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Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

This decadent crustless Italian cheesecake is light and fluffy, made with ricotta cheese and cream cheese, is without a crust but instead surrounded by a sweet caramelized shell from baking in the oven.

Introducing my go to cheesecake recipe, this lovely Italian Ricotta Cheesecake, which in my humble opinion, is the best cheesecake ever. Like really truly the best kind of the best.

a slice of ricotta cheesecake topped with berries and sauce on a small plate

What is Italian Cheesecake

This crustless Italian cheesecake is a recipe from my dear friend Diane, who got it from her Italian family. Diane used to make this all the time when we were roommates, and this ricotta cheesecake recipe is what made me fall in love with cheesecakes.

This has been my go-to cheesecake recipe ever since whenever the cheesecake craving hits!

Key marks of this delicious Italian cheesecake:

  • It is crustless, which is typical of traditional Italian cheesecake. There is no graham cracker crust, but instead is surrounded by a caramelized layer formed after sugar and butter is baked in the oven. That sweet browned caramelized layer is my favorite part of this cheesecake – it brings a ridiculously beautiful texture and taste to contrast that creamy richness of the Italian cheesecake. And let’s be honest here, because it’s a crustless cheesecake, it’s one less thing to make!
  • Uses ricotta cheese so it has a rich flavor yet it is not overly heavy or dense. It is creamy, fairly light and slightly airy.
  • Incorporating sour cream gives it a slight citrus-y flavor, making the flavor more well-rounded, and balances out the richness and the creaminess.
  • Served with berries on top to balance out the rich and creamy ricotta cheesecake. You can serve it plain without the berries if you prefer, it is up to you.

There are so many versions of what you would call an Italian cheesecake, and this is one of them. Think of this as my take on Italian cheesecake, with notes and components from it, but it is not necessarily fully authentic.

Italian cheesecakes are usually lighter, fluffier, and ricotta is involved compared to a New York Cheesecake, which is creamier and denser.

That lighter texture and the use of ricotta is what made me fall in love with Italian Cheesecake. And this crustless Italian ricotta cheesecake definitely pays tribute to that.

A whole crustless Italian ricotta cheesecake

What you will need

My Italian ricotta cheesecake recipe calls for pantry-friendly, and a fairly shortlist of ingredients. And since it is crustless, I honestly think that makes it even more straight-forward!

Here are the ingredients you will need:

  • whole milk ricotta – you can use skim or non-fat ricotta but I think whole milk ricotta tastes better because it’s creamier.
  • cream cheese – yes! we are using both ricotta and cream cheese! Make sure to leave it out so it’s softened a few hours before use
  • sour cream
  • granulated sugar
  • eggs
  • all-purpose flour
  • pure vanilla extract
  • unsalted butter 

In terms of kitchen tools, you will also need a 9-inch round springform pan – so that you will be able to release the sides once the cheesecake is done, instead of having to dig the cheesecake out from the pan (Yeah, don’t do that…). These springform pans are fairly cheap and you can find them anywhere!

I highly recommend wrapping the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent any leakage of liquid into the oven while it is baking. See picture below.

aluminum foil wrapped around spring foam pan
Wrap springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent any leakage while baking

How to make crustless ricotta cheesecake

While this crustless cheesecake recipe is pretty easy to make and has a short list of ingredients, note that it does requires some time and a little bit of planning in advance.

In other words, if your cheesecake cravings hit and you hope to have your crustless ricotta cheesecake in the next hour, you are kinda out of luck.

It does take a few hours for this ricotta cream cheese cheesecake to cool and refrigerate. But trust me, the patience IS ALL WORTH IT once you bite into this life-changing, as-good-as-gold, delicious cheesecake!

Step 1: whisk ricotta cheesecake mixture

Let’s bring together the filling of our crustless ricotta cheesecake by whisking all the ingredients (ricotta, softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla extract) in a large bowl until it is very smooth.

It is recommended to whisk this for 20 minutes. It does seem like a long time, but we really want the remove any clumps and our Italian ricotta cheesecake needs to be smooth with a capital S.

