This 7-ingredient Italian cheesecake recipe (no crust, no cream cheese) is a fantastic dessert. With over forty 5-star reviews, it leaves the most wonderful aroma in your kitchen as it comes out of the oven. It's very creamy but doesn't need to be fussed over like a classic cheesecake, lasts for several days, and cuts like a dream.
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Unique Italian dessert
Some years ago, I would've said that if it didn't have cream cheese, it couldn't be called a cheesecake, period. My recipe was simple and classic, with no flour or cornstarch. Nowadays, I'm more flexible (or more mature, lol) and don't need to be such a purist. And the cheesecake recipes in this blog can attest to that, including a wonderful American-style ricotta cheesecake.
My strong Italian heritage and food culture make me love all things ricotta. And this recipe today is more in tune with a no-crust Sicilian cheesecake. Everyday staples and no complicated technique; except for beating the egg whites separately, you just mix everything without much fuss.
If you look at how this gorgeous cake comes out of the oven, with its deep golden color and fantastic aroma, you'll understand why I'm such a fan.
It cuts like a dream. Even at room temperature, this cheesecake has the right firmness and holds its shape amazingly well.
- Jojo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Without a doubt, this is one of the best ricotta cakes I've ever eaten and made outside of my childhood growing up as an Italian; very Impressive. And if you've ever had my family's, that's saying a lot. Thank you.
- Dana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I never leave reviews. But this seriously came out amazing!! Great recipe. Thank you !!!
- Carolyn ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I've made this recipe about 5 times now, and it comes out perfect each and every time. It's absolutely delicious! Fantastic!!!! Thanks so much for this recipe.
Testing notes
Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
Beat the whites until they form medium peaks
This cheesecake lasts for several days in the fridge. I ate it after almost a week, and it was delicious. But the coldness of the refrigerator dries it up a bit every day (it's what refrigeration does to all baked goods), so my advice is up to 3 days, well covered in plastic wrap.
I don't recommend freezing it as the texture changes quite a bit for my taste. But you can if you want to. Make sure it's well-wrapped. I would freeze just one slice to try at first and see how it goes.
Individual cheesecakes: use small springform pans and reduce the baking time, adjusting to the size of your pans.
Ingredients
Quantities are listed in the recipe card toward the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands I use.
- Ricotta: use regular, full-fat, whole-milk ricotta cheese. Though it can work with reduced-fat cheese, the texture will not be as rich.
- Fresh citrus zest: I used orange for this one, but lemon works very well. Freshly grated makes a difference.
Type of ricotta cheese to use
Ricotta is a soft, grainy cheese made from cow's milk. It's creamy, moist, and has an almost sweet taste.
I use regular soft ricotta, which is sold in supermarkets and specialty stores, for all of my recipes. Quality varies according to brands, and you can find some with additives to make it thicker. I try to buy original ricotta sourced from good small producers. It tastes much better, and I like the consistency more.
Ricotta vs. cottage cheese
Though they might look somewhat similar, the textures and flavors of ricotta and cottage cheese are different. Ricotta is made from the whey left when the curds are separated from the milk or cream to make cheese, while cottage cheese is made from the curds.
Ricotta vs. cream cheese
Both are soft cheeses, but ricotta is a grainy cheese while cream cheese is smooth. The amount of salt is also different, and ricotta tends to be a tad sweeter.
Substitution
Though for this recipe, you should get the ricotta cheese (it is, after all, a ricotta cheesecake), you can use cottage cheese that has been processed with some cream cheese.
Cottage cheese can be too watery. If that's the case, drain it on a strainer with a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel over a bowl before processing.
How to make a ricotta cheesecake
- It does not require a water bath.
- Separating the egg yolks from the whites might be the only part that takes a little more time.
Ricotta mixture
The ricotta and rest of the ingredients, except for the egg whites, are mixed in a large bowl with a hand whisk.
The whites are beaten separately and then added at the last moment. They give the cheesecake a light texture.
Egg whites
Have them at room temperature and use an electric mixer. It's the way to maximize the volume.
How stiff should you beat them? I recommend medium peaks that are still unctuous so the batter is more fluid, and the cake is creamier.
Incorporate them gently but without the excessive care that other recipes sometimes need. This is a more forgiving recipe.
Prepare the pan
It has to be buttered and coated with sugar, shaking off the excess. It will create a wonderful crust as it bakes.
How do you know when the cheesecake is done?
It's done when the top is golden, the edges are set, and the center still jiggles slightly. A toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center should come out almost clean. Let it cool and refrigerate for a few hours before cutting.
