This wonderful ricotta cheesecake has a delicate, airy texture and a pleasant lemon-vanilla flavor.
It's not as heavy and dense as cream cheese-based cheesecake, so it provides a completely different eating experience.
This cake is amazing. It's wonderfully light, and it has a pleasant vanilla flavor. Plus, it's such an easy recipe! You simply mix all the ingredients in one bowl, pour them into the baking dish, and bake.
Cheesecake is by far one of my favorite desserts. I don't think I ever tasted a cheesecake that I didn't like, although admittedly some are better than others. This one? It's a keeper. 🥰
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this ricotta cheesecake. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Butter: I use it for greasing the pan.
Ricotta cheese: Definitely use whole-milk cheese in this recipe.
Sweetener: Sugar if you don't mind the carbs; I use stevia.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Cornstarch: Helps stabilize the cake and absorb liquid. You can also use coconut flour.
Lemon zest: Truly adds wonderful flavor, so I wouldn't skip it. Orange zest is also good.
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Instructions
Making this ricotta cheesecake is easy! The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Use the butter to grease a 9-inch pie plate, then mix the ingredients in the order listed in one bowl.
Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake the cake until set, about 45 minutes at 350°F. Cool completely, then refrigerate.
Expert tips
Here are a few tips for making this recipe a success:
- The lemon zest is a must. Sometimes it’s optional, but not in this recipe.
- Add the eggs at the end and don’t over mix the batter. You don't want to introduce too much air into the batter.
- The batter will reach the top of the baking dish, so make sure to grease the sides all the way to the top.
- All ingredients should be at room temperature, so remove them from the fridge 2 hours before you start making the cake.
- Plan ahead: Like all cheesecakes, this cake needs time to chill and set after it's baked, so plan accordingly. If you need it by the evening, you'll need to start making it in the morning. Or make it the day before.
Frequently asked questions
Not exactly. Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from the whey that’s leftover from the production of cheese.
It's lighter than cream cheese, And it produces a less creamy, but more airy and delicate cake than a cheesecake made with cream cheese.
I think that this ricotta cheesecake is excellent, but I do prefer my classic recipe for creamy keto cheesecake.
My husband, on the other hand, prefers this cake. He loves its airy texture and delicate flavor. He asks for it on a weekly basis!
Ricotta cheese has a lot of moisture so we need to add something to absorb some of that moisture – either cornstarch or coconut flour.
The addition of cornstarch also helps to stabilize the cake and make it a bit more sturdy and easier to slice.
You can use granulated white sugar in this recipe. Or you can replace the sugar with a granulated sugar-free sweetener or with stevia. I tried making this cake with honey and it wasn't as good.
No. I highly recommend using whole milk ricotta cheese in this recipe. I tried making it with reduced-fat ricotta, and it wasn't very good.
Whole-milk cheese makes the cake creamy and flavorful. The reduced-fat cheese lacks both in flavor and in texture.
When done, the sides will be puffed and browned. The center will be firm to the touch, but jiggly underneath.
Serving suggestions
Serve this cake as is, or with keto whipped cream and berries. It's also good with a dollop of chocolate whipped cream or topped with blueberry compote.
Storing leftovers
Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Place them on paper towels to absorb moisture and replace the paper towels daily.
This cake actually improves after a day or two in the fridge. The paper towels soak up extra liquid and it becomes creamier.
Remove the cake from the fridge about an hour before you plan on serving it, to allow it to reach room temperature.
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Recipe card
Crustless Ricotta Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon melted butter for the baking dish
- 2 (15 oz) containers whole milk ricotta cheese (room temperature; 30 oz total; not low fat)
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite (or ⅔ cup sugar or granulated sweetener)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 4 large eggs room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9-inch pie plate with a little butter. Cover the bottom with a parchment paper circle and brush it with more butter.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, sweetener, vanilla, cornstarch, and lemon zest.
- Add the eggs and whisk just until combined. Don't overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pie plate. Bake until the cake is set, about 45 minutes. When done, the sides will be puffed and browned. The center will be firm to the touch, but giggly underneath.
- Cool the cake for 2 hours in the pan on a cooling rack, then cover and refrigerate it for at least 2 more hours and preferably overnight.
- Slice the cake. Place the slices on paper towels to absorb any extra moisture.
- Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days, on paper towels to absorb moisture. Replace the paper towels at least once a day - they will become soaked.
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NOTES
- The lemon zest is a must. Sometimes it’s optional, not in this recipe.
- Add the eggs at the end and don’t over mix the batter. You don't want to introduce too much air into the batter.
- All ingredients should be at room temperature, so remove them from the fridge 2 hours before you start making the cake.
- The batter will reach the top of the baking dish, so make sure to grease the sides all the way to the top.
- Please use whole-milk cheese in this recipe, not reduced-fat.
- The nutrition info assumes that stevia and cornstarch were used.
- This cake actually improves after a day or two in the fridge. The paper towels soak up extra liquid and it becomes creamier.
ADD YOUR OWN NOTES
NUTRITION PER SERVING
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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, and Country Living. 