Keto Chocolate Cheesecake is the ultimate dessert for chocolate lovers. This mouthwatering baked cheesecake has triple the chocolate for triple the fun.
There’s a reason I call this recipe “Death by Chocolate Cheesecake”. Because really, if it’s your time, is there any better way to go than enjoying bite after bite of a luscious, rich dessert?
I always feel so sad for people who say they don’t like cheesecake. As far as I am concerned, they are missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures. Creamy and dense, keto cheesecake is just this side of heaven.
And when you combine it with chocolate, it’s absolutely mind-blowing. No wonder this low carb dessert recipe is one of my most popular! Along with my classic Keto Chocolate Mousse, it’s one of my favorite desserts too.
Why this is recipe is so awesome
This really is the ultimate keto chocolate cheesecake experience. And I tweaked it recently to make it lighter and lower in carbs, without sacrificing that rich, triple chocolate flavor.
This cake features an easy chocolate crust made with nut flour. It resembles the Oreo crust of conventional cheesecakes, but with a fraction of the carbs. Then comes a creamy filling made with both melted chocolate and cocoa powder, so it’s dense and rich. Then you top the whole cake off with a sugar-free chocolate ganache glaze.
Can you say “heaven on a fork”??? I made it for a recent get together with friends, and everyone kept taking extra little slices here and there. It was more than half gone before I knew it. I did manage to rescue a slice to keep for myself!
Baked cheesecakes like this do take some time and effort. But it’s a worthwhile endeavour for chocolate lovers, I promise. And I walk you through the process step by step, and give you added tips to make it come out perfectly.
Reader reviews
“I’ve made this several times and there’s another in the oven now. This is my favorite cheesecake recipe!” — Cathy J.
“Wow. This cheesecake is amazing so creamy and full of chocolate flavor. The crust was superb. Will be making Again. Thank you.” — Linda
“This is da BOMB when it comes to luscious chocolate yumminess! Easy to make — easier to eat! Thank you, Carolyn, for creating such wonderful recipes and sharing them with anyone. You are a one in a million gem.” — Jeanne B.
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: You can really use any nut or seed meal for this crust. This time around, I used some pecan flour I had on hand. You can also make your own sunflower seed flour for a nut-free version.
- Sweetener: You will need several different kinds of sweeteners for this recipe. Please see the Sweetener Options section for a detailed discussion of what to use.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch process cocoa imparts a deeper, richer chocolate flavor.
- Unsweetened chocolate: Do note that this is completely unsweetened chocolate, meaning it doesn’t contain any sweeteners at all. I recommend getting a good brand like Guittard or Ghirardelli, as they are less likely to seize.
- Cream cheese: You really can’t make a cheesecake without it!
- Heavy whipping cream: A little heavy cream smooths out the filling and makes the cheesecake even creamier. You also need it to make the ganache.
- Pantry staples: Butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.
Step-by-step directions
1. Prepare the crust: Whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, and sweetener. Stir in the melted butter until well combined. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, and then remove and reduce oven temperature to 300ºF.
2. Melt the chocolate: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate. Stir frequently until smooth, then set aside to let cool.
3. Beat the cream cheese: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, until super creamy. Beat in the sweetener and vanilla extract, then beat in the melted chocolate. Scrape down the beaters and the sides of the bowl to make sure no clumps of cream cheese remain.
4. Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time until just barely incorporated. Then beat in the cocoa powder and heavy whipping cream until the mixture becomes smooth. Do not overbeat.
5. Bake the cheesecake: Pour the filling into the pan and gently shake from side to side to even it out. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the filling is mostly set but still jiggles just a little in the center. Remove and let cool to room temperature, then run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the sides. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
6. Make the ganache: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to just a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes to melt, then add the sweetener and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake, allowing some to drip down the sides.
Expert tips
Baked cheesecake is a labor of love and the process can be utterly enjoyable. The most important thing is to take your time. Don’t rush any of the steps and read my tips for achieving the creamiest keto chocolate cheesecake!
Use room temperature ingredients. That includes the cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream. You want them to incorporate easily and if they’re cold, you could end up with lumpy cheesecake batter.
Take the time to beat the cream cheese thoroughly before adding any other ingredients. It should be very creamy after beating it for at least a minute, if not more. This really makes a difference to the cheesecake texture.
