No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake (Grain-free, Gluten-free, Keto option)

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Gluten-free No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake fits many different diets (GF, Grain-free, Primal, Keto option and egg-free), with a couple variations so it fits your preference or dietary needs. No artificial colors make this pretty pink cheesecake; instead it’s naturally colored and sweetened.

Always refined sugar-free, this creamy treat is the healthier version of cheesecake, but every bit as delicious.

Great for the winter peppermint holidays, lovely for pink Valentine’s Day or refreshing in summer (like for the 4th of July), this dessert is cooling and invigorating — yet so rich and creamy!

Ganache topping on Peppermint Cheesecake

Making Easy Chocolate Ganache is the fastest recipe (just melt the fat, and stir in the two remaining ingredients!). And the flavor and texture are THE best. 

As a topping, it slices beautifully and adds the extra richness that a truffle coating does — fabulous!

Ingredients in Chocolate Ganache topping

The three ingredients are:

• butter, palm shortening, lard or coconut oil — All of these are great, but palm shortening or lard work extra well in this recipe, because when chilled, they slice really beautifully. (In contrast, butter and coconut oil harden more.)
  • Here’s the best palm shortening.
  • Lard is now easy to find at most grocery stores, or here online.
• cocoa powder
• pure maple syrup (or low carb sweetener for Keto)

Grain-free Peppermint Cheesecake filling and crust

This cheesecake filling can be pretty in pink (from beet powder [skip this for the Keto version]), or green from spirulina (for Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day), or leave it white, your choice!

It’s light and minty and wonderful!

No bake Peppermint Cheesecake filling ingredients are:

• cream cheese and heavy cream
• maple syrup
• gelatin
• peppermint extract

The crust’s ingredients are:

• blanched almond flour — Here’s the best one, sustainably sourced and organic.
• butter or coconut oil
• coconut sugar (or low carb granulated sweetener)
• cocoa powder
• sea salt

Keto and Low Carb version

For the Keto and Low Carb version of this recipe, you’ll simply use the low carb sweetener option indicated in the recipe. Everything else in the recipe is delectably high fat and low carb!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake (Gluten-free, Grain-free, Primal, Keto)

No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake fits many different diets (Gluten-free, Grain-free, Primal, Keto option, egg-free), with a couple variations according to your preference or dietary needs. Always refined sugar-free, this creamy treat is the healthier version of cheesecake, but every bit as delicious.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

6 to 10 hours chilling time6 hours hrs

Total Time6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesecake, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, keto, low carb, no bake, peppermint, primal

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 434kcal

Author: Megan

Cost: $11

Equipment

• 9" cheesecake pan
• small saucepan
• both: Medium and Large Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

Crust ingredients

• 1 cup blanched almond flour <-- see best product
• ¼ cup butter or coconut oil
• ¼ cup coconut sugar or for Keto: low-carb granulated sweetener
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Cheesecake filling

• ¼ cup water
• 2 teaspoons gelatin <-- best 3rd party tested product, use code BEAUTIFUL10 at checkout for 10% off your entire order
• ½ cup maple syrup or for Keto: low-carb liquid sweetener
• optional: 2 teaspoons beet root powder or use ½ teaspoon spirulina for green mint color, or omit for white cheesecake
• 1-¼ teaspoons peppermint extract
• 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream

Whipped cream topping (This topping is optional. Okay to omit if you just want the Chocolate Ganache topping and to skip one extra step.)

• 1 Tablespoon water
• ½ teaspoon gelatin <-- best 3rd party tested product, use code BEAUTIFUL10 at checkout for 10% off your entire order
• 1 cup heavy cream

Easy Chocolate Ganache topping

• ½ cup butter palm shortening, or lard (The latter two work best for slicing through to serve.)
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup maple syrup or for Keto: low-carb liquid sweetener

Optional garnish

• peppermint leaves fresh, for decorating

Instructions

Crust instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• Melt butter or coconut oil in small saucepan. Remove pot from heat. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine: almond flour, coconut sugar, cocoa powder and sea salt.
• Press assembled crust ingredients into cheesecake pan, pushing up about 1" on the sides. Bake crust 10 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.

