Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Would summer really be complete without a fresh berry dessert? I think not. Especially when it’s paired with tangy lemon! Berries are one of the things I look forward to most about summer, so I like to take advantage of them as much as I can once they arrive. If you’re looking to do the same, this Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake is just the recipe you need!
Date & Oat Crust
The crust for Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake is very simple and doesn’t require any processed graham crackers or sugary cookies. It only uses dates, oats, butter, and a touch of sea salt. Take the oats and grind them into a course flour in a food processor. Set the oats aside and add the dates and butter to the food processor. If using salted butter, you may not need to add much salt, if any. Continue to process the mixture until the dates are chopped into tiny pieces. Return the oat flour to the food processor and mix all the ingredients until it comes together.
Before pressing the crust into a spring-form pan, make sure it is well greased on the bottoms and sides. I also like to place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan before I clamp it shut. After closing the pan, pull the paper tight and cut off most of the excess on the outside, leaving just enough to grab onto. When the cheesecake is done, you can pick it up with the parchment and easily move it to a cake stand for serving.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and press the date and oat mixture into the bottom on the pan. Bake for 15 minutes and set aside. Then, turn the oven down to 325 degrees for baking the cheesecake.
Lemon Filling
The first step to making the filling is to melt the white chocolate. Make sure the chocolate only has natural flavors and contains real cocoa butter. I like to use Artisan Kettle products because they use fair trade cocoa, all organic ingredients, and everything is nut-free, gluten-free, and soy-free.
There are two ways to melt them. The first is in the microwave. Go in increments of about 20 seconds and stir often to prevent burning. The other way is to use a double boiler. Fill the bottom with about an inch of water and place the chocolate chips in the upper pan. Turn the burner to medium heat and stir often as they start to melt. Be careful not to get any steam or moisture in the chocolate which would cause it to seize up. When it’s all melted, stir in two tablespoons of melted butter or coconut oil. Let the mixture cool for about ten minutes before proceeding.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the chocolate mixture, neufchatel cheese (at room temperature), sugar, honey, lemon extract, lemon zest, and sea salt. Using the paddle attachment, blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often to ensure that everything is well combined. Do not over-mix.
Pour the filling over the crust and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Make sure it is evenly distributed in the pan and that there are no air pockets in the bottom. Bake for 30 minutes, being sure not to open the oven during that time. Any rapid changes to temperature or humidity could cause the cake to cave or crack.
When the time is up, turn off the oven and leave it inside for another 30 minutes. Then it can cool on the counter before going in the refrigerator to chill for at least three hours.
Blueberry Sauce
While the cheesecake is cooling, it’s time to make the blueberry topping! It’s extremely easy and super delicious. Combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and half the water in a small saucepan. Bring it all to a boil and then turn down the heat to let it simmer.
Next, whisk the arrowroot starch with the remaining water until it forms a slurry. Add to the blueberry mixture. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Let it cool for a few minutes before spreading on top of the cheesecake. I hope you enjoy this Gluetn-Free Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake! Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Shopping List for Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
- Joolie’s Medjool dates
- Organic Valley Butter
- Gluten-free old fashioned oats
- Celtic sea salt
- White chocolate chips
- Organic Valley Neufchatel cheese
- Sugar
- Honey
- Lemon extract
- Lemon
- Blueberries
- Arrowroot starch
Other Cheesecakes to Try
- Chocolate Drizzled Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake
- Coffee Glazed Mocha Cheesecake
- Lemon Curd Cheesecake
- Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
- Gluten-Free Medjool Cheesecake
Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Equipment
- 8 inch springform pan
- Food processor
- Double boiler
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
Crust
- 1¼ cups gluten free old fashioned oats.
- 6 Medjool dates pitted
- ⅓ cup Irish butter melted
- ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt
Filling
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsp Irish butter melted
- 16 oz Organic Valley Neufchatel cheese room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp raw honey
- 2 tsp pure lemon extract
- ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt
- Zest of one lemon
Blueberry Sauce
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2½ Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ Tbsp arrowroot starch
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a piece of parchment paper over the bottom piece of a 9 inch springform pan before clamping down the side piece. Cut off most of the excess parchment and grease the sides of the pan with butter.
- Place the rolled oats in a food processor and blend until it forms a coarse flour. Remove the oats and set aside.
- Add the dates and butter to the food processor and blend until the dates are chopped into very small pieces.
- Add the ground oats and sea salt to the food processor and blend until all the ingredients come together. Scrape down the sides of the food processor periodically to make sure everything is being mixed evenly.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan, just barely going up the sides.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Filling
- Add approximately an inch of water to the bottom of a double boiler and melt one cup of white chocolate chips on medium-low heat. Stir every few minutes and be sure not to get any water or steam in the chocolate.
- When the chocolate is smooth, remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Allow the mixture about 10 minutes to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the Neufchatel cheese, white chocolate mixture, sugar, honey, lemon extract, sea salt, and zest.
- Turn the mixer to low and mix until all the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often to make sure all the ingredients are being incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Transfer the filling to the springform pan and use a small offset spatula to smooth it out evenly in the pan.
- Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Do not open the oven at all during this time!
- Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for another 30 minutes. Do not open the oven until it is time to take the cheesecake out.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before refrigerating for at least 3 hours before serving.
Blueberry Sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and half of the water. Bring to a boil on medium heat and then reduce heat to medium-low to bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Whisk the arrowroot starch with the remaining water until it forms a slurry. Add to the blueberry mixture.
- Continue stirring until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly before spreading over the top of the cheesecake.
Healthy and
Delicious
Thank you!