If you're a fan of cheesecakes as much as I do, this is a different recipe that you will love for its versatility (flavorings) and simplicity, lack of crust and easy cutting.
It's a wonderful recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.
Flavor substitutions
- Citrus: use your favorite. Lemon, lime, tangerine, or a mix.
- Ground spices and citrus, like cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix with orange zest. Cardamom or nutmeg with lemon zest.
- Extracts: coffee, aniseed, almond, or maple are good on their own or with a spice.
- Liquors like Cointreau or Grand Marnier (orange), Frangelico (hazelnut), Amaretto (almond), Limoncello (lemon), or any other sweet or fruity one you like.
Variation: lemon ricotta cheesecake
I know lemon is a huge favorite when it comes to cheesecakes. So, I'm leaving you the simple way to make this lemon ricotta cake.
- Substitute the orange zest for lemon zest.
- Adding lemon juice: combining zest and juice gives it a more intense and balanced flavor. But don't overdo it with the juice, or you'll change the texture. You can add up to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. If your cheese is dry, this would be perfect, but if your ricotta cheese is on the wetter side, I suggest you let it drain for a while.
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Baked Italian Ricotta Cheesecake (no crust)
Ingredients
To prepare the pan:
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, approximately, to grease the pan
- 2 tablespoons white sugar, approximately, to coat the pan
For the ricotta cheesecake batter:
- 1 ½ pounds whole milk ricotta, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons orange zest, from about 2 oranges
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter a 9-inch round cake pan with a removable bottom and dust with 2 tablespoons white sugar, shaking off excess.
- In a large bowl, mix 1 ½ pounds whole milk ricotta, 2 tablespoons orange zest, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. You can beat this for a minute or so if you want a smoother texture. I don't do it.
- Add the ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ⅜ cup white sugar(eyeball half the amount), ¼ teaspoon salt and mix well.
- Separate 6 eggs, one by one, adding the 6 yolks to the bowl with the ricotta mixture and the 6 whites to another clean (very clean and dry, with no traces of oil or grease) bowl. I use the stand mixer for the whites and put them directly in the mixing bowl. The whites should not have even the tiniest bit of yolk, since it will prevent them from beating as they should.
- Beat the egg whites for 30 seconds and gradually add ⅜ cup white sugar (remaining sugar) while beating at medium speed. Keep on beating at high speed until it foams and triples in volume, and it forms medium-soft peaks when the beater is lifted.
- Add the beaten egg whites to the ricotta mixture with a spatula in 3 parts, adding the next part after almost incorporating the last part. This way, you don't overmix the whites, and they keep some volume.
- After the third part is added, make sure the mixture is combined. Don't overmix it so it rises well in the oven and has an airy texture.
- Put in the prepared pan, smoothing the surface, and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until it's golden, but the center of the cheesecake still wiggles when lightly shaken, similar to brownies.
- Remove from the oven and let the pan cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then run a smooth knife around the sides to ensure it is not stuck. Then, let it cool completely in the pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 2-3 hours before transferring it to the serving plate and cutting. I like to make it the day before and keep it wrapped and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Trish Sandolo says
Can I use a graham cracker crust to pour the batter in?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Trish, yes you can.
Elaine says
Does a 9" springform pan work for this recipe?
Paula Montenegro says
Yes, it does Elaine.
Grace Perez says
This will be my second time baking this ricotta cheesecake. It is delicious!! Easy to prepare and put together. Simple ingredients. And the taste is lovely. Not overly sweet and the hint of orange is beautiful. Makes your kitchen smell awesome too!! 5 outta 5
Claire says
I added some grand Marnie r to batter! Added a nice flavor.
Jessica says
Smells delicious am dying to try but so far looks and smells like a success! My first ricotta cheesecake and I'm sure won't be my last
Lesley says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made this today & it worked out perfectly just as you said it would, my husband loved it, it was so light & creamy.
Will definitely make this again!
Sylvia says
I am making this recipe for the second time. I used lemon instead of orange. And added some blonde raisins. Very easy delicious recipe. I will publish a photo to my ig with your hashtag
Leonie Whitfield says
My cheesecake collapsed to half its height. My friend made it and it was perfect. I beat the egg yolks and flour into the ricotta mixture, didn’t hand mix. Oven temperature fine. What went wrong? Thank you
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Leonie, overbeating is usually the reason a cake collapses. This cheesecake does deflate a little as it cools down, but not to half its height.
Leonie Whitfield says
Yes I over beat it. Will try again - this time following the instructions perfectly.
Friends said it tasted like a lemon mousse cake. The solidity of true baked cheesecake was lost.