Unsweetened chocolate can be finicky and prone to seizing so always melt it over low heat. A little butter or coconut oil also helps thin it out so that it combines better with the cheesecake filling. Make sure you let it cool properly before beating it into the filling.
Don’t over-beat the eggs. You want to beat each one in until just barely incorporated. Overbeating cheesecake filling makes it rise and fall during baking, and then crack as it cools.
Don’t overcook it! Cheesecake should always be taken out before it’s cooked through. It will continue to cook once it’s out of the oven so make sure the center still has a little jiggle to it. Check on it frequently in the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
Sweetener Options
What sweeteners you use also makes a difference to this Keto Chocolate Cheesecake. If you want the crust to have some crispness to it, you need an erythritol based sweetener with no allulose in it. You can use the new Swerve Monk Fruit blend, which is just erythritol and monk fruit. Or you can use Lakanto or So Nourished.
The filling is a little more forgiving when it comes to sweeteners. You can use erythritol, allulose, BochaSweet, or a combination. I like the combination of Swerve Granular and Swerve allulose, to help inhibit any recrystallization.
I find that a little allulose actually helps the chocolate ganache stay shiny and soft. So I use mostly Swerve Confectioners with tablespoon of Swerve allulose.
Frequently Asked Questions
As long as you use the right ingredients and the right sweeteners, you can enjoy chocolate cheesecake on a low carb or keto diet. This Death by Chocolate Cheesecake uses nut flour and low carb sweeteners for a delicious keto dessert.
This keto chocolate cheesecake recipe has 7.8g of carbs and 3.2g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4.6g net carbs per slice.
Store the cheesecake in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for up to a week. You can also freeze it for several months. If you plan on making it ahead for a party, I recommend leaving the ganache off until a few hours before you serve it, so it stays glossy.
More amazing cheesecake recipes
Keto Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup Swerve Granular
- ¼ cup butter melted
Filling:
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup Swerve Granular See blog post for more sweetener options
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
Topping:
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon Swerve Confectioners
- 1 tablespoon allulose **See recipe notes
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, and sweetener. Stir in the melted butter until well combined.
- Press mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, and then remove and reduce the oven temperature to 300ºF.
Filling
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate with the butter. Stir frequently until smooth, then set aside to let cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, until super creamy. Beat in the sweetener and vanilla extract, then beat in the melted chocolate. Scrape down the beaters and the sides of the bowl to make sure no clumps of cream cheese remain.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until just barely incorporated. Then beat in the cocoa powder and heavy whipping cream until the mixture becomes smooth. Do not overbeat.
- Pour the filling into the pan and gently shake from side to side to even it out. Tap lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the filling is mostly set but still jiggles just a little in the center.
- Remove and let cool to room temperature, then run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the sides. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Topping
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to just a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes to melt, then add the sweetener and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
- Pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake, allowing some to drip down the sides. You can also use an offset spatula to cover the sides with some of the ganache.
Paola Vazquez says
I love this recipe! Do you think I could replace almond flour for coconut?
Carolyn says
No, because coconut flour behaves so differently. I suggest looking for a chocolate coconut flour crust recipe and then making the rest of the cheesecake as is.
Susan says
Well, I finally got around to having this for dear Husband…We even ate the first slices not totally chilled…and he said, ‘the best cheesecake ever, perfect’.
Also froze the canned coconut milk in ice cube sizes…oh, so handy and I haven’t been able to tell a loss of quality with the freezing.
Thank you yet again for your fantabulous creation, Carolyn.
Kaleigh McMordie says
Wow this looks delicious! It reminds me of a chocolate cheesecake my mom used to make. Do you think it would work with regular sugar and pwdered sugar as well?
Carolyn says
Yes, it should.
TAMMY MCMANNIS says
These slices have to be quite small if you are getting 16 slices out of it. I think cutting it into 8 slices gives you a small piece. This must be a sliver. I would want something bigger than that, but not with all those carbs, which would be doubled at 8 slices.
Carolyn says
8 slices would be ridiculously huge, actually. Most 9 inch cheesecakes like this serve at least 12 to 16, and I base my serving sizes on how much I and my family members are able to eat. I think you are underestimating the richness of a dessert like this.
