Low Carb Keto Cheesecake

Keto Cheesecake is a gluten-free, low-carb cake that is super easy to make. With ingredients like cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs, you will have a keto-friendly cheesecake that is also sugar-free.

Besides all that, it is thick, creamy, and tasty so everyone will love it. Nobody will believe that it is sugar-free after they try it. That’s okay. Just tell them a cheesecake does not have to be full of sugar to be delicious. This keto version can be both scrumptious and healthy.

Keto Cheesecake is a healthier version of the original cheesecake that we always eat. The best part is that it’s sugar-free and low in carbs, something that you might not realize when you eat it for the first time. With ingredients like the cream cheese and eggs, this will still taste like a real cheesecake, but it will just be healthier.

I sometimes enjoy keto foods because I do not like to eat much sugar. With this dessert, it is easy to make everyone happy without filling them full of processed sugar and carbs. It has real ingredients like eggs, cream cheese, butter, and sour cream, and the crust is made of almond flour, butter, and unsweetened coconut. Then, it is served with a sugar-free berry sauce for extra flavor.

Everyone loves this cheesecake, and they have never complained that it tastes like “diet food,” so I do not even mention it. Although it is high in fat, like all cheesecake recipes, it is perfectly fine as long as you eat it in moderation. I love to have a slice with a cup of London Fog latte. They go very nicely together on a cool morning when I enjoy the peace and quiet before I start my busy day.

Why you will love this recipe 

• No sugar: This delicious cheesecake is sugar-free even if you are not on a keto diet.
• Easy to make: You do not need any special tools or ingredients.
• Rich and creamy: Diet food has never tasted so good!
• The kids will even love it: You don’t have to tell them it is sugar-free.
• Gluten-free: Even those sensitive to gluten can enjoy this dessert.

What you’ll need to make keto cheesecake

Special items:

• Springform pan – I use a 10-inch pan covered in a double layer of aluminum foil.
• Mixing bowls – To combine ingredients.
• Stand mixer – For mixing other ingredients.
• Cooling rack – To cool the cake.
• Saucepan – For making the sauce. 
• Utensils – To stir, cut, and run around the cake.

The ingredients for keto cheesecake

For the crust:

• Baking spray – I use canola baking spray, but you can use what you like.
• Flour – I think almond flour works best for this recipe.
• Coconut – Unsweetened shredded coconut is what I recommend.
• Sugar substitute – I prefer Swerve granular sugar, but use what you like.
• Unsalted butter – Melt the butter first to get all the ingredients to stick together.
• Cinnamon – Gives your crust a sweet and tart taste.
• Nutmeg – Compliments the cinnamon and sugar nicely.

For the filling:

All ingredients must be at room temperature.

• Cream cheese – Has to be full-fat for the cheesecake to be creamy and rich. Otherwise, it may end up watery.
• Sour cream – This should be full-fat as well, but you can switch it to full-fat sour cream or full-fat heavy cream.
• Sugar substitute – I prefer Swerve granular sugar but use what you like.
• Cornstarch – For thickening.
• Eggs – Large organic eggs are what I use. 
• Vanilla – Always use 100% pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.

For the sauce:

• Strawberries – Rinsed, hulled, and sliced.
• Blueberries – Rinsed and dried.
• Raspberries – Rinsed and dried.
• Vanilla – I use pure vanilla here, too, of course.
• Lemon juice – It tastes much better to squeeze your lemon juice, and it only takes a few minutes.
• Water – To blend the vanilla and lemon juice.
• Sugar substitute – I prefer Swerve granular sugar, but use what you like.
• Cornstarch – For thickening, if needed.

Keto sweeteners

You should know what keto sweeteners are the best, with no calories and usually zero carbs. These are some of the keto sweeteners that you can use if you are following the keto diet:

• Stevia – personally, I am not a fan of the after taste.
• Sucralose
• Erythritol
• Xylitol
• Monk Fruit Sweetener
• Swerve – this is a brand name for Erythritol, my personal favorite.

These are the top sweeteners that you can use while on the keto diet. You should try them and find the one sweetener that will be the best and most tasty for you. Just remember that not all the sweeteners are automatically used in the keto diet.

How to make keto cheesecake?

1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: First, preheat your oven to 300 degrees F and put the top rack in the middle position. Then, wrap the outside of your springform pan with a double layer of foil on the outside. Spray the inside of the pan with baking spray and set it aside.
2. Make the crust: Now, add the crust ingredients to a large bowl and stir until combined. Then, press the mixture into your springform pan and press it down with your hands or a measuring cup. Press the crust so it goes up the sides about one inch. Then, chill for 20 minutes in the fridge.
3. Mix the cheesecake: Make sure the cheesecake ingredients are warmed to room temperature. Then, use a stand mixer to beat the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy at medium to low speed. Then, add the sour cream and beat it for another minute, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. Add sugar and cornstarch, beating until combined and creamy. Pour in the vanilla and add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Do not overmix. Pour it into the chilled crust.
4. Bake the cake: Next, set your cake in a roasting pan and add hot water until it is halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Be careful not to get any in the cake. Bake for 60 to 80 minutes, until it is slightly jiggly in the center. Mine was done after precisely 80 minutes at 300 degrees F.
5. Let it cool: After, turn off the oven but leave the cake inside. Open the door slightly and let it cool for an hour that way. Then, move it to a cooling rack and remove the foil. Run a knife around the edges to prevent sticking, and then cool for two hours before moving to the fridge. Let it chill for at least six hours, but overnight would be better.
6. Make the sauce: To make the sauce, place a medium saucepan on the stove on medium heat and add one cup of strawberries, a half cup of blueberries, and a half cup of raspberries. Then, add water, vanilla, lemon juice, and sweetener. Stir it while you let it simmer for four to five minutes, crushing a few berries. If it is not thick enough, add a cornstarch slurry. Mix one teaspoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water and add it to the sauce until it is thick.
7. Slice and serve: When the cheesecake is set, slice it and serve with sauce and sugar-free whipped cream on the side.

