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Crustless New York Cheesecake Recipe

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.

New York Cheesecake is a rich and flavorful cheesecake. This cheesecake is traditionally made plain with lots of cream cheese lending to a creamy, rich texture. The New York cheesecake recipe has been perfected over the years and become a favorite dessert staple for many. This rich and creamy cheesecake can be made Keto and Low carb with one easy ingredient swap.

In this post we teach you how to make the creamiest New York Cheesecake. We have put together some helpful tips and tricks with answers to some of the most common questions. This cheesecake is easy to make and always a crowd pleaser.

Slice Of Crustless New York Cheesecake With Berries

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

Testimonies From Our Reader

Our comment section is full of praise for this recipe. Like these comments.

 Our reader 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.”

More Cheesecakes:

Cheesecakes are a family favorite for us. If you love them too try some of our other cheesecake recipes. Here are several popular cheesecake recipes your family is sure to enjoy.

FYI: The Sugar free pumpkin cheesecake and Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake are both gluten free cheesecake recipes with crusts.

What is the Difference Between a New York Style Cheesecake and a Regular Cheesecake?

The difference between a New York style cheesecake and a regular cheesecake comes from the ingredients. A traditional New York cheesecake uses full fat cream cheese to make the creamy and dense base. A regular cheesecake uses heavy cream and sour cream for the base of the batter. This creates a lighter cheesecake with a creamy texture. The New York cheesecake will produce the rich and tangy flavor that most cheesecake lovers are looking for.

How do you Remove a Crustless Cheesecake from a Spring Form Pan?

Crustless Cheesecakes are not difficult to remove from a springform pan. The key to making sure the cheesecake will not stick is to properly oil the pan. For this recipe we use a liberal amount of coconut oil rubbed on the sides of the springform pan before the batter goes in. The oil will ensure that you can remove the sides of the springform pan without any cheesecake sticking to it.

If the cheesecake is sticking to the pan, run a butter knife under warm water. Gently slide the knife around the edges of the cheesecake. This should help loosen any bits of cheesecake that might be adhering to the sides of the pan.

Can you Make a Cheesecake Crustless?

Cheesecake can be made crustless with the right base of ingredients. New York cheesecake is dense and holds together well without a crust. A lighter cheesecake recipe may not hold together as well without the traditional graham cracker crust. This cheesecake uses 24 oz of cream cheese which helps bind the ingredients together and hold shape.

The cooling process is very important with cheesecake. Crustless is no different. Ensure that you follow the directions after baking. If the cheesecake is not properly cooled then it won’t set up properly. This could result in a loose cheesecake that does not hold together.

What Happens if you over mix Cheesecake?

Over mixing cheesecake can cause your cheesecake to fall and crack. When the batter is over-mixed, it will add too much air in the batter. This can make the cheesecake become very dense and flat. Over mixing can also make the cheesecake crack during the baking process. Prevent your cheesecake from sinking in the middle by mixing just enough to completely combine the ingredients.

Do you put Cheesecake in the Refrigerator right after Baking?

Cheesecake needs to cool down very slowly. Rapidly cooling a cheesecake will ruin the integrity of the cheesecake surface and result in deep cracks. Most cheesecake recipes will advise cracking the oven door after baking and allowing the cake to slowly cool. This Crustless New York cheesecake should then be removed from the oven and cool an additional 90 minutes at room temperature. After the cheesecake is completely cool, then it can be put in the refrigerator.

New York Style Cheesecake Recipe:

Baking your crustless cheesecake successfully with the oven method is what this post is all about.

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 an easy crustless cheesecake without cracking. It’s rich and creamy too.

Crustless New York Cheesecake With Fresh Berries
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 with no crust. Because crustless 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 and lighter in calories. And a beautiful low carb cheesecake recipe. That heavy, rich dessert lightens up to a movie night snack! 

Top Down Of Crustless Ny Cheesecake
Crustless New York Cheesecake is delicious just plain.

Light, fluffy and sinfully delicious

Cheesecake Topping Idea:

A New York Cheesecake require NO topping at all to be sinfully good. Traditionally they are served plain. However, I have topped several of mine and they are always delicious.

