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    Home » Low-Carb Desserts » Keto Cheesecake

    Keto Cheesecake

    Last updated: May 20, 2023 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

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    This incredibly creamy and flavorful keto cheesecake is one of those desserts where the low-carb version is just as good as the original!

    It's made without crust and sweetened with stevia, but you can use a granulated sweetener if you wish.

    A slice of keto cheesecake topped with strawberries.

    Cheesecakes are wonderful. They're one of my favorite desserts. I like to make crustless ricotta cheesecake, keto mini cheesecakes, keto pumpkin cheesecake, and mini chocolate cheesecakes.

    I also make recipes like cheesecake-stuffed strawberries and keto cheesecake bites.

    Cheesecake is a dessert where the keto version is almost identical to the traditional one. There's no need to use specialty flour, for example. These flours tend to give keto baked goods a distinct texture and flavor.

    But cheesecake, at least the filling, doesn't typically contain flour. So adapting it to a keto diet is quite easy.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Variations
    • Keto Cheesecake Instructions
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storing Leftovers
    • More Cream Cheese Recipes
    • Recipe Card

    Ingredients

    You'll only need six simple ingredients to make this keto cheesecake. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

    • Unsalted butter: Use it to grease the pan. You want to grease it well, to ensure that the cake doesn't stick to it. This is important not just for ease of releasing the cake from the pan, but also to prevent cracks. You don't want the cake to stick to the edges of the pan while it cools down.
    • Cream cheese: Make sure you use blocks of cream cheese, not tubs of cream cheese spread. It's important to bring the cream cheese to room temperature before using it.
    • Sour cream: It's important to bring the sour cream to room temperature before using it.
    • Vanilla extract: I add quite a bit - a full tablespoon. So it's a good idea to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract.
    • Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite. The amount I use equals 1 cup of sugar, which is the perfect level of sweetness. It's really important not to over-sweeten a cheesecake. You want the tanginess of the cream cheese and sour cream to shine through.
    • Eggs: I use large eggs in almost all of my recipes, this one included. Make sure they are at room temperature.

    Variations

    • If you like coconut, you can substitute coconut extract for vanilla extract. Use just one teaspoon of it, not a full tablespoon. It's more potent than vanilla extract.
    • Sometimes I add a tablespoon of lemon zest or orange zest to the mixture. It's very good!
    • You can use a granulated sweetener instead of stevia, to equal one cup of sugar.

    Keto Cheesecake Instructions

    The detailed instructions for making this cake are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:

    1. Bring the ingredients to room temperature

    Your first step is to bring all the ingredients to room temperature. They should spend at least 2 hours out of the fridge.

    2. Mix the batter

    Now, place the cream cheese in a large bowl and use a handheld mixer set to the lowest speed to lightly beat it until smooth.

    Next, add the sour cream, the vanilla, and the sweetener. Mix just until incorporated and make sure you don't over-mix.

    The eggs are then added one by one, and you should mix them minimally. Just until incorporated, not a second longer. You don't want to introduce too much air into the batter.

    A photo collage showing the steps for mixing the batter for a keto cheesecake.

    3. Bake the cake

    Now, pour the batter into the well-greased pan and smooth the top out with a spatula.

    Bake the cake until the edges are slightly puffed and just beginning to brown and the middle is still sunken and jiggly but no longer liquid. This should take 50-60 minutes in a 300F oven. It's important not to over-bake, to prevent cracks.

    A two-photo collage showing how to bake a low-carb cheesecake.

    4. Cool the cake

    As soon as you see that the cake is done, turn the oven off and crack the door open, leaving it ajar. Allow the cake to gently and slowly cool inside the cooling oven for one hour. This is another trick for preventing cracks.

    After the cake has spent an hour in the cooling oven, take it out and place it on a cooling rack. If the edges of the cake haven't pulled away from the sides of the pan, gently run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen them.

    This helps prevent cracks from forming as the cake cools. Let the cake cool completely, for about 2 more hours.

    When the cake is completely cool, transfer it to the fridge. Refrigerate the cake, uncovered (to prevent condensation), for at least 8 hours, and preferably for 24 hours, before slicing and serving.

