This keto strawberry cheesecake is smooth and creamy, with a rich chocolate crust and a sugar-free chocolate ganache topping. It’s a decadent no-bake dessert, all topped off with chocolate covered strawberries for a beautiful presentation.
It’s hot out there and you don’t want to turn on your oven, but you still want to enjoy a fabulous keto strawberry cheesecake. What to do, what to do?
The solution is simple, my friends. All you need to do is whip up this creamy no bake cheesecake. It’s been one of my most popular keto desserts for a long time, and with good reason. It’s delicious and so beautiful, everyone will think you slaved over it. Shhhh, the secret is ours.
It’s a good thing strawberries are keto friendly, because they are so tempting and delicious, especially when they’re in season. Check out all of my keto strawberry recipes for ideas and inspiration.
The joy of fresh local strawberries
I am pretty certain that there is nothing as delicious as a fresh local strawberry. The year-round imported variety can’t even come close to that burst of sunshine on your tongue. I no longer allow myself to purchase strawberries out of season, because I am inevitably disappointed in their wooden taste and texture.
But as soon as our local farmer’s market opens in May, I start stalking the stalls for berries. I have been known to get there 10 minutes in advance, so I can be the first in line to grab a few pints. And if they’re looking particularly fresh, I purchase a half flat.
Then I let my family indulge themselves, while I dream up new low carb strawberry recipes. Like this no bake keto strawberry cheesecake. It’s so dreamy and rich, and the chocolate covered strawberries on top are proverbial icing on the cake!
Ingredients for keto chocolate strawberry cheesecake
This is the sort of recipe that only looks complicated to make. It’s actually quite easy. Gather your ingredients and let’s get started!
For the cheesecake:
- No bake chocolate crust – I’ve used this basic press in chocolate crust for any number of other recipe, such as Keto Peanut Butter Pie.
- Fresh strawberries – this cheesecake is best made with fresh strawberries. If absolutely necessary, you can use frozen berries for the cheesecake filling. But you really need fresh berries for the garnish.
- Grassfed gelatin – To help the no bake cheesecake set properly, we need a little gelatin. I recommend using a good grassfed gelatin like Great Lakes. You can use Knox gelatin but you will only need one envelope.
- Cream cheese – as always, make sure it’s properly softened so that you get a smooth strawberry filling.
- Heavy whipping cream – whipped to stiff peaks, this makes your cheesecake light and creamy.
- Powdered sweetener – don’t use the granular sweeteners as they will make your filling gritty.
- Vanilla extract
For the chocolate topping and garnish:
- Fresh strawberries – Thinly slice some of those beautiful fresh strawberries, to make a pretty ring around the outside of the cake. Keep 4 whole berries for the top.
- Heavy whipping cream – Bring this to a simmer for the chocolate ganache.
- Unsweetened chocolate – do not use sweetened sugar-free chocolate here, you want the 100% cacao chocolate with no sweetener whatsoever.
- Two sweeteners – I like to use powdered Swerve, along with 1 tablespoon of allulose or BochaSweet. This will keep the topping smooth and shiny as it sets.
- Vanilla extract
How to make No Bake Keto Strawberry Cheesecake
While this recipe has a number of parts, it’s not difficult to make at all. Let’s walk through it together.
- Whisk the crust ingredients until they begin to clump together. Then press them firmly into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. To smooth it out, you can use a flat bottomed glass or measuring up.
- Take some strawberry slices and set them standing up around the inside of the pan, on top of the crust. They should stick easily to the sides of the pan and create an eye-catching border around the finished cheesecake.
- Bring the berries to a boil with a little water and cook until soft. Then mash them up with a fork or a potato masher.
- Bloom the gelatin in some water and once it’s thickened, stir it into the warm berry puree until the gelatin dissolves.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks with the vanilla.
- Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sweetener, then beat in the berry puree. Finally, fold in the whipped cream and pour the batter over the crust.
- Patience, friends! You need to let the cheesecake set a full 3 hours in the fridge.
- Bring the cream to a simmer for the keto chocolate ganache. Once everything is melted and smooth, dip 4 whole strawberries into the chocolate. Set them on a waxed paper lined plate and refrigerate until set.
- Pour the remaining ganache all over the top of the cake.
See, it’s really not that hard. You dirty a number of bowls, but the end result is worth it, believe me! It’s the best keto strawberry cheesecake you will ever make.
Want to try this delicious cheesecake but don’t want all the leftovers? You’re in luck! Check out my Mini Strawberry Cheesecake for Two.
More delicious keto no bake cheesecake recipes
- Mini Keto “Snickers” Cheesecakes
- Keto Blueberry Cheesecake Pie
- No Bake Keto Chocolate Cheesecake
- Mini “Nutella” Cheesecakes
- No Bake Turtle Cheesecake
- No Bake Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
Keto Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
No Bake Crust
- 1 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- Pinch salt
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 7 or 8 smallish strawberries thinly sliced
Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
- 2 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp water divided
- 1 tbsp grassfed gelatin
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 2 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tbsp allulose or BochaSweet
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture begins to clump together.