Pro tip: if you have a stand mixer, it will make this part of the process a whole lot easier!

whisking cheesecake filling in a large bowl with a hand electric mixer

Step 2: Bake & Rest

Once the ricotta cream cheese cheesecake filling is whisked well together, pour the filling into a spring foam pan that has been greased with butter.

Bake Italian ricotta cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour.

And here’s a unique part of the process: when it is done, switch off the heat in the oven but do not open the oven door, and let cheesecake sit in the oven for 2 hours.

Cooling the cheesecake slowly (not dropping the temperature drastically while it cools), will lessen the cracking.

Step 3: Refrigerate and wait some more…

Remove from the oven and gently release the crustless cheesecake by removing the sides of the spring foam pan.

Your Italian ricotta cheesecake should have a nice golden brown exterior and be slightly soft and jiggly on the inside.

Keep the bottoms of the spring foam pan stuck to the crustless cheesecake and transfer to a cake stand or container, and refrigerate crustless cheesecake for up to 4 hours or overnight, until your Italian ricotta cheesecake forms up.

A whole cheesecake without crust topped with raspberries and powdered sugar

Step 4: Top with berries (or not…)

If you are a cheesecake purist and don’t do berries or toppings on your crustless cheesecake because it will hinder your Italian ricotta cheesecake experience, I actually kinda understand and see where you are coming from. Especially when this cheesecake is amazing enough to stand by itself!

However, if you want to bring another layer of texture and flavor to further enhance the Italian ricotta cheesecake, top it with some fresh raspberries and make this incredible yet simple raspberry sauce recipe that goes perfectly with the cheesecake. It takes it OVER THE TOP.

Also, if you experience some cracking on the crustless cheesecake (because we are all humans, and cracking the cheesecake just happens!), the raspberries are the perfect way to hide it! 😉

Tips for making cheesecake

A few tips and tricks when making this crustless Italian ricotta cheesecake:

  • a springform pan is a must! In addition, make sure to grease it with butter so that your crustless cheesecake doesn’t stick to it.
  • combine the ricotta cheesecake ingredients in a large bowl and take the time to beat it up well so that the mixture achieves the perfect consistency. To ensure the cheesecake texture comes out smooth, fluffy and creamy, use a stand mixture or electric hand mixture, whisk the cheesecake ingredients on medium high speed for 20 minutes. Yes, it is a little time consuming and a lot of beating. But again – WORTH IT! 😉
  • we are reducing the cracking by letting the Italian ricotta cheesecake sit in the oven for 2 hours after it is done baking to not drastically drop the temperature in the cheesecake while it cools. However, cracking is still likely to happen on the cheesecake after it bakes. I will admit, I am not cheesecake expert, have made this multiple times, and it almost always crack slightly on top. So if your cheesecake cracks a little bit, don’t fret over it! Top some berries on there and call it a day ;). Or just eat it as is, because I promise you, it will still tastes glorious.
A slice of Italian ricotta cheesecake on a plate topped with raspberries and raspberry sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to bake this in a water bath?

You can but it is not necessary. Water bath helps the cheesecake to be creamier and smoother, and also reduce cracking. In this recipe, we are whisking it thoroughly for 20 minutes to ensure the cheesecake is smooth and creamy, and letting the cheesecake sit in the oven for 2 hours after baking to reduce cracking.

How should I store this crustless cheesecake?

Store it in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 7 days.

Can I freeze cheesecake?

Absolutely. Cheesecake freeze very well and the consistency shouldn’t change after freezing.

With the holidays coming up, Italian ricotta cheesecake is the PERFECT holiday dessert! Make this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years eve, holiday parties!

But seriously, you don’t need a reason for craving for this delicious crustless Italian ricotta cheesecake. If it is not the holiday season and you need some cheesecake in your life…I say make it anyway!! 🙂

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest. We very much appreciate your help! 🤍

The Best Cheesecake Ever

More delicious desserts

Since we are in fact in November, a.k.a. holiday season, check out these other fun desserts to make this holiday!

