Gluten Free Red Velvet Cheesecake

If you love red velvet and you love cheesecake, combining the two is kind of a no-brainer. And making it gluten free doesn’t change a thing about how good it tastes.

This cheesecake has a rich, tangy filling with just the right amount of cocoa and that classic red velvet color. The chocolate cookie crust adds a nice crunch at the bottom.

On top, there’s a layer of cream cheese frosting that makes the whole thing feel like a celebration. You can even add some red velvet cake crumbs as a garnish if you want to go all out.

I’ve made this for people who eat gluten all the time and nobody could tell the difference. It’s just that good.

The recipe uses a water bath to bake, which keeps the cheesecake smooth and crack-free. It sounds fancy but it’s really simple once you try it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It Tastes Like the Real Thing – This gluten free red velvet cheesecake is so rich and creamy that nobody will ever guess it is gluten free.

Two Desserts in One – You get the tangy richness of cheesecake and the cocoa flavor of red velvet all in a single slice.

The Chocolate Cookie Crust Is Perfect – That buttery chocolate crust adds a crunchy contrast that makes every bite of the creamy filling even better.

Showstopper Presentation – The bright red filling topped with white frosting and cake crumbs makes this look like it came from a fancy bakery.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cookie Crust

• 2 cups Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie Crumbs
• 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar

For the Red Velvet Filling

• 32 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tbsp Red Food Coloring
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake Crumbs, for garnish (optional)

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F and wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with two layers of foil. In a bowl, stir together the gluten free chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until evenly combined.

Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl thoroughly.

Step 3

Sift the cornstarch and cocoa powder together, then add them to the cream cheese mixture along with the vanilla extract. Beat on low until combined. Add the red food coloring and mix until the color is vibrant and even throughout the batter.

Step 4

Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until the streak of yolk disappears. Gently fold in the sour cream by hand with a spatula until the batter is smooth and uniform.

Step 5

Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Place the springform pan inside a roasting pan and pour in hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until the edges look set and the center still wobbles gently when you tap the pan.

Step 6

Turn off the oven, crack the door open a few inches, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour. Then remove it from the water bath, take off the foil, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Step 7

For the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat on low then increase to medium until smooth and creamy.

Step 8

Spread the frosting in a thick, even layer over the top of the chilled cheesecake. If desired, sprinkle gluten free red velvet cake crumbs around the edges for garnish. Slice and serve cold.

My Tips

Make Sure the Cream Cheese Is Actually Soft

“Softened” cream cheese doesn’t just mean it sat out for 10 minutes. It needs to be at room temperature all the way through, which takes about 1 to 2 hours on the counter.

If you start beating cold cream cheese, you’ll get lumps in the batter that won’t go away no matter how long you mix. And over-mixing to fix lumps means you’re whipping in air, which causes cracks on top.

This goes for both the filling and the frosting. Take all 40 oz of cream cheese out of the fridge well ahead of time.

Press the Crust Firmly and Evenly

Gluten free cookie crumbs don’t always hold together as well as regular ones, so you really need to pack that crust down tight. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or a glass to press it into an even layer.

If the crust is loose or uneven, it’ll crumble apart when you try to slice the cheesecake later. The 10-minute bake also helps it set, so don’t skip that step.

Use Gel Food Coloring Instead of Liquid

The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of red food coloring, and liquid coloring will work, but gel food coloring gives you a much more vibrant red with less liquid. Less liquid means less chance of messing with the cheesecake texture.

If you do use liquid, you might need a little more than 1 tablespoon to get that deep red velvet color. Just know that adding too much liquid can make the batter slightly thinner, so gel is the safer choice.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Gluten Free New York Cheesecake
• Gluten Free Brownie Cheesecake Swirl
• Gluten Free Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
• Gluten Free Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

FAQ

What gluten free chocolate cookies work best for the crust?

Gluten free Oreo-style cookies (like Glutino or the gluten free Oreos from the store) work perfectly and are the most popular choice. You can use the whole cookie, cream filling and all, or just the chocolate wafer part.

If you can’t find those, any crispy gluten free chocolate cookie will do. Just make sure they’re dry and crunchy so they crush into fine crumbs and hold together well with the melted butter.