This is the best keto cheesecake! So rich and creamy, it will make you swoon at the first bite. Even those not on a keto diet declare it to be absolutely delicious.
Let’s just get this straight right now. Keto cheesecake is possibly as close to heaven as you will get on this earth. Or at least as close to heaven as you will get on your ketogenic diet.
I really do have a passion for making cheesecake and I am ever so grateful that it is easy to make keto friendly. When I first embarked on a low carb diet, cheesecake was among the first keto dessert recipes I ever tried to make and it was as good as any conventional version out there.
So you might say that it’s one of the things that keeps me happily sticking to keto. As long as I know that there is keto cheesecake in the world, I can handle anything.
And for all the haters who say this lifestyle isn’t sustainable, I respond with this dreamy, creamy New York Style keto cheesecake. You just can’t argue with that!
New York style keto cheesecake
You may well be wondering what New York cheesecake is and how it differs from standard cheesecake.
I’ve got one word for you: texture. New York cheesecake is more dense and creamy than the regular kind. It’s so smooth and rich, it’s like velvet on your tongue. And it has a very simple flavor profile, with nothing fancy added.
It often includes sour cream or heavy cream, and sometimes even a little butter, to give it that unique velvety texture.
New York cheesecake is so rich and delicious, it doesn’t even need a crust! I skipped it for this keto version, making it simpler and even lower in carbs!
How to make keto cheesecake
There are so many delicious and wonderful cheesecake recipes out there in the world, and so many different flavors to choose from. But the New York-style is an absolute classic and a must-make keto cheesecake recipe.
Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- This is a crustless keto cheesecake, which saves on carbs and cuts down on overall effort. I highly recommend lining your pan with parchment paper to make serving it a little easier. But if you’re dying to include a crust, try using this one from my Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars.
- Baking in a water bath helps keep this dense cheesecake from cracking. Be sure to wrap the bottom of your springform pan in several layers of foil, to avoid any extra moisture seeping into the pan.
- The addition of sour cream helps give the filling a truly creamy texture. You won’t taste the sour cream at all, I promise
- Room temperature ingredients are a must! If you add cold liquids or eggs to the cream cheese, it will clump badly. And once it becomes lumpy, it’s hard to rescue and smooth it out again.
- Don’t over-beat the mixture. Overly vigorous mixing whips air into cheesecake batter, causing it to rise and puff up, and then fall and crack as it cools. Beat each egg in until just combined and stop right there.
- Jiggle it, just a little bit. You know your cheesecake is done when it’s mostly set but the center still jiggles slightly when you shake the pan.
- Chill it properly. It can be tempting to rush the chilling process but if you want the best keto cheesecake, leave it alone for at least 4 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
No problem! I have tons of great keto cheesecake recipes that have crusts. Use the search box in the top righthand corner and take your pick. For a plain crust, I recommend the one from my Lemon Cheesecake Bars. But a chocolate crust would be delicious too, so use the one from Death By Chocolate Cheesecake.
You can but I can’t guarantee the results. I made this for a friend recently using an allulose based sweetener, and it took almost 24 hours to set properly in the fridge. So be mindful that any changes to the original recipe may affect the outcome.
Not at all. The lemon zest adds flavor but it’s not required for texture. Feel free to leave it out, or add lime zest or orange zest instead.
There are a number of possibilities. It could be that you over-beat the mixture, so be careful there. It may also be that you didn’t cool it properly before chilling. Once it’s room temperature, run a sharp knife just around the inside of the pan to loosen it before you release the pan sides. Otherwise the sides will pull the cheesecake apart and cause cracks.
Cheesecake needs to be refrigerated at all times. Wrap it up tightly with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out in the fridge.
Absolutely! This cake freezes like a dream. You can freeze the entire cake or cut it into individual slices and freeze those. As always, wrap it up tightly to avoid freezer burn.
What to serve with New York keto cheesecake?
This wonderful cheesecake is a blank slate. You can eat it simply as it is or you can add any number of wonderful toppings. I’ve included a simple sugar-free berry sauce in the recipe notes, but here are some other ideas:
- Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup
- Keto Pecan Praline Sauce
- Homemade Sugar Free Nutella
- Keto Caramel Sauce
- Fresh berries
Click here for more delicious Low Carb Cheesecake Recipes
The Best Keto Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 tsp grated lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F and generously grease a 9-inch springform pan. Cut a circle of parchment to fit the bottom the pan and grease the paper. Wrap 2 pieces of aluminum foil around the outside of the pan to cover the bottom and most of the way up the sides.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then beat in the sweetener until well combined. Add the eggs, once at a time, beating after each addition. Clean the beaters and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and beat until the batter is smooth and well combined. Pour into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top.
