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 (110 g) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (21.5 g) cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (45.5 g) Swerve Granular
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, melted
Filling:
- 3 ounces (85.05 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 tbsp butter
- 24 ounces (680.39 g) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup Swerve Granular, See blog post for more sweetener options
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (21.5 g) cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup (78.86 ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
Topping:
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) whipping cream
- 3 tbsp Swerve Confectioners
- 1 tbsp allulose, **See recipe notes
- 2 oz (56.7 g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
I have made the smart decision to start worshipping you. Lol
This recipe is amazing!! My cheesecake just came out of the oven and looks beautiful (minus a few cracks that’ll be covered by the topping). I tasted the batter before I poured it on the crust and I couldn’t believe my taste buds.
I feel so naughty eating it! I know that it’s super rich, so that’ll keep me from eating more than one slice per day.
I’ve needed this. So bad. You’ve done a great service to all low carbers.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Such a treat for my diabetic husband!
In the ganache, you say to use unsweetened chocolate. Is this baking chocolate, rather than the unsweetened chocolate used in the filling? What do you recommend?
The filling is sugar-free dark chocolate, but it’s actually sweetened (i.e. Lily’s brand…it’s a link so click on it and you will see). The other is the totally unsweetened baking chocolate such as Ghirardelli 100% cacao.
I used 60% girhadeli (sp?) Chocolate bars. I found it in the baking section and my cheesecake is AMAZING.
That’s pretty high carb chocolate, just so you are aware. That has a fair bit of sugar in it.
I used the 70% dark and the unsweetened chocolate mixed as I only had 2 oz. Of unsweetened left! I also used dark chocolate chips for the ganache. When I added everything into my fitness pal it comes out 9 carbs for a full piece! It’s amazing!!
Would I use a cup total of trivia? Half of it blended into powder?
I don’t know, I don’t use Truvia. It’s sweeter than Swerve so find out how it measures against sugar and then use that amount compared to my Swerve (Swerve measure cup for cup with sugar).
Would using THMs “Skinny Chocolate” work for the sugar-free dark chocolate? Anyone made it that way before?
I love all cheese cake. I’m on the lookout for a dairy free recipe. teehee.
Carolyn, I know you chill this to set it, but do you have to keep it in the refrigerator? For instance, if you wanted to sit it out on a dessert table for about half an hour, would it hold up well? Thanks! Your recipes are always so awesome!!
can this be made with regular sugar and flower?
I am sure it can, but I cannot tell you how as I no longer bake with those things.
I made this recipe for Valentine’s Day and it is wonderful! I am also a diabetic and I was fine with a small slice. I am drug free after changing all of my dietary protocols so this was a lovely treat. I really don’t care about dessert except for occasions anymore and this cake fit the bill. I also topped it with fresh cream, delicious! We are still eating off of it and I froze a chunk, too. It is a very rich, dark chocolate experience. My children requested I try making it with a less intense chocolate next time so I will experiment. They are not accustomed to as dark a chocolate flavor as the recipe makes.
Thank you so much for posting the recipe, it is a keeper around our house and certainly wonderful enough to serve at any occasion or none at all!
Ha, my kids prefer the less chocolate-y things too…but then it wouldn’t be death by chocolate cheesecake!
Wow! This cheesecake is amazing! As a diabetic, I was so hopeful that it would be good, and I was not disappointed. After a heavy meal, there were growns all around when we set the cake on the table and paired it with fresh whipped cream. However, everyone had a piece and loved it. I had two pieces. 🙂 Come to think, there are leftovers. I think I see a piece (or two) in my immediate future. Yum!
So glad you liked it!
I wish I could eat Dairy, I’d be all over this.
I made this for my family on Valentine’s Day, and once my boys (ages 5 & 7) heard the title, they were convinced it was so good it did cause death! Lots of funny drama at the table and laughter all around. Thanks for another amazing (heathy) dessert:-)
Cute!
Made this today as a valentine for my husband and it is DELICIOUS!! Followed recipe exactly except… Cooked in an electric pressure cooker. Used a 7″ springform pan. It is awesome! First chocolate cheesecake I’ve made that is truly Chocolatey!!
How long did you do in the pressure cooker? I just got one for Christmas, that would be a great use!
24 minutes. Then Natural release after about 10 minutes. If there is any condensation on top, dab with a paper towel. It’s a natural water bath! This cheesecake is so rich and yummy!
What would happen if I used half and half in the topping? That’s all I have at home right now and I’d like to make this now! : ) I won’t be going to the store for a couple days but may have to make a trip if I need too.
I think it should work.
Hello! I’m dying to try this. Could I substitute the sweetener you are using with xylitol? And the chocolate with Enjoy Life semi-sweet?
That should work.
Made this as a dessert for dinner guests last night, it turned out great, everyone enjoyed it.
This was great – made it today as a trial for Christmas and it will definitely be appearing at our family gathering.
I made my own “powdered” erythritol/stevia by food-processer-ing the heck out of the ordinary stuff (can’t get powdered in New Zealand) and there wasn’t a trace of graininess in the cheesecake. It was sublime.
For the ganache I just used my regular sugar-free-but-sweetened chocolate and cream (75 g and 30 ml) and it was good.
Thank you so much for this recipe!
I cant wait to try this…can this be frozen if its not finished? i want to make it this week but i would like to save the uneaten portion for another day…is this possible?
Yes, it would freeze well as long as you wrap it up tightly.
Hi Carolyn, I am making this today but in Canada I have tried finding heavy cream with no success, do you have any alternatives to that? Thank you
Whipping cream is fine.
Do you really need one full cup of sweetener in the filling? It says 1/2 cup Swerve Sweetener and 1/2 Cup of Powdered Swerve Sweetener. Just want to make sure I don’t O.D on the sweetener after so long without any at all 🙂
You can certainly cut back but I think you will find it a little bitter, because of the unsweetened chocolate. 1 cup of sugar equivalent in a cheesecake this big is actually much LESS sweet than a traditional cheesecake.
I can’t find Swerve sweetener at any of my local grocery stores, so I picked up Pyure brand sweetener. It measures equal to sugar, but they do not make a powder form and could not find any other brands either. Do I absolutely need the powdered form for the cheesecake portion? For the ganache, I know that it is required, however I read online that you can make a powder sweetener with 1 cup sweetener and 1 tablespoon corn starch. I know it will be higher carbs, but I have run out of options locally to make this for tomorrow. Can you offer any suggestions on this? Thank you!
I think in the cheesecake you may be okay. But in the ganache, I honestly can’t say how well it will work.
I know this comment will be late for you; but wanted you and others to know how easy it is to make powdered sugar from any sweetener you have on hand. It works equally well with xylitol, erythritol and I even do half Splenda to save cost and mixing sweeteners often give a better taste. Put any granular sugar substitute in processor or bullet blender and process until you have powdered sugar. Takes only a minute. I have also had luck subbing out whey protein powder for powdered sugar in making icing.
Thanks for the tips!
Oooooooooh man. I just made this for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, but I made a “sample” in a small ramekin to taste without ruining the whole cake. My God, it’s wonderful! I simply cannot believe how awesome it is. I am going to do without the ganache since I have to take this an hour away tomorrow in the car and it tastes awesome without it. My son (who is on keto for epilepsy) will LOVE this. Thank you!!!!
So glad you liked and hope your son does too!