Sweet, creamy, and low in carbs, this New York-style Keto Cheesecake will delight your senses. It has all the rich flavor of the classic, without the sugar. And only 3g carbs per serving!
Keto New York Cheesecake is possibly as close to heaven as you will get on this earth. Bold statement, I know, but it’s how I feel every time I take a bite of this luscious dessert.
When I embarked on a low carb diet, it was among the first dessert recipes I attempted to make over. And it was so good, I kept experimenting with all sorts of different flavors. Now I’ve got everything from rich keto chocolate cheesecake to individual keto cinnamon roll cheesecakes. But this simple New York style recipe remains among my favorites.
You may well be wondering how New York cheesecake that differs from other recipes, and I’ve got one word for you: texture. It is more dense and creamy than the regular kind. So smooth and rich, it’s like velvet on your tongue. And it has a very simple, clean flavor profile, without too many additions. Many people top it with a simple berry sauce.
★★★★★
Elizabeth says: “Carolyn thank you so much for this amazing recipe! It has become my husband’s absolute favorite dessert. He requests is every holiday! I’ve made it so many times I have it memorized now. Even the non-low-carb eaters in our family love it!“
Ingredient Notes
- Cream cheese: I recommend full-fat cream cheese for the best consistency.
- Powdered sweetener: You can use any sweetener you like best for this recipe, with some caveats. For more information, please read the Sweetener Options section.
- Sour cream: The addition of sour cream gives the cheesecake an ultra-rich, velvety texture.
- Lemon zest: 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.
- Vanilla extract: Feel free to play with the flavors and use other extracts, such as almond.
- Eggs: Always use large eggs, and make sure they are room temperature.
How to Make New York Keto Cheesecake
- Prepare the pan: Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment 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.
- Beat the cream cheese: Beat the cream cheese on its own for 1 to 2 minutes until super smooth, then beat in the sweetener. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Be sure to scrape down the beaters and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs: Add each egg separately and beat in until just barely combined.
- Transfer to the pan: Pour the batter into the pan and set the whole pan inside a large roasting pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan
- Bake: Bake the cheesecake for 70 to 90 minutes, until mostly set but still jiggles just a little in the center when shaken.
- Chill: Loosen the pan sides and let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
Using a water bath, or a bain marie, creates a gentle heat the cooks the cheesecake slowly. This is a vital part of creating a rich, creamy texture. Make sure you wrap the pan tightly in foil so that water doesn’t leak in during cooking.
Add the eggs last! This goes for ANY cheesecake, keto or not. It helps you avoid over-beating the cheesecake mixture, which can cause cracking. Over-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.
You know your cheesecake is done when it’s mostly set but the center still jiggles slightly when you shake the pan. Shake gently so that you don’t get any water into the pan.
Want to add a crust? If you really want a crust for your keto cheesecake, you can use the shortbread crust from Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars. Press it into the pan, and pre-bake as directed in that recipe.
Sweetener Options
As previously noted, you can use your favorite sweetener in this recipe. However, I want you to be aware that it may affect the outcome to some degree. I have made this recipe with erythritol, with allulose, and with a mix of the two.
Allulose tends to make the cheesecake very soft, even after chilling. And the more allulose you use, the softer it is. It takes at least 24 hours to firm up properly and if it sits out too long, it can soften up again. As long as you are aware of these issues, feel free to use what you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Serving Suggestions
This wonderful keto cheesecake is a blank slate. You can eat it simply as it is or you can add some delicious toppings. I’ve included a simple sugar-free berry sauce in the recipe notes. But you might also like these other delicious ideas:
Keto New York Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 ounces (680.39 g) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup (142.5 g) powdered sweetener
- 3/4 cup (172.5 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tsp grated lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tsp (1.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF 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 for 1 to 2 minutes, until completely smooth. Then beat in the sweetener until well combined.
- Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Scrape down the beaters and the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs, once at a time, beating each until just barely 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.
Video
Notes
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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This is the best cheesecake recipe, bar none – and I’ve made both keto and non-keto cheesecakes over the years. Turns out perfectly every time. I love that it doesn’t have a crust – I’ve never been crazy about crust on my cheesecake. You owe it to yourself (and everyone you know) to try this one!
I used this recipe as a starting point but modified. It still turned out great!
Instead of baking in a springform pan, I baked in 4 oz single serving ramekins and started checking after 20 minutes. I also made it crustless, skipped the butter, used Neufchâtel instead of full fat cream cheese, and 2% Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I know, lots of modifications but I’m trying to keep my cholesterol down and I’m very experienced at baking cheesecakes. It was still delicious, creamy, and very much like New York style cheesecake. I have no doubt that following the actual recipe would be even better! I have never been disappointed by the recipes on this site. Thank you!
Delicious and creamy!
I’m not keto, my SIL is. I made this for a family dinner along with something else(not keto). This was by far the winning dessert. I didn’t tell anyone except her that it was actually keto until it was eaten. Everyone was stunned.
I am delighted!
it says to store tightly in the refrigerator. what is the best way to do this?
Tightly wrapped up usually means wrapped in plastic wrap or another covering you can pull close around it.
Hi Carolyn!
Does your nutrition breakdown include the berry sauce?
I love your recipes and can’t wait to bake this!!!
It does not. It’s only the cheesecake.
What is your opinion on using Lankato monkfruit powdered sugar instead of the swerve confectioners? It has erythritol and monkfruit extract.
It’s a good sweetener for this recipe.
This is THE best New York style cheesecake ever! I’m constantly sending people to your site quite specifically for this recipe but, of course, there’s plenty for people to try out on your site!
In fact, I’m back out in the dating game again (kinda sad as cheating was involved). But I’m literally planning on enticing a guy I used to work with about 8 years ago in the medical field with your awesome cheesecake! I retired (think disabled from really bad osteoarthritis) after a career of 35 years as a RN. I happened to still have his cell phone number in my phone and figured, hey, what’s the worse that can happen if I text him. He said me and my cheesecake were welcome to come and see him. I said I’d be happy to bring this to him and his hardworking staff! Wish me luck! If nothing else, I’ll be happy to share your incredible recipes and your site with some new people and old ones too!
Thanks so much!
OMG! This cheesecake is sooo good! I had a last minute obstacle (no roaster pan big enough!) and cheesecake ready for the oven. Used a deeper broiler pan & added as much boiling water as possible. It turned out PERFECT! I did everything you said to do & had wonderful results…
no cracks in sight! I used a sweetener mix of xylitol, erythritol & stevia (from Joy Filled Eats) with excellent results.
Thank you so much, Carolyn, for doing all the hard work for me!!
love this recipe. I am lactose intolerant and unfortunately the last time I had this my tummy wasn’t happy. have you ever tried using goat cheese in place of cream cheese? Sour cream doesn’t bother me but I have noticed cream cheese does
How many days in advance can I make this? I have a family dinner on a Wednesday, can I bake this on Sunday?
yes, but I would recommend wrapping it up tightly after it cools and freezing it. Then thaw on the day of the dinner.
Only your Cheesecake reciepe will do for my Friendgiving get together!
Yay!!
I love this cheesecake. It’s my go to for cheesecake. Made as per the recipe. I used 1/2 cup of allulose and 1/2 cup of Splenda. It taste like the real thing. Soooo good.
Thanks!
All you recipes are great! I appreciate the alternative ingredients you put in each blog.
I love this recipe! I have made lots of your cheesecake recipes and lots of your other desserts! They are a hit every time! You are my go to when I need a great recipe! Thank you for sharing all your tips and recipes!❤️
Comes out great every time!