Homemade Food Junkie

Passionate about making healthier recipes from scratch, mostly organically!

Crustless New York Cheesecake

by 84 Comments

Affiliate Links

 Delicious, light, creamy, low carb, gluten-free crustless New York cheesecake! This cheesecake is so easy to make and it comes out perfect without a crust! Our comment section is full of praise for this recipe. Like these comments!

 Kathy, says “The BEST cheesecake I have ever tasted!!! Thank you!” 

Ems says “My husband said this was the best cheesecake he has ever eaten. He thinks I am a cheesecake wizard! Thanks for the recipe.”

gluten free crustless New York cheesecake

Light delicious crustless cheesecake with berry sauce topping. Yum!

The recipe I can trust to deliver a great baked New York Cheesecake without cracks in the top, is printed right on Raska’s cream cheese 3 lb. box. When I decided to try a crustless cheesecake, I followed Raska’s New York Cheesecake recipe, and sure enough, it came out beautifully.

Watch the video in the Printable recipe card at the bottom of this post to see this cheesecake made correctly with TIPS to help you succeed.

Cheesecakes are a family favorite for us. If you love them too, explore our Cheesecake section for some new ideas for cheesecake desserts. I’m always hunting up new recipes for cheesecakes. In fact, I just broke some new ground in cheesecake cooking.

I now have an instant pot. The very first cheesecake I made in it I tried crustless and it WORKED!!!

I made both crustless and crusted cheesecake in my instant pot! Go take a Look at my Instant Pot 6 Inch New York Style Cheesecake if you want a REALLY easy way to make a crustless cheesecake without cracking. It’s rich and creamy too.

Baking your crustless cheesecake in the oven is what this post is all about. We have several tips and an instructional video with tips on successfully making this gluten free cheesecake with a KETO option too.

Crustless New York Cheesecake

Beautiful Crustless New York Cheesecake. Naturally gluten-free!

Crustless New York Cheesecake has a velvety, creamy texture and that unique cheesecake flavor we all love. Without a crust; this is a pretty, gluten-free, light dessert. The whole thing is just one solidified step up from eating custard! Top it any way you prefer. Cheesecake is so versatile!

The original Raska’s New York cheesecake recipe calls for a crust and gives directions on making one. I reprinted only the cheesecake filling, no crust; because that is what this post is all about!

I’m pretty excited that cheesecake can be made successfully without a crust. Suddenly it’s gluten free, lighter in calories, and lower in fat and carbs! That heavy, rich dessert lightens up to a movie night snack! 

If you’re a devoted gluten-free  and crusty cheesecake fan go take a look at my Chocolate Raspberry cheesecake. It has a gluten free crust  “to die for”! You can use that crust with cheesecake if you prefer.

Crustless New York CheesecakeLight, fluffy and sinfully delicious

More Cheesecake Inspiration

For the topping to this cheesecake as Pictured. I used the Raspberry sauce recipe from my Raspberry cheesecake squares and substituted Frozen Three Berry Blend for the fresh Raspberries.


Recipe Notes on Crustless New York cheesecake:

The nice thing about a crustless cheesecake is the time to make the recipe shrinks  since there is no crust to make and bake. This recipe is really fast and easy to put together.

PRO TIPS to make a great cheesecake: Watch the video in the recipe card to see this cheesecake made correctly.

  1. Do NOT overmix the eggs. Egg proteins are delicate. For the best textured cheesecake add the eggs in at the end of the mixing one at a time and mix gently on low speed until just combined.
  2. USE this WATER BATH METHOD when oven baking any cheesecake to avoid the cracking problems cheesecakes often have.
  3. Just whip the few ingredients up in the mixer, pour it into your prepared springform pan and bake it in a water bath.
  4. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven after the timer goes off. I crack the oven door and insert a wooden spoon so the heat can slowly escape. Turn off the oven and let it sit in there about 45 minutes. The water bath and slow cool down help eliminate the cracking problems. AND the falling problems!
  5. Even heat, during baking and cooling, seems to be the key to a successful cheesecake! Last time I made this recipe I forgot and took it out and set on the counter right after it was done. I put it back in right away but it still fell. So be careful about that!
  6. If you want a little higher cheesecake… try using an 8 inch pan and let it cook another 10 minutes. That is what Amanda did in the video and it worked great with the extra time. Remember the crust layer is missing so this crustless cheesecake will be a little lower in a 9 inch pan. 