    A two-photo collage showing the baked and the sliced cheesecake.

    Expert Tips

    Baking a keto cheesecake has its challenges - mainly that cheesecakes tend to crack as they cool, and sometimes while they bake. Here are a few tips for preventing those unsightly cracks.

    1. Take your time

    Bake the cheesecake the day before you plan on serving it, and consider it an all-day affair - 2 hours for bringing the ingredients to room temperature, 1 hour for baking, 1 more hour for cooling the cake in the oven, and 2 hours for cooling it outside the oven.

    So 6 hours have passed before you can put the cake in the fridge! Then you need to refrigerate it overnight, preferably for 24 hours.

    Cheesecakes are NOT quick recipes. Well, except for this microwave cheesecake, which is not a true cheesecake but is very tasty and ready fast.

    2. Bring the ingredients to room temperature

    This is a must! Some people leave the cold ingredients (eggs, cream cheese, sour cream) out of the fridge overnight, in a cool kitchen. I usually take them out of the fridge in the morning, a full 2 hours before I start mixing the cake.

    3. Don't overmix the batter

    Overmixing will aerate the batter, which later on, as the cake cools and shrinks, can cause cracks. So beat the ingredients at the lowest speed, and add the eggs last, as they can add the most air to the batter.

    4. Grease the pan well

    This will allow the edges of the cake to easily pull away from the pan as the cake cools and shrinks.

    5. Use a water pan

    I think that a water pan, placed on the bottom oven rack, is better than a water bath (placing the springform pan in a larger pan with hot water), because you eliminate the risk of water seeping into the cake, while still keeping the oven moist to help prevent the cake from drying out and cracking.

    6. Don't open the oven door

    Use the oven light to peek and judge as best as you can if the cake is ready. It's best to slightly underbake than to overbake. An overbaked cheesecake will definitely crack and will be dry and mealy rather than creamy. 

    If your oven is accurate, as a general guideline, you can turn the oven off after 50 minutes. However, if the center of the cake appears to still be liquid, add 10 more minutes.

    7. Bake at a low temperature

    Bake the cake at 300°F. Turn the oven off as soon as the cake is done: the edges should be very light brown and slightly puffed, but the center should still be sunken, though not liquid.

    If you wait until the center is fully baked, the cake will end up overbaked and will crack for sure.

    8. Let the cake cool slowly

    Let it cool for a full hour in the oven, with its door ajar. Then 2 more hours on a cooling rack out of the oven. After the cake has cooled to room temperature, refrigerate it overnight, ideally for 24 hours.

    9. How to deal with cracks

    What to do if the worst happens and your cake does crack? The best way to deal with a cracked cheesecake is to disguise the cracks with a topping. You can use sliced berries, or go for more elaborate toppings such as strawberry compote or blueberry compote.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use a sweetener other than stevia?

    Yes. You can use any granulated sweetener. I do prefer to use stevia in my recipes, but stevia does present some challenges.

    The main challenge is that sugar, and even sugar-free granulated sweeteners, add bulk and texture to baked goods. With stevia, you lose both. Still, this cake is truly wonderful. It's actually one of those recipes where I don't miss the sugar at all.

    Can I use reduced-fat cream cheese?

    Yes. I've made this cake several times with reduced-fat cream cheese and low-fat sour cream and it turned out amazing.

    My Dad ❤️ uses reduced-fat cream cheese and reports that it works well for him too. Here are recent photos that he sent me:A two-photo collage showing dad's cheesecake.

    Can I freeze a keto cheesecake?

    Yes. It should be completely cool before you freeze it. Remove the springform pan's outer rim, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Wrap the cake in two layers of plastic wrap, then add a layer of foil.

    You can keep the cake in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight. Remove it to the counter 30 minutes before slicing and carefully remove the foil and plastic wrap.

    Serving Suggestions

    I love this cake just as it is and don't usually bother with toppings. But if you'd like, you can top it with any of the following:

    • Blueberry compote
    • Strawberry compote
    • Chocolate whipped cream
    • Keto whipped cream
    • Keto hazelnut spread - warm it a little in the microwave and drizzle it on the cake.

