Gluten-Free Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

By Verywell Editor
Updated March 14, 2018
low-carb lemon cheesecake
Carl Tremblay/Getty Images

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

Calories 222
Fat 11g
Carbs 25g
Protein 8g
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving  
Calories 222
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 70mg 23%
Sodium 222mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 23g  
Includes 17g Added Sugars 34%
Protein 8g  
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 97mg 7%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 193mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Total Time 90 min
Prep 20 min, Cook 70 min
Servings 16

Lemon cheesecake is bright and creamy, with the acid of the lemon cutting through the richness of cream cheese. This lemon cheesecake recipe is sweetened by honey and uses an almond meal crust. The result is not only delicious but also gluten-free, yet it tastes and feels just like the real thing. We lower the temperature a bit from normal cheesecake recipe because honey browns a little faster than traditional cheesecake ingredients.

The key to the perfect lemon cheesecake is to get "the right amount" of lemony flavor without it being sour. Given the Greek yogurt addition, you'll have to do your due diligence not to overdo it with lemon. One trick is to use lemon zest (the yellow part of the lemon peel), which has a lot of lemon flavor. Using a microplane grater makes it easy to remove the zest without getting the bitter white pith beneath.

Ingredients

  • For the Crust:
  • 1 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 8 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped finely
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • For the Filling:
  • 1 1/2 pounds (3 packages) light cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh is best)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt
  • For the Topping:
  • 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • Juice and zest from 1 medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons juice and 1 tablespoon zest)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 350F.
  2. Prepare a springform pan: place a piece of parchment paper over the bottom of the pan; you don't need to cut it to size, just snap it into place when you tighten the sides of the pan. Butter the sides and bottom of the pan, including the parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan in heavy-duty foil to protect it from leaks.
  3. In a food processor, stir together the ingredients for the crust. Press the mixture into the bottom of your springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant and beginning to brown. Remove from oven.
  1. Lower the oven temperature to 325F.
  2. In the bowl of a standing mixture, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl and paddle. 
  3. Add honey, vanilla, salt, and two of the eggs. Beat well, then scrape the sides of the bowl.
  4. Add the remaining two eggs. Beat well and scrape.
  5. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and Greek yogurt. Beat well, scrape, and pour filling mixture over the pre-baked crust.
  6. Place a baking pan large enough to hold your springform pan into the oven and fill it halfway with boiling water. Place the springform pan into the baking pan and bake for about 60 minutes, until the cheesecake is mostly set but is still wobbly in the middle.
  7. While cheesecake is baking, mix together ingredients for topping in a clean bowl and set aside.
  8. Remove cheesecake from oven, spread the topping over the cheesecake, then bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  9. Cool to room temperature (1 to 2 hours), then chill completely for several hours before serving.

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