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 almond flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp granular sweetener, erythritol recommended
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
Cheesecake Layer
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup powdered sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
Chocolate Pudding
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup powdered sweetener, (some erythritol recommended)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp glucomannan, or xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into 3 pieces
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 3 tbsp powdered sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 ounce 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.
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!
This is the BEST!! Chocolately, rich, and so satisfying! My family loves it so much I wish I could give more than a 5 star rating!
HELP!! I made this yesterday and my chocolate pudding would not set even after 24 hours.. I used Lakanto powdered sugar with erythritol for my sweetner and everything exactly as you wrote it. What is the reason for the butter & the egg yolks if I may ask? I did put them in but was wondering what their function is in the recipe..why did this not set? I had to pour it off the cake mixture and follow another recipe that used gelatin to set it… but i used the rest of your recipe for the rest of the whole thing..
Both egg yolks and butter help it set. Sounds to me like maybe you didn’t cook it long enough.
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.
I plan to make this with the pecan crust used in your Blueberry cheesecake. When I made that it immediately reminded me of the non keto “better than sex” aka Methodist cake.
Thank you for sharing all your keto recipes I have all your books and I had watched all your videos on YouTube the best recipes ever you have bring happiness into our kitchen my kids and husband love your desserts we have turned keto a year ago my whole family and we can’t thank you enough for all your recipes we love you and hope to see more new books and recipes
Ok, this is stupid good!!!! I’ll definitely make this again.
I made this yesterday and it is amazing! It took me most of the day to make it, but besides that, it is really delicious! I wouldn’t change a single thing about the recipe. I recently cut out sugar from my diet, so this is the perfect sweet tooth fix! Thank you!:)
I’m on my second day of baking out of your cookbook. The ultimate guide to keto baking. I neglected to powder my sweetener for the chocolate crust and the cheesecake layer. oh well way too. invested to go back now but I shall get it right for the chocolate pudding layer! can’t wait to try this at the Christmas party! ** I should be able to refrigerate this for 3 days correct?**
This one is a binge trigger for me. I’d eat the whole pan, but I’m working on portion control. I’ll use your techniques to create a ginger cheesecake, lemon pudding version that meets my satiety needs. I’ll also use your original crust. Thank you for this dessert option. But I’m even more grateful that you encourage personalizations of your recipes. The sky is the limit.
can I use allulose/monkfruit? so much bad press on erythritol
The bottom won’t crisp up properly with allulose. But you can use it in the other parts of the recipe.
Oooooh, I’m in love and have not even made this yet. Doesn’t matter, my other half stated we will making your recipe very soon. Ummm… he’s in love too and I think maybe more than he even loves me!!! hehehehe. So, when we are advised to put something into the freezer or even into the fridge should we always cover it with plastic wrap? Just curious….
probably one of the best keto recipes I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried a lot! definitely a favorite
Great to hear!