Let me know how this recipe works out for you. Anytime I hear from you I’m having a great day. Especially if you have concerns, questions or if something needs changing, in your opinion. I’m always ready to hear thoughtful opinions and suggestions on my recipes. I have made this one numerous times and NO cracking.

We absolutely love eating it crustless. The reduction in calories is huge! If you really want to go skinny try using non fat yogurt instead of sour cream like I did last time. Still tastes great!

For the Keto Option:

This recipe is Keto approved with one ingredient alteration. Simply replace the granulated sugar with granulated Stevia. The video discusses making this as a keto recipe with this one ingredient change. It’s so easy and SO good! Look at our Nutrition Fact label with Stevia for the nutrition details.

Nutrition Facts with Stevia

 

Nutrition Facts With Granulated sugar

If your not concerned with sugar the nutrition facts are in this label for you 🙂

Yield: 12 slices

CRUSTLESS NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Additional Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
Delicious, light, creamy, low carb, gluten-free crustless New York cheesecake! This cheesecake is so easy to make and it comes out perfect without a crust!

Ingredients

  • 24 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
  • 3/4 Cups sugar (or sugar free KETO approved sweetener)
  • 3/4 Cups Sour Cream
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla OR 1 Tablespoon lemon zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  2. Wrap the outside of a 9 inch springform pan with heavy tinfoil to make it waterproof.
  3. Thoroughly oil the entire interior of the pan with coconut oil or butter
  4. In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese. Add the sugar and mix.
  5. Add sour cream, scrape down the bowl as needed, and mix thoroughly.
  6. Crack the eggs and add in one at time, mixing after each addition.
  7. Mix in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.
  8. Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan and put the pan into a one/half inch water bath(I used my roasting pan).
  9. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes until set and golden brown. The top should NOT jiggle a LOT when set. But it may move a LITTLE BIT. Turn off oven and crack the door slightly for 30 minutes . Then remove cake to counter and let cool until the cake is at room temperature. Remove the sides of your pan and continue to cool in the refrigerator until completely set. Several hours.

Notes

Cheesecake texture suffers if eggs are over mixed so be gentle with them. This water bath baking method and the long slow cool down in the oven are very important to get the results you see pictured. The chill time in the fridge (best if chilled overnight) is not factored into the recipe time as it's up to you how long to chill it.

For the topping to this cheesecake as Pictured I used the Raspberry sauce recipe from my Raspberry cheesecake squares and substituted Frozen Three Berry Blend for the fresh Raspberries. This recipe would also be EXCELLENT topped with Roasted Raspberries!

 

FOR KETO VERSION OF THIS RECIPE: Omit the sugar and replace with a KETO approved Sweetener. Calories in this recipe without sugar is 215 per slice. if you want more keto recipes go to Amanda's Youtube channel. She has partnered with us on several KETO recipes and her videos are great!!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

14

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 255 Total Fat: 0g Saturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 0mg Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 0g Protein: 0g
© Diane
Cuisine: American / Category: Desserts
Delicious, light, creamy, low carb, gluten-free crustless New York cheesecake! This cheesecake is so easy to make and it comes out perfect without a crust! Our comment section is full of praise for this recipe. And NOW We have a KETO option for you too! #keto #cheesecake #lowcarb #recipe #newyorkcheesecake #crustlesscheesecake #glutenfree

 

Reader Interactions

PLEASE COMMENT, RATE AND SHARE THIS POST WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

We appreciate all well meant feedback on our posts. You help us make better recipes, DIY and Garden posts with your input. And you help other readers with your experience with our content. Thank you!

