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    Home » Gluten Free » Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars

    Published: Feb 26, 2020 · Modified: May 2, 2021 by Carolyn

    Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    28.4K shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These keto cheesecake bars are a lemon lover’s dream! A creamy lemon cheesecake filling baked on a tender almond flour crust. Sugar-free and grain-free but oh so delectable. Keto desserts don’t get more delicious than this.

    Keto lemon cheesecake bars on a white plate with a vase of flowers in the background.

    I’ve just fallen in love with these keto lemon cheesecake bars all over again! I haven’t made them in years and years, but I got it in my head that it would be fun to re-make them and shoot a video. And then when I took a bite, I was forcefully reminded about how seriously delicious they are.

    That tender shortbread crust! That creamy bright lemon filling! Oh my. They both just melt in your mouth. And the fact that they are keto-friendly and less than 4g total carbs?

    Bring. It. On.

    Trust me, keto bakeaholics, you’re going to be really happy I decided to re-visit this old recipe. Originally published in June 2013!

    A Keto Cheesecake Obsession

    I have Cheesecake on the brain. Fortunately, it’s not a serious affliction as there are far worse things to have on the brain than cheesecake.  But there is only one known cure for this disease and that is to make, and then to eat, copious amounts of keto cheesecake.

    Cheesecake-like things, such as keto cheesecake popsicles, cheesecake ice cream, and cheesecake bars are also acceptable forms of medication. This is still an experimental treatment, however, and the results are not guaranteed. There is a real danger that the cure will not assuage the symptoms, but instead exacerbate them, until one’s brain is so consumed with cheesecake, it’s all one can think or talk about.

    This is when the real problem starts. Because who wants to spend time with someone who can talk about nothing but cheesecake? Well, I might. But I am strange like that.

    And given the popularity of all of my keto cheesecake recipes, I think I can safely say that many of you also suffer from this obsessive cheesecake disorder.

    Close up photo of keto cheesecake bars.

    How to make Keto Cheesecake Bars

    There are so many great ways to make keto cheesecake that we have plenty of fuel for our collective obsession. Lemon cheesecake bars like these are easier to make than a full size cheesecake, and they’re so low carb, you can have two and still meet your macros for the day.

    A few quick tips on how to make the best lemon cheesecake bars:

    The shortbread crust:

    This is my favourite keto crust recipe and I use it often. It’s so tender, with great flavor, and it holds together well. Be sure to bake it for 10 minutes, and then let it cool before adding the filling. It won’t be completely baked through but this firms it up enough to stand up to the cream cheese filling.

    Soften that cream cheese properly!

    You want to leave it at room temperature for at least a half an hour, and it should have plenty of give when you press a finger into it. If it’s not properly softened, your bars will end up with cream cheese lumps. Beat it well to smooth it out before you add any other ingredients.

    Beat the eggs in last and don’t over-beat. 

    A little trick I learned when writing The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking is to beat the eggs in at the last minute, and only until just combined. Many cheesecake fillings suffer from being over-beaten, which causes them to rise too much during baking and then fall and crack.

    Don’t rush the chilling time

    When you smell these coming out of the oven, the temptation will be to dig in right away. But you will end up with some lovely lemon cheesecake goo if you do so. Be sure to let them chill for at least 2 hours.

    Truth be told, I had to rush the chilling time when shooting this video! My cheesecake was only barely set and some of the bars look a little worse for wear. So do as I say and not as I do!

    Two lemon cheesecake bars on a white plate with cut lemons in behind.

    Can you make Lemon Cheesecake Bars ahead?

    You absolutely can. Homemade cheesecake is typically good for up to 5 days in the fridge, so you can easily make this the day before a party or gathering. I advise pressing plastic wrap lightly to the surface after the cheesecake has cooled and before refrigeration, to avoid the top drying out.

    If you’re making these keto cheesecake bars just for your family and you want to put some away, they should freeze well. Again, wrap them up in some plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn. You can do them as individual servings or simply wrap the whole piece at once.

    Flash freezing is recommended if you want to store them in the freezer. Simply place the unwrapped bars on a cookie sheet for a few hours to firm them up. Then you can wrap them more easily without crushing or damaging them.

    Top down photo of lemon cheesecake bars on two white plates with a rose colored cloth and cut lemons.

    More delicious keto cheesecake bars

    • Keto Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars
    • Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
    • No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake Bars
    • Keto Pecan Cheesecake Bars
    • Keto Blackberry Cheesecake Bars
    • Espresso Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
    Close up photo of keto cheesecake bars.

    Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars

    These keto cheesecake bars are a lemon lover's dream! A creamy lemon cheesecake filling baked on a tender almond flour crust. Sugar-free and grain-free but oh so delectable. Keto desserts don't get more delicious than this.
    4.86 from 77 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: keto lemon cheesecake, lemon cheesecake bars
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    chill time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 16 bars
    Calories: 190kcal

    Ingredients

    Crust:

    • 1 ¼ cups almond flour
    • ¼ cup Swerve Sweetener
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup butter melted

    Cheesecake Filling:

    • 16 oz cream cheese softened
    • ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener (more if you like it sweeter)
    • 2 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
    • 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
    • 2 large eggs
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Crust:

    • Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, sweetener, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until well combined.
    • Press evenly into the bottom of an 8-inch square pan and bake 10 minutes - it won't be cooked through. Set aside and let cool.
    • Reduce the oven temperature to 275F.

