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Table Of Contents hide
- Why You’ll Love This Keto Cheesecake Recipe
- Keto Cheesecake Ingredients
- How To Make Keto Cheesecake
- Troubleshooting Sugar-Free Cheesecake
- Can You Make Low Carb Cheesecake In A Muffin Tin?
- Is Cheesecake Keto?
- How Many Carbs in Cheesecake?
- Storage Instructions
- Topping Ideas
- More Keto Cheesecake Recipes
- Tools To Make Sugar-Free Cheesecake
- Keto Cheesecake Recipe (Low Carb Sugar-Free Cheesecake)
This low carb keto cheesecake recipe is by far the most popular keto dessert on Wholesome Yum — and with good reason: it tastes just like the real thing! Whether you want a sugar-free cheesecake for a keto diet, for diabetic friends or family, or simply want to reduce sugar in your life, this recipe will fit the bill. It’s just as rich, sweet, and delicious as its sugar- and gluten-filled counterparts.
This recipe also holds a special place in my heart, because creating it was a turning point for my website. Not only did it coincide with a new redesign of both the site and its photography, but it was when I defined the blog’s theme of low carb recipes with 10 ingredients or less. I went from aimlessly choosing recipes and taking terrible pictures, to focusing on my readers and making YOUmy top priority.
Since I know many of you are all about quick and simple low carb recipes, that’s what I love making, too. And I’m just so thankful you are here! What better way to thank you than with a gluten-free sugar-free cheesecake recipe? 😉
This easy keto cheesecake recipe has been so popular over the years that I included it in my Easy Keto Cookbook, which is a hard cover packed with 100 easy keto recipes, all with 10 ingredients or less. The ingredients I use for sugar-free cheesecake have also evolved over the years. I now use and highly recommend Besti sweetener for the crust and filling. It tastes and bakes like sugar, with zero net carbs, but also, unlike other sweeteners, it dissolves well and doesn’t crystallize, so your filling will be silky smooth.
Why You’ll Love This Keto Cheesecake Recipe
- Buttery shortbread-like almond flour cheesecake crust
- Dreamy, smooth, creamy, and slightly dense filling
- Easy to make with quick prep
- Only 8 ingredients
- Just 5 grams net carbs per slice
- Low carb, sugar-free, and gluten-free
- Tastes just like the real thing — your friends and family will never know it’s a sugar-free cheesecake!
- Hundreds of 5-star reviews
Keto Cheesecake Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best basic keto cheesecake ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
You only need eight ingredients for this low carb cheesecake recipe — and they are all pretty simple. I used an almond flour cheesecake crust, but there are some other options below.
For The Almond Flour Cheesecake Crust:
- Almond Flour – I highly recommend using Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour here (and in other keto baked goods). Different brands of almond flour vary in their consistency and moisture level, which can affect the result. That’s why I developed this almond flour after years of low carb baking — it has the finest consistency out there, which will give you that shortbread texture you want. Avoid almond meal, which will be gritty.
- Butter – Helps the crust stay together and imparts a buttery flavor. Make sure it’s unsalted, though you can add a pinch of salt to the crust if you want to for balance.
- Granulated Sugar Substitute – This is probably the number one question I get. Can I make it with stevia? Granulated erythritol? Monk fruit? Sucralose? Something else? Here’s what you need to know:
- My top recommendation for the crust is Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend. It tastes just like sugar, with no aftertaste or cooling effect, and makes for a more buttery crust texture compared to other sweeteners.
- Other sweeteners will work if that’s what you have. Unlike the filling, the almond flour cheesecake crust recipe is not very finicky and will also work using erythritol, xylitol, or an erythritol blend (most brands of monk fruit or stevia are actually blended with erythritol). Check the sweetener conversion chart for amounts to use if you choose something other than Besti.
- Powdered sweetener is also fine for the crust, if you just want to buy fewer products, but otherwise it has no advantage for the crust.
- Don’t use liquid or concentrated sweeteners (like pure stevia or pure monk fruit). Both will make the crust too runny.