Follow us on Social Media and You tube!

Comments

  1. Hi! Interested in the fact that your instructions are to remove from pan after cooling to room temp, but other crust-less recipes instruct to have completely chilled before removing. Afraid my cheesecake might stick to the sides if I try to remove from pan too early!

    Reply

    • Hi Amy,
      As you can see from the other commenters that followed the directions they had no trouble with the cheesecake sticking. Please wait until the cheesecake is completely room temperature before removing the cheesecake from the pan. If you are more comfortable chilling your cheesecake in the pan that is completely fine. I hope you enjoy this recipe and have the great results many others have with this recipe. Happy Holidays 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Michelle, It’s going to make the cheesecake is unlikely to set properly if you use just plain cream to replace the sour cream. And it will affect the flavor. Greek yogurt is a good replacement for sour cream. The consistency is about the same and that bit of sour bite is still present.

      Reply

  3. Fantastic recipe! Thank you so much for the detailed instructions. For sweetener I used one part Rapadura to two parts Swerve. The cake came out perfect! 😀

    Reply

    • Hi Carol, Thank you for your feedback on this recipe. We are so glad it worked so well for you! Thank you also for mentioning you used Rapadura. What a fascinating combination with the swerve! It’s always helpful to learn new ways to get around refined sugars. Have a great day!

      Reply

    • Hi Julie,
      I am sorry you did not have the nutritional information you wish. I have updated the recipe for you with two nutritional labels. One with sugar and one using stevia. I hope that helps. We recently upgraded our recipe card and this recipe somehow got stuck in the middle. Thank you for asking for help!

      Reply

  6. Wow this cheesecake looks amazing! I’m not a big fan of the crust so this is perfect. Just wondering if it’s possible to half the recipe and bake in either an 8×8 square pan (for a short cheesecake) or maybe a loaf pan? I basically want to half the recipe (as I’m really the only cheesecake eater in the family haha!) but I’m unsure of what pan to use. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

    Reply

  7. I want to make this cheesecake but without sugar but if I use sugar substitute but not sure which one. I have Splenda but not sure if I should use a different one. Do u have any. Suggestions on what has worked for some other people. Thank u

    Reply

    • Hi Linda, One of our readers successfully used swerve as a sugar substitute for this cheesecake. She wanted a low carb result. She said it turned out great! Let us know how it goes for you and what you choose to use in this recipe. Thanks and have a great day!

      Reply

    • WHERE IN THE HECK IS THE DARN RECIPE!!!!??????????? GOSH THIS IS FRUSTRATING! I FOUND THE VIDEO BUT THERE IS NO INGREDIENT AMOUNTS TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE! HOW THEY HECK ARE YOU ALL MAKING THIS RECIPE WHEN THERE IS NO RECIPE!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????????????????????

      Reply

      • Hi Dennis, I am SO sorry. We are beta testing a new recipe card and it’s having some issues. for now, I have restored the old recipe card for you. THANK YOU for letting us know this happened! Enjoy your cheesecake!

        Reply

  8. I can’t wait to taste it once it cools! I followed the directions and it seems very low in height. I know it’s missing the crust but with 3 boxes of cream cheese seems like it should be higher not sure where it went wrong but hopeful it will taste delicious.

    Reply

    • Hi Lisa, I’m not sure how low it is but it could be a mixing issue. No worries. If you have the recipe correct it should taste great. Please let us know and thanks for sharing your experience with us!

      Reply

  9. I wanted to try your INSTANT POT 6 INCH NEW YORK CHEESECAKE. But without the crust or do I have to do this in a waterbath/Oven method only. Please help me with time in Instant pot times. Also the times for the jelly jar times set in instant pot on rack times and gentle natural release. A small dessert to take in RV or a picnic. Thanks

    Reply

    • Hi Gayle, I have made my 6 inch instant pot cheesecake recipe without a crust to ty it. It works great! Leave the timing as is for the 6 inch cheesecake. For the single serving cheesecakes. I have never made single serving cheesecakes. I am giving you these times from the This Old Gal Recipe. She recommends the following:
      For Single Serving Jar Cheesecake
      8 oz Wide Mouth Glass Jar – cook 7 minutes
      4 oz Wide Mouth Glass Jar – cook 4 minutes
      16 oz Glass Jars – DON’T DO IT!
      15 minute Natural Pressure Release

      Good luck! Please let us know how it goes for you!

