Despite the rather lewd moniker, Keto Sex In A Pan is a wonderful layered concoction that will make you swoon. It consists of multiple layers: a chocolate cookie crust topped with keto cheesecake, sugar free chocolate pudding, and whipped cream topping. It is as rich and decadent as it sounds.
It’s been one of my most popular desserts for many years now. And I think you can see why!
Conventional versions of this dessert rely heavily on store-bought mixes. Boxed pudding and whipped topping from a tub are full of carbs and sugars. And the sugar-free versions have unnecessary additives. They simply have no place in a keto-friendly dessert.
Everything in this Keto Sex In A Pan is made from scratch. While it takes some time to assemble and chill, each component is relatively straightforward. And the results are absolutely spectacular!
I recently updated this recipe to make it a little lower in fat, calories, and carbs. I hope you will give it a try!
Reader’s Thoughts
“Sex in a Pan was one of my favourite desserts pre keto. I was so excited to find this recipe. I have made it many times and it is just as good as the original (better because it is guilt-free). Thank you for this recipe.” — Gail O.
“This is my “go to” sugar-free dessert. My husband loves it so much, I probably can make it now from memory! it is delicious and makes a generous amount – enough to enjoy for days.” – Sarah
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Almond flour: You can use sunflower seed flour for a nut-free version.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch process cocoa gives the crust a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Sweetener: I recommend an erythritol-based sweetener for the crust, but the other layers have more flexibility. For a more detailed discussion, please see the Sweetener Options.
- Cream cheese: For the cheesecake layer.
- Heavy whipping cream: Used in both the cheesecake layer and the pudding layer.
- Unsweetened almond milk: You can use any low carb milk or nut milk.
- Egg yolks: You only need yolks for this recipe. Check out these ideas for the leftover egg whites.
- Glucommanan: This helps the pudding layer set. You can also use xanthan gum.
- Keto dark chocolate: A little chocolate shaved over the top makes it extra appealing.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, vanilla extract, salt
How to Make Keto Sex In A Pan
- Prepare the crust: Whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, sweetener and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Press the mixture firmly into a greased 8×8 inch pan and bake until just firm to the touch.
- Make the cheesecake layer: Beat the cream cheese and sweetener together until smooth, then beat in the vanilla and cream. Spread the cheesecake layer over the cooled crust and refrigerate.
- Temper the egg yolks: Heat the almond milk, whipping cream, and sweetener. Slowly whisk some of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper. Then slowly whisk tempered yolks back into saucepan. Sprinkle surface with the xanthan gum, whisking vigorously to combine.
- Add the cocoa: Whisk in the cocoa powder and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla, then whisk until smooth. Spread over cheesecake layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Prepare the whipped cream: Beat the heavy cream with sweetener and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the chocolate pudding layer. Dust with cocoa powder and chocolate shavings. Chill another hour to help set completely.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tips for Success
This dessert isn’t hard to make, but it is time consuming. Make sure you allow each layer to set properly before adding the next one. Let the crust cool completely before adding the cheesecake layer. You get clean layers that slice nicely that way.
Do not walk away while making the pudding, as it can curdle. Whisk almost constantly until it thickens up. When adding the glucomannan (or xanthan gum), sprinkle with one hand as you whisk continuously with the other. That helps avoid clumps.
It is next to impossible to get the first slice of this layered dessert out in one pristine piece. So be ready for a bit of mangled Sex In A Pan and tuck that bit away for another time. After that, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting nice clean slices for your guests!
Sweetener Options
The crust works best with an erythritol sweetener, as allulose will make it quite soft and crumbly. You can cut back on the erythritol a little with the addition of some stevia or monk fruit extract.
For the cheesecake layer, you can use any sweetener you like, but it needs to be powdered to avoid grittiness. Concentrated sweeteners like powdered or liquid stevia extract would work as well.
The chocolate pudding is a little trickier. While you can use allulose, it makes it very soft and squishy, and it takes a long time to firm up properly. I recommend using a mix of mostly erythritol with a little allulose (1 to 2 tablespoons). You could also try adding more glucomannan to firm it up a bit more.
The whipped topping works with any kind of powdered sweetener.
