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My keto cheesecake recipe is by far the most popular of all my keto desserts here on Wholesome Yum — and with good reason: It tastes like the real thing! I don’t say this lightly. Since I first developed it back in 2017, it has become my #1 impressive dessert for holidays, birthdays, and just about any occasion where I want to bring something to avoid the sugar. And even though it’s a low carb sugar-free cheesecake, it’s just as rich, sweet, and decadent as its sugar- and gluten-filled counterparts. Pinky promise.
This keto cheesecake is also special to me because it marked the turning point when I defined my site as “10 ingredients or less” and really started focusing on my readers. I know you love quick and easy low carb recipes as much as I do, and I’m so grateful to share this journey with you. So, here’s a big thank you with my best gluten-free, low carb cheesecake recipe!
Why You’ll Love My Keto Cheesecake Recipe
- Indistinguishable from the real thing – This cheesecake tastes so “real” that your friends and family will question that it’s sugar-free. I’ve had guests ask me for the recipe, thinking it was the traditional, sugar-packed version!
- Creamy, dreamy filling – The filling is just the right combo of smooth, creamy, and rich, with that slightly dense texture you expect from a classic cheesecake. It took me a few tries to get it just right, but oh, was it worth it!
- Buttery shortbread crust – I make the crust using almond flour, and it’s a lot like my almond flour pie crust. It reminds me of shortbread! But I also have other crust options for you below, including no crust at all if you prefer.
- Easy to make – You only need 8 ingredients to make this beauty, including the crust and the filling! And the prep is so easy — I love that I can whip it up without any fuss, even on a busy day.
- Keto friendly, refined sugar free, and gluten free – At only 6g total carbs and 5g net carbs per slice, my low carb cheesecake is flexible enough for a keto diet, or for your diabetic friends or family. Or just make it if you simply want to reduce sugar in your life, as I do these days. And like all my recipes, it’s gluten-free, too.
- Hundreds of 5-star reviews – Don’t just take my word for it! My easy keto cheesecake recipe has hundreds of reviews (see below), so you can be confident that it will turn out. Since so many people loved it, I also included it in my Easy Keto Cookbook. (You’ll also find 100 of my other easy keto recipes in there, including 20 popular website faves and 80 exclusive ones.)
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto cheesecake recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
For The Almond Flour Crust:
- Almond Flour – I highly recommend using my Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour here (and in other keto baked goods), and not just because I made it. 😉 I developed this one after years of low carb baking because I was tired of the coarse, gritty texture in other brands. (Almond meal is even worse.) Mine has the finest consistency out there, which will give you that shortbread texture you want.
- Butter – Helps the crust stay together and imparts a buttery flavor. I recommend unsalted, though you can add a pinch of salt to the crust if you want to for balance.
- Granulated Sweetener – Probably the number one question I get is about sweeteners. “Can I make this keto cheesecake 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 the crust doesn’t turn out as dry as with other sweeteners.
- Other sugar substitutes will work if that’s what you have. Unlike the filling (below), the almond flour cheesecake crust is not 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 my 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 I highly recommend including it! I like this vanilla extract brand, which is great quality and has zero sugar.
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
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Crust Variations:
Many people ask if they can make my low carb cheesecake with a different crust, or no crust at all. You can! Here’s how:
- 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 of coconut flour, 1/2 cup of coconut oil or butter, 4 large eggs, and 2 tablespoons of Besti.
- Crustless cheesecake – Feel free to skip the crust altogether! Just pour the filling directly into the pan and bake as usual. I always line the pan with parchment paper, but it’s extra important for this version 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 it with ground macadamia nuts or pecans if you like.
- Substitutes for butter – I prefer the flavor and consistency of the 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 my keto mini cheesecakes (in a muffin tin) or my even smaller keto cheesecake bites (in a mini one).
For The Sugar-Free Cheesecake Filling:
- Cream Cheese – The base of the filling! 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. I also have a variation using Greek yogurt — see my healthy cheesecake recipe.
- 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 keto 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. Others tend to be more dry and can crystallize. 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 filling 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
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
If we want to make our keto cheesecake taste like the real thing, we’re going to have to make it using the same method as the real thing! 😉 For the most part, my method here is very similar to a regular one:
Make The Crust
- Get everything ready. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the dough. In a medium to large bowl, stir the almond flour, melted butter, Besti, and vanilla extract, until well combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly.
- Bake. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake your low carb cheesecake crust for about 10 minutes, until barely golden.
- Cool. Set the crust aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. Make the filling while you wait!
