Name: Creamy Crustless Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Ingredients: 2 8-oz. blocks full-fat cream cheese, (room temperature); 2 eggs, (room temperature); 1/3 cup maple syrup; 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

JUMP TO RECIPE

This crustless cheesecake is the perfect centerpiece dessert for your next celebratory meal or gathering! It is a breeze to make, doesn't require a waterbath, and is gluten-free, grain-free, and starch-free. Mildly sweetened with maple syrup, it is smooth, creamy, and fluffy all at the same time...it's sure to be a delicious hit!

What You Need

All you need are 5 ingredients to make this cheesecake:

Cream cheese
Eggs
Maple syrup
Yogurt
Vanilla extract

Blocks of white cream cheese in a metal bowl.

Two raw eggs in a bowl, a measuring cup with white yogurt, a measuring up with brown liquid, a white dish with brown liquid.

Expert Tip: All the ingredients should be room temperature when you start. This helps make all the ingredients blend together well so we get that nice smooth texture in the finished cheesecake.

This cheesecake uses a 6-inch springform pan.

How To Make It

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl one or two times.

Beaten white cream cheese in a metal bowl.

A red spatula scraping down the sides of a metal bowl with beaten white cream cheese.

Add the maple syrup, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extra and beat.

A metal bowl containing beaten white cream cheese, white yogurt, and brown liquid.

Mixing beaters mixing white batter in a metal bowl.

In a separate bowl, gently beat the two eggs, being careful not to whip much air into them. Add the beaten eggs, a half at a time to the cream cheese mixture, beating until just blended.

A white bowl containing yellow beaten eggs.

Mixing beaters mixing yellow egg into white batter in a bowl.

Tap the bowl on the counter several times to force any air bubbles up to the surface.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into your prepared springform pan. Any air bubbles that don't pop, you can poke with the tip of a toothpick...but don't worry about them too much!

White batter in a paper lined round pan.

Close-up of a toothpick popping an air bubble in cake batter.

Baking the Cheesecake

NO WATERBATH! Traditionally, baking cheesecake involves a water bath, the purpose being to reduce any chances of getting unsightly cracks in the cheesecake (although cracks don't affect the taste!).

I didn't want to deal with a waterbath and learned that it's not necessary! The same results can be achieved by baking the cheesecake slowly at a lower temperature!

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 10 minutes in a preheated 225F/110C oven.

A round baked cake in a paper-lined pan.

Cooling the Cheesecake

Once the baking time is done, turn off the oven and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for an hour to cool down. Again, allowing the cheesecake to cool down slowly after baking reduces the chances of cracks.

Transfer the cheesecake to a rack on the counter and let it cool down to room temperature, about 1-2 hours.

Transfer the cheesecake, uncovered, to the fridge to firm up at least 4-6 hours before covering tightly. Let the cheesecake sit overnight before serving.

Expert Tip: Storing the cheesecake uncovered in the fridge for a few hours before covering it will eliminate the chances of condensation on the cover and the cheesecake itself.

As you can see from this photo, I couldn't get all the air bubbles, but in the end, it really doesn't matter! It doesn't affect the taste, and you're likely to top it with whipped cream or berries anyway!

Slicing the Cheesecake

Run your knife under hot water to heat it, wipe it dry, and make a slice in your cheesecake. Do this for every slice for clean cuts.

A dark plate containing a wedge of cheesecake topped with white whipped cream.

I like to use this knife because it's thin and the holes also help with the cheesecake not sticking to it.

How to Serve It

While this crustless cheesecake may seem small, it is creamy rich and it can easily serve and satisfy 6-8 people! If you're a purist, enjoy your slice as is, or make my Ridiculous Easy Berry Compote for some fruity tang to offset the sweetness! Whipped cream is also always a welcome addition...learn how to make whipped cream yourself!

A piece of cheesecake on a dark plate, topped with white whipped cream and red berry sauce.

Store leftover cheesecake in the fridge, making sure to cover it with foil or a lid so it does not dry out.

Other Delicious Desserts

If you're looking for other dessert ideas to serve for a celebratory meal, gathering, or just because, be sure to check out these great options!

Serve the cheesecake with hot beverages like Ginger Honey Tea, Coffee Milk Tea, or English Tea Latte. Cold beverages like Cold-Brewed Coffee or Iced English Tea Latte would also go well!

Close-up of a forkful of cheesecake, whipped cream, and red berry sauce.

This crustless cheesecake is a breeze to whip up, and anyone on a gluten-free diet gets to enjoy it, too! Eliminating the crust also lets you enjoy this wonderfully delicious cheesecake in its creamy entirety! Definitely give this cheesecake a try the next time you're trying to figure out what dessert to make for a special occasion, or no occasion! It's sure to be a hit!

~ Lisa.