Dena says
Can anyone who makes this please either tell me the weight of a slice or a whole cake? Miners half gone and I need to weigh out my calories for my woe. I would very much appreciate it!!
Only changes I made were to add some freeze dried coffee and 1 T of Kahlua to the frosting to bump up the chocolate even more. It could have survived and flourished without it, though. WOW, WHAT A CAKE!!
Carolyn says
I am sorry, I don’t know the weight of the cake or slices of cake.
Dena says
No worries. It was my bad for not remembering in the first place. Thanks anyhow! It was a fabulous cake. 🙂
Hope says
I made this incredible cake last Friday (Wednesday now)– and have to rave about how rich and delicious it is! I sent a large slice home with a new-to-low-carbing friend on Saturday, who called yesterday to ask if I had any more of the wonderful *diet* chocolate cake. This cake is so good, so silky and so decadent! It’s really many more than sixteen servings– as just a thin slice makes you feel completely satisfied and indulged! I just had another piece for “lunch dessert” and am now down to the last quarter. Can’t wait to make something new soon! Thanks Carolyn, for yet another AMAZING recipe!
Carolyn says
You are most welcome and I hope we have converted your friend!
Kitty says
don’t you think it’s time to make a lemon version? I love lemon, lemon anything, but I’m sure a lemon cheesecake would be heavenly!.
denise says
I LOVE this recipe but which it could be condensed into a smaller sized portion.
Carolyn says
Anything can be made smaller…your biggest issue is going to be finding a smaller springform pan. But they do make them! For example, Wilton makes these little individual sized pans http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DIX7U/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000DIX7U&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=AEKDOHWDCFUGRPXR And you could then do a half recipe of the cake to fit into 4 to 6 of those little pans.
amanda says
I was thinking of making this in a muffin pan with parchment liners. What do you think a good starting cook time would be?
Carolyn says
I’d do 20 minutes and check every few minutes after that.
Amanda says
I made in the muffin pan, in parchment paper liners. It made 24. I cooked the crust for 8 min and the cheesecake for 22 min. Worked perfect! They were soooo good!
Erica Kollman says
How many carbs per ounce does the cream cheese you used have? Also, I splurged and bought most of the ingredients from The Fresh Market. Expensive, but worth it. I’ve only tasted the batter and it’s soooooo good! (It should be ready soon.) Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Carolyn says
I think it has 2 g carbs per ounce? I just used the regular Philly cream cheese.
Erica Kollman says
Thanks! The Fresh Market store brand is 1 g carb per ounce, which is the kind I used. (That’s why I was curious.) The cheesecake was AMAZING! I was nice and shared some with a few coworkers. They couldn’t believe it was sugar-free. They all asked for the recipe.
Carolyn says
Wonderful!
Ida says
Is there an alternative I could use for the Lily’s chocolate? I can’t find any near me, and I’m hoping to make this for someone’s birthday tomorrow. Would a 70% or so Ghirardelli baking bar work? Thank you!
Carolyn says
I think a high cacao chocolate should work but it will be a bit higher in carbs.
Hope says
I used Lindt 90%– beautiful flavor and texture!
Denise says
For all of us Canadians having trouble finding almond flour – I just picked up some Honeyville almond flour at Costco – in Canada! Woo hoo!
Carolyn says
Hey, that’s good to know!
Angela says
Hey Denise, if you live in Toronto you can find at almost all major supermarkets but the cheapest one I found so far was for $11.99 at a shop in Kensington Market.
Rebecca says
Hi, any idea how much THM Gentle Sweet could be used in place of the Swerve? That is what I have on hand. Thanks so much!
Carolyn says
Well, Swerve measures like sugar so however much Gentle Sweet equals that same amount of sugar that I have in each part of the recipe. Does that make sense? Also, not sure if Gentle Sweet is powdered but you really want a powdered sweetener for the glaze so it doesn’t get gritty.
Linda Luksha says
I’m new to cooking low carbohydrate recipes and would like to know the difference in the three Swerve brand Sweeteners in your Death By Chocolate Cheesecake recipe. Thank you for your fantastic site!!