Ideas For the topping to this cheesecake.

  1. I have topped this cheesecake with the Raspberry sauce recipe from my Raspberry cheesecake squares and substituted Frozen Three Berry Blend for the fresh Raspberries.
  2. Maple syrup poured in a light drizzle on top and allowed to run down the sides. (see my Instant pot New York Cheesecake).
  3. Fresh berries of any sort.
  4. Whipped cream dollops or along the edge.
  5. Thick Chocolate or butterscotch syrups

Crustless New York Style Cheesecake NOTES:

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

PRO TIPS:

To make a great cheesecake:

  1. Do NOT overmix the eggs. Egg proteins are delicate.
    1. 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 cracking AND 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.

We absolutely love eating this low carb dessert 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!

Ingredients for this 5 ingredient Crustless Cheesecake

  1. Cream Cheese
  2. Sugar
  3. Sour Cream
  4. Eggs
  5. Vanilla Extract

For the Keto crustless New York Cheesecake Recipe Option:

This recipe is Keto approved with one ingredient alteration. Simply replace the granulated sugar with equivalent amount of granulated Stevia.

This video demonstrates making this cheesecake as a keto recipe with only that ONE ingredient change. It’s so easy and SO good!

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.

We are always ready to hear thoughtful opinions and suggestions on Homemade Food Junkie’s recipes. I have made this one numerous times and NO cracking.

Your Printable Recipe Card:

Slice Of Crustless New York Cheesecake With Berries
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 Tsp. Stevia sweetener taste, (OR 3/4 Cup sugar as you wish)
  • 3/4 Cups Sour Cream
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla OR 1 Tablespoon lemon zest

Instructions

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 GENTLY* (see notes) 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.

Nutrition Information

Yield

14

Serving Size

1 slice

Amount Per Serving Calories 216Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 110mgSodium 177mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 0gSugar 2gProtein 5g

This nutritional analysis is done using sugar free Stevia.

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The Perfect Crustless New York Cheesecake Recipe-Pin Image
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.

Finlet

Thursday 25th of May 2023

I halved the recipe but used a 1/2 c sugar (low fat cream cheese and full fat sour cream) and was careful with mixing in the eggs. Used a loaf pan, lined with parchment paper, in a water bath. Cooked for 1 hour at 325 and then let it sit in the oven for a 1/2 hour before lifting it out of the loaf pan. It was firm with a surprisingly fluffy texture and no cracking. Simple recipe and great results!

Diane

Thursday 25th of May 2023

Hi Finlet, Thanks for sharing your experience with this cheesecake recipe and your great review. That is so helpful to our other bakers. This recipe is a long time favorite with our family. Enjoy and have a wonderful day!

Char

Tuesday 9th of May 2023

Is the original New York chetny Sara Lee gluten free when crust is removed

Diane

Wednesday 10th of May 2023

Hi Char, I have no information on this. I would not eat it if you are celiac. If you are gluten sensitive, removing the crust will certainly help. Many cheesecakes do use some flour although not all of them. I just can't say with this one. Sorry I can't help here. Always best to make your own so you know what goes in it. Happy Baking!

Teresa Meyer

Sunday 19th of February 2023

I've been looking for a good crustless cheesecake. Thanks for posting this. On the Keto recipe, you can't possibly mean 3/4 Cup Stevia. I'm sure you mean 3/4 teaspoon. You might want to change that. I'm soooo looking forward to making this recipe.

Diane

Sunday 19th of February 2023

Hi Teresa, Thank you so much for pointing this out. I have corrected the recipe. Please let us know how it turns out for you. Happy Baking!

KETO CRUSTLESS CHEESECAKE // FOODIE FRIDAY // 2018 – Easy Instant Pot Recipes

Monday 13th of June 2022

[…] For recipe specifics visit Homemade Food Junkie https://www.homemadefoodjunkie.com/crustless-new-york-cheesecake/ […]

Christine

Thursday 5th of May 2022

Is it possible to sub full fat unsweetened plain yogurt for sour cream?

Kayti Lavergne

Thursday 5th of May 2022

Yes it is! We do that substitution and it works fine. Thanks for the question!

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