- Set the pan inside a roasting pan large enough to prevent the sides from touching. Place the roasting pan in the oven and carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake 70 to 90 minutes, until the cheesecake is mostly set but still jiggles just a little in the center when shaken. Remove the roasting pan from the one, then carefully remove the springform pan from the water bath. Let cool to room temperature.
- Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake to loosen, the release the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Deirdre Kamber Todd says
Amazing! I add a little keto coffee creamer to the mix, and voila, it’s coffee flavored. The best cheesecake recipe, period.
Chris McMahon says
this cheesecake recipe is THE BEST!
I wanted a smaller version, so I cut the list of ingredients in half and used a 6 inch pan. Turned out awesome!
My question: could this be made in the Instant Pot, going for maybe 25 min or so? I have made similar cheesecakes using that method and had good success. Just wanted your opinion.
Thanks!
Carolyn says
Use my search box for instant pot cheesecake, you will see I’ve done several and that will give you the right amount of ingredients.
Christina Dobbins says
I used all measurements for this cheese cake and am using the lemon bar crust recipe in an 8 inch pan. How long do I cook that for? For the remaining ingredients left in the bowl, I will be trying the crustless in a different pan. Since its less filling, how long do I cook that for?
Carolyn says
Cook the crust the same way as you would for the bars. As for the other pans, I have no idea since you’ve given me no information to go on – I don’t know how much leftover batter you will have, or the size of the different pan. You will simply have to experiment and keep an eye on them.
Jean says
Love all your recipes!! Tyvm
Angela says
This is absolutely THE BEST cheesecake I have ever made or tasted. Nothing else nowadays comes close to these macros while being *more* delicious than the sugar-laden cheesecakes out there. My non keto inlaws loved it and didn’t know it was sugar free.
When I was a kid, my mom made a cheesecake with strawberry jello on top, and I always considered that to be the one that “set the bar”. Well, you’ve matched it in taste but surpassed it by making it keto. It’s my hubby’s fave dessert, my daughter & son-in-law rave about it, and my BFF called it “the perfect cheesecake”. I couldn’t agree more. Thank you so so much for bringing back fond memories and providing new ones for me and my family!
Fay says
Do you prefer erythritol or allulose?
Carolyn says
Did you read the FAQ section where I talk about using allulose and the cheesecake took over 24 hours to set? I think Swerve is the best for this recipe.
Deonn Gae Wiese says
Can you cut the cream cheese down? To say like 16 oz?
Carolyn says
Are you trying to make a smaller cheesecake? If you only cut back on the cream cheese, you’re going to have a mess on your hands. All ingredients need to be scaled accordingly.
Kay says
So, finally made this yesterday, and let it in the fridge until today to try it. It has THEE PERFECT cheesecake consistency density. I am thrilled that I made this. Next time I will leave out the zest, as I prefer a more vanilla flavor than a lemon one, but that is just a personal preference thing.
Thanks for this recipe, Carolyn. It’s a keeper for sure!!
Kay M. says
I have been known amongst my family for my traditional NY style cheesecakes for decades. I just made this recipe of yours for the first time, and it’s in the oven as I type this. I must say that the batter tastes almost exactly the same as the traditional cheesecake I always make for my family.
I am in LOVE with the shortbread crust in your recipe for lemon cheesecake bars, so I made that crust for the bottom of this cheesecake. I can’t wait to eat this tomorrow. Like always, cheesecake requires overnight chilling in the fridge in order for the flavors to bloom. I’m really looking forward to this.
Carolyn says
Enjoy, hope it tastes as good as you hope it does! 🙂
Alison says
I’m so excited to try this! Would it be possible to make the topping with frozen fruit?
Carolyn says
Absolutely!
Kay says
Gonna try this tonight, but think I’ll add that perfect shortbread crust recipe of yours (from the lemon cheesecake bars) as the crust. I have made traditional cheesecake for decades, and am missing it.
Gwyneth says
So delicious! Thank you much for sharing!
Donna says
I made this cheesecake yesterday for my daughter’s birthday celebration. She requested it instead of our usual birthday cake because she is trying to eat less sugar. I must say that it came out perfect and delicious! I used a 9” springform pan and baked it 80 minutes. I topped it with fresh blackberry sauce and fresh whole blackberries. It was rich and creamy and everyone loved it!
Donna
Carolyn says
Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Barbara Hanselman says
An absolutely delicious New York style cheesecake with some of the best “making” directions I have ever encountered. I had to bake both of the ones I made for the 90 minutes and they both came out picture perfect looking when sliced and plated. I served them with a choice of Maine blueberries and Keto brownies, so most people had to have 2 pieces!!!
Carolyn says
So good to hear!
Jackie says
Hi can you freeze the cheese cake in individual pieces.
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not!