Make The Filling
- Beat the cream cheese and Besti. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese and powdered Besti, until fluffy. This is where room-temperature cream cheese is crucial!
- Add the eggs. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Beat them in at the end.
TIP: Keep your 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. (I use a pastry spatula like this for a smoother top.)
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 and bake until the center is almost set, but still jiggly. (If you are concerned about cracking, see my troubleshooting tips below!)
IMPORTANT: Do not wait for the filling to set completely!
Remove it from the oven when it’s 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 all the way around (but don’t remove the springform edge yet). Let it cool in the pan on the counter, until it reaches room temperature.
- Chill. Cover the sugar-free cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely set. (Do not try to remove the cake from the pan or slice before chilling.) Once set, I slice it with a sharp knife, and wipe with a damp paper towel between cuts.
Topping Ideas
This classic keto cheesecake is already so decadent plain, but I love it even more with one of these toppings:
- Raspberry Sauce – This is hands down my favorite topping, and yes, it’s the one you see in the pictures here! You can find my detailed recipe in my Easy Keto Cookbook, but all you really do is simmer raspberries with Powdered Besti, mashing them as they soften, until they turn into this gorgeous sauce.
- Real Fruit Syrup – Lately I’m obsessed with Wholesome Yum Strawberry Syrup, Raspberry Syrup, or Blueberry Syrup as zero-effort keto cheesecake toppings! They’re a lot like my sauce above, just a little thinner, and so much easier because I made them for you. The ingredients are so simple — fresh berry puree, monk fruit, allulose, and a little citric acid — all with zero sugar and 1 net carb per serving.
- Melted Chocolate – You can use my sugar-free chocolate sauce, or just melt down some sugar-free chocolate chips (this brand is my favorite, we go through bags of them at my house!).
- Whipped Cream – Can’t go wrong with a dollop of my homemade sugar-free whipped cream for the perfect light, fluffy finish!
- Caramel Sauce – A drizzle of my sugar-free caramel sauce is my second-favorite after the raspberry sauce above. I also have a caramel-topped keto cheesecake recipe made into cupcakes in my second book, The Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook.
- Fresh Berries – All berries are keto, but you can check my keto fruit guide for more detailed carb counts.
Troubleshooting Sugar-Free Cheesecake
You shouldn’t have any problems with my recipe if you follow the instructions, but here are the most common mistakes I see people make that you can watch out for:
- Cracking Or Settling – Most often, this is caused by sudden temperature changes. Make sure the cake cools on the counter before refrigerating. Mine doesn’t usually crack, but if you want to be on the safe side, you can bake your low carb 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 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 — problem fixed!
- Gritty Filling – This can happen if you use the wrong sweetener. Use Besti Powdered for smooth results.
- Runny Filling – Underbaking can leave the filling runny, but more often than not, people reporting this have missed the step of cooling and refrigerating. 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 it from the oven when it’s still jiggly, not fully set. When cooked properly, it should set only after cooling and chilling.
- Carb Count Differences – Many online calculators get the nutrition information wrong for my keto cheesecake. This is because most don’t recognize that Besti can be excluded from carb count (this really adds up!), and rounding errors are common for cream cheese. Most nutrition labels round up or down to the nearest whole amount of carbs, but the serving is only an ounce. Since my sugar-free cheesecake recipe calls for 32 ounces of cream cheese, rounding up makes a big difference! My recipe card below uses the exact carb count directly from the USDA National Nutrient Database, which is most accurate. My full keto food list has those values for all the major low carb foods, or you can find them in the Wholesome Yum App on iPhone or Android.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Yes, you can make this cake ahead! After the initial chilling time, keep it in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Moving it can be tricky, so I usually keep it on the bottom of the springform pan without the sides, and cover it in plastic to prevent drying out.
- Freeze: This sugar-free cheesecake freezes beautifully, as long as you let it set first. For best results, place it into the freezer uncovered (on a parchment lined baking sheet) for several hours first, until solid. (I prefer doing it this way so that I 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. The texture is best within 1 month, but up to 3 months is okay.
- Thaw: You can thaw the cake in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for 2-4 hours. I remove the foil before thawing, but it’s fine to leave the plastic on.
Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Hand Mixer – Mine has variable speeds, which is particularly useful for cheesecakes where high speed introduces too many air bubbles. And the best part? I can store all its attachments right in the base, so no more hunting around in drawers! (But if you’re not up for holding a mixer for a while, go with a stand mixer instead.)
