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.
Bridget says
Can you use almond meal instead of almond flour in the crust?
Carolyn says
That should be fine.
Em says
OOOOOHMYGAWD…. This was so good! I made it for my partner’s birthday and we’ve eaten it for 4 days running. Just finished it and I feel bereft! Now thinking about how I can make mini versions of the cheesecake so we can have it every week 🙂 Thank you ever so much for the recipe, it was a total hit! P.s. It worked beautifully with Truvia sweetener for those folk in the UK.
Diane says
I am wondering why you use both the powdered and regular swerve. Can I use only one type? What is the difference in your experience. Thanks.
Carolyn says
Better consistency. But you can use all powdered…just don’t use all granulated.
Lisa says
Would reducing this by half accommodate a 6-inch cheesecake pan? I want to make this in the Instant Pot!
Carolyn says
Not entirely sure. The area of a 9 inch circle is about 64 whereas the area of a 6 inch circle is 28. So it’s close but you may end up with a wee bit too much filling and crust. You could hold those back or you could just make it a taller cake and see if it works out.
monica says
Made this before and it was AMAZING. Sadly the Swerve made us quite ill. Have you tried making it with Stevia? Would it work?
Carolyn says
I am surprised to hear that as I eat Swerve all the time without any averse effects. I do not like stevia in chocolate recipes, it’s very bitter.
Travis says
No idea what’s up with the site right now; my phone has an adblocker and somehow they’re still getting through here.. which wouldn’t be so bad but I just lost my entire comment because I hit the delete button long enough to delete a wrongfully autocorrected word and instead watched helplessly as my entire comment was slowly deleted. My attempt to stop it was tapping elsewhere which didn’t do anything lol. It was super awful because it took me ages to write it out especially because my keyboard was super laggy :/ and I have a (relatively) nice phone so.. Anyway, I used Hershey’s Baker Chocolate. I’ll take your suggestions into account the next time I get the opportunity (: It was far better once cooled and eaten later. Added some frosting for flavor and it tasted much better. Site can’t be bad 100% of the time – I did write my first comment here lol. Resorted to using my text application to write this out rather than the website comment box because it was pretty bad. Again, I don’t mean to offend – this isn’t intentional. But it’s definitely frustrating.
Travis says
It looks fine. But it tastes too much like the baker’s chocolate! I can barely stand it ;m; any ideas as to how to fix it?
I mean. This is the first time I’ve made something with Baker’s chocolate so it might just be something that comes with the territory (like tuna + anything c: ) but.. advice?
Carolyn says
What sweetener did you use? And I never use Baker’s…it’s not a good quality unsweetened chocolate. I like Ghirardelli or Scharffenberger.
Kathleen Donohue says
I’m a cheesecake hater, but I’m willing to give it a try. If I actually started making cheesecake, my family would be thrilled.
Daniela says
Hello, please, do you bake the filling on the same springform as the crust (with the crust)? Thank you
Carolyn says
Yes.
Stacy says
I thought you might like to know that your recipe did some good in the world tonight. We had a community auction to raise money for a food pantry we support. Everything was handmade – pottery, quilts, furniture, hand-painted china, soap and toiletries, toys, paintings, etc. I don’t have those skills, so I contributed this cheesecake and it sold for $80.00! Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe, I know the winner is going to love it.
Carolyn says
Oh wow, that is so cool. Thanks for letting me know!
April- Simply the Sweet Life- low carb blog says
? This recipe looks amazing! It’s a perfect treat for a low carb birthday cake. I think I’m going to make this for my birthday and top it with raspberries & strawberries ?YUM!
Christina Natoli says
We absolutely loved this cheesecake. I wouldn’t change a thing! Thank you for this delicious recipe. So good to know I can eat these kinds of desserts and still be low carb/keto!
Susie says
Hi Carolyn. I lOVE this cheesecake SOOO much! Question though-I skip the crust to save time and carbs, what would the carb count be without the crust? Thanks!
Carolyn says
I do not have those numbers off hand but you can easily add the ingredients you use into My Fitness Pal or some other tracker.
Barbara says
Hi Carolyn, I read through all the comments and did not find an answer to my question. Is a water bath necessary for this cheesecake, or is it optional. I have only ever make one cheesecake in my life so I don’t know what method is normal. Thank you in advance for your reply. Barbara
Carolyn says
It’s best to do a waterbath to avoid cracking but you can try it without.
Sarah Johnson says
I have read every comment hoping to get this one question answered! Thanks for asking it.
Barbara says
I am hesitant about baking cheesecakes so I haven’t tried this yet, but plan on doing it next weekend. Good luck!
Michelle says
Is this safe for a diabetic to eat? I recently got diagnosed as type II.
Carolyn says
I am type 2 as well and I eat everything I make, with very little blood sugar spikes. But one thing that is very important is to test everything on yourself. You need to know what works for you in all situations. “eat to your meter” as they say in diabetes speak.
Fiona Wilson says
I made this for when my Mom and Dad visited and it was utterly delicious! The only changes I made was to use Splenda in lieu of the erythritol sweeteners as my mom has a sensitive stomach and I didn’t want to risk her having stomach issues! The other was to knockback on the vanilla extract and used some orange extract instead so it was a lush chocolate orange cheesecake – gorgeous!
She and my Dad absolutely loved it (as did I) and they took home extra slices.
Carolyn says
Sounds delicious!
Kat says
Isn’t there too much heavy cream for the topping – mine did not want to thicken for this application, and another similar recipe calls for only 6 tbl spoons of heavy cream?!
Carolyn says
No, not too much cream as you can see by most people’s comments. What kind of chocolate did you use?
Jessica says
Turned out great. Being in Australia I couldn’t find Swerve anywhere, so I substituted for xylitol for the regular and agave for the powdered swerve. I think it’s hyper sweet for those of us really wanting to be in the moderate to low carb range, you could probably get away with not putting sweetener in the base. Next time I’m not going to make the chocolate topping, instead a layer of berries would go perfectly. This is a fantastic recipe I’m so glad with how it turned out. Easy to follow. Thank you.
carol says
Love all your recipes. I have a question for you. How much in ounces or grams is a tablespoon and stick of butter. I know that US tablespoon are different to UK. Thank you.
Carolyn says
An American tablespoon is 15ml. So 15g.
Suzanne says
I made this recipe today and it turned out pretty good. I don’t have Swerve so I used straight Erythritol and put that in my cusinart to make the powdered version. I think erythritol must not be as sweet as Swerve (I know it’s not as sweet as sugar) so I topped off with a few drops of ez-sweets to boost the sweetness a bit. I was a little worried about this as it was baking. There was no “pouring into the pan and jiggle to even out”. Mine was very thick and had to be scooped and spread out into the pan. Any idea why this would have happened? Erythritol was my only substitution. My crust was a little crumbly but other than that, it turned out very close to the picture! I was very pleased, my current rate of success on new recipes from blogs is around 50% so I was happy to put another one into the win column! Thank you for a great chocolate dessert.
Carolyn says
Glad it worked out! I can only think that you may have used a particular kind of chocolate that made it thicker. And yes, you are correct that plain erythritol is less sweet than Swerve. As long as it worked and you like it, I wouldn’t worry about either issue!
Kim says
I had the exact thing happen, no way I could pour that batter. I ran out of Swerve, so I used Gentle Sweet but forgot that you use much less of it, but I also goofed and used unsweetened chocolate instead of sugar-free chocolate, so maybe it will all work out in the end. Fingers crossed!