A slice of crustless cheesecake with raspberries on top

Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

Rich, smooth, creamy and fluffy, this crustless cheesecake recipe is Italian inspired and made with ricotta, cream cheese and sour cream.
4.83 from 156 votes
Print Pin
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cooling and refrigerating time: 6 hours
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 554kcal
Author: MinShien

Ingredients

Cheesecake

  • 16 oz whole milk ricotta
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 16 oz sour cream
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter melted

Toppings

  • 1 cup fresh raspberries
  • 1/2 cup raspberry sauce
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees F.
  • Bring whole milk ricotta, softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla extract, 1/2 cup melted butter into a large bowl. Mix well and beat on medium high speed (using a hand-held mixture or standing mixture) for 20 minutes.
  • Butter springform pan with the other 1/2 tbsp of melted butter and wrap aluminum foil around the pan to prevent leakage. 
    Wrap aluminum foil around spring foam pan for making The Best Cheesecake Ever
  • Pour cheesecake mixture into springform pan. Bring to oven and bake for 1 hour.
  • Turn off oven and let cheesecake sit in oven for 2 hours. Do not open oven – we want to cool the cheesecake slowly.
  • Remove cheesecake from oven. Cheesecake might be slightly jiggly in the middle. Gently release the sides of the springform pan from cheesecake. 
  • Refrigerate cheesecake in the fridge for another 4-5 hours, or overnight, until cheesecake is firm.
  • Optional: top cheesecake with fresh raspberries, then sprinkle raspberries with powdered sugar. Slice and drizzle with raspberry sauce.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 1247IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Take a pic and tag me at @joyous.apron, or hashtag #joyousapron on Instagram!

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Recipe Rating




79 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    LOVE this! The creamy blend of ricotta, cream cheese and sour cream in this cheesecake filling is absolutely amazing. The raspberry sauce and fresh berries really take it over the top!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      That’s right to hear, Eliza! Thank you for your kind feedback

  2. 5 stars
    Hi, I let my cream cheese soften for over 4 hours and followed directions of all ingredients beat med high for 20 minutes but I still had a lot of little lumps! This is the second time I’ve made this cheesecake and I had little lumps that time that I tried to eliminate this time by whisking the cream cheese a minute or two before adding the rest and I still have little lumps. Is there something I’m doing wrong? Believe me it’s delicious regardless and I’m new at this baking thing, lol, always bought my cakes. Now retired it’s my new hobby! Any suggestions please. Thank you

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Hi Joanne! Thanks for reaching out! A few other things you could try: 1) sift the flour, 2) bring sour cream and ricotta to room temperature before mixing it in (or even defrost it briefly in the microwave), 3) electric whisk/ stand mixer would make the whole process much easier and be more effective at removing all the lumps. Hope that helps and I’m so glad you find it delicious! It’s truly my favorite cheesecake ever. 😀

    2. Catherine Metzger says:

      Use a vita mix to blend the filling and you’ll only have to mix it for about a minute.

    3. I let the cream cheese soften room temp for 3 hours. was still not softened enough so I removed it from the foil packaging and put it in the microwave at 10 second intervals until it was softened but not melted! & that seemed to work!

    4. Joanne, “cream” the cream cheese on its own first, then add sugar, mix well. if you do this before adding the rest of the ingredients you should be lump free

    5. Joyous Apron says:

      Thanks for sharing!

  3. Suzanne Tomasino says:

    I intend to make this later today for the first time. my main question is, I want to use the water bath while baking, So…
    Do I still turn off the oven after an hour and let it rest in the oven for 2 hours ?
    thank you !

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I would still do it, but you may not need to let it sit for the full 2 hours if you don’t want to. But definitely still let it cool slowly to avoid breakage.

  4. Hello!
    If I wanted to make this into two 6″ springform cheesecakes (which I do…) rather than one 9,5″ one, how would that impact the baking time?
    I can do the math to adjust the ingredients – but it’s the time in the oven I am unsure of.
    Thank you in advance!
    – Kristin

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Hi Kristin, I have not baked this in 6″ pan, but if I were to adjust it, I would maybe bake for 45 minutes, and still let it sit in the oven for the whole 2 hours afterwards. Let me know how it works out!