Cheesecake filling instructions (while crust cools)

• Place ¼ cup water in small saucepan. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons gelatin over its surface. Allow to bloom 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir gelatin in, and turn stove top heat to medium.
• While cooking, stir gelatin until it melts. When there is foam on the surface, about 1 to 2 minutes, remove from heat.
• Stir in maple syrup, optional beet powder (or spirulina) and peppermint oil. (It's okay if the beet powder clumps at this stage.) Set aside. (The mixture will thicken as it sits.)
• Using a medium size mixing bowl, whip 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form, without over-beating (which gradually makes butter). Set aside.
• In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on high speed until smooth and fluffier -- about 30 seconds.
• One large spoonful at a time, add gelatin mixture, fully incorporating each spoonful as it’s beaten in. Continue until all the sweet mixture is added.
• Now, fold the plain whipped cream into the sweetened gelatin cream cheese mixture, using a rubber spatula.
• Pour and scrape this peppermint filling into the cooled crust, smoothing out the surface. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Whipped cream topping (This topping is optional. Okay to omit if you just want the Chocolate Ganache topping and to skip one extra step.)

• Place 1 tablespoon water in small saucepan. Sprinkling, add ½ teaspoon gelatin over its surface. Allow to dissolve (become translucent) for about 1 minute.
• Once "bloomed", stir gelatin into water. Place saucepan over low to medium heat, and keep stirring constantly until fully dissolved, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
• In large mixing bowl, whip 1 cup cream until soft peaks form (again, not over-beating). Add gelatin and water mixture, and beat until stiff peaks form. (Do not over-beat.) Chill in refrigerator. This will become part of the topping, piped around the circumference.

Easy Chocolate Ganache topping

• When the cheesecake has chilled at least 3 hours, or overnight, melt fat over low heat in small saucepan. Remove from heat.
• *Make sure no water comes into contact with the fat or inside of the pot.*
• Add cocoa powder and pure maple syrup.
• Stir well, until thoroughly mixed. Set aside to cool.

Cheesecake assembly

• Pull cheesecake out from the fridge. Pour cooled chocolate topping over its surface, spreading out evenly to the edges of the pan. (I use an offset spatula.) Chill 1 hour minimum; (the total chilling time before serving is at least 6 hours).
• Again, remove cheesecake, and reserved whipped cream, from fridge.
• Scoop the whipped cream into a piping bag, preferably fitted with a large, pretty tip (star tips create a nice border).
• Pipe whipped cream around the outside edge of the cheesecake in decorative manner. Any leftover [put back in fridge] will keep for a few days and can be used for hot chocolate or other treats. The gelatin in it will help it keep its volume.)
• For a final garnish, add fresh mint leaves. Chill again until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Calcium: 127mg

Pin Grain-free Peppermint Cheesecake here:

More no-bake cheesecake recipe favorites:

• Eggnog Cheesecake — Oh my: I love the texture of this creamy cheesecake. It’s incredible!
• Saffron Vanilla Cheesecake — I made this recipe for myself, but when I shared it on Instagram (see it here and follow me on IG), it was one of my most popular posts, and a lot of readers asked for it, so I made it to share too. So pretty, floral and with exotic perfumes of flavor. Saffron is easy to work with, and so pretty.
• Chocolate Chip — This cheesecake is a recent favorite. It can be made with chevre or cream cheese, is Keto or Paleo and features shaved chocolate for the best flavor and mouthfeel!
• Fermented, with Raspberry Topping and dairy-free — You’ll love this unique lesson in fermenting nuts. The result is creamy, rich and full of probiotics. The process is magical, empowering (it’s fun to ferment!) and delicious!! My teenage daughter asks for this cheesecake every year on her birthday!