- Vanilla Extract – Not strictly required, but highly recommended. I like this vanilla extract brand, which is great quality and has zero sugar.
Low Carb Cheesecake Crust Variations
The basic low carb cheesecake crust requires just the four ingredients above, but you have a few options if you want to change the crust:
- Coconut flour cheesecake crust – If you need a nut-free option, you can use coconut flour instead of almond flour, but it’s not a 1:1 replacement. To use coconut flour, you’ll need 1 1/2 cups coconut flour, 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, 4 large eggs, and 2 tablespoons Besti.
- Low carb crustless cheesecake – Feel free to skip the crust altogether! Just pour the filling directly into the pan and bake as usual. Make sure to line the pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Substitute other nut flours – For the best texture in your keto cheesecake crust, I recommend leaving some of the blanched almond flour in the crust, but you can replace 1/4 to 1/2 of that with ground macadamia nuts or pecans if you like.
- Substitutes for butter – I prefer the flavor and consistency of sugar-free cheesecake crust with butter, but unrefined coconut oil or ghee would also work fine instead.I don’t recommend using oils that are liquid at room temperature, such as olive or avocado oil.
- Mini size – If you want more portion-controlled servings, try keto mini cheesecakes.
For The Sugar-Free Cheesecake Filling:
- Cream Cheese – Use plain, full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor, texture, and keto macros. However, from a recipe standpoint, low-fat or neufchatel cream cheese would work fine. (You can read about other cream cheese substitutes on my cream cheese recipes page.) It’s also very important that you use softened cream cheese (at room temperature), otherwise your filling will have little chunks of cream cheese instead of a smooth batter.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – For the filling, powdered sweetener is a must; don’t use granulated, liquid, or super concentrated versions. The sweetener provides some bulk in the sugar-free cheesecake, and the powdered consistency is required so that the end result is not grainy. Most brands of cup-for-cup-like-sugar powdered sweeteners work okay, but I highly recommend using Besti Powdered if you can, because it creates the creamiest texture. I’ve definitely noticed a difference in how smooth it is when using Besti, compared to the other brands I used to use for this recipe.
- Eggs – These help the cheesecake set up and also give it a creamy texture. Sorry, there is no substitution for them. If you can’t have eggs, make my keto no bake cheesecake instead.
- Lemon Juice – Helps bring out the sweetness and flavor. It’s not enough to make the sugar-free cheesecake lemony, so don’t worry about that if you’re not a fan of lemon — you’ll still want to include the lemon juice in the filling.
- Vanilla Extract – Use the same one you used for the crust.
VARIATION: Add sour cream!
If you want a richer, creamier New York style low carb cheesecake, add 1/4 cup of sour cream right before you beat in the eggs.
How To Make Keto Cheesecake
This section shows how to make sugar-free cheesecake, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
For the most part, the method is very similar to a regular cheesecake, so the result tastes authentic. If we want to make our keto cheesecake taste like the real thing, we’re going to make it using the same method as the real thing!
Make The Crust
- Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium to large mixing bowl, stir the almond flour, melted butter, Besti, and vanilla extract, until well combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly.
- Transfer to pan. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake. Bake the almond flour cheesecake crust for about 10 minutes, until barely golden.
- Cool. Set the crust aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. (Meanwhile, you can make the filling.)
Make The Filling
- Beat cream cheese and Besti. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, at medium speed, beat the cream cheese and powdered Besti, until fluffy.
- Add eggs. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Add lemon juice and vanilla. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla at the end.
TIP: Keep the mixer at medium speed the whole time.
Too-high speed will introduce too many air bubbles, which we don’t want.
Assemble & Bake
- Add the filling to the crust. Pour the filling mixture into the pan over the crust. Smooth the top with a spatula (use a pastry spatula for a smoother top if you have one).
TIP: Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles.
This is not required, but if you want a denser result without air pockets, this can help release some bubbles.
