Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

For the crust:
In a large bowl, beat together softened butter and sugar just until combined. You don’t want to add in too much air. This takes only 30 second or so at low speed.

Add egg white and vanilla and beat just until combined. Add almond flour, tapioca starch, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and stir until a sticky, wet dough forms.

Line a small plate with parchment paper and press 1/2 cup of the cookie dough onto it, about 1/4 inch thick. It doesn’t need to be perfect. If the dough is too sticky and hard to press, lightly dampen your hands and it will be a lot easier. Place the plate into the freezer.

Press the remaining cookie dough flat into the bottom of an 8-inch spring form pan (again, slightly damp hands helps!) and place into the freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325ºF.

After cookie dough has frozen for 20 minute, remove just the spring form pan from the oven and bake until top is golden brown, set, and sides have risen up and the middle of the cookie dough is sunken, about 33–35 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 5 minutes and then immediately place into the refrigerator to set for 10 minutes. You want the cookie crust to feel a little too crunchy once cool, as it softens up a lot when the cheesecake sits on it.

For the cheesecake filling:
While crust sets in the refrigerator, beat together softened cream cheese and sugar just until combined. Again, you don’t want to add in too much air. Add Greek yogurt, eggs and vanilla and beat just until combined and the cream cheese is smooth.

Once crust has cooled for 10 minutes, pour cheesecake filling over top and gently smooth out. It should just cover where the cookie crust has risen up the sides.

Remove the reserved 1/2 cup of cookie dough from the freezer and crumble it in small pieces all over the top of the cheesecake. You will cover the majority of the cheesecake.

Bake until the cheesecake rises slightly and the outsides are set, and just a small circle in the center of the cheesecake is still jiggly, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes. Then turn off the oven, crack open the oven door and leave the cheesecake in there for 15 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Gently run a very sharp knife around the sides of the pan, being careful not to insert your knife into the cookie crust. Let the cake stand until it reaches room temperature.

Once it’s at room temperature, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to overnight. After it’s set, slice and devour.

Note: I do not recommend making this cheesecake more than 1 day before you plan to serve it, as the crust does soften. You can still serve it then, but it’s best only made one day ahead.