Gluten Free Cherry Cheesecake

I knew when I learned this summer that I couldn't tolerate gluten, that the holidays were going to be painful. Baking is my holiday thing. I spend hours every November and December baking oatmeal cookies with cranberries and white chocolate, pumpkin bread, and all manner of rich baked goodness.

I knew that if I was going to have to by pass my mother's peanut butter kiss cookies, I was going to need something sinful to make up for the loss. This cheesecake did the trick for Thanksgiving.

Gluten Free Crustless Cherry Cheesecake

2 8 ounce packages regular cream cheese

2 8 ounce packages low-fat cream cheese

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup milk (skim works fine)

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

Zest from one lemon

One can cherry pie filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 inch springform pan. The springform pan is a necessity if you want to be able to serve slices of this cake. If you don't mind digging in with a spoon, you might be able to get away with a regular pan if the sides are high enough.

2. Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese bricks with sugar until smooth.

3. Once you that's done, add the milk, and then one egg at a time. Don't over blend now, just mix until it's all incorporated.

4. When you have your base done, use a spatula to mix in the sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared pan.

5. Here's the magic part. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil and set on a rack in the middle of your oven. Put a pan filled with water on the rack below it. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Do not peek! Turn the oven off, and just leave the cake in there for five or six hours. I know. I know this isn't fair. But I promise it's worth it.

6. Once the cake is cooled, put in fridge to chill.

7. Now it's time to eat! Top your slice with gooey, juicy cherries and dig in. You won't miss the crust at all.