- Bake. Place the keto cheesecake in the oven for about 40-55 minutes. (If you are concerned about cracking, see troubleshooting tips below!)
TIP: Cheesecake is done when the center is almost set, but still jiggly.
It will set more as it cools on the counter and then in the fridge overnight.
- Cool. Remove the cake from the oven. If the edges are stuck to the pan, run a knife around the edge (don’t remove the springform edge yet). Cool in the pan on the counter to room temperature.
- Chill. Cover the sugar-free cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), until completely set. (Do not try to remove the cake from the pan or slice before chilling.)
Troubleshooting Sugar-Free Cheesecake
We have hundreds of reviews and I haven’t heard too many reports of problems with this low carb cheesecake. Still, I want to make to address the most common issues I do see:
- Cracking – Most often, this is caused by sudden temperature changes. Make sure the cheesecake cools on the counter before refrigerating. Mine doesn’t usually crack, but if you want to be on the safe side, you can bake the cheesecake in a water bath. Line the outside of the pan with foil to keep moisture out, pour a little water into a bigger pan, and place the foil lined cheesecake pan inside. Then bake. I usually skip this step for convenience, but you can try it if you have problems with cracking. Worst case, if you do have cracks, add some berry or caramel topping to hide them.
- Gritty Filling – This can happen if you use the wrong sweetener. Use Besti Powdered for smooth results.
- Runny Filling – Under baking the cheesecake can leave the filling runny, but more often than not, people reporting this have missed the step of cooling and chilling. This is required to fully set the filling.
- Dry or Crumbly Filling – This is a result of overcooking the cheesecake (and can also be another reason for cracks). Remember to remove the cheesecake from the oven when it’s still jiggly, not fully set. When cooked properly, it should set only after cooling and chilling.
Can You Make Low Carb Cheesecake In A Muffin Tin?
Yes, feel free to make this as sugar-free cheesecake into cupcakes, if you’d like. You can either follow mycheesecake cupcakes recipe, or follow this one but make it in a muffin tin (make sure to line it).
The cook time will be significantly reduced if making cupcakes; it should take approximately 15-20 minutes.
I also have a caramel sugar-free cheesecake recipe made into cupcakes in my second book, The Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook.
Is Cheesecake Keto?
No, classic cheesecake is not keto friendly. But it’s easy to make this low carb cheesecake recipe that is keto!
How Many Carbs in Cheesecake?
Regular cheesecake is very high in carbs — typically 32 grams or more per slice — due to all the sugar. In contrast, this low carb cheesecake has just 6 grams total carbs, 5 grams net carbs, and 2 grams of sugar per slice.
Be aware that many online calculators get the nutrition information wrong for this keto cheesecake. There are 2 reasons for this:
- Most online calculators do not recognize that erythritol or allulose can be excluded from carb count. This is because it’s poorly metabolized. This really adds up! A select few people do still count these sweeteners in total carb count, but it’s always excluded from net carbs. You can read more about this in my keto sugar substitute guide here.
- Rounding errors are common for cream cheese. Most nutrition labels, including products at the store, round up or down to the nearest whole amount of carbs, but the serving is only an ounce. Since this sugar-free cheesecake recipe calls for 32 ounces of cream cheese, rounding up adds up to a big difference! The nutrition information on the recipe card uses the exact carb count directly from the USDA National Nutrient Database, which is most accurate. If you want to see those values for all low carb foods, and see the values used to calculate my nutrition labels, you can find the full list of low carb foods here or find them in the Wholesome Yum App on iPhone or Android.
So, if you are using a tracking calculator for your macros, I recommend entering this sugar-free cheesecake as a custom item and you can use the values on the recipe card.
Storage Instructions
Just like (almost) any other cheesecake recipe, you can make this one ahead.
- Store: After the initial chilling time, you can keep your keto-friendly cheesecake in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Freeze: For best results, place the chilled cheesecake into the freezer, uncovered, on a parchment lined baking sheet for several hours, until solid. (I prefer doing it this way so that you don’t crush it while wrapping.) Once solid, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and then place back into the freezer. If you prefer, you can freeze individual slices instead, but just like a whole cake, they are still easier to wrap after freezing solid first.