    Storing Leftovers

    I usually slice the entire cake once it's been refrigerated overnight, then store the slices in airtight containers in the fridge.

    We're a family of four and this cake is incredible, so we go through the slices quickly. But it should last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    A slice of keto cheesecake served on a white dessert plate with a fork.

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    👩🏻‍🍳 I aim to publish a new recipe once or twice a month. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.

    Recipe Card

    A slice of keto cheesecake topped with strawberries.
    4.98 from 293 votes
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    Crustless Keto Cheesecake

    Detailed step-by-step instructions and lots of great tips for making delicious, smooth and creamy crustless keto cheesecake.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Cool time11 hours hrs
    Total Time12 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 366kcal
    Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter for the pan
    • 32 oz cream cheese at room temperature
    • 1 ½ cups sour cream (12 oz) at room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon stevia glycerite (equals 1 cup of sugar)
    • 4 large eggs at room temperature

    Instructions

    Prepare the ingredients and the pan

    • Remove the refrigerated ingredients from the fridge at least 2 hours before you start mixing. They must be at room temperature.
    • Preheat your oven to 300°F. Boil a kettle of water, let the water slightly cool, then carefully pour them into a 9 X 13-inch pan. Place the pan with the water on the lowest oven rack. 
    • Generously butter the sides and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. You can also line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and butter the parchment too. I only do this if using an old pan.

    Mix the batter

    • Place the cream cheese in a large bowl. Using a handheld mixer set to the lowest speed, lightly beat the cream cheese until smooth. 
    • Add the sour cream (if it's at room temperature, there will be some liquid separation - add the liquid too), vanilla, and stevia. Mix just until incorporated. Don't over-mix.
    • Add the eggs one by one, beating after each addition. Only beat for as long as it takes to get a smooth batter, then stop. Don't over-mix.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top out with a spatula. Gently tap the pan on the work surface to remove air.

    Bake the cake

    • Place the pan in the oven, on the middle rack, above the water pan. Bake, without opening the oven door, until the edges are very light brown and slightly puffed, and the center is still sunken but not liquid, 50-60 minutes. If you shake the pan gently, the center will jiggle at this point.

    Cool the cake

    • Turn the oven off, and leave the cake in the oven, with the oven door ajar, for one hour. Then remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. If the cake's edges haven't pulled away from the pan, gently run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake's edges from the pan. This helps prevent cracks from forming as the cake cools. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on the counter for about 2 more hours.
    • When the cake is completely cool, transfer it, still in the pan, to the fridge. Refrigerate the cake, uncovered (to prevent condensation), for at least 8 hours, and preferably for 24 hours, before slicing and serving.

    Serve the cake

    • Remove the cheesecake from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to serve it and gently remove the springform pan's outer rim. Use a very sharp, non-serrated knife for cutting the cake. To prevent messy slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it clean before each cut. 

    Video

    Notes

    What to do if your cake does crack? Simply top it! Toppings were pretty much invented for the purpose of hiding these very common cracks. You can use sliced berries, blueberry compote, or strawberry compote. Be sure to top the cake right before you serve it and not ahead of time. 
    Place the leftover slices in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Line the containers with wax or parchment paper. Remove the leftovers from the fridge 30 minutes before serving them. 

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    Nutrition per Serving

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Sodium: 263mg | Sugar: 5g
    SubscribeI aim to publish a new recipe once or twice a month. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.
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    DisclaimersMost of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

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    About the Author

    Vered Deleeuw 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, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Claudia Race

      June 06, 2023 at 5:48 am

      I made this yesterday and would like to know how many servings are in the cheesecake? One slice means nothing without some kind of way to gage the size.

      Thanks

      Claudia

      Reply
      • Vered DeLeeuw

        June 06, 2023 at 1:05 pm

        Hi Claudia, the recipe makes 12 servings.

        Reply

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    Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real-food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.


    👩🏻‍🍳 I aim to publish a new recipe once or twice a month. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.

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