  5. Gisele Jacobson says:

    Some of my family are gluten free and corn sensitive. In order for the recipe to be safe for everyone, can I make it using potato or tapioca starch?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I am sorry but I have not tried it with potato or tapioca starch so I do not know. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes!

    2. Any gluten free flour blend will work in this recipe. Celiac 38 years.

    3. 🤣🤣🤣 there’s always that one person

    4. You can use almond flour

  6. Josephine says:

    5 stars
    A big hit at the party I brought this to– everyone loved the light texture, even the “non-cheesecakers”. A couple thoughts: my oven runs hot so I tried taking the temperature down 10 degrees. But the oven stays hot when turned off, so the top browned during the two-hour “cooling” phase more than I wanted. I’m thinking I will shorten the cooking time next time with the expectation it will continue with the oven off. Also, when I poured it into the pan it looked like it might overflow, so I took three scoops out and cooked that in a four-inch mini-pan. But in retrospect, the cake was a little flatter than I would like so next time will stick with the full recipe in the nine inch pan.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thanks for sharing your experience making this ricotta cheesecake, Josephine! I’m so glad everyone, including the ‘non-cheesecakers’ love it! It’s SUCH a good recipe and I love how light and fluffy it is! 🙂

  7. Judy Rose says:

    5 stars
    This is the best cheesecake I ever had it’s light fluffy and delicious !

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Makes me happy to hear that! Thank you!

  8. Hi! How far in advance can I bake this before serving?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      You can bake it up to 2 days in advance, but don’t add the berry toppings until ready to serve.

  9. Angela Campos says:

    5 stars
    This really is the best cheesecake ever! The entire family loved it. I can’t wait to make it again!!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yay! So glad your family loved it! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  10. 5 stars
    This came out so good! I was wanting to try making homemade cheesecake and this one came out perfect. So rich and smooth. Such great flavors and texture.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      That’s wonderful! Happy to hear it turned out so well! We love this recipe 🙂

  11. 4 stars
    Hi.
    This looks like a nice recipe, it’s in the oven now so I don’t really know how to rate it exactly. One thing I would add, there is mention of a water bath but no instructions on how to do so. Additionally, there’s no mention of what size springform pan to use, if a person were new at this, there are way too many sizes to choose from.
    Otherwise it’s lovely.
    🙂

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Hello! A water bath is not necessary for this recipe. However, if you still want to use a water bath, follow these instructions. Hope that helps!

  12. 5 stars
    I made this tonight. It looks perfect, I just hope it tastes perfect, too! I’ll make the raspberry sauce tomorrow. My question is about covering the cheesecake in the fridge. It has been in the fridge for 2 hours and I’m getting ready to go to bed and didn’t want to leave it uncovered. It seemed to be completely cooled, so I covered it with plastic wrap since I don’t have a container with a lid that would fit the cheesecake. Did I do the right thing?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      That should be just fine! 🙂

  13. Christina says:

    5 stars
    Amazing Italian cheesecake! Just like my great grandmother’s recipe. Followed all directions exactly except I did place in a water bath. No cracks on the first try! Delicious too.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.

  14. Can this be baked in something other than a springform?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Spring form pan is recommended because the sides can be released after the cheesecake is baked. You can use other round pans where you can release the sides so that the cheesecake can be lifted out of the pan easily.

  15. Hi-I’m planning to try this recipe for Easter but only have light sour cream-will that work?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I honestly have never used that before but I really think it should be ok!

  16. 5 stars
    While ago I had the best ricotta cheescake and looking for a great recipe. Hope this will be the one.
    I am only struggling with those oz and cupas… how this recipe will look in grams?

    Thank you

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      HI Kasia,
      Unfortunately as of right now I do not have the recipe measured in grams. Perhaps that is something I will look to add in the future but I do not have it at the moment.