Cheesecake! The quintessential low carb dessert, amiright?
When I first did Atkins in the 90’s – I ate so much low carb cheesecake that I thought I’d been ruined on it forever. Of course the low carb cheesecakes of the 90’s were a far cry from all the delicious low carb cheesecake recipes out there today.
In the “old days,” ? ☎️ ? low carb cheesecakes were usually crustless ? – and basically a mixture of cream cheese, eggs, saccharin sweetener (ugh) and maybe some cinnamon.
It was better than nothing, but not great. ? ? ?
With all of the improvements in sweeteners and the availability of low carb nut flours now, the low carb cheesecake game has definitely made some amazing strides!
And so I bring you this truly delectable low carb strawberry swirl cheesecake recipe! It’s so good that if you didn’t already know it was low carb and gluten free, you’d never guess!
Now imma bout to get real with some of you…
You ready??
You’ve gone and gotten lazy. There – I said it.
Don’t get me wrong – I love a quick low carb dessert recipe that gets me from craving to eating in less than five minutes as much as the next person (i.e. I’m not a complete moron.)
Case and point – this low carb Chocolate Brownie Mug Cake recipe.
That being said, this no bake cheesecake thing is getting a little out of hand.
In fact I’d go so far as to say that “no bake” cheesecake isn’t really cheesecake at all – at best it’s a really heavy mousse. And I’m not saying that it’s not tasty – but it does not, it simply can not, compare to REAL cheesecake.
So I’m going to ask you to work with me here and turn your oven on for this one. ? That’s right, you can do this. ? And I promise you that it will be worth it. ?
This crust is the same as the one for my wildly popular low carb raspberry cheesecake bars – it’s made with dried coconut and has a crunchy, chewy, texture and sweet, toasty, flavor that rivals any traditional graham cracker crust in my opinion.
The cheesecake itself contains less eggs than some versions, which results in a sturdy, but still very creamy texture that is to die for. ? Seriously.
I made this in three small cheesecake pans because I’d already packed up my large springform pan and put it into storage for our move, but you could easily make this in a 9 inch springform pan. You may have to cook it a little longer to get the center to set, but a quick jiggle of the pan will let you know when it’s ready (it will still move, but will no longer be liquidy.)
You will definitely need to let this cheesecake chill for at least a couple of hours before the center sets all the way, so plan ahead for that if you’re making it for an event.
Super rich, this cheesecake won’t be as tall as some others (does that make it a “short”cake? Sorry… ?) but the crust to cheesecake ratio is perfection as is in my opinion.
If you prefer a really thick cheesecake, you’ll have to double the filling recipe and then bake it for at least 30 minutes (maybe more) longer to get it to set up. Then will likely take a full 10-12 hours in the fridge to thoroughly chill. I have no doubt the end result will be epic and totally worth the extra time though!
So are you guys with me??
It’s time for a “real” (actually baked) cheesecake revival! Let’s do this! ?
NOTE: The company that makes my recipe videos used a larger pan and the cheesecake is extremely thin as a result – more of a bar and that’s fine, but if you want it a bit thicker than use the called for size, and if you want it really tall then double the filling recipe as stated in the instructions.
Low Carb Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Low Carb Dessert Recipe
- Cuisine: American
Description
This low carb strawberry swirl cheesecake has a lush, creamy texture and a beautiful flavor with notes of lemon and sweet berries. The coconut crust is perfection.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 6 Tbsp butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar substitute
- ½ cup desiccated unsweetened coconut
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
For the filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar substitute (I used Swerve)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 egg
For the strawberry swirl:
- 1/2 cup pureed strawberries (about 3/4 cup chopped)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar substitute (I used Swerve)
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Cream together the butter and sugar substitute. Add the coconut, coconut flour and baking powder, mixing until thoroughly combined.
- Press into a lightly greased nonstick springform pan (8 inches or several mini’s) and set aside.
To make the cheesecake filling:
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar substitute together until smooth.
- Add the egg and lemon juice and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust.
- Combine the strawberry puree and 1 Tbsp sweetener (I used Swerve.)
- Drop by spoonfuls over the filling and then swirl gently with a knife or fork. Don’t over mix.
- Bake the cheesecake at 350 degrees: 30 minutes for a 9 inch springform pan, 22 minutes for 3 mini cheesecakes, 50 minutes if you double the filling recipe for a taller cheesecake.
- After baking the cheesecake will have a slight wiggle in the center while warm.
- Chill for several hours (longer for the bigger cake) until firm before serving chilled.
Notes
To see a list of my favorite low carb products and brands that I recommend for sweeteners, flours, etc. you can check out the IBIH Pantry Ingredients Page!
