten free gingersnaps or graham crackers to make this crust. We tend to use a combination of both, so the crust is a little less sweet. Other options are gluten free Oreo-style cookies, or combine 1/2 cookies and 1/2 almond meal if you would like to add a little protein.
- I prefer to use canned pumpkin. If you want to roast your pumpkin, I include directions in the post. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- The recipe calls for light brown sugar, but you can also use dark brown sugar. I don't recommend substituting coconut sugar because it has a different melting point.
- If you cannot eat corn, you can substitute arrowroot starch for the corn starch.
- I recommend using full-fat cream cheese and sour cream to keep the delicious level of creaminess.
- Store this cheesecake in the refrigerator. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this cheesecake. I recommend slicing the cheesecake and flash freezing the slices. Once they are frozen you can put them in a freezer bag.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 382kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 5gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 277mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 1837IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 1mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.