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.
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.
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!
Can you make Lemon Cheesecake Bars ahead?
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.
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
Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups (140 g) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (45.5 g) Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 oz (453.59 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (91 g) powdered Swerve Sweetener, (more if you like it sweeter)
- 2 tsp lemon zest, (about 1 large lemon)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 2 large eggs
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
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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So excited to see what looked like a delicious recipe with few carbs and ingredients I already had. Absolutely wonderful. I loved the lemon flavor. The bars had just the right amount of sweetness with no artificial taste. One question – I’m always a little unsure about how jiggly the centers of recipes like this should be and tend to overcook, (but not this time.) Is there a temperature we should aim for?
I don’t test them by temperature, I’m afraid.
These were the best lemon cheesecake squares I’ve ever made and they fed a lot of people. Everyone that had them had seconds/thirds. And so freaking easy to make! Thank you for all your amazing recipes. I haven’t had one that has failed me yet.
Delighted to hear it!
Absolutely delicious! With all that’s going on in the world I’m just glad I had all the ingredients. Thanks for the recipe Carolyn. This is definitely a keeper.
So glad to hear it!
I am looking forward to trying these! I do have a quick question though. Are all your recipes gluten free, or just some of them?
Thanks!
Except for a few back in 2012 and earlier, they are all gluten-free.
Would Bocha Sweet work for the granulated sweetener in the crust? And, I’m assuming that I can’t sub Bocha for the powdered in the filling – would affect the texture, right?
Thanks!
Hi Karen… you could actually use it in both, since this is baked and BS melts during baking. It would be fine. But they do have a powdered version if you can get your hands on that. It does tend to clump a bit and needs sifting.
Thanks, Carolyn…I really like the taste of Bocha sweet but have been hesitant to swap it in because you’ve mentioned that it reacts a bit differently than Swerve. I’ll look for the powdered version, too.
Thanks!!
It does tend to make things softer so these may take a bit longer to bake and/or set when they chill.
I am going to spend the rest of my life dreaming of these Lemon Cheesecake Bars!! The crust is perfect. Before reading the comments, I did bake the crust a bit longer. I’m glad I did. These are perfect in every way!!! Thank you Carolyn!!!
Oh my goodness! I made this earlier today and just had a piece. This is absolutely amazing!!! By far the best keto cheesecake I’ve made. I savored every single bite. Thank you!!!
So delighted to hear it!
Am I going crazy or did this recipe change some?? I’ve made it before and loved it, and could have sworn it was only 12 oz of cream cheese and 1 egg??
Yep, I changed it to make them a little bigger and more satisfying. They were a bit thin before (albeit still delicious!). You can still make them that way. Everything else stays the same but the baking time is only 30 min or so.
Hi there! Absolutely love these, but I was so used to making the old version and now I can’t find it ???? Any chance you could share that one again? I am an “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it ” type of girl ???? thank you in advance!!!
The only real difference was that it took 12 ounces cream cheese and one egg. And it takes less time to bake through completely.
WOW!! I made this recipe last night and it blew me away! It is one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever made (Keto or not!) Thank you so much for sharing, I appreciate it!
So happy to hear it!
the 1 should be !!
forgot the rating 1
Since diabetes diagnosis several years ago, this has become my VERY FAVORITE sugar free dessert. It tastes like cheesecake, has great texture, super crust and NO cooling effect after taste which is a deal breaker for me. I can’t stand that cooling thing. My family and friends who like cheesecake love this recipe, too. Thank you, Carolyn!
My daughter is visiting – I think I’ll make it right now!! I try to never be without ingredients for this dessert.
Hooray!
Can I use coconut flour in place of almond flour?
No, sorry that will not work.
The recipe instructions say “For the crust, preheat the oven to 350F. Combine almond flour, butter, erythritol, sweetener, and salt in a food processer” but the amounts for the erythritol are not included in the list of ingredients. Can I get an amount? Thank you.
Well that’s very weird, it appears to have gone missing when I switched recipe plug ins! It should be 1/4 cup.
Absolutely perfect! My family has a lot of people with diabetes, but most diabetic friendly desserts don’t taste as good so I always wind up making two desserts. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect low carb dessert to please everyone. This is it! It’s lemony, creamy, and sweet without any aftertaste! I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9×13 pan so I had to cook it a little longer, but it turned out perfect! Tip for those unfamiliar with telling when cheesecake is done: when you can put a thermometer in about an inch from the edge and it reads 180-190 degrees it should be done! I also added some macerated blueberries on top for freshness and color and it was perfect!
So glad to hear it!
OMG111 This is so good. I loved it and so did my family. Very lemony and creamy. Thanks for the recipe.
any way you can attach the calories?