More Creamy Pudding Desserts to Love
Keto Sex In A Pan Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate Crust
- 1 1/4 cups (140 g) almond flour
- 3 tbsp (15.22 g) cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp (30.43 g) granular sweetener, erythritol recommended
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, melted
Cheesecake Layer
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup (63.33 g) powdered sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
Chocolate Pudding
- 2/3 cup (157.73 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 cup (157.73 ml) unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup (63.33 g) powdered sweetener, (some erythritol recommended)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp glucomannan, or xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup (21.5 g) cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp (28.4 g) butter, cut into 3 pieces
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- 3/4 cup (177.44 ml) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 3 tbsp (30.43 g) powdered sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp (2.54 g) cocoa powder
- 1/2 ounce (14.17 g) sugar free dark chocolate
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and grease an 8×8 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, sweetener and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture begins to clump together.
- Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan and bake about 15 minutes, or until just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool.
Cream Cheese Layer
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sweetener together until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the cream and beat until smooth, then spread over the cooled crust and refrigerate while preparing the chocolate layer.
Chocolate Pudding Layer
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the almond milk, whipping cream and sweetener. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sweetener.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper. Then slowly whisk tempered yolks back into saucepan.
- Reduce heat to medium low and sprinkle surface with the glucomannan, whisking vigorously to combine. Whisk in the cocoa powder and cook until thickened, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the butter pieces and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Let cool 15 minutes and then spread over cheesecake layer. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Topping
- Beat the cream with the sweetener and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread over the chocolate pudding layer. Dust with cocoa powder (this works best through a fine sieve). Use a vegetable peeler or cheese slicer to shave the chocolate over top.
- Chill another hour to help set completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can find a low carb cream cheese alternative that you like, you should be able to make a dairy-free version. Use coconut oil for the butter, and coconut cream for the liquid heavy whipping cream. You will then need to make coconut whipped cream for the topping.
You can store this in either the refrigerator or the freezer. In both cases, wrap it up tightly. It can last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it thaw completely before serving.
This keto sex in a pan recipe has 5.3g of carbs and 1.9g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.4g net carbs per serving.
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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Oh my my my !!! It is Very hard to wait in-between the layers LOL !
I seriously could have eaten the chocolate crust goodness right out of the hot pan giggles.. Oh and the cheesecake… can we just get you an award now giggles.
Then the chocolate pudding layer….. ok lets just say I was licking every piece of kitchen spoon, whisk that even came close to the pudding hehehe.
Now right this minute I am making the last and finale topping. Oh please let the be enough minutes left in this day (waiting for the set up time) that I may delight in my labor.
To be continued giggles.
PS My husband was laid off his job a month ago BUT believe me you that as soon as we are making money again
I Will BE BUYING YOUR BOOK.
Thanks so much and I hope you enjoy it!
I made this yesterday as soon as I saw it posted! The sugary version is my husband’s favorite so I wasn’t sure how he would like it. Sometimes he’s critical of my low carb dishes, being the meat and potatoes kind of guy he is. It was husband and teenage daughter approved! It is DEVINE! I had a sample this morning with coffee and I think, like most of these goodies, it’s even better the second day. I even added some sugar free chocolate chips on top for an even more visually pleasing dessert. Everything else I left as is. Thank you, once again, for a wonderful recipe! Your recipes are my main book marks!
My whole family loved this dessert!
So happy to hear it!
We used to call the carby sugar version “The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford…”
Oh, I am really showing my age, aren’t I?!?!????????????????????????????????????❤️????????????
P.S. Cannot WAIT to make this! Thanks for keto-fying it!????????????????????????❤️
I’m more of a Sam Elliot fan. I’d change it tomhim( strictly for my benefit)
My Momma called this “4-Layer Chocolate Delight” and I simply cannot wait to try this. Thank you Carolyn – this is a sweet childhood memory for me and I appreciate your re-making such an awesome recipe. 🙂
I like that name! I also like chocolate lasagna.
My 60-something sisters call it “Next Best Thing to Robert Redford” ????
Love it!
No stars yet as I have not made this yet ! I gagged reading the name of the recipe !
