When strawberry season rolls around, life just seems more cheerful, don’t you think? There’s nothing like the joy of biting into a fresh, local strawberry at the peak of ripeness. And there’s nothing quite like making delicious keto desserts that highlight that flavor.
If you love Keto Strawberry Shortcake but want a simpler way to enjoy it, then this recipe is for you!
I often get my inspiration from conventional desserts I see online, but this idea popped fully formed into my head. The idea of pairing my keto sugar cookie bars with a whipped cream frosting and fresh berries sounded so good, I couldn’t wait to make it. It’s simple, straightforward, and the perfect way to enjoy the season.
🍓If you can’t get enough low carb strawberry desserts, consider making Keto Strawberry Ice Cream or Keto Strawberry Cupcakes next! 🍓
Why We Love This Recipe
- All the flavor: The shortbread crust, the whipped cream topping, and the fresh berries make this just like the classic dessert.
- Tender cookie base: The crust is like one big sugar cookie. Not too soft, so it holds up to the topping, but wonderfully tender and sweet.
- Easy to make: No need to make individual biscuits for this shortbread! Just the dough into a pan and bake.
- Great for parties: It makes 16 bars so it’s great for parties and backyard barbecues.
- Loved by all: I took the leftovers to my gym and everyone loved them!
- Low carb and gluten-free: No sugar, no grains, and only 3.3 grams net carbs per serving!
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: The crust works best with almond flour but you could use sunflower seed flour for a nut free option. You will need to add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the crust to help offset the green reaction.
- Heavy cream: The topping is whipped cream, just like classic strawberry shortcake.
- Cream cheese: This helps stabilize the whipped cream so it holds up better.
- Sweetener: I recommend an erythritol sweetener for the crust, and a powdered sweetener for the topping.
- Fresh strawberries: I do not recommend frozen strawberries in this recipe. They release more liquid and become mushy.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, egg, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt.
How to Make Keto Strawberry Shortcake Bars
- Combine the wet ingredients: Beat the butter with the sweetener until well combined, then mix in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the almond flour, baking powder, and salt and beat until the dough comes together.
- Bake the crust: Press into a 9×9 inch pan lined with parchment paper and bake until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare the topping: Beat the heavy cream with the sweetener and vanilla extract until it holds soft peaks. Dollop the softened cream cheese with the whipped cream and start beating on low, then increase speed slowly and beat until it holds stiff peaks.
- Chill the bars: Spread the topping over the top of the cooled bars, then chill in the fridge to firm up.
- Add the berries: Remove from the pan and cut into bars. Top each bar with chopped strawberries before serving.
Carolyn’s Keto Baking Tips
Lining the pan with parchment paper makes it easier to get the bars out in one piece. I like to cut my parchment 9 inches wide so it covers the bottom and two of the sides, but doesn’t get all scrunched up in the corners.
A metal pan works best for this recipe. Ceramic bakes very differently and the center will be too soft while the sides get overly dark.
When adding cream cheese to a whipped cream frosting, you want to make sure it is very soft. I like to zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds. You don’t want it hot, but you want it to whip into the cream easily.
Spooning the berries on after the bars are cut makes them cleaner and easier to serve. It also allows for easier storage, and the berries can stay fresher for longer.
Sweetener Options
I recommend an erythritol based sweetener for the crust, as allulose makes them very soft and fragile. Allulose also makes the bars brown too quickly and they can taste burnt. If you wish to cut down on the erythritol, you can use 1/4 cup and add sweetness with some stevia or monk fruit extract.
The frosting can be made with your preferred sweetener, but it should be a powdered version to avoid grittiness.
More Delicious Keto Recipes to Love
Keto Strawberry Shortcake Bars Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granular sweetener, erythritol-based
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and grease a 9×9 inch metal pan. Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper with overhanging sides for easy removal. Grease the paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- All at once, add the almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until the dough comes together.
- Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the center is puffed and the edges are golden brown. It will still be very soft.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan.
Topping
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream with the sweetener and vanilla extract until it holds soft peaks.
- Dollop the softened cream cheese around the bowl with the whipped cream. Start beating on slow, then increase speed slowly and beat until it holds stiff peaks.
- Spread over the top of the cooled bars, then chill in the fridge for an hour to firm up.
- Loosen the bars from the pan and use the sides of the parchment to remove them from the pan. Cut into 16 bars.
- Top each of the bars with some of the chopped strawberries before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
You can enjoy strawberries in moderation on a keto diet. For the most accurate information regarding the nutritional content of food, I recommend looking at the USDA Nutritional Database. 100 grams of strawberries contains 7.7 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber.
These bars will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. They can be made ahead by a day or two, and cut into squares when you plan to serve. You can also freeze the bars (without the berries) for at least 2 months.
This keto strawberry shortcake bar recipe has 5.2g of carbs and 1.9g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.3g net carbs per bar.
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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