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For me Baileys is the epitome of Christmas – so it seems only right to create a gluten free No Bake Baileys Cheesecake for my Christmas day dessert!
With a buttery biscuit base made from gluten free chocolate Digestives and a smooth and creamy Baileys cheesecake topping, this is a decadent treat.
Plus you don’t need an oven to make this – just prepare the base and the topping and leave it to set in the fridge overnight.
I like to make this easy gluten free Baileys cheesecake the night before guests arrive so when it comes to the big event, dessert is already taken care of.
Cheesecake is also one of those desserts that is often hard to find gluten free.
Most restaurants don’t offer a gluten free cheesecake, yet they are so easy to make – which is why I am so excited to share this recipe.
I really hope you’ll get into the festive spirit and enjoy this No Bake Baileys Cheesecake as much as I did!
Is Baileys Gluten Free?
There seems to be a lot of confusion when it comes to gluten in drinks but the good news is YES, Baileys is gluten free.
I think the confusion often comes because Baileys Irish Cream is made with whisky – which is made from grains.
But according to Coeliac UK, spirits derived from gluten-containing grains are gluten free and coeliac-safe because the levels of gluten are below 20 parts per million.
And as Baileys has no other gluten-containing ingredients, it is gluten free.
It’s a good job too because we get through at least 4-5 bottles of it in our house in the run-up to Christmas.
You can’t beat a Baileys coffee or hot chocolate but now this gluten free Baileys cheesecake is my new favourite way to enjoy this tipple.
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a full printable recipe card below with the method and ingredients.
But for your shopping list here’s the main ingredients for this No Bake Baileys Cheesecake and ideas for substitutes:
- Gluten Free Chocolate Digestive Biscuits: You can use normal digestives if you prefer but I like the chocolatey-ness this adds.
- Butter: Melted butter helps bring the cheesecake base together. You can use a margarine if you prefer but I always use unsalted butter.
- Full Fat Cream Cheese: It’s imperative you use a full fat cream cheese, and a good quality one at that. I always use Philadelphia as it’s consistently good for cheesecakes. Be warned, if you try to use a low-fat option the cheesecake will not set and will be a disaster.
- Double Cream: Also known as heavy creamy, this is what helps the cheesecake set when whipped up into soft peaks.
- Baileys: Of course the star of the show! You’ll need around 75ml of Baileys – if you don’t want it too strong you can cut this down to 50ml but any less might render it a bit pointless.
- Baileys Truffles: I found these in TK Maxx but I’ve seen them in supermarkets with the Christmas chocolates too. They’re gluten free and delicious – it’s hard not to scoff them all! You can use any chocolates you like to decorate the cheesecake but these made the most sense to me.
Can I make this Baileys cheesecake dairy free?
Unfortunately Baileys is pretty heavy on the dairy – as is this cheesecake recipe.
I personally don’t like the dairy free Baileys (nor do I think it tastes anything like the real thing) so I wouldn’t suggest it as a substitution.
I also think making such a dairy-dependant recipe dairy-free would require a lot more recipe testing than just straight swaps.
You’re more than welcome to attempt it but at the moment I’d say it would be very difficult to make this dairy free.
Mainly because at least 80% of the ingredients are dairy-based!
How to line a cheesecake tin
I’d highly recommend using a springform cake tin for this – and the deeper it is, the better.
Ideally you want something a bit like this one which is 20cm.
If you don’t have a deep cake tin you could try using a larger one which make a thinner cheesecake, but still taste just as good!
I do like a nice thick layer of both the biscuit base and cheesecake topping though.
The reason I go for a springform tin is it makes it a hell of a lot easier to ‘pop’ the cheesecake out once it’s set.
You’ll also want to line the base of the tin to make sure you can remove the cheesecake from the base easily.
The best way to do this is to pop the bottom out, place a square of baking paper over the top so it overlaps the edges, then clip the tin back on over the top.
This will clamp down the paper and you can trim any excess to it sits neatly.
It’s the easiest way to get the cheesecake off the tin, much easier than cutting a circle to fit the bottom, as it will still get stuck on the lip!
My gluten free no bake Baileys cheesecake
This No Bake Baileys Cheesecake is just the perfect fuss-free dessert and the gluten-eaters won’t even know it’s gluten free.
Make this up the night before in a 20cm tin for a cheesecake which will serve 16 – or 12 if you want a big slice!
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!
And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.
No Bake Baileys Cheesecake (Gluten Free)
This No Bake Baileys Cheesecake is an easy gluten free dessert and perfect for Christmas. This cheesecake has a buttery, chocolate Digestive base and a smooth, Baileys topping. Whip it up the night before to serve 16 hungry guests.
Ingredients
For the base:
- 300g gluten free chocolate Digestive biscuits
- 100g butter (melted)
For the topping:
- 600g full fat cream cheese
- 300g double cream
- 100g icing sugar
- 75ml Baileys
To decorate:
- Grated dark chocolate
- 10-12 Baileys Truffles
Instructions
To make the biscuit base:
- Line the bottom of a deep, 20cm springform tin with baking paper. Melt the butter either in a pan over a low heat or in 10-second bursts in the microwave.
- Blitz the gluten free chocolate digestives in a food processor until they form a fine crumb.
- Add the melted butter and blitz again to combine. Pour out the biscuit mix into the lined tin and press firmly into the base until it is level. I tend to pop this in the fridge while I make the topping.
For the cheesecake topping:
- Add the cream cheese and icing sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth.
- Pour in the double cream and Baileys and whisk again, starting on a slower speed and bringing the mixer up a speed every 20-30 seconds. Continue to whisk until the mixture becomes very thick.
- Once the mixture has thickened, spread it over the biscuit base, using a spatula to ensure it is even and there are no air bubbles. Smooth the top with a spatula or palette knife and then set in the fridge for at least six hours - preferable overnight.
- To decorate, grate dark chocolate all over the cheesecake and top with the Baileys truffles. Serve chilled from the fridge.
Notes
This cheesecake is best made the night before eating to allow for setting time. Will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Recommended Products
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Need some more gluten free Christmas inspiration?
Want to have a go at some of the other gluten free Christmas recipes on the blog?
Give some of these other gluten free festive recipes a try!
- Gluten Free Mincemeat Flapjack
- Easy Gluten Free Yule Log
- Gluten Free Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding
- Amaretti Biscuits
- Gluten Free Frangipane Mince Pies
I’ve also got my gluten free Christmas page with everything you need to enjoy a safe festive season.
There are plenty to choose from – here are a couple to get you going:
- My FULL gluten free Christmas guide
- Gluten free Mini Cheddars
- Gluten free lebkuchen
- Classic gluten free mince pies
If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
Like this Gluten Free No Bake Baileys Cheesecake recipe?
Make sure you pin the recipe card below for later!
