Gluten-Free Banana Caramel Cheesecake
Rich, creamy cheesecake layered with tart cheese filling, caramel swirl, and fresh banana puree. Built on a gluten-free shortbread crust and topped with homemade caramel sauce and banana slices. Requires overnight chilling for the perfect dense, fudgy texture.
Ingredients
- 7 oz gluten-free shortbread cookies, crushedregular shortbread1:1conf:5
- 3 ½ tbsp butter, melteddairy-free butter1:1conf:3Full guide →
- 3 cups spreadable cream cheesemascarpone1:0.8conf:3
- 11 oz ricottaGreek yogurt1:0.9conf:2Full guide →
- 4 eggs
- ⅓ cups sugar, for filling
- 3 bananas
- ⅓ cups sugar, for caramel
- 7 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 ¾ tbsp butter, half-salteddairy-free butter1:1conf:3Full guide →
- salt, to taste(optional)
- 1 tsp fleur de sel
Instructions
- 1
Crush gluten-free shortbread cookies with your fingers or food processor until fine crumbs form. Mix crumbs with melted butter.
- 2
Place a cake ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour crumb mixture into the ring and press firmly with the back of a spoon to compact the base evenly. Refrigerate.
- 3
Heat sugar in a small saucepan until caramelized. In a separate saucepan, heat cream.
- 4
When caramel reaches a deep color, remove from heat and pour in the hot cream, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon. Add butter and return to low heat, stirring to dissolve any solid caramel pieces. Stir in fleur de sel.
- 5
If solid caramel pieces remain, blend the sauce in a food processor for a smooth texture with crunchy caramel bits.
- 6
Beat the spreadable cheese and ricotta together with an electric mixer until softened. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- 7
Add sugar to the cheese mixture, then fold in 2 bananas mashed with a fork.
- 8
Pour half the cheese batter over the chilled base.
- 9
Mix half the caramel sauce with 2 tablespoons of cheese cream, then pour this mixture over the first layer of batter. Top with the remaining cheese batter.
- 10
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 1 hour.
- 11
Turn off the oven, crack the door open slightly, and let the cheesecake rest in the warm oven for 1 hour.
- 12
Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
- 13
Before serving, top with remaining caramel sauce. Slice the remaining banana and arrange slices on top as garnish.
Tips
If caramel pieces stubbornly resist dissolving, blend the sauce for a smooth result with pleasant crunchy caramel bits rather than forcing dissolution.
Cool the cheesecake completely at room temperature before refrigerating to prevent condensation and cracks.
Use very fresh eggs at room temperature for the smoothest filling.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze wrapped portions up to 3 months.
Prepare completely through chilling the day before. Add caramel topping and banana garnish just before serving.
Serve chilled with additional caramel drizzle. Pairs well with espresso or dessert wine.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the 12-hour chill or the cheese will lack proper texture and may crack when sliced.
Do not open the oven during baking or cooling to prevent sudden temperature changes that cause cracking.
Do not overmix the cheese mixture after adding eggs to avoid incorporating excess air.
Do not pour cold caramel into hot cream or add cold cream to hot caramel to prevent vigorous splattering.