A mouthwatering collection of delicious, rich and scrumptious keto desserts. There’s no need to deprive yourself! Go ahead and indulge.
A big concern for those embarking on the keto diet is the need to give up our favorite desserts. We humans do have a sweet tooth, and it’s not our fault – it was determined by evolution!
However, sugar is not a good choice, and one of the keto diet’s goals is to get us off sugar. This is a great goal, but for many of us, it’s also one of the most difficult parts of starting a keto diet.
No need to deprive yourself
When I started a low-carb diet back in 2013, I pretty much avoided desserts for several months. My goal was to wean myself off sweet-tasting foods. I was successful. But eventually, I started missing sweets.
That was when I discovered that you CAN have desserts on the keto diet. Using ingredients such as almond flour, coconut flour and stevia (or other sweeteners), one can actually make amazing treats.
But don’t go overboard
These desserts are so amazing in fact, that it’s easy to fall into the trap of eating too many of them while foregoing the basics – meat, poultry and seafood; vegetables and low-sugar fruit; fats; full-fat dairy; and nuts.
I do think that as long as we are aware of the issue and make sure that we enjoy sweet treats occasionally and not daily, it’s really important to have a good selection of keto treats that would help prevent us from feeling deprived.
The ingredients typically used in keto desserts
Most low carb desserts replace wheat flour with more nutritious flours – usually almond flour or coconut flour, or a combination of both.
They also replace granulated white sugar with a granulated low-carb sweetener.
Almond flour
Almond flour is surprisingly easy to bake with. It produces fluffy baked goods with a tender crumb. My only issue with this flour is that baked goods made with it are usually high in calories.
Coconut flour
Coconut flour is not as easy to work with. It’s extremely absorbent, so you need to add quite a few eggs and enough liquid to any mixture that contains it.
However, once you get the ratios right, baked goods made with coconut flour are light and fluffy (these coconut flour muffins are a good example), and they are also very low in calories. Especially compared with almond flour baked goods which tend to be calorie-dense.
Keto sweeteners
My personal choice is to use stevia almost exclusively since I can’t handle sugar alcohols. I do believe that stevia is safe. But in most of my recipes, you can replace the stevia with a granulated sweetener.
Adapting a traditional cake recipe to these special ingredients isn’t always easy. But once you get the ratios right, I think that low-carb desserts can be just as good as traditional ones.
My favorite keto desserts
So here are my 30 favorite low carb desserts. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Keto cheesecakes
It’s no coincidence I started this collection with cheesecakes. They are probably my favorite type of dessert (with chocolate as a close second!).
The good news: it’s VERY easy to create keto cheesecakes. You don’t need to replace flour – all you need to replace is the sweetener. In my case, it’s a bit more challenging because I like to use stevia.
But it’s still completely doable, and the results are just as good, as tasty and creamy as traditional cheesecakes.
1. Keto cheesecake
This cake is amazing. It tastes JUST LIKE regular cheesecake. I use low-fat ingredients, but you can definitely use full-fat ones if you prefer.
2. Ricotta cheesecake
Ricotta cheesecake is different from regular cheesecake because it tends to be light and airy. So it’s not as creamy, but it’s lighter in texture. I love both!
3. Mini cheesecakes
These mini cheesecakes are so lovely and so very easy to make. You can top them with anything you want – I am partial to a very tasty blueberry topping.
4. Mini chocolate cheesecakes
These are amazing. Just try them and you’ll see. They combine the best of both worlds – the richness of cheesecake with a deep chocolatey flavor. And they are very easy to make!
Dessert for breakfast!
I don’t think any of us are deluding ourselves into thinking that donuts for breakfast are a good idea. Yes, eggs and berries are probably a better choice!
But as long as it’s a once in a while affair and not a daily occurrence, I think it’s good to have a keto option for a deliciously sweet breakfast.
5. Keto chocolate donuts
The only challenge when making these scrumptious donuts is that you need to use a well-greased silicone donut pan to prevent sticking. Other than that, it’s a simple recipe that yields impressive results.
6. Blueberry scones
I am amazed at how good these scones are. The orange zest gives them wonderful flavor, and their crumb is wonderfully tender.
Keto cookies and bars
When my husband and I transitioned to a low carb diet back in 2013, my husband really missed chocolate chip cookies. So it became my mission to find a proper substitute for him.
The cookies that I came up with were so good, that since then I added several more cookie recipes to my collection of keto desserts.
7. Chocolate chip cookies
These are for my husband… and now that I make them, he doesn’t need to ever feel deprived!
8. Chocolate cookies
I really like soft and chewy cookies, and these are perfect. Making them with nut butter gives them this irresistible texture. And their flavor is deeply chocolatey.
9. Peanut butter cookies
Peanut butter is one of the best things that life has to offer, and luckily, we can enjoy it on the keto diet. These peanut butter cookies are wonderfully soft and chewy. They are one of my best keto desserts!
10. Shortbread cookies
I make these buttery cookies in honor of my Dutch grandma Miep, who used to bake with lots of butter. As you can imagine, her baked goods were scrumptious!
11. Cookie dough
This is a recipe that I developed in an attempt to save my teenage daughter from junky supermarket cookie dough. I’m happy to say I succeeded! She loves this dessert and has learned to make it by herself (it’s VERY easy).
