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These fuss-free gluten-free mini cheesecakes are perfect for parties or potlucks and couldn’t be any easier to make!
I really love cheesecake. Like really love it. But you won’t find a single recipe for a full-sized cheesecake on my blog because I rarely find myself with a reason to make 16 servings of cheesecake.
If I made a cheesecake without a real purpose or some place to send it, I’d eat a copious amount, get sad and then make something else to help me get over my grief. It’s a vicious cycle. With these gluten-free mini cheesecakes, you get everything you could want from a cheesecake but with built-in portion control! Eat one or two and freeze the rest.
The other reason I don’t make full cheesecakes is that it’s just so much more fussy than making mini cheesecakes! You don’t need to worry about water baths, cracks in the filling or refrigerating the cheesecake overnight. I don’t know about you, but when I make dessert, I want it now and not to wait for what feels like an eternity. In the directions, I say to chill the cheesecakes for 2 hours before serving, but if you’re in a hurry (or just really want your cheesecake!) you can pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
I’ve had some less than stellar gluten-free crusts in the past but this one is perfect! Pre-baking the crusts and letting them cool slightly prevents the crust, which is almond flour based, from getting soggy. If you don’t have almond flour, you could use another type of nut flour or meal. I’m thinking hazelnut meal would be tasty!
I added a bit of lemon zest to the crust to liven it up and don’t recommend skipping this step because the crust would taste pretty neutral otherwise. Alternatively, you could add lime or orange zest or even a little extract to the crust if you want it a little more zippy. And the filling? So rich, creamy and smooth! I used just a little less sugar than often called for but none of my taste testers missed it or even noticed.
You can decorate the mini cheesecakes simply with blueberries and raspberries like I did or use a dessert sauce, like my honey sweetened strawberry sauce. And if it’s already too hot to bake and you need some cheesecake now, try Jamie’s no-bake lemon Oreo cheesecakes (but make sure to use gluten-free ingredients, if necessary!)
Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¼ cups blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
For the filling:
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
For decoration:
- berries and powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
- Prepare the crust. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients, then stir in the butter and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Divide the mixture between the liners (18 grams or 3 1/2 teaspoons of mixture per liner) and lightly press down with the bottom of a shot glass.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes while preparing the filling.
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stan dmixer fitted with the beater attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until light and creamy. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Beat in the eggs on low, one at a time, and just until well incorporated. Do not over mix!
- Fill each liner about 2/3 full with the batter and bake for 10 minutes or until the centers of the cheesecakes don't jiggle when the pan is tapped. Open the oven door (at least 1 foot wide) and let the cheesecakes cool to room temperature - about 1 1/2 hours. For easiest removal, remove the paper liners now. They can also be removed after chilling, though a little more cheesecake may stick to the liners then.
- Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Decorate with berries and dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Notes
- If you need these to be gluten-free, make sure all your products are certified gluten-free.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is my go to cheesecake recipe now! Used to make large regular cheesecakes, but then I discovered making a 24 batch of mini ones and freezing them! Remove from freezer 30 minutes before eating. I also add lemon zest and juice to both the batter and the crust! Great recipe!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Tasha! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Hi, thank you so much for the recipe! I tried making these in the summer with a friend who can’t have gluten, and they turned out amazing. They were so good in fact, that with my total lack of either baking skills or confidence, I recently tried them on my own. Incredibly, they turned out perfectly! I am so happy to know there is a dessert I can make with no stress that everyone will love! Thank you!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Tamara! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Are these made using regular sized muffin tins?
Yes, Donna. Standard size muffin tin. :)
Made these for delivery to 5 different households for a COVID era virtual potluck. MY ENTIRE family raved about dessert and everyone wanted the recipe!!! Thanks very much for providing a great GF recipe!!!!!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
-Jamie
I made these using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour instead of a nut flour. They turned out amazing! I cooked the crust and filling for 14 minutes each. The only problem I had was that there was way too much crust left over. It might have been because the rice flour is more fine than nut flour? I converted the recipe to make 2.5 dozen, but ended up making 3 dozen using regular sized muffin liners (not jumbo) because there was enough filling for 3 dozen. I probably could have made another 1.5-2 dozen with the amount of crust leftover. I started to zest the lemon but soon realized it was way too time consuming so I used 3/4 of a lemon’s juice instead.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cheesecakes, Cassy! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Wow, These are out of this world!!!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cheesecakes, Anamika! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Any tips for making these even more mini? I want to make finger food size using a mini muffin pan!
Hello! I haven’t attempted this recipe in a mini muffin pan, so I am not sure of the result. If you happen to give it a try, I’d love to know how they turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
Make these mini cheesecakes! They are easy and incredibly delicious. No one will know they are GF. I added 1 Tbsp lemon zest and 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice to the batter to make them lemon cheesecakes. They are light (for cheesecake) and came out perfectly. I think they are best if made the day before you need them.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cheesecakes, Cindy! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
These look amazing! Do you shave down the sides of the cheesecake to take away the “cupcake” shape? Also, could I use gluten free graham crackers for the crust?
Hello! You could probably cut away the edges but I don’t know how clean the cuts would be. I have not tried using gluten-free graham crackers for a graham cracker crust, but if you try it I would love to hear how they turned out. Happy baking!
Jamie