Carolyn says
There are only two Swerve sweeteners (both in this recipe and in general). One is powdered, like icing sugar. You need that for glaze, for sure and it’s best to use half powdered and half regular (granulated) in the cheesecake itself.
Linda Luksha says
Thank You!!
Sharon Sutton says
I had the same question about the sweeteners since you list Swerve sweetener, Swerve powdered sweetener, and Swerve confectioner’s sweetener. I, too, was unsure what to use, having no Swerve in my arsenal …yet. Now, I know what to look for. Also wondering if I can freeze this in individual slices to stash for my rare (but relentless when they attack) chocolate cravings?
Carolyn says
Yes, wrap them up tight!
Lucine says
I made this for my dad’s birthday, and now he wants it for father’s day! he still raves about this cheesecake and went around showing a picture to his coworkers (who all drooled). It really was a lovely looking cake! thank you so much for the recipe. The only alters I made to the recipe was using 85% dark chocolate in place of both the sugar free and unsweetened chocolate’s and I put the chocolate coating all over, rather then just on top. I froze the leftovers in individual slices tightly wrapped in cling wrap (worked perfectly). The only difficulty I encountered was not owning a cheesecake pan (I’m not a big fan of cheesecake…don’t judge me). but I used a 9in straight side pan that was 1 & 1/4in deep pan and I learned cheesecake pans are deeper, so it was VERY full and still more then could safely fit. (would definitely recommend a 1/ & 3/4 or 2in deep pan). With left over filling I whipped up some more of the simple (but yummy) crust. And made mini versions in cupcake pans. They turned out really well! (but the cake was just a smidgen better).
Teneko says
I had the same question. You listed 3 different Swerve sweetener:
1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener (crust)
1/2 cup Swerve Sweetener (filling)
1/2 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener (filling)
1/3 cup confectioner’s Swerve Sweetener (topping)
I couldn’t find any “powdered Swerve” in the stores, so I just ran the regular granulated Swerve through a Vitamix. Was that what you meant, or did you mean that we were supposed to use a half cup of granulated and 1/2 cup of confectioner’s in the filling?
Carolyn says
Powdered Swerve = confectioner’s. Like powdered sugar = icing sugar.
Josh says
You can find Powdered Swerve on Amazon for a reasonable price
Patty Sisk says
So when you say just Swerve Sweetener you mean the granulated and when you mean the powdered, you specify that? I am in my 3rd week on Keto and have not used any sweeteners yet, but I did buy a bag of Pyure Organic Stevia Blend. Could that be used in place of Swerve?
Carolyn says
Yup, that’s exactly it. The way I see it, sugar is just called sugar, and powdered sugar is called powdered or confectioner’s or icing sugar.
I think the Pyure should work in the cake but not sure how it will fare in the ganache.
Amanda Butler says
Pyure measures different from sugar so check the back of the the bag on how much to use. I’m never sure about using less so I use pyure for drinks and buy swerve from thrive market (cheapest by far) for cooking with
Carolyn says
Thanks for your input!
Chris Sanchez says
This must be heaven……so glad you have these recipes
Susan says
well, it’s been hopscotch around my kitchen this morning because of your fabulous recipes…
I made the mistake of reading your ‘death by chocolate’ headline to dear husband when I opened up your blog post today. And then had to ‘take it away’ when I saw the link to the Coconut
Cheesecake with Macadamia Nut Crust! I bribed him with a fresh batch of last week’s No Bake
Chocolate Chip Cookie dough and promised to make the dbc Cheesecake next weekend. For good measure, since the processor was already out from the pantry, I whipped up a double recipe of your Sunflower Butter. We are SET for the absolute BEST mouthwatering sweets!
Can’t wait to have a slice of the Coconut Cheesecake with my espresso this evening. How do you preserve the leftovers from the can of Coconut milk? Do you know if freezing it alters the texture? It would be handy to freeze in an ice cube tray and just take out what you need.
Yummy appreciation, Carolyn
Carolyn says
Haha, wow! You really are making all my recipes in one go! I actually have some coconut milk in the fridge and now I am kicking myself that i didn’t use it for muffins this morning. I have never tried freezing it, though. I think it’s worth a shot!
Jo says
I think freezing in an ice cube tray is an excellent idea! I’m going to start doing that to throw in morning smoothies.