12. Brownies
While keto brownies lack the crispy exterior and gooey interior typical to sugary brownies, they are excellent. Soft and fudgy, they have a deeply chocolatey flavor and it’s quite difficult to stop at one square!
Keto Cakes
My personal preference is simple cakes without frosting such as this fluffy coconut flour cake. But when the occasion calls for it, it’s good to know that one can indulge in a rich multilayer cake such as the delicious options featured here!
13. Birthday cake
I made this cake for my husband. It’s a keto rendition of the birthday cake his grandma used to make, and he says it’s just as good! (My guess is it’s almost as good. Those grandmas had a magic hand in the kitchen!)
14. Chocolate cake
And this one.. is for me. My favorite childhood cake was a simple chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles on top. This keto dessert is as close as you can get to that on a low carb diet.
15. Carrot cake
I wasn’t sure how easy (or not) it would be to make a carrot cake that would be appropriate on the keto diet. I’m happy to say that it IS possible! With around 7g carbs and 3g fiber for a generous frosted slice, this cake is a great low carb option.
Keto mug cakes
Mug cakes are amazing. Making them is the quickest and easiest way to satisfy those sugar cravings. And another advantage is that they are usually single-serve, so they are self-limiting, which is a very good thing when it comes to keto desserts!
16. Microwave cheesecakes
This is one of the most successful recipes on this blog, and it’s also quite controversial. Many readers love it. Just as many say (mostly on Pinterest) that it needs more cream cheese to taste like true cheesecake.
I make the original recipe regularly and adore it. Why don’t you try for yourself? It’s ready in a few minutes and requires just a few ingredients.
17. Chocolate mug cake
If you like gooey chocolate desserts, this is the one for you! When I first made it I struggled a bit because it made two servings and I was always tempted to polish them both off… I have since learned to make a single serving. Phew!
18. Peanut butter mug cake
Peanut butter flavor and a fluffy cake texture… this is perfection. Topped with a dollop of keto whipped cream, it’s definitely one of my favorite keto desserts.
19. Pumpkin mug cake
This cake is really good even without the frosting, and my feeling is that without it, it’s okay to have it for breakfast on occasion. With the creamy frosting, it is elevated into a rich, scrumptious dessert, perfect for fall.
Keto cupcakes
Cupcakes are so much fun. No wonder cupcake shops are all the rage these days! They are fun to make and fun to eat, and similarly to mug cakes, they are self-limiting.
It’s good to know that when it comes to keto desserts, cupcakes are definitely an option, and they are just as good as sugary recipes.
20. Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting
This is another one that I made specifically for my husband. He loves the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. So on his birthday a few years ago I surprised him with these irresistible cupcakes.
21. Vanilla cupcakes
I love pairing simple vanilla cupcakes with a rich chocolate frosting. The contrast in colors and flavors is wonderful.
22. Pumpkin cupcakes
These are my favorite indulgence in the fall, when I start making all things pumpkin. Their crumb is fluffy and tender, and the pumpkin-flavored frosting is wonderfully rich.
Keto mousse, pudding, and frosting
Rich and creamy yet low in carbs and in sugar, these tasty desserts are a real treat. A big advantage is that they don’t require baking or cooking. So they are one of the easiest options for yummy low carb treats.
23. Chocolate pudding
Can you believe that this rich, delicious pudding is made with just three ingredients and does not require any cooking whatsoever? It’s true! This is one of the keto desserts that I make most often, simply because it’s so easy to make.
24. Chocolate custard
This chocolate custard is dark, rich and intense. Its texture is smooth and silky. It is one of my favorite chocolate desserts!
25. Cream cheese frosting
I always loved cream cheese frosting, even back in my high-carb days. I like it better than buttercream frosting. It was easy to adapt this one to a low carb diet by simply replacing the powdered sugar with stevia.
26. Whipped cream
This is another keto dessert where it’s effortless to make the substitution. I use the classic whipped cream ratios, but replace the sugar with stevia. This chocolate whipped cream, made with cocoa powder and stevia, is also excellent.
Keto candy
Fudge is amazing, and making a keto version is easy, especially if you use a powdered sweetener.
But even if you’re like me and you’d rather use stevia (or just sweeten it with extra dark chocolate), it works, and it’s one of the easiest keto desserts you can make.
27. Peanut butter fudge
Rich and fudgy, this fudge is amazing – maybe too amazing! The only drawback to making it without a boatload of powdered sugar is that you need to keep it in the fridge. Otherwise, it gets too soft.
28. Chocolate peanut butter fudge
I got this fine recipe from my friend Jayne, then adapted it for the keto diet. I make it without any added sweeteners, relying on the dark chocolate to sweeten it. It’s perfectly sweet!
29. Chocolate bark
It’s easy to make keto chocolate bark – simply use extra-dark chocolate and focus on nuts instead of on dried fruit. Though I do add a very small amount of dried cranberries. They’re just so pretty!
30. Chocolate covered strawberries
This is the ultimate keto dessert, a true nutritional powerhouse. The darker the chocolate you use the better, of course.
What are you waiting for?
So go ahead… enjoy these wonderful keto desserts (in moderation of course…). There’s truly no need to feel deprived on the keto diet. 😀
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.