      Reply

  10. This is a great recipe! I thought my mom’s was good, but this superior to hers with 1/3 of the ingredients. My husband really liked it’ as well. This will be my recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Hi Anita,
      I have never made this in 8 oz. mason jars but I’m sure it will work great. I found this recipe link for you from Allrecipes. It does use a crust but the baking instructions should be pretty close.
      Here are the instructions:“Pour the cream cheese mixture into the muffin cups, filling each until 3/4 full. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan before removing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.” I hope this helps. I’d love to know how this recipe turns out in the small servings. Have a great day!

      Reply

  12. A coworker of mine is retiring and asked me to make him a cheesecake. He stated that he is not crazy about the graham cracker crust but he would take it. I ran across your crustless cheesecake and realized this is what he wants. I am currently cooking a trial one and I pray it turns out as delicious as the previous comments. Will keep you posted.

    Reply

    • Yes, the cheesecake was DELISH!!! I didn’t change a thing but now I have to do the real thing. I did grease the pan but it was still a little difficult to remove from the bottom of the springform pan. For the real deal, I am putting parchment paper on the bottom so I can slide it off and into a box once completely set. Whoever said the crust makes the cheesecake has not tried this one!!! Thanks for the recipe and this is definitely a keeper!!!!

      Reply

  13. This looks like a great cheesecake I’d like to try. However, I’m grain free but also sugar free. Has anyone tried this with a sweetener such as Swerve or Xylitol or any of the “better” sweeteners?

    Reply

    • Hi Terry,
      One of our readers, Sharon left The comment(partially copied for you below) on the post. Apparently Swerve works as a sugar substitute in this recipe. I’d love you to share how it turns out for you. Please let us know what amount of swerve you use and how the cheesecake texture turns out. Thank you and Have a great day!

      COMMENT FROM SHARON:
      The cheesecake turned out great, regardless that i forgot to grease my pan. It’s all about the taste, and it tasted great. DH and I both liked the cheesecake with, and without, the three berry (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry) compote. To make it low carb i used swerve instead of sugar. Now instead of a donut for breakfast, let’s have cheesecake! Thank you so much for giving us an easy and tasty dessert, with so many variations.

      Reply

    • Hi Lorraine, This cheesecake freezes just fine. I freeze cheesecakes often and they are so nice after. Just remove it from the freezer and set it in the fridge for several hours or overnight. You can also refreeze cheesecake tightly wrapped. Such a handy dessert. Thanks so much for the question. Happy Holidays!

      Reply

    • Hi Stephanie, Thank you for your comment and rating this recipe. If you wish to salt this cheesecake start with 1/2 tsp. and go up in tiny increments until you are satisfied. Also you could put a salted caramel topping on it add some pizzazz. Let us know the amount you add in. Our other readers may benefit from that. Thanks again!

      Reply

    • Hi Ems, It’s one of our favorites too. Lol. I really appreciate your reviewing this recipe for us. So glad it made you a cheesecake Wizard! Have a great day.

      Reply

  17. Thanks for the recipe, i made that for my husband’s birthday, i genache the cheesecake and decorate with fondant over it. The cake turns out so perfect and delicious. Everybody enjoys the cake 🤗🤗

    Reply

    • Hi Soe, I’m so happy you love this cake! I think you made it even better with the fondant and genache. What a great dessert. Happy Birthday to your husband and thank you for sharing what you did and reviewing this cheesecake. Have a great day!