- Springform Pan – If you’re making any kind of low carb cheesecake, you’ve gotta have a springform pan like this one. Trying to get one out of a regular cake pan is just asking for trouble. Some readers have asked about using a pie pan — I haven’t tested this, but you’d probably need less filling.
- Pastry Spatula – This little tool is a lifesaver for getting the top of your cheesecake perfectly smooth. I also use it for frosting my other keto cakes!
Keto Cheesecake (Sugar Free & Low Carb)
By
An easy keto cheesecake recipe that tastes like the real thing! This low carb sugar-free cheesecake is rich and sweet, but just 5g net carbs.
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Almond Flour Cheesecake Crust:
Keto Cheesecake Filling:
Instructions
[ See step photos ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
Almond Flour Cheesecake Crust:
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan with parchment paper.
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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.
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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:
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Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and powdered sweetener together at low to medium speed until fluffy.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
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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:
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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.
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Bake for about 40-55 minutes, until the center is almost set, but still jiggly.
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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.)
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice (1/16 of recipe)
- Tips & substitutions: See the details in the post above! I’ve got ways to make this keto cheesecake with different crusts (or crustless), the impact of different sweeteners, and tips to avoid cracking, a gritty texture, or a runny or crumbly filling.
- Carb count differences: Many online calculators get the nutrition info wrong for this recipe. See the details on why in the post above.
- Topping ideas: You can use raspberry sauce (from my Easy Keto Cookbook), one of my recipes for sugar-free chocolate syrup, sugar-free whipped cream, and/or sugar-free caramel sauce, my new zero sugar syrups with real fruit (in strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry), or simply fresh berries.
- Store: 3-5 days in the fridge.
- Freeze: Up to 1 month for the best texture, but up to 3 months is okay. To get good results when freezing, see my instructions in the post above.
- Thaw: In the fridge overnight, or on the counter for 2-4 hours.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Cookbook here.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© 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.
Keto Cheesecake
More Keto Cheesecake Recipes
I use this keto cheesecake as a base for all my other sugar-free cheesecake recipes! After you’ve tried the classic version, try one of my variations:
2,270 Comments
Janice
0Hi, I have kidney disease & i’d like to know; what are the ‘Full Nutritional Facts’ for your recipes. I have to be careful/mindful of certain things such as Potassium & Phosphorus. Thx So so Much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Janice, Those can vary by brand, so you’d have to calculate them from the specific brands of ingredients you buy. Best wishes and sorry to hear what you’re going through!
Larry B Probert
0Tried the recipe and found it was not at all sweet enough and the salt came through too strogly.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Larry! It sounds like there was some error because while sweetness preferences can vary, it should not be salty at all. Did you make any substitutions?
Julianne Roybal
0Hello from Colorado!
I attended a potluck this past Sunday and all the ladies couldn’t believe it was all sugar free! Some even had second helpings. I must admit, I didn’t follow all the instructions for the cheesecake for a few reasons. I had run out of parchment paper, so I used a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners. After changing the serving size (down to 12) to agree with the fact that I only had 24 ounces of cream cheese, I saw that I needed 2 1/4 eggs…How on earth do I measure a fourth of a slimy egg!? Lol! So I just whisked in 3 whole eggs! I measured 1 1/2 tsp of the almond crust into 24 cupcake liners and baked them just under 10 minutes so they wouldn’t burn. I made the filling as indicated but, all I had was an erithrytol allulose blend sweetener. I know, I really need to purchase yours! Soon! I promise!
Then I baked the mini cheesecakes for 15 minutes. The middle was a little jiggly. I let them cool and served them as is at the potluck with some homemade whipping cream and fresh raspberries and sugar free dark chocolate chips on the side. My friends were in heaven. I shared your website with them! Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yay, that’s awesome, Julianne! I’m glad you got it to work even with adjusting the ingredients to what you had. (Yes, as you found, scaling the recipe doesn’t always produce logical amounts.) Thank you so much for sharing my website with your friends, it means a lot.
Sherry Giovannoni
0Loved it! And so did my guests. All of whom are watching the calories and sugar. My grandson raved about it and he is 11!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad it was a hit, Sherry! It always makes me smile when a recipe is enjoyed by everyone, especially an 11-year-old. I’m happy your guests loved it, too. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa Heil
0We loved it! We made it for my birthday! It was especially great with raspberry sauce – we have them growing fresh in our yard right now.
Wholesome Yum D
0Happy belated birthday, Lisa! I’m so glad you chose to make my cheesecake for your celebration and that homegrown raspberry sauce sounds absolutely delicious. I’m thrilled you loved it!
