Keto Cheesecake
⏲ ~65 min total · prep 13 · cook 52 · 4 servings
Desserts⏱ 115 min total🔥 5.0g net carbs⚡ ≈304 kcal/serving~10% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 3 tbsp granulated erythritol sweetener (for the crust)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 24 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated erythritol sweetener (for the filling)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Stir the almond flour, 3 tbsp sweetener, and melted butter together until it looks like wet sand, then press firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake 10 minutes, until it smells toasty and the surface looks dry; set aside to cool.
- Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl on medium for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl twice, until completely smooth with no lumps visible.
- Add the 3/4 cup sweetener, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice; mix on low just until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, stopping the mixer as soon as the last egg disappears — overbeating eggs is what cracks cheesecake.
- Pour the filling over the crust, wrap the bottom of the pan in foil, and set it inside a roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides.
- Bake at 325°F for 50-55 minutes, until the edges are set but a 3-inch circle in the center still jiggles like gelatin when nudged.
- Turn the oven off, crack the door open, and leave the cheesecake inside 30 minutes. Then cool to room temperature and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- Run a thin knife around the edge before releasing the springform so the sides release cleanly.
Why this recipe works
- Room temperature everything Cream cheese that is still cold lumps no matter how long the mixer runs. Room-temp dairy blends smooth in two minutes and bakes without streaks.
- The water bath Foil around the springform and an inch of hot water in the roasting pan take the harsh edges off the oven heat. Gentle, even heat is what keeps a cheesecake from doming and splitting.
- Sour cream in the batter A half cup lightens the cream cheese and gives slices a soft feel instead of a heavy one. The lemon juice behind it keeps the flavor awake.
Tips for making this recipe well
Two full minutes on the cream cheese
Scrape the bowl twice during the beat. Every lump you leave now is a grain you taste later.
Stop at the last egg
Eggs go in one at a time on low, and the mixer stops the second the last one disappears. Beaten-in air is the number one cause of cracked tops.
Trust the jiggle
At 50 to 55 minutes the edges should be set while a 3-inch circle in the center still moves like gelatin. A fully firm cheesecake at this stage is already overbaked.
The slow exit
Turn the oven off, crack the door, and let it sit 30 minutes. A sudden temperature drop is the other big cracker of tops.
Knife before the spring
Run a thin knife around the inside edge before you open the latch. Cheesecake clings, and clinging means tearing.
Serving suggestions
This is a plain cheesecake on purpose; the sour cream and lemon carry it, and nothing competes. Slice with a knife rinsed in hot water between cuts and the edges stay smooth. Five net carbs a slice leaves room for a few raspberries on top if the day allows. Serve it cold; warm cheesecake is a texture nobody asked for, and the 4-hour chill is what earns the clean slice.
Storage and meal prep
After the initial 4-hour chill, the cake keeps 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge and settles in further on day two. Store it whole with the springform ring off and plastic over the top. Slices freeze well for 2 to 3 months wrapped individually; thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. The crust softens a little after freezing, and nobody has ever complained about it.
Variations worth trying
- Berry top Simmer a handful of raspberries with a teaspoon of the erythritol until they slump, cool, and spoon over slices.
- Chocolate crust Swap a quarter cup of the almond flour for cocoa powder in the crust.
- Extra lemon Double the juice and add zest if you want it brighter. The filling holds both.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my cheesecake crack?
Two usual causes: air beaten into the eggs, or a fast cool. Mix the eggs in on low and stop early, then use the oven-off, door-cracked rest before it comes out.
Can I skip the water bath?
You can, and the edges will set harder than the middle, which is how dry, domed cheesecakes happen. The foil-and-roasting-pan step costs five minutes.
Does it have to chill 4 hours?
Yes. Below that, slices slump on the plate instead of standing.
Can I use a regular 9-inch pan?
The springform matters because you cannot lift slices out of a solid pan intact. If you must, line it with a full parchment sling and lift the whole block out before cutting.
How do I know when it is done?
Edges set and matte, with a 3-inch circle in the center that still jiggles like gelatin. The 30 minutes in the cooling oven finishes the middle gently.
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As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Keto Food Ideas earns from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Nutritional values are estimates. Recipes are developed with AI assistance and reviewed by our editors before publishing.
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