Keto Cheesecake
This keto cheesecake is creamy, sweet, deeply satisfying, and best of all, under 2 grams of carbs per serving!
I have been doing keto now for over a year. Well, I mean, I did have some breaks in between because I can never seem to resist carbs, but I always go back on the keto train and this keto cheesecake is what let me keep calm and keto on for so long. It has no crust, no water bath, no xanthan gum. Just cream cheese, sweetener, egg, and heavy cream. It’s the easiest keto cheesecake you’ll ever make.
This is the BEST keto cheesecake out there. There’s not crust, no finicky water bath and just four ingredients. The cheesecake comes out soft and creamy, just like a regular Basque cheesecake.
This cheesecake has slightly firm edges with a supple molten cream cheese center that barely holds together. It’s like a decadent slice of triple cream brie, but cheesecake! It has a lightly burnished caramelize top and is delicious at room temp or out of the fridge. I love it so, so much.
What?! Keto cheesecake?
Yes! Keto cheesecake is a gluten free, sugar-free, low carb cheesecake that fits easily into your daily macros when on a keto diet. It won’t kick you out of ketosis and will definitely satisfy your cheesecake cravings. It’s creamy and sweet and rich. There’s no finicky crust and bakes up in a flash.
This keto cheesecake is based on my all time favorite kind of cheesecake: basque cheesecake.
Maybe you’ve seen pictures of basque cheesecake floating around the internet or instagram when you’re looking longingly at photos of carb heavy food that you can’t eat? Oh wait, is that just me? I don’t know why I torture myself by looking at carb-y desserts, but I do. And basque cheesecake just calls to me. It’s been called the easiest cheesecake to make because it has no water bath and no crust. The top is a lovely dark burnished brown that adds a hint of bitter caramel, kind of like the caramelized part of a creme brûlée.
Keto cheesecake ingredients
- Cream cheese. My favorite brand of cream cheese is the original, the one in the silver box, you know what I’m talking about. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temp before you start baking.
- Sweetener. I love using Swerve because it’s natural and a one to one swap. You can use your favorite erythritol sweetener.
- Egg. Gotta love eggs on the keto diet! The egg is what binds the cheesecake together.
- Heavy cream. This will add just an extra touch of richness and thin out the batter just a touch.
Which low carb sweetener should I use?
Sweetener is hotly debated in keto. When I first started I didn’t touch the stuff. But as time went on, I did more and more research and I realized that even though a lot of sweetness have weird names that end in “ol” (like erythritol or xylitol) they’re actually found in natural ingredients like fruits and vegetables. Plus they have zero carbs so, yeah, I got pretty into them. My favorite of the bunch is Swerve (this isn’t sponsored LOL) but you can go ahead and use your favorite, just make sure it’s a one-to-one swap and that it’s granulated, not liquid. I’ve used monk fruit sweetener in this cake successfully too, but Swerve will caramelize better.
How to make keto cheesecake
- Fluff. Start with absolutely room temp cream cheese. The softer the better because the Swerve will melt into it better and the cream cheese and resulting cheesecake will be smoother. Use a stand mixer or your arm strength to really mix together the cream cheese and sweetener, making sure the mixture is light, fluffy, and lump free.
- Beat. After the cream cheese sweetener mix is smooth, it’s time to beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure that the batter is smooth after every egg.
- Stir. Slowly add the cream and stir it in gently.
- Bake. Pour everything into a parchment paper lined pan and bake until the top is deeply caramelized. Let it cool until room temp and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions about keto cheesecake:
Can I freeze cheesecake?
Yes! It is my absolute favorite way to eat cheesecake because I love cheesecake in a half frozen state when it tastes kind of like frozen cheesecake ice cream. It’s so good. Also, I like to freeze the extra slices so I don’t eat the whole cheesecake in one go. Personally I slice this cheesecake into tiny squares (way smaller than the portion size I indicated) and freeze them for little pops of happiness.
Can I make a big keto cheesecake?
Absolutely! This is a recipe for a small keto cheesecake because I know if I make a big one I can eat the entire thing over 2 days so it’s my way of portion control.
Help, my cheesecake cracked!
Don’t worry about it! One of the blessings of basque cheesecake is that a cracked top is okay. The key point to keto basque cheesecake is the burnished burnt top that contrasts with the creamy sweet cream cheese.
Keep calm and keto cheesecake on fellow keto-ers! May all your meals be carb free!
xoxo steph