    Lemon Cheesecake Filling:

    • Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the sweetener, and then beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and cream until no lumps remain.
    • Beat in the eggs until just combined - do not overbeat as this can cause cracking.
    • Spread the filling over cooled crust and bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until filling is just set and the center barely jiggles when shaken.
    • Let cool 30 minutes, then chill for at least 2 hours.
    • Garnish with powdered sweetener and additional lemon zest, if desired.

    Video

    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars
    Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
    Calories 190 Calories from Fat 149
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16.6g26%
    Carbohydrates 3.4g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Protein 4.4g9%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    28.4K shares

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    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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      Recipe Rating




    1. Elizabeth Pece says

      March 18, 2023 at 10:26 am

      I’m very excited to bake these bars and curious if the lemon can be swapped with other citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lime, or blood orange. Thank you for your wonderful work, Carolyn!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 18, 2023 at 1:58 pm

        Absolutely! Keep in mind that orange and grapefruit are a little higher in carbs…

        Reply
    2. Nicole says

      March 03, 2023 at 6:42 am

      How far in advance can I make these? Would the night before serving be okay or is the day of better?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 03, 2023 at 9:46 am

        Night before should be fine! Cover them tightly when you refrigerate. And make sure to let them cool completely before sticking them in the fridge. It helps the consistency.

        Reply
    3. Teresa says

      February 16, 2023 at 2:18 pm

      What can I use to substitute the whipping cream? I don’t have it available today! Ty!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 16, 2023 at 8:51 pm

        Sorry, it’s an important part of the recipe.

        Reply
      • Cecilia Edwards Collier says

        March 14, 2023 at 6:48 pm

        l used powder cream from Amazon with extra lemon juice.

        Reply
    4. NaTasha says

      January 29, 2023 at 2:46 pm

      For the crust can I use Monkfruit Classic Sweetner?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 30, 2023 at 7:24 pm

        That’s really just erythritol, so yes.

        Reply
    5. Yolanda says

      January 25, 2023 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      I give the lemon cheesecake a 👍👍(double thumbs up)

      Reply
    6. Donna says

      January 10, 2023 at 12:04 pm

      5 stars
      I made these last night and they were seriously amazing. anyone would think they were full of sugar and grains.I could have eaten the entire pan. But I’m curious-how many servings do you get for the 3 carbs per bar?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 10, 2023 at 7:02 pm

        16. The number of servings is at the top of the recipe.

        Reply
    7. Anne says

      November 15, 2022 at 10:27 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic! Light and creamy. And suoer seasy to make! A big hit at the office!

      Reply
    8. Denise Sweet-McGregor says

      November 13, 2022 at 3:02 pm

      Hands down, best cheesecake (bars) recipe EVER! For the lemony flavor we like, I used a bit more lemon juice and rind, so I used one more egg, and beat them vigorously before folding into the batter gently. Also, I bake them in a water bath, no cracking at all. My son said he got chills when he ate the first one. That’s all the compliment I needed!!

      Reply
    9. Sherry says

      August 20, 2022 at 3:07 pm

      5 stars
      Brilliant recipe! I’ve even made this into margarita cupcakes by using lime and tequila. Huge hit!
      Thank you fellow Canadian for all your good exploration!

      Reply
      • Nonnie B says

        November 16, 2022 at 6:00 pm

        Sherry, I love your idea of margarita bars!!!.
        I think you exchanged the lemon juice for the Lime Juice
        did you exchange the cream for tequila?
        Thanks

        Reply
    10. Cynthia S says

      August 18, 2022 at 4:50 pm

      The lemon bars look amazing. Can you use granulated Splenda?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 18, 2022 at 6:10 pm

        I don’t use Splenda so I really can’t say.

        Reply
    11. Virginia says

      August 03, 2022 at 9:10 am

      Can you use brown sugar Swerve for the crust?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 03, 2022 at 11:44 am

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    12. Mary M says

      July 25, 2022 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite keto dessert, ever.
      First time I made this, I made it as written with Swerve but I paid for every piece of perfection with an excruciating headache.
      Second time I made it, I subbed Lakanto’s eryrithitol Monk fruit. No head ache, but I had crystalization issues. Still tasted great, but I missed the smoothness that had been achieved with the Swerve.
      Is this just a coincidence (because both Swerve and the Lakanto are erythritol based)…or, did I do something wrong, or is Lakanto’s product inferior as a Swerve replacement?
      If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears. And thank you for your incredible recipes. This summer, I’m going to try to make a couple of your desserts each month to keep us keto-ing on. Today, I’m making the Key Lime Bars but I want to make these lemon ones as soon as I hear from you.

      Reply
      • kelly says

        October 19, 2022 at 11:41 am

        erythritol will recrystalize. Try allulose—it won’t recrystalize and no aftertaste or “cooling effect” that you get with erythritol.

        Reply
      • Stephanie says

        December 31, 2022 at 2:16 pm

        I use Lakanto’s powered

        Reply
    13. Nicki says

      July 21, 2022 at 2:32 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe and would pass with non keto people!!
      We are committing this new season in life to health and gf + Keto is our avenue! Thank you for being such a big part of our journey.
      Fyi – Gary grew up in Tigard and I grew up in Coos Bay. ???? Idahoans now.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 21, 2022 at 3:43 pm

        Glad you enjoyed them. And waving from Oregon!

        Reply
    14. Marilees says

      July 20, 2022 at 10:15 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely to die for. Tastes like the “real thing”. This will become a staple in our house.

      Reply
    15. Tammie Russell says

      July 20, 2022 at 3:32 pm

      I only have powdered Swerve, or Allulose. Which one should I use for the crust? Can’t wait to try this recipe today!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 20, 2022 at 4:00 pm

        Powdered Swerve. Allulose will make it too soft!

        Reply
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