Gabriella Armstrong
0This was the first keto dessert recipe I ever made and I go back to it time and again.
Wholesome Yum D
0Thank you so much, Gabriella! It means a lot that this was your first keto dessert and that you still come back to it. I’m so glad it’s remained one of your favorites.
Nancy
0Perfect! No one knew it was sugar free or keto! Ran out too fast last week so making another one for a birthday boy.
Wholesome Yum D
0That’s always the best compliment, Nancy. Glad everyone enjoyed it, and it sounds like making another one for the birthday boy is a must. Hope it disappears just as quickly this time around.
Sue
0I make a version your “no bake cheesecake”, but have never been happy with what I’m using for crust. Is there any reason that I couldn’t use the coconut flour recipe/baked crust above with your no bake cheesecake recipe? I don’t eat almond flour.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sue, Yes, you can definitely mix and match the crust. Enjoy!
Kat
0how many net carbs with no crust?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kat, The nutrition info is for the recipe as written. If you want macros with modifications, you can customize the recipe in the Wholesome Yum App — it will auto update the nutrition info if you add, remove, or change ingredients.
Ceci
0Wow! This cheesecake recipe was fantastic! The almond flour crust was soft and held together. I added a dash of cinnamon to the dough. I opted for the salted caramel variation, topping mine with caramel sauce and whipped cream. Thank you!
Wholesome Yum D
0Glad you enjoyed it, Ceci. The little bit of cinnamon in the crust was probably really. Happy to hear the crust held together well for you, too!
Randene Hardy
0We can’t get Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend in Canada and on Amazon it is $30 Can. for 12 oz. Can I use SWERVE instead? Or Monk fruit with Erythritol sweetener? So many of your recipes call for Allulose and I can’t find it anywhere. I want to make this dessert.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Randene, You can get Besti in Canada here — just switch the flag to Canadian at the top. I explained above why I don’t recommend Swerve or other erythritol-based sweeteners.
Kay
0Do you have an unbaked version? Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kay, Yes, You can find my no bake keto cheesecake here.
Robbin D.
0Hello Maya! I’m truly excited to make this Keto CheeseCake recipe, however, the springform pan I have is 10×2.75 inch…can you suggest any recipe changes that will make that size work in your 9 inch springform size recipe? Thank you!
Tracy
0I love this recipe, but for someone doing keto, almond flour still has a lot of carbs. I found an alternative crust made from crushed pecans that I use with this cheesecake filling recipe and its amazing.
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks for sharing your idea, Tray! I’m happy you found a way to make the cheesecake work for you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Robbin, The timing would be different but I don’t have that size pan so am not sure. I would check on it sooner to be safe.
Kris Fussell
0I am on a low-carb diet and so are our guests for tonight. Made this and swear to God could not tell the difference between this and a regular cheesecake! Excellent!
Wholesome Yum D
0Kris, thank you so much for sharing this! Hearing you couldn’t tell the difference from a regular cheesecake is the best compliment. So glad it was a hit for everyone!
Mindy McQuaid
0My first sugar free cheese cake is about to go in the oven!!!
Ty 🤞🤞
Kim
0It is perfect although I used the entire lemon rind b/c we love lemon!
Wholesome Yum D
0Kim, thanks so much for sharing! Using the whole lemon is a great idea for extra lemony flavor. So glad you loved it!
Jamie
0I make a lot of cheesecakes. Get requests to make them for birthdays and this is amazing!!! Will make it again and again for sure!!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Jamie, I’m so glad this one was a hit for you. I love that you’ll be making it again, that’s the best compliment! 🙂
Kathleen KARLE
0This is the second time I’ve used this recipe because we liked it so well the first time. This time I made an addition of some cocoa powder to the crust. Then I left about 1/2 cup of the filling aside, and added cocoa powder to that. Then I swirled it into the cheesecake, made some pretty decorations.
Wholesome Yum D
0Kathleen, Your cocoa swirl idea sounds absolutely delicious, especially with the chocolate crust. I’m so happy you made it your own!
Hally
0Been using this recipe for years, the best ever. Don’t change anything, always add a fresh fruit topping. Wonderful. Thanks!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hally, this means so much to me! And adding a fresh fruit topping sounds absolutely perfect. So glad it’s been a favorite for you!
Cynthia
0I know this a “jenny-come-lately” comment, but I’m sure he meant 1/3 Cup, especially since he probably would have said “one teaspoon” instead of “1/3 tablespoon.” We know that one teaspoon of butter would be really odd and unheard of in a cheesecake recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cynthia, I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you’re asking or referring to here. Can you please clarify?