Nutrition
- Calories: 239
- Fat: 23
- Carbohydrates: 3g net
- Protein: 4
SUMMER IS COMING! Not ready to get into that bathing suit yet?!? I know the feeling!!! Get back on track with my free keto menu plans and you’ll be hitting the beach with confidence in no time!
The was fabulous!. The crust with the coconut flakes was so much better than the Almond flour versions I have tried.
You say to press crust into 8” springform pan and then later give cooking duration time for 9” spring form pan.I would assume to take a few minutes off cook time for the 8” I already have the crust in?
I’ll have to check that, one of them is a typo but either way the cook time would be the same for such a small deviation in size.
Fantastic! Just baked this last night. I was easily able to switch out a raspberry puree instead of the strawberries and it tasted so good! I liked this recipe a lot better than the one I’ve made with an almond crust. I just cannot get used to the almond taste. But this one was fabulous. I’ll definitely be returning to this recipe again and again.
★★★★★
Do you thank if I change the strawberry purée to blueberry it might be ok? Thanks
★★★★★
Yes, pretty sure any fruit puree would work well in this Fara!
I burnt the crust really bad. Followed all the instructions to a T. I always do this with crusts and cookies. Even when I try to use foil I still burn crusts. What is the secret? It burnt and it like migrated towards the center of the cheesecake. I’m sad because this is for my husband’s birthday. :(
If this happens to you often it’s likely your oven calibration. You may be running at a higher temp than your oven is showing. Getting a oven thermometer is the best way to be sure that your temperature is correct before baking. Also make sure you’re baking in the center rack.
Hi Mellissa! I was wondering if I add the same amount of cocoa powder that is in the crust and filling of your Keto Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake will that make this a chocolate cheesecake?
Hi! Can I use powdered sweetner instead of granular in the crust? Thanks!
I just made this! Definitely the easiest and my favorite keto cheesecake, but the crust is my favorite part!! It’s easy to make an almond flour or other nut crust, but this is the best nut free crust that I have tried!!
I made this for our Memorial Day dessert. I doubled the cheesecake recipe and used blueberries as the swirl instead of strawberries. Also this was my first attempt at making a cheesecake. With two diabetics in the family I know we will be making this again and again.
★★★★★
These were really good, except my crust didn’t set well and was really crumbly. I used a cupcake pan so maybe this was the problem. I also used xylitol and they were super sweet using half of what was called for. I will definitely be making these again!
★★★★★
I made this for Mother’s Day and it was delicious. I used coconut sugar for the sweetener and that was perfect. 5 stars Judy :)
Love this cheesecake! I didn’t have a springform pan and baked it as a pie. I also cut all sweetner in 1/2 as I have been on low carb almost 3 years and just don’t need things as sweet anymore. It was perfect!
★★★★★
Come come even when I double the filling it’s only about an inch thick?!
BEST DAMN CHEESECAKE I’VE EVER HAD, be they full sugar, full fat, no sugar, no fat, low carb, WHATEVER. Gosh this was GOOOOD!!! My husband who is NOT LCHF loved it too! This will be my go to cheesecake recipe FOR-EVA!!!
Thank you! I’ve been doing LCHF only 3 weeks and have been searching the Internet for LC recipes…your website/blog is my first stop always, and I also share your recipes on facebook too. (of course linking directly to your site.)
Thank you! :D
★★★★★
Thanks Gayle, that is awesome!!!
My husband always says if he took a mistress, it’d be a cheesecake. I made this for after dinner tonight, but he couldn’t wait to dig in! He was shocked that I found a low carb recipe. Let me tell you, it’s fantastic!
★★★★★
I am so making this and the strawberry icebox pie. I have tried a few of your recipes this week and all were delish!! those blueberry iced crumb muffins taste so normal and the monte cristo is to die for as well. thank you so much for all that you do, it makes it a lot easier to do Keto/low carb when you are not deprived of everything that you love. I have to find a good bread /bun recipe for burgers/ sandwiches…any suggestions?
I made the recipe, as directed with no changes. Wow!! So worth the wait!! Thank you!!
Oh, my lord. I have been eating a LCHF diet for just about 4 months yet, and besides the occasional cheat, I have had no contact with any type of baked goods. I never realized how I missed cakes and cheesecakes so much, until I had this– most delicious thing I have had in a while! The crust is to die for and the strawberry flavor works perfectly with the lemon juice. Great recipe, and thank you so much for bringing cheesecake back into my life, haha.
★★★★★
Can I double the filling?
You can, it will take much longer to bake so be aware of that!
Have you by chance tried making this in an Instant Pot? If so, how long to cook it?
I have yet to make any cheesecake in the instant pot but I’m dying to try it – let me know if it works out!