Does Cheesecake Have Gluten?

By Zarah Grace, last updated on October 3, 2024

Does cheesecake have gluten? Generally, cheesecake is a delicious dessert often served at restaurants and holiday parties. Moreover, you can make cheesecake with cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, sugar, and various flavors. 

For the most part, everyone can enjoy a good cheesecake from restaurants and bakeshops. Plus, you can even make homemade cheesecake at home. 

However, if you are ensuing a gluten-free diet, you might wonder if cheesecakes have gluten. If you are curious, keep reading, and we will discuss all you need to know about cheesecake. 

Does Cheesecake Have Gluten?

What part of cheesecake has gluten? In essence, gluten is a protein you can find in most wheat products. In that regard, gluten acts like an adhesive that holds the structure of wheat, barley, Kamut, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina. 

Additionally, gluten occurs naturally; hence, removing it from any grain is impossible. If the grain contains natural gluten, there will be no possible way to turn it into gluten-free food. Also, gluten can exist in many processed foods like flour, bread, cookies, and crackers. So, the average store-bought cheesecake that uses graham cracker crust and crackers contains wheat which has gluten. 

The filling, however, is made typically with cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, eggs, and vanilla that does not contain gluten. With that, a traditional plain cheesecake filling is indeed gluten-free. 

But, if you are hesitant about what kind of filling your cheesecake has, it is better to read the ingredient list carefully to know if another ingredient contains gluten. 

For example, if you mix cookie crumbs into the filling mixture, they will have gluten. 

Nonetheless, it is essential to know that even if the filling of your cheesecake does not contain gluten, but the crust does, there may be a possibility to have cross-contamination with the crust that has gluten. 

Furthermore, can celiacs have cheesecake? Dietary restrictions are factors that an individual must consider when making choices in our food. Luckily, there are advances in preparing your foods like cheesecake with the right ingredients so that people with restrictions can indulge in their food choices. 

Celiacs or people diagnosed with celiac disease need to follow a strict gluten-free diet. Wheat, barley, rye, and cross-contaminated oats contain gluten. If celiacs consume gluten, it will cause their small intestine to inflame. That is why removing gluten from their diet is necessary.

But, removing gluten is hard because gluten exists in many foods we consume, like bread and cereal. It also sometimes hides in many processed foods, so in-depth label reading is necessary. 

Unfortunately, celiacs give up many of their favorite food, including cheesecakes with graham crackers for a crust. Please note that celiacs eat mostly fresh foods and homemade meals. For that reason, eating a gluten-free diet is indeed a challenging lifestyle to follow. 

But thankfully, there have been many food alternatives that celiacs can try to enjoy food like cheesecakes. In most cases, celiacs can have cheesecakes by replacing the typical graham cracker crust with a crust made with a gluten-free baking mix. Besides, there are gluten-free cheesecakes that they can make at home and enjoy.

Is There Gluten In Butter?

Does butter have gluten? Remember, butter is undoubtedly gluten-free. In addition to that, it is animal fat created by churning cream from milk. Usually, it is from cows and goats. 

For the most part, butter has a smooth, creamy texture with a rich flavor. It is often utilized in many recipes because it is versatile and enhances the flavor in most dishes. Again, butter alone is gluten-free. Grains consumed by cows and goats are not pass through their milk, and there is no cross-reaction with milk which means that butter is safe for celiacs. 

However, it is better to check the ingredients like seasonings in your butter when shopping; keep in mind that additives and flavorings may contain gluten added in flavored butter. 

So with that, it would be best to read the ingredients listed on the food labels to verify before consuming. Also, observe cross-contamination of butter when having a communal refrigerator. 

Likewise, you can use butter as a gluten-free ingredient, but it is always safe to check the labels. Most of the time, the best type of butter you can pick is plain butter since it will not contain other ingredients. 

Making A Gluten Free Cheesecake

Typically, cheesecakes usually have a crust made with crushed graham crackers. But you can make this cheesecake recipe with gluten-free graham crackers. For this reason, please enjoy this gluten-free cheesecake with your family and friends.

Ingredients: Does cheesecake have gluten?

For the crust:

• 1 3/4 cups of crushed gluten-free graham cracker
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 1/3 tsp of cinnamon
• A pinch of kosher salt
• 4 tbsp of melted butter

For the filling:

• Four packages of softened cream cheese
• 1 cup of sugar
• 4pcs of eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 2 tsp of lemon juice
• 1 tbsp of cornstarch
• 1 tsp of vanilla

Equipment:

• 9-inch springform pan
• Food processor
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Electric mixer

Servings and preparation time:

Preparation time: 45 minutes    

Additional time: 1 hour

Total time: 2 hours and 57 minutes

Yields: 12 servings

Step by step instructions in making gluten free cheesecake

Step 1

Be sure to preheat the conventional oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, grease your 9-inch springform pan. After that, set it aside.

Step 2

Afterward, process your gluten-free graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground and pour the crumbs into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Remember, make sure to whisk with sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Also, pour melted butter on the mixture and be sure to combine until it resembles wet sand.

Step 3

Then, press the graham crust mixture into the bottom of your pan and bake it for about ten to twelve minutes until it is light brown. Afterward, ensure to remove from the oven and cool for about ten minutes.

Step 4

Next, combine your softened cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl. After that, make sure to beat at high speed for about one to two minutes using an electric mixer. Ensure to do so till it becomes light and creamy. Then, place your eggs one at a time and scrape using a rubber spatula after each addition. Afterward, add the sour cream, lemon juice, cornstarch, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.

Step 5

After that, pour your filling over your crust and even out using a spatula. Then, place your cheesecake in the oven and lower the temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, be sure to bake your cheesecake for about 55 minutes. Likewise, you can do so till the edges of your cheesecake set. Afterward, ensure to turn off your oven and allow your cheesecake to sit inside your conventional oven for another hour. Also, remove your cheesecake from the traditional oven. And gently loosen the edges from the sides using a knife but leave it inside the pan. 

Step 6

Allow your cheesecake to reach room temperature. Then, cover your cheesecake and refrigerate for about 4 hours or overnight. Afterward, remove your cheesecake from the refrigerator and pan. Finally, top it with fresh berries and dust it with powdered sugar; do not forget to serve and enjoy.

Read more about Is Cheesecake Fattening?

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