Expert tip

Common mistakes when making cheesecake

In my opinion, the most important thing is never to use cold ingredients. If your ingredients are cold, you will have to mix them for a longer time to incorporate them, and that will mix in too much air. If your cheesecake has too much air, it rises too much in the oven, and the middle will end up sinking as it cools, leaving you with a sunken cheesecake. Sure, it will still taste good, but it will certainly not look as pretty.

Another thing that is especially important in this recipe, because it is keto, is not to use low-fat ingredients. Keto diets are high in fat and low in sugar. The fat in the cream cheese is what gives your cheesecake its signature creamy richness. You could swap out the sour cream for full-fat Greek yogurt, though, or heavy cream. If you use low-fat, your cheesecake will likely end up runny.

Another bad idea is to skip the water bath. You do not want cracks in your cheesecake. The water bath is easy to do and will keep your cheesecake creamy and moist enough to prevent it from drying out and getting any cracks. Another cause of cracks is the rush of the cooling process. Let your cake sit in the oven for an hour with the door open after you turn it off before removing it. Then, you can put it on a rack and let it cool for another two hours before putting it in the fridge for at least five hours.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• More berries: You can add other fruits to the sauce, such as blackberries, cherries, goji berries, and mulberries.
• Chocolate: Make this a chocolate keto cheesecake by adding cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate to the batter.
• Add chips: You could also make it chocolatey by sprinkling sugar-free chocolate chips on top.
• Crunchy cheesecake: Sprinkle crushed nuts on top for a crunchy keto cheesecake. Any nuts will work.

Serving suggestions:

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts; I like serving it with anything or alone. Here are some ideas.

• All cheesecake goes well with ice cream. Since this is keto cheesecake, make sure it is sugar-free.
• Skip the fruit sauce and serve it with this fruit salad. It contains blueberries, raspberries, grapes, strawberries, kiwi, mango, and pineapples. Skip the fruits that are not keto.
• Chicken is one of the best keto meals to make with keto cheesecake because it is so low in carbs. Especially if you choose skinless, boneless chicken breasts, keto blackened chicken or Italian chicken skewers would be awesome.
• Do you know what else goes with this cheesecake? My thick and rich keto caramel sauce! And you only need four ingredients to make it!

Frequently asked questions

How many carbs are in a serving of keto cheesecake?

If you make this recipe exactly as printed on the recipe card and serve it with the sugar-free berry sauce and sugar-free whipped cream on the side, the carbohydrates for 1/12 of this cheesecake are 9 grams. To make sugar-free whipped cream, use a sugar substitute like Swerve or Splenda instead of regular sugar. However, remember that it also has 27 grams of fat so keep that in mind.

What are the options for low carb cheesecake crust?

There are a huge variety of low carb cheesecake crust recipes that you can use. The best flours to use on a keto diet are coconut flour and almond flour. Both are high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, so they are perfect to use in baked goods such as the keto cheesecake crust.

Similarly, you can just make it without the crust. This will ensure that you are going to consume even fewer carbs.

How do I do a water bath?

First, ensure your cheesecake pan is wrapped in foil to keep the water from leaking. Then, place it in a large roasting pan. It has to be deep enough to cover halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Then, put it in your oven and let it bake for the time stated on the recipe card. After, turn the oven off, but do not remove it. Leave the door open a little bit and let it cool slowly for one hour. Then, carefully remove the cake without getting water in it.

Do I have to use a springform pan for cheesecake?

No. You can make cheesecake in a regular cake pan if you want. Just remember, if you use a larger pan, you have to double the recipe or shorten the cooking time because it will cook faster since it is thinner. Also, you need to spray the bottom of the pan and then use parchment paper with some hanging over as handles for easy removal. You want to be able to remove it after it is cooled gently.

How do I fix a cracked cheesecake?

First, make sure the cake is completely chilled. Then, remove it from the pan and push the sides together as much as possible without squishing it too much. Then, dip a metal spatula in a glass of warm water and wipe it off. Start at the ends of the crack, gently push them together with the warm spatula, dipping it again, and wiping it as needed. Continue until it is finished. If that doesn’t work, top it with whipped cream, fruit, or something else.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: This delicious keto cheesecake can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. 
• Freezing: First, make sure it has fully cooled and also was refrigerated for at least 6 hours. Then, wrap it tightly with aluminum foil, and after with plastic freezer wrap, or place in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Similarly, you can also wrap and freeze individual slices. Properly stored, it will maintain the best quality for about 2 to 3 months.
• Defrost: Ensure you put it in the fridge to thaw overnight for the best texture and taste.

More keto desserts:

Recipe tips:

• Do not use cold ingredients when making this (or any) cheesecake. You will have to mix it too long, and that will whip too much air into the batter.
• Put your cheesecake pan in a water bath for a few minutes. It makes a big difference.
• If you use a graham cracker crust, use a food processor. You want the crumbs to be fine. There are no chunks at all.
• Another way to prevent cracks is to cool it slowly. After shutting it off, leave it in the oven for an hour with the door cracked.
• Use a warm metal spatula to fix a cracked cheesecake, or cover it with whipped cream or fruit.