Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake (Gluten Free)

This Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake is light and fluffy! It's made with cream cheese, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and topped with caramel sauce.

One of the best things about the fall months are the delicious desserts that come around this time of year. This Pumpkin Cheesecake tastes a bit like pumpkin pie but is easier to make because there's no crust to roll out.

We're entering fall baking season and I'm pretty happy about it. Fall baking means all kinds of apple and pumpkin desserts filling your house with the scent of warming spices as they bake in the oven.

If you're looking for an autumn dessert that's got everything we love about pumpkin pie but requires less time and effort, this pumpkin cheesecake is for you. It's made without crust and focuses on the creamy center of the cheesecake, which means that it's naturally gluten free.

The texture of this cheesecake is light and fluffy; it's not dense like many cheesecake recipes. It's made with whipped egg yolks, which gives it an airy, souffle-like quality. This cheesecake is flavored simply with sugar and vanilla.

The whole thing is drizzled with a homemade cinnamon caramel sauce, which gives the cheesecake just the right amount of sweetness. It's perfect served as a dessert for an after dinner treat with a cup of coffee.

Jump to:

• Can Cheesecake Be Made Without A Crust?
• Ingredients For Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake
• How To Make Cheesecake Light and Fluffy
• Tips For Making Cheesecake
• How To Make Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Why Bake Cheesecake In A Water Bath?
• How To Make Caramel Sauce
• What To Serve With Pumpkin Cheesecake
• How To Store Crustless Cheesecake
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake (Gluten Free)

Can Cheesecake Be Made Without A Crust?

Cheesecake is often made with some type of crust. Many recipes call for a graham cracker or cookie-based crust and others use a shortbread or pastry crust.

It's not necessary for a cheesecake to be made with crust. Some (like this pumpkin cheesecake) focus on the creamy filling instead. A New York Style or Basque cheesecake are examples of a cheesecake that is made without crust.

The difference between this cheesecake recipe and a New York or Basque-style one is that the texture is light and fluffy instead of dense. The filling is made with whipped egg whites, which gives it an airy texture. I love cheesecakes of all kinds but this one is fun because it's a little different.

Ingredients For Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 1 cup Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 6 large Eggs
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese (full fat)
• ½ cup Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• ¾ cup Brown Sugar (lightly packed)
• ⅓ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• ½ tsp. Cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp. Kosher Salt
• Cooking Spray

How To Make Cheesecake Light and Fluffy

The thing that helps to create a light and fluffy cheesecake batter is to separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and then to beat the egg whites until they reach a meringue-like texture.

The whipped egg whites are then folded into the cheesecake batter. The process of whipping the egg whites into a meringue-like consistency creates air bubbles, which makes for a light and airy batter.

This recipe relies on eggs to make the batter light and fluffy and only calls for 1 package of cream cheese. The ratio of eggs to cream cheese creates a batter that is souffle-like and results in a cheesecake that is more similar to a Japanese-style than a more dense New York style.

Tips For Making Cheesecake

Cheesecake is an easy dessert to make, but there are a few tips to keep in mind in order to achieve an optimal texture.

• Use full-fat cream cheese instead of low-fat or non-fat varieties of cream cheese.
• Choose block cream cheese and not whipped or spreadable cream cheese, which often comes in a plastic tub.
• Allow the cream cheese to sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours. This is an essential step to achieve a smooth and creamy texture. If the cream cheese is too cold, the cheesecake batter will be lumpy and unappealing.
• Bake the cheesecake in a water bath. This helps the cheesecake to bake evenly, prevents it from drying out, and prevents it from cracking.
• Do not bake the cheesecake at too high a temperature and allow it to cool slowly - this helps to prevent it from cracking or deflating.

How To Make Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake

The process of making this Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake is pretty easy and the recipe only requires a few ingredients.

The first step is to separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. The egg whites are whipped until they reach a meringue-like texture and then added to the cream cheese and pumpkin mixture.

The batter is then poured into a greased springform pan and that pan is placed into a water bath. The cheesecake bakes for 42 minutes or so at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and sits in the oven for an additional 15 minutes with the door closed.

The cheesecake cools for 1-2 hours before serving, which is a great time to prepare the cinnamon caramel sauce, which is drizzled over the top before serving.

Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices and will affect the flavor and sugar content of this cheesecake.

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray to prevent the cheesecake from sticking to the surface as it bakes.
3. Separate 6 large eggs into two bowls - place the egg whites in one bowl and the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
4. Place 1 8 oz. block of room temperature full-fat cream cheese in a third mixing bowl. Whip the cream cheese for 1-2 minutes until it is light and creamy using a hand mixer or a stand mixer.
5. Add the whipped cream cheese to the egg yolks along with 1 cup of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), ½ cup sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Mix until completely combined using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
6. Whip the egg whites using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Whisk the egg whites for 5-6 minutes on medium speed, or until stiff peaks have formed (the egg whites will turn into a meringue at this point).
7. Add the egg whites to the pumpkin batter a bit at a time and fold it in using a whisk. Make sure to incorporate the egg whites carefully and don't mix too aggressively, or the batter will lose its "springiness" and fall flat.
8. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake mixture into the greased springform pan and spread the top evenly with a spatula.