Ash says
Hey Paula, I’ll be baking this Wednesday night for a solstice dinner party Thursday night. I’d like to do an orange honey combination. Should I still use the full 3/4 c sugar, or should I ratchet back on that? I’m planning on garnishing with blackberries and basil. Thanks for the inventive recipe and suggested customization ideas!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Ash! I never made it with honey and this is already a moist cheesecake. So I'm not talking from experience with this particular recipe, but using honey might make it too moist. I would substitute some of the sugar, not all of it. Maybe 1/3 of the amount. You can add a drizzle on top when you serve it to enhance the flavor.
Ash says
That’s a great idea Paula. Or maybe I can just use it the way you add the liquor (in addition to the sugar). I’ll think on this and let you know how it goes. Thanks!
Joyce says
I made this over the weekend and it turned out absolutely delicious! It was so refreshing, light, and not too sweet. It cracked on the top but I don’t care really. I just loved it and will be making it often. I don’t personally like the cream cheese cheesecake. I find it too heavy and too sweet, but this one is just perfect. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Dawn E. Gamboa-Nappi says
I made this for my husband's birthday. His Mom always made ricotta cheesecake. I tweaked her recipe by using orange zest, more vanilla. This is almost the same recipe. It was delicious. Making again for Father's Day! I never separated the eggs. I will today when I make it again.
retrolady says
i have made this cake 5 times in 5 months my husband loves it!!!!
Lisa says
It's awful how hard is to finally get to the recipe.... it should be on the top not at the end as most of us do not have time to read all the stories ... Also the crazy advertisement covers everything so good luck to read anything on your phone. We truly are an insane society unable to share recipes without bombarding us with a constant nonsense. Time to go back to basics without straining our eyes (constant flashing adds) and focus on recipes.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Lisa, there is a Jump to Recipe button at the top, after the title, so you can skip the post and go straight to the recipe.
The post itself has valuable information and details for less experienced bakers that need more guidance. I think it's important to cater to all of my readers.
I don't take ads placings lightly, and am constantly finding a balance between them and sharing free recipes. But without monetization this blog wouldn't be possible. It takes a lot of money, time and other resources to create 'free' content.
Have a great day.
Evelyn says
I’ve been looking for an all ricotta cheesecake recipe and I’m so excited to make this for my mom’s birthday!
I only have two 6” springform pans.What would you recommend for baking time since it’ll be a deeper cake? Thanks so much!
Holly Cross says
Any way to stop this from cracking?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Holly, is it happening in the oven or after you removed it? It can be due to a too high oven (you can check that the temperature is right with an oven thermometer).
You can add a pan with boiling water in the bottom of the oven to create a humid environment and add moisture.
retrolady says
awesome
Carolyn Dykas says
I’ve made this recipe about 5 times now and it comes out perfect each and every time. It’s absolutely delicious! I make my own ricotta cheese , let it drain well and so I add the juice from the orange. Fantastic!!!! Thanks so much for this recipe.
Dorina Szczepanski says
you forgot to add the egg yolks in!!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Dorina, I didn't, it's in the step 5 of the instructions. They're even underlined to make it clear that they're added to the ricotta. Have a great day.
Terri Deane says
I cannot wait to try this delicious cheesecake! I'm not much of a baker, but you have laid this out in such a way as to give courage to a timid baker, so I thank you. I was wondering if you could tell me how much of a liquor should be added, and at what point? I want to do the lemon and add some limoncello, but I want to do it at the proper time. Thank you for this beautiful recipe and seasons blessing to you and yours.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Terri, thanks for such a thoughtful comment! You can add the limoncello to the ricotta together with the zest. I would start with a tablespoon and see how it goes after it bakes, and adjust for future cheesecakes. Happy baking.
Terri Deane says
Thanks for your prompt reply - our son that's coming for the holidays is very excited about trying this cake. I just hope that I can do it justice. I'll let you know!
Orysia says
Can you substitute corn starch instead of flour
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Orysia, I didn't try it. But you probably can sub it with no major issues, as it's a small amount. You might get a denser texture.
Maribeth Southworth says
Well, two months later I finally got around to making this with my Bob's Red Mill gluten-free baking flour and it is delicious. I thought I had a 9 inch spring form pan, but it was 6 inches, so I put the excess in a pie plate. This was a trial run, for my husband, son and I, so I really didn't care how either looked.
I had no idea how long to bake the portion in the 6" pan, as it was so much deeper, and have not cut in to it yet, but once I buy a new 9 inch I will be set. The part in the pie plate is absolutely light and delicious. I will try the other tomorrow! Thank you for providing a gluten-free alternative that is delicious.