Gluten Free Margarita Cheesecake

Name: Gluten Free Margarita Cheesecake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Latin
Ingredients: ¼ cup butter or vegan butter (Earth Balance®), melted; 1¼ cup gluten-free crushed graham crackers; 16-oz cream cheese or vegan alternatives, room temperature (Kite Hill, Go Veggie®, Follow Your Heart, Daiya™); ½ cup granulated cane sugar; 3 Tbs. coconut milk cream, skimmed off the top (at least 12% fat, canned coconut milk, unshaken); 4 Tbs. tequila (or add more lime juice); 2 tablespoons lime juice (approximately 2 limes); 1 Tbs. Grand Marnier (or orange juice); 2 eggs, room temperature (or egg substitute like silken tofu -- see egg substitute #5 in my egg replacers post linked here); freshly grated lime zest from 2 limes (it doesn’t hurt to add more); 1 cup sour cream, dairy or non-dairy; ¼ cup granulated cane sugar; ½ Tbs. lime juice; ½ Tbs. tequila (or orange juice)

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For Cinco de Mayo or for anytime you’re craving something cool and creamy, this dairy-free, gluten-free Margarita Cheesecake is the fix!

Seriously, it’s one of the most melt-in-your-mouth desserts I’ve ever made, and the tang from the lime and tequila makes it unmistakably margarita.

The foundation for this deliciousness is the homemade gluten free graham cracker crust. Don’t skimp here – it really makes a difference!

Made with homemade gluten free graham crackers (I keep a bag of extras in my freezer for just such baking cravings!), the crust is light and not overly sweet, but the perfect counterpoint to the tart flavors in the filling.

gluten free graham cracker pie crust baked — Gluten Free Graham Cracker Pie Crust made from crushed homemade gluten free graham cracker crumbs.

Whether you bake this gluten free margarita cheesecake in a pie pan, a springform, a rectangular pan and cut into squares or even into individual tartlettes, this homemade gluten free crust is so easy, pretty and perfect as the base to this pie, you’ll be glad you spent the time making sure your ingredients were worth it.

If you’ve never made homemade gluten free graham crackers I’ll share a baker’s secret with you: the gluten free graham crackers recipe makes SO many that no one will notice if you taste-test a few from each pan, you know, just to be sure you got the recipe right.

But back to the filling on this luscious pie!

How do I describe it? I mean, it’s a true cheesecake in that it’s baked and has that silky smooth, but firm hallmark cheesecake texture anyone would swear comes from decadent dairy cheese … but it doesn’t. And it has a subtle lime flavor that everyone loves, but with a little something extra that would be hard to pin-point is a bit boozy unless I told you.

I other words, this margarita cheesecake is kindof magic.

And as if it were possible to make cheesecake any better, this recipe can even be made vegan?

The gluten free graham cracker crust is already naturally vegan, so just follow the notes in my recipe card to adapt the filling easily to make it vegan as well.

So celebrate with all the flavors of one of the most-loved and iconic drinks (with or without the alcohol) … in a dessert everyone will love! Gluten Free Margarita Cheesecake!

Why wait for Cinco de Mayo?

Oh wait, did I say Cinco de Mayo? If you’re looking for even MORE gluten free Cinco de Mayo recipe ideas, hop on over to my recipe round-up all about the fun stuff! Dinner ideas to dessert, I’ve got you covered!

And no need to wait for May, these recipes are evergreen and delicious. Cheers!

Gluten Free Margarita Cheesecake Recipe

Gluten Free Margarita Cheesecake

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 4 hours

This sweet-tart and creamy gluten free margarita cheesecake is everything a cheesecake should be and more, lacking nothing in flavor or texture. The homemade gluten free graham cracker crust is just icing on the cake, only it's the crust on the bottom.

Ingredients

¼ cup butter or vegan butter (Earth Balance®), melted
1¼ cup gluten-free crushed graham crackers
16-oz cream cheese or vegan alternatives, room temperature (Kite Hill, Go Veggie®, Follow Your Heart, Daiya™)
½ cup granulated cane sugar
3 Tbs. coconut milk cream, skimmed off the top (at least 12% fat, canned coconut milk, unshaken)
4 Tbs. tequila (or add more lime juice)
2 tablespoons lime juice (approximately 2 limes)
1 Tbs. Grand Marnier (or orange juice)
2 eggs, room temperature (or egg substitute like silken tofu -- see egg substitute #5 in my egg replacers post linked here)
freshly grated lime zest from 2 limes (it doesn’t hurt to add more)
1 cup sour cream, dairy or non-dairy
¼ cup granulated cane sugar
½ Tbs. lime juice
½ Tbs. tequila (or orange juice)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
Line a 9 inch springform or round or 9 x 11 inch baking pan with parchment or oil lightly.
Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs (if the crumbs are too large, the crust won’t hold together well). Stir in melted butter with a fork until the crumbs hold together when pressed. Transfer to the lined pan and press into the bottom with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 5 minutes.
Whip cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add coconut milk cream, tequila, lime juice and Grand Marnier. Once incorporated, add eggs or substitute. Lastly, fold in the lime zest.
Pour mixture over cooked graham cracker crust and spread so it touches all the sides of the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until only slightly jiggly in the center.
While the cheesecake is baking, stir together sour cream, sugar, lime juice and tequila, and set aside. Once cheesecake is cooked, pour gently and smooth on top with a rubber spatula, then return to the oven to bake for 5 more minutes.
Allow to cool completely in pan, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Cut and serve with whipped cream, ice cream or on its own.

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Nutrition Information

Yield 10 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 363Total Fat 29gSaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 112mgSodium 202mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 0gSugar 18gProtein 5g

Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.