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
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Ok, I don’t know if you’ll answer this since it’s been awhile, but can I use Splenda in this and how do I make it a powdered sugar? I just take the amount you say and blend it and still use the same amount? So, another words, if I blend one cup into powder, then that’s what I use in the topping? I don’t need 1 cup POWERED sugar (so it may be more than one cup once I blend it)?
I would just do one cup of the Splenda, powder it, and re-measure. Not sure it will be very good in the chocolate ganache, though.
Wow! Made this cake for a family function and it was an absolute hit! Everyone loved it and no one new OT was low carb no sugar cake. Yum yum
What happened? This looked dark and shiny afwhen I put it in the fridge last night. How do I save it
I can’t seem to attach a picture but it looks all cloudy
What can I use instead of almond flour? Dinner guest is allergic to almonds?
Thanks
Try sunflower seed flour. You can grind your own in a coffee grinder or you can purchase it on Amazon. http://amzn.to/2dptmmt
OH.MY.GOD! I just made this with Dagoba 6 oz unsweetened bar and it is incredible. I would NEVER know this is sugar free. I used Erithritol and powdered my own in my cuisinart smoothie maker with the grinder blade and that worked great. I didn’t need to adjust the amount of sweetener even though I used unsweetened because it tasted fine with your amounts. Cooked in my instant pot in a 7″ fat dad daddio cheesecake pan for 35 minutes with a natural release. Perfect!
Sounds like you did a great job of it!
I love this recipe and would like to su out part or all of the cream cheese for ricotta. Do you think this is viable? Thank you, and i dream all day too! ?
I honestly don’t know, I did not test the recipe that way.
Deb, did you try it with ricotta? I had the same thought! Thanks for the recipe Carolyn
My sister has a birthday in July. Think I will make it for her. Cheesecake is her favorite! And chocolate, too!
Are the ounces mass or volume? Trying to convert to metric. Thanks!
Mass.
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!