Why Bake Cheesecake In A Water Bath?

In general, it's best to bake cheesecake in a water bath.

Baking it in a water bath helps the cheesecake to bake evenly, provides sufficient moisture as it bakes which prevents it from drying out, and helps to keep it from cracking or deflating.

This pumpkin cheesecake is baked in a springform pan. A springform pan is one in which the bottom of the pan is removed from the sides. Using a springform pan when making cheesecake allows the bottom to be easily removed, making it easier to serve. There is no need to flip the cheesecake over like you would a cake.

Before placing the springform pan into the water bath, it's important to wrap the bottom with a few pieces of foil to prevent any water from leaking into the pan.

Place the springform pan into a rectangular cake pan, or any rectangular pan large enough to comfortably fit the springform pan and an inch of water.

1. Wrap the base of the springform pan tightly with foil to prevent any water from leaking into the cheesecake.
2. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan into a rectangular pan.
3. Pour an inch or so of water into the rectangular pan (careful not to get any in the batter).
4. Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 42 minutes.
5. Once the 42-minute mark hits, turn the oven off and keep the cheesecake in there for another 15 minutes.
6. At this point, the top should be nice and golden and the cheesecake should be finished cooking. The edges should pull away from the pan and the cheesecake should jiggle a bit.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and then carefully remove the springform pan from the larger one, remove the foil, and allow the cheesecake to cool for 1-2 hours before serving.
8. Make sure to allow the cheesecake to cool before cutting into it, or it may deflate.

The texture of the cheesecake should be smooth and creamy as well as light and fluffy. The surface of the cheesecake is springy and the inside soft and airy.

How To Make Caramel Sauce

Now for the really good stuff - the caramel sauce that gets drizzled on top. This caramel sauce is spiced up a bit with the addition of ground cinnamon.

Caramel sauce is incredibly easy to make and only requires butter, brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt.

I love adding caramel sauce to pumpkin desserts; it adds some decadence and another layer of flavor. Much of the sweetness in this recipe comes from the caramel so I highly advise not skipping this step!

The great thing about this dessert is that you can add as much or as little of the caramel sauce over the the cheesecake, which allows you to control the sweetness.

1. To make the caramel sauce, place a sauce pot on the stove top and heat to medium-low.
2. Add 3 Tbsp. of unsalted butter to the pot and allow the butter to melt.
3. Add ¾ cup of lightly packed brown sugar and slowly allow the brown sugar melt into the butter. Stir the mixture with a small whisk.
4. Once the mixture is combined, slowly add ⅓ cup of heavy whipping cream to the pot, whisking constantly. Simmer the caramel sauce on low heat for 4-5 minutes, or until it reaches a creamy consistency.
5. Add ½ tsp. of ground cinnamon and ⅛ tsp. of kosher salt to the caramel sauce. Continue to stir until combined. The key to caramel sauce is to stir constantly so that it doesn't burn.
6. Once the caramel sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat and set aside.

What To Serve With Pumpkin Cheesecake

Once the cheesecake has cooled and the caramel sauce is ready, it's time to serve!

Cut the pumpkin cheesecake into slices and drizzle each slice with a desired amount of the caramel sauce. You can add as much or as little as you like, depending on how sweet you prefer your cheesecake.

You can take it up a notch further by adding some homemade whipped cream, Crème Anglaise, or ice cream.

Feel free to top this cheesecake with some toasted nuts like pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds for an extra crunchy texture. Candied nuts or pecans would also be a great topping for this cheesecake.

I love pumpkin desserts served with a cup of coffee. Or, you can enjoy it with this Baileys Affogato Coffee Cocktail or Tom and Jerry Cocktail for a kick.

Looking for fall desserts? Check out these recipes!

• Gluten Free Apple Crisp
• Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie
• Gluten Free Apple Cake
• Old Fashioned Apple Pie
• Cast Iron Skillet Apple Crisp
• Maple Walnut Baklava Bites
• Gluten Free Apple Galette

How To Store Crustless Cheesecake

Any leftover cheesecake may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Be sure to allow the cheesecake to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Leftover caramel sauce can be stored for 2-3 days in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator. Simply heat the caramel sauce in the microwave or in a sauce pan on the stove top if needed.

Can It Be Frozen?

For optimal taste and texture, I do not recommend freezing this pumpkin cheesecake.

Love pumpkin? Check out these recipes!

• Pumpkin Bread Pudding
• Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles
• Pumpkin Scones with Maple Caramel Sauce
• Caramel Pumpkin Panna Cotta

Looking For More Pumpkin Desserts? Don't Miss These!

Pumpkin Custard

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Ice Cream