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Gluten Free Lemon Ricotta Mini Cheesecakes

The best thing about these Gluten Free Lemon Ricotta Mini Cheesecakes is that you can enjoy one now and save the rest for later...if they last that long! 
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Chilling time4 hrs
Total Time1 hr 5 mins
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cheesecake, dessert, lemon, ricotta
Servings: 3 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

For the graham cracker crust:

  • 1 1/4 cups gluten free graham cracker crumbs I used Schar brand
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • dash salt

For the lemon cheesecake filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • splash almond extract
  • pinch salt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest about 1 lemon
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice about 1/2 lemon
  • 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

For the sour cream topping:

  • 2/3 cup full fat sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • pinch salt
  • splash vanilla
  • splash almond extract

For the toppings:

  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey

Instructions

To make the graham cracker crust:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line the outside bottom and up sides of springform pans with a double layer of foil. NOT the inside of the pan. This just assures nothing leaks out. Set aside.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Mix until evenly distributed. Add melted butter and mix with fork until all crumbs are moist.
  • Fill bottom and halfway up sides of cheesecake pans with crumb mixture to about 1/8" thickness, pressing down firmly to hold crust in place. Freeze any extra crumb mixture for another use.
  • Place pans on a baking rack and bake for 8-10 minutes until crust is deep golden brown but not burnt. 
  • Remove from oven and let cool while making lemon cheesecake filling.

To make lemon cheesecake filling:

  • Beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla, almond extract, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. Add ricotta and mix on low until well combined.
  • Pour filling over slightly cooled crust. Return to oven and bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes, adding the sour cream topping the last 10 minutes of cooking.

To make sour cream topping:

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Set aside until last 10 minutes of baking. Carefully open oven door and gently divide topping over cheesecakes. Smooth gently with back of spoon. Close oven door and continue baking remaining 10 minutes.
  • Gently remove cheesecakes from oven and let cool completely on cooling rack. Run a knife around the edges of cheesecake. Remove foil from outside of pan. Cover cheesecakes with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least 4 hours.

Serving cheesecakes:

  • Remove cheesecakes from fridge 20 minutes before ready to serve. Run knife along edges of cheesecake. Carefully loosen springform pan and remove ring. Using a spatula, place cheesecakes on small plates and top with a handful of blueberries. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in fridge for up to one week or in freezer for up to 3 months.*

Notes

*If you plan on freezing cheesecakes, wait until they have chilled in the fridge after cooking. Wrap with a double layer of plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
 
Recipe for crust and sour cream topping can be doubled and cheesecake filling quadrupled to make a regular cheesecake. Bake crust for 12-15 minutes and cheesecake for 60-70 minutes, adding sour cream topping the last 10 minutes of baking.