- Press the m ixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Stand the berry slices upright around edge of the crust to create a border. Set aside.
Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the chopped strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the berries can be mashed with a fork, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mash into a puree.
- Place the remaining 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and sprinkle the surface with the gelatin. Let sit a few minutes to thicken. Add the gelled mixture to the strawberry puree and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream with the vanilla until it holds soft peaks. Set aside.
- In another large bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sweetener until combined and then beat in the strawberry puree.
- Carefully fold in the whipped cream until no streaks remain. Spread the filling over the crust. Refrigerate at least 3 hours until set.
- Once set, carefully run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen (try not to disturb the berry border). Remove the sides.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to just a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit a few minutes to melt.
- Add the sweeteners and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Dip a few whole strawberries into the ganache and place on a waxed paper lined dish. Refrigerate until set.
- Pour the remaining ganache over the top of the cake, spreading to the edges and letting some drip down the sides. Place the chocolate covered strawberries on the top of the cake.
- Refrigerate 20 minutes or so to set the chocolate.
Jan says
Carolyn, I made this yesterday and it truly is delicious and refreshing. I enjoy so many of your recipes. I have a sweet tooth unfortunately and this helps keep me in line. Thanks again for your tireless work always! You are really appreciated here!
Liz says
So good! I love that I can “indulge” and still adhere to Keto! I’m looking and feeling good! Thanks for the great recipes that help me get and stay healthy!
Lily says
This was incredible, I loved the classic combo of strawberries and chocolate!! We made this for a bday party and everyone raved about how good this dessert was!!
Beth says
This was such a big hit here and so delicious! My family and I loved it and we love that it’s keto too! What a lovely dessert and perfect for any occasion!
Lise Ode says
Is this really keto? Looks so amazing! Can’t wait to try this!
Kim says
This cheesecake sounds absolutely amazing! I love the fresh strawberries in the filling.
Liz says
All your tips ensure a perfect cheesecake! This will be perfect made with local strawberries this month!
Kitty says
If I used only bocha sweet would that be easier on the stomach? Our pastor can’t handle sugar alcohols
Kim says
Can I use use unsweetened bakers chocolate
Carolyn says
Yes, that’s what it takes.
Stefanie says
Mine turned out very airy and fluffy, more like mousse. If I reduce or eliminate the heavy cream you whip in at the end would it turn out more dense like cheesecake? The flavor is great, just not the consistency i wanted when I was expecting a thick cheesecake. If that won’t work I might stick with your regular New York cheesecake and use the strawberry puree as a topping next time I want cheesecake. This is a great light summertime no bake dessert dessert though. Thank you so much for all your efforts, I make a recipe of yours at least every week!
Carolyn says
It should definitely not be fluffy and airy. So feel free to reduce the whipping cream as you see fit!
Dawnj says
I made this yesterday (and even took pics). In box chocolates—the strawberry cream was my favorite. This was EVEN better! Plus you can have more! So delicious, thank you for this creation! I have been pondering the gelatin. I use Great Lakes Gelatin (red). When making your No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Pie, as this recipe, the gelatin had tiny lumps and strings. When making your Strawberry Cream Pie the gelatin worked perfectly. I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong—which may very well be operator error. However, is the difference in gelatin consistency use of heat? I hope this question makes sense.
Rosa says
I made this and everything turned out great just the ganache was not smooth like in the picture it looked grainy. I dont know what I did wrong.
Carolyn says
Very hard for me to say without any more info. What exactly WAS it like?
Sia says
I tried this recipe using agar powder but my cake didn’t firm up. Will adjusting the amount of agar work? I wanted to try to make it vegetarian. Thanks!
Carolyn says
I’m sorry, I’ve never worked with agar agar. Check some other vegetarian recipes, and maybe find out how much they put in?
Linda says
Would Zint Collagen work for the grass fed gelatin?
Carolyn says
No. Collagen and gelatin are two different things. Collagen doesn’t gel and won’t add the right structure.
Zerrin says
I was just looking for a new strawberry cheesecake recipe. This one sounds gorgeous! And the photos are sooo inspiring! Have to give t a try!
And thanks for mentioning our strawberry cream cheese pie!
Tina Reilly says
This was delicious! I had some fresh strawberries and wanted something sweet and low carb….so glad I found this recipe!
Marla says
Well it worked! I’m still lousy at pouring on the ganache – it was waaaaaaay to stiff!
Ah shoot, I might have to make it a few more times to get it right! 😉
I do have 2 questions – do you oil your pan? I used some coconut oil and had no problem in getting the sides off which surprised me and made me happy. And #2 How do you get the lumps of whipped cream smooth when mixing with the rest of the batter? I was afraid to over mix it so I have lumps of whipped cream (not that you notice with the chocolate on top, but still!)
Thanks for the recipe Carolyn!
Carolyn says
You do need to keep folding to get the whipped cream mixed in properly. I did not grease my pan and the sides still come off easily. Hope that helps!