      Reply

  18. Diane, I made this cheesecake yesterday. This is how I did it. Made the recipe exactly as written, but poured it into a butter greased round cake pan. baked it in a water bath for 75 minutes .Turned the oven off and then put the wooden spoon to vent the oven for thirty minutes.I cooled it for twenty minutes then put It in the fridge for four hours , then topped it with whipped cream. Did not remove it from the baking pan.This was the most wonderful crustless cheesecake ever.My family and guests just said it was the best. Thank you Diane.

    Reply

    • Hi Marie, Thank you for letting me know you had so much success with this recipe! You made my day. I’m so happy your guests and family loved it too. I really appreciate your comment.

      Reply

  19. Hi! Just wondering if you have tried making this in muffin tins for individual servings? If so, would you still bake in water bath and for how long?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hi Liz, I have made a gluten free lemon cheesecake tart in small four inch tart pans. I have never made any cheesecake in muffin tins other than muffins filled with cheesecake like my Black Bottom Cupcakes. But it should work ok. If you look at the lemon tart recipe you’ll see the small crustless tarts fell. So I do recommend a water bath method with maybe a 1/3 of an inch of water under the muffin tins. AND keep them in the oven as directed too after baking with the door cracked. This recipe is very reliable so I think you will have good luck with it. I’m not sure how long to bake them but try 20 minutes and if they are just golden brown and pulling away from the GREASED muffin tins they should be done. Good luck! I’d love to know how they turn out for you and have a great Fourth of July!

      Reply

  20. This recipe is awesome!! I followed the advice to leave it in the oven for 30 minutes after turning it off and it was a success! Mine baked for exactly 75 minutes. I love the texture, the flavor, everything! I hate cheesecake with a crust, its just too much for my taste, this recipe without a crust is light and so good, thank you so much!

    Reply

    • Hi Jessica, Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I’m so pleased it worked out for you. This Crustless cheesecake is a fun lighter dessert. Our readers will really benefit from your experience. Have a great day!

      Reply

    • Hi Sarah, I don’t use an ICE bath in this recipe. I’m using a WATER bath while the cheesecake bakes in the oven. I’m sorry if I was unclear. Let me explain:
      To use a water bath while baking a cheesecake:
      Surround the springform pan with tinfoil to keep the pan water tight, crimp the tinfoil over the pan top lip a bit to keep it tight.
      Pour the cheesecake filling into the pan.
      Now immerse the springform pan in a deep pan (I use my oven roasting pan) with a 1/2 inch or so of water in it.
      Put this large pan with the cheesecake in it into your preheated oven.
      Bake as directed. The water bath steams the cheesecake while it bakes which helps the cheesecake bake more evenly and crack less.
      Good luck.Thank you for asking me to clear this up!

      Reply

  24. My better half says that his favorite cake is cheesecake; so much so that it’s what I make for his birthday. I usually go with a brownie crust, but he stated this year that what he *really* wanted was an “all-cheesecake” cheesecake and thanks to your recipe, it was a possibility!! Admittedly, I am completely self taught and have made quite a few rookie mistakes in the past;, including puling cheesecakes from the oven as soon as the baking time is completed. Sure, they taste delicious, but the cracks and collapsed centers have left me disappointed. However, after research and finding your page, I’ve used a water bath and as I’m typing this, I’m still at the wooden spoon propping the oven door open stage(which I must say is brilliant)….but it looks lovely and I’m hopeful it won’t crack. Thank you so much for a recipe with thorough directions!!

    Reply

    • Hi Mad Rain, Thanks you so much for the lovely comment. This method and cheesecake recipe has proven itself time and time again. I’m delighted you found it helpful! Enjoy 🙂

      Reply

  25. I made this tonight to celebrate my gluten-free daughter’s homecoming after 2 months. Yummy and light (not a dense cheesecake, but delicious nonetheless). Very easy to make. I didn’t need to bake it 75 minutes, though.