Molly says
Dear Carolyn, why do you do this to me? lol. Craving this hardcore right now! I’m doing allergy testing in a few weeks to see if I’m still allergic to tree nuts and if not, I will make this ASAP. If I am I’ll just make the middle and top parts and eat those. Yum.
Laura F. says
Oh my, I have to make this soon! Looks so scrumpdillicious!!
Suzy says
Chocolate and cheesecake, wonderful Combination ! I’m going to have to try this and I’m in luck… my sister just gave me a cheesecake baking pan!
Dawn says
Haha I have the opposite problem, I love cheesecake but not chocolate. Everyone thinks I’m crazy but I’ve always preferred fruity or creamy desserts. I’ve had a marble cheesecake and it was delicious, so maybe a chocolate cheesecake is the answer to turning me into a chocolate lover! 😉
Marsha says
Do you have any recommendations for the sugar free chocolate used?
Carolyn says
I always use Lily’s http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CLFH0EG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CLFH0EG&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=XXG4HNGG77YK2EFH
Michele Clow says
Hi. I don’t know if I’ve commented before on your site, but just to let you know, I don’t think I could stick to this way of eating if it wasn’t for your recipes. Thank you so much. But for your link to Lily’s unsweetened chocolate, as that is $55.00 would (sorry if I’m committing a sin) Bakers unsweetened chocolate be ok to use?
Carolyn says
Hi Michele. That link is off…it should be that much for a case of 12 and there are other links when I click through that show Lily’s 12 bars for $55 or less. Sorry about that! That said, you could probably use unsweetened chocolate but I wouldn’t use Bakers as it’s too prone to seizing. Use Ghirardelli or some other higher quality chocolate. You will probably want to use a little more sweetener too.
Here’s a better link for the Lily’s which shows a case of 12 being $49. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0082H1T8A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0082H1T8A&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=34GN5RIDDS322RG3
Wendy Wilson says
Lilly’s is not hard to find in grocery stores, I can find them in 2 local stores.
Erik says
All unsweetened chocolates are prone to seizing when any moisture is added to them when melted.
Carolyn says
Yes, I realize that but some brands are better than others and some seize even when simply subjected to heat.
Chakalit Harris says
Glad to know it was for the whole case for $49! The link I clicked on said “3 ounce bar”, nothing mentioned about it being for the whole case! Thanks for clearing that up.
Amy Montgomery says
The only store near me that sells Lily’s is Publix and it’s a 30 minute drive through horrific traffic so I rarely shop there. Also, half the time that I do go, they are out. Ordered chocolate once on line and it was melted into a clump when it arrived so I usually settle for whatever I can find. Planning to make this tomorrow for Bunco.
Stephanie says
I have found an unsweetened chocolate that uses monk fruit as the sweetener. I like it better than the stevia based Lillie’s. It’s made by Lakanto.
Carolyn says
Glad you like it. I don’t like theirs as much but we all have different taste buds!
catherine flannigan says
If any of y’all have a Sprouts by you, their Lily’s 9 oz frequently goes on sale for &4.99 & I stock up! The Lankano are more than double that price in the store.
Chakalit Harris says
You paid $49.00 for 3 ounces of chocolate?!!!
Carolyn says
No, I paid $49 dollars for 12 bars of 3 ounces each.
Christine E says
I made this last night! Thank you!! I struggle to stay away from sugar filled sweets. This was easy and is delish!! I really can’t believe it’s low carb!i appreciate your recipes!
Pam says
I made the mistake of reading this first thing this morning. Now I am craving cheesecake for breakfast!!! I meet with a small group of gals to enccourage one another in eating low carb and we frequently share recipes we’ve tried since the last time we meet. It becomes humorous how often we are referring to a recipe that you created that becomes a “tried and true” in our homes. 😉
Thanks, again, for what looks like a home run!!
Off to see if I have all the ingredients on hand….
Carolyn says
Thanks, Pam. So glad you all like the recipes!
Cyn says
Hey, cheesecake has eggs in it, and cream cheese goes on bagels which are appropriate for breakfast. And this version is sugar free, right? I say go for it, have cheesecake for breakfast!
Sheri says
I wonder if the heavy cream in the filling and the whipping cream in the topping are the same thing.
Carolyn says
Yes.