- Thaw: You can thaw sugar-free cheesecake in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for 2-4 hours. For best results, remove the foil before thawing, but it’s fine to leave the plastic on.
Topping Ideas
This classic cheesecake is delicious plain, but below are some ideas for toppings if you want them. What do you like to top your low carb cheesecake with?
- Raspberry Sauce – My favorite topping, pictured in this post! The exact recipe is included in my Easy Keto Cookbook, but the gist is simply simmer some raspberries with Powdered Besti in a saucepan, mashing as they soften, until a sauce forms.
- Melted Chocolate – Melt some of these sugar-free chocolate chips and drizzle on top.
- Sugar-Free Whipped Cream
- Sugar-Free Caramel Sauce
- Fresh berries – Check the keto fruit guide for a full list. Or, make a stunning recipe with the fruit already included, such as keto blueberry cheesecake.
More Keto Cheesecake Recipes
I use this recipe as a base for all my other sugar-free cheesecake recipes! After you’ve tried the classic version, below are some other variations you can make. You can also find more keto dessert recipes here.
Keto Strawberry Cheesecake
Keto Cheesecake Brownies
No Bake Keto Cheesecake
Cheesecake Fat Bombs
Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake
Keto Blueberry Cheesecake
- Hand Mixer – My go-to for keto baking recipes, including my favorite keto cookies! The variable speed is particularly useful for cheesecake, where you don’t want the speed too high, and I love that it has built-in storage for all the attachments.
- Stand Mixer – If you prefer to use a stand mixer, it’s less work than a hand mixer.
- Springform Pan – A springform pan is a must have tool to make any low carb cheesecake, because it would be very difficult to remove from a regular cake pan.
- Pastry Spatula – Convenient for smoothing the top of the cheesecake, or for icing on other cakes.
This reader favorite recipe is included in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook! Order your copy to get 100 easy keto recipes in a beautiful print hardcover book, including 80 exclusive recipes not found anywhere else (not even this blog!), my complete fathead dough guide, the primer for starting keto, and much more.
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Recipe Card
Keto Cheesecake Recipe (Low Carb Sugar-Free Cheesecake)
A gluten-free, keto cheesecake recipe that's EASY to make with only 8 ingredients and 10 minutes prep time. This low carb sugar-free cheesecake tastes just like the real thing!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com
Servings: 16 (adjust to scale recipe)
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Almond Flour Cheesecake Crust
Keto Cheesecake Filling
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Almond Flour Cheesecake Crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan with parchment paper.
To make the almond flour cheesecake crust, stir the almond flour, melted butter, Besti, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl, until well combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly.
Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until barely golden. Let cool at least 10 minutes.
Keto Cheesecake Filling:
Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and powdered sweetener together at low to medium speed until fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. (Keep the mixer at low to medium the whole time; too high speed will introduce too many air bubbles, which we don't want.)
Assembly:
Pour the filling into the pan over the crust. Smooth the top with a spatula (use an icing spatula for a smoother top if you have one). If you want to ensure no air bubbles, tap the pan on the counter several times.
Bake for about 40-55 minutes, until the center is almost set, but still jiggly.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. If the edges are stuck to the pan, run a knife around the edge (don't remove the springform edge yet). Cool in the pan on the counter to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), until completely set. (Do not try to remove the cake from the pan before chilling.)
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice (1/16 of recipe)
Recipe from The Easy Keto Cookbook. Optional raspberry sauce is also in there.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.
Calories325
Fat31g
Protein7g
Total Carbs6g
Net Carbs5g
Fiber1g
Sugar2g
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Course:Dessert
Cuisine:American
Keywords:keto cheesecake, low carb cheesecake, sugar-free cheesecake
Calories: 325 kcal
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
The Best Keto Cheesecake Recipe