    Reply

    • Hi Josie, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with this recipe! We love this cheesecake. I’m also really glad you shared that it didn’t take the full time in your oven to bake correctly. Every oven will bake cheesecakes a little differently. I tend to watch them pretty close for that reason. I’m so glad your family enjoyed it! Your comment made my day 🙂 Diane

      Reply

  26. This is the most unintimidating recipe. I’ve got the ingredients, and have printed out the recipe. I will be making this tonight…its on my low carb high fat diet. Yay me. I’ve already have compote made to dollop on top.

    Reply

    • Hi Sharon, We LOVE this, simple to make, crustless cheesecake. I also appreciate a creamy dessert without all the carbs. I’ve made this recipe several times. It’s pretty bullet proof. I’d love to know what your compote is and how you like this dessert when you try it! We are always looking for inspiration. THANK YOU so much for stopping by with your comment. Enjoy!!

      Reply

      • the cheesecake turned out great, regardless that i forgot to grease my pan. It’s all about the taste, and it tasted great. DH and I both liked the cheesecake with, and without, the three berry (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry) compote. To make it low carb i used swerve instead of sugar. Now instead of a donut for breakfast, let’s have cheesecake! Thank you so much for giving us an easy and tasty dessert, with so many variations.

        Reply

        • Hi Sharon, Thank you for taking the time to come back and share how this cheesecake turned out for you! It’s so helpful for our readers to know others experiences. I’m THRILLED to wake up to such a lovely comment:)
          I haven’t used Swerve or a three berry compote, I’ll try them! Great tips on getting this cheesecake down to fighting fit! Cheesecake for breakfast could become a favorite!
          Have a great day. You certainly gave mine a boost!

          Reply

  27. 60 to 90 minutes to bake? t
    That is a big gap between possible baking times…how would you know if it was done?

    Reply

    • Hi Betty, Thanks so much for asking for clarification on this recipe. I read the recipe. I can see your point. Let’s just say I’m a pot watcher when it comes to cheesecakes. I tend to hover over them a bit. I have revised this recipe to state 75 to 90 minutes. This is a dense cheesecake. It will bake differently in different ovens. After you make it once it will be easier to know what works best in your kitchen. I hope that helps you out. Have a great weekend! Diane

      Reply

  28. I love cheesecake in ANY way. I’m not usually one to make too many sweets, but I’ve been wanting to make a cheesecake for a while now. Will definitely have to try this out, since it seems so simple and looks SO perfect!

    Reply

  33. Thank you for posting your recipe. My daughter does not like a traditional birthday cake and she likes cheesecake for her bday but doesn’t like the crust so I appreciate the crust less cheesecake. I’ve made it before and I have to say- I don’t miss the crust:)

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for taking the time to write to us Nicky! I love this crustless cheesecake too. I’m delighted to hear your family is making use of this recipe and enjoying it! Happiest of Birthdays To your daughter! Merry Christmas to you and your family.I really appreciate you letting us know it’s working so well for you!!

      Reply

  34. I love the picture of your crestless cheesecake but it appears that some ingredients may be missing after the vanilla or lemon zest. Please advise. Thanks,
    M

    Reply

    • Hi Milo, The recipe includes all the necessary ingredients. I can see the extra empty bullet points in the recipe that may have confused you. So I went ahead and deleted the extra spaces. I’m so sorry for the cnonfusion they caused. I’m delighted you are planning to make this! Please let me know how it turns out for you. I have had very good luck with Raska brand cream cheese and this recipe!

      Reply

  35. Crustless?! But the crust is the best part! Or is it the cheesecake… lol I am going to have to try this. Cheesecake is cheesecake no matter what! Pinning! Thanks for sharing this at Totally Terrific Tuesday last week. I can’t wait to see what you have lined up this week.

    Sharon
    Her Organized Chaos

    Reply

  36. I had no idea cheesecake was this easy. My springpan broke so I’m gonna order one online. I have to make this for Guvor & Inger! Thanks for the great post. Your photos are awesome!

    Reply

  37. This crustless cheeesecake looks delicious. By not eating the crust we are saving so many calories! I have to make your recipe! Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.