Gluten Free Ube Cheesecake

If you’ve never baked with ube before, this is a great place to start. This gluten free ube cheesecake is creamy, rich, and has the most beautiful natural purple color.

Ube is a purple yam used in a lot of Filipino cooking, especially desserts. It has a subtle sweetness that pairs really well with the tangy cream cheese filling.

And yes, this is completely gluten free. The crust uses gluten free graham cracker crumbs and the filling has no flour at all, just a bit of cornstarch to help everything set.

The recipe uses a water bath method, which sounds intimidating but is actually really simple. It just helps the cheesecake bake evenly without cracking.

Once it’s chilled and topped with ube whipped cream and a sprinkle of freeze-dried raspberries, you’ve got a dessert that looks like it came from a bakery. But you made it at home.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Stunning Purple Color – The ube gives this cheesecake a naturally vibrant purple that will wow everyone at the table.

Perfectly Creamy Texture – The water bath method creates an ultra-smooth and silky cheesecake with zero cracks on top.

Gluten Free Without Compromise – The gluten free graham cracker crust tastes just as buttery and crunchy as the original version.

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 2 cups Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
• 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar

For the Filling

• 32 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam)
• 1 tsp Ube Extract
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Topping

• 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 3 tbsp Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Ube Extract
• 2 tbsp Crushed Freeze-Dried Raspberries, for garnish

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with two layers of aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in during the water bath.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, mix the gluten free graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until evenly combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan using the flat bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let it cool while you prepare the filling.

Step 3

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to avoid any lumps.

Step 4

Add the ube halaya and ube extract, beating until the color is uniform and vibrant purple throughout. Add the cornstarch and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Step 5

Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until just incorporated. Do not overmix. Fold in the sour cream by hand with a spatula until smooth.

Step 6

Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Place the springform pan inside a large roasting pan and carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle.

Step 7

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

Step 8

When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and ube extract together until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe over the chilled cheesecake, then sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried raspberries for garnish.

My Tips

Use Room Temperature Ingredients

Your cream cheese and eggs need to be fully at room temperature before you start. Cold cream cheese won’t blend smooth no matter how long you beat it, and you’ll end up with lumps baked right into your cheesecake.

Take the cream cheese and eggs out of the fridge about 1-2 hours before you start. If you forgot, you can microwave each cream cheese block for about 15 seconds to take the chill off – but don’t let it get warm or melty.

The sour cream should also be room temp. When everything is the same temperature, the batter comes together easily and stays smooth.

Mix the Ube Halaya In Well Before Adding Eggs

Ube halaya is thick and sticky, so it can be tricky to blend evenly into the cream cheese mixture. Make sure you beat it in thoroughly until you see a uniform purple color with no streaks or clumps before you move on to the eggs.

This is the one stage where you can actually beat a bit longer without worrying. Once the eggs go in, you need to mix as little as possible, so get all your color and flavor work done first.

If your ube halaya has any fibrous bits, press it through a fine mesh strainer before adding it. This keeps the cheesecake texture silky smooth.

Don’t Skip the Water Bath

The water bath is what gives this cheesecake a creamy, even texture without cracks on top. It keeps the heat gentle and moist so the edges don’t bake way faster than the center.

Use water from a kettle that’s already hot – don’t use cold tap water or you’ll drop the oven temperature and mess up your bake time. Pour carefully so no water splashes near the top of the foil.

Double wrapping the foil is not optional here. Even a tiny bit of water leaking in will make your crust soggy and waterlogged on the bottom. Press the foil tight against the pan with no gaps.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Basque Burnt Cheesecake
• Gluten Free Browned Butter Mochi Cake
• Gluten Free Japanese Cotton Cheesecake
• Gluten Free Matcha White Chocolate Cookies
• Gluten Free New York Cheesecake

FAQ

Where can I find ube halaya and ube extract?

Ube halaya (purple yam jam) and ube extract are commonly found in Asian grocery stores, usually in the Filipino food section. You can also order both online from retailers like Amazon or specialty Filipino food shops.

Make sure you get ube extract and not just ube flavoring, as the extract gives a more authentic taste and a richer purple color to the cheesecake.