Loosen up
Not everyone needs to be as loose as your standards, Bee.
LOL
Hi Erica,
I know we don’t know each other, but I did want to let you know that this is a fabulous dessert. The name isn’t important, and I call it “The Lushest Dessert,” not wanting to use the sex reference, either.
If you make it, you’ll really like it, I think, although that could be just my chocolate-loving sweet teeth talking 🙂
Oh.My.Gossssssssh. UM. Yes. Please. I made this for years as my “go to” dessert recipe for any occasion. SO SO good. But then – lc came along and – yeah. How FUN you created a lc, healthy version! So excited to make this. Game night is scheduled this weekend and this will be a hit. Thank you. You are the Mack Mamma of all things deliciously Keto. (Mack Mamma?! LOL)
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????❤️
https://food52.com/blog/7716-the-case-for-lining-brownie-pans
The above article from pastry chef Alice Medrich works for any dessert you make in a pan.
This looks like a really good recipe to use it with. 🙂
Is xanthan gum a must in this recipe, or is there a substitute?
I’d be worried that your pudding wouldn’t set without it. You could try some glucommannan.
I didn’t use it the first batch and it came out fine.
I’ve added this chocolate delight to my recipe box, but I’m really interested in the pumpkin version. How do I find that recipe? Thank you!
IN the south, we called this no-name pie. It had the shortbread crust, but also had chopped up pecans in the shortbread, similar to a pecan sandy cookie. It also had brown sugar in the cheesecake layer which made for a nice color in this layer.
I”ve made a version of it like this, based on your original pumpkin one for years and it always gets rave reviews! Thanks for what you do!
This is very similar to how we made it in Indiana – we included pecans but no brown sugar, and we called it Robert Redford 🙂
This recipe has the answer to a question about another recipe of yours. I love the Coconut Macadamia bars. I have been wondering how it would taste, with cocoa added to the crust. But I had not tried it out. Thanks to the crust on this I will add the cocoa. Thank you.
I have all the ingredients on hand, looking forward to making ASAP! You could call that first piece out of the pan… menage de trois ????
Hi! Thank you for this recipe; I will definitely be trying it!
Question: On the cream cheese layer, it mentions beating in the sweetener twice; I believe one of those steps was to the whipping cream. Do you beat the sweetener and cream cheese together and then add the whipping cream, or do you beat the cream cheese and whipping cream together and then add the sweetener?
Thank you for the clarification- it looks delicious!
Oh thanks, off to check it!
Just fixed. You beat the cream cheese and sweetener and vanilla and then you add the cream and beat it in. Hope that helps!
Thank you, yes it does! I will be making it this weekend!
I have made this dessert twice now and I must say, it is definitely company worthy. It takes a while to make because of the cooling but it is super simple. I added a tad more sweetener to the pudding for company and a little less cocoa to the crust but i like it both ways. Andre and I fight over the last piece each time!
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/sex-in-a-pan-keto-recipe/
Btw, as some folks may have tree nut allergies, could the crust be made with coconut flour, and, if so, how many cups.
Thank you
No, coconut flour wouldn’t work here. But sunflower seed flour would.
Solution for destruction of first peice, though I’m certain it taste just os good as the rest, square springform pan.
Wow, they have square springform pans??? That is so Cool!!!
Oh my goodness, that sounds decadent! What a hit that would be at one of my Bunco nights, I’ll have to try it some day.
Not sure if Sex in a Pan is a Canadian thing or not, but I live on Vancouver Island (Western Canada) and have eaten this luscious dessert many times in the full fat version.
This is a must try for me.
Looking for net carb count on Low Carb Sex in a Pan pls
It’s there in the recipe card.
3.7 net carbs (carbs 6.3 minus fibre 2.6)
I made this yesterday for my keto friends and it was a huge hit. It can be expensive if you don’t already bake with the ingredients in the recipe. I have always made the original recipe but never again.
Glad to hear it!
Thanks for sharing this. Finally made it today coz it’s our anniversary. I just had a slice and it’s the bomb!!!! My mouth wanted to have another slice but my mind, said stopped. Can’t wait for tomorrow to have another piece of it.