For those following a ketogenic diet, satisfying a sweet tooth can seem challenging. However, with a few clever ingredient swaps, you can enjoy decadent chocolate desserts without derailing your low-carb lifestyle. This article explores a range of easy-to-make keto chocolate dessert recipes, from cheesecakes and brownies to fat bombs and mousses, all while keeping the net carb count low.
The Allure of Keto Chocolate Desserts
Chocolate holds a special place in many hearts. Enjoying a little bit of chocolate can be a true act of self-love. The good news is that you don't have to give up chocolate on a keto diet. You just need to be smart about the type of chocolate you choose and the ingredients you use in your recipes.
Is Chocolate Keto-Friendly?
Yes, chocolate can be part of a keto diet in moderation. The key is to choose dark chocolate with a very high cocoa content (90% cocoa solids or more) or opt for unsweetened chocolate or chocolate sweetened with a keto-friendly alternative. Regular milk chocolate is not keto-friendly due to its high sugar content.
Benefits of Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate offers several potential health benefits, including being a source of antioxidants. It may help reduce blood pressure, lower the risk of heart disease, and even improve brain function. Plus, it makes you happy by causing the release of endorphins in the brain.
Essential Keto Chocolate Dessert Ingredients
Many keto chocolate dessert recipes rely on a few key ingredients to maintain a low carb count while delivering delicious flavor and texture:
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- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder is a staple in keto chocolate desserts. Most unsweetened cocoa powders have one net carb per tablespoon.
- Keto-Friendly Sweeteners: Instead of sugar, keto desserts use sweeteners that don't significantly impact blood sugar levels. Popular choices include Swerve Confectioners (which uses sugar alcohols with zero net carbs), erythritol, and stevia.
- Nut Flours: Almond flour and coconut flour are common substitutes for wheat flour in keto baking.
- Healthy Fats: Ingredients like coconut oil, butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, and avocado add richness and moisture to keto desserts.
- Chocolate: Choose either dark chocolate with a very high cocoa content, unsweetened chocolate or chocolate that uses a sweetener in place of sugar.
Keto Chocolate Dessert Recipes to Try
Here are some easy keto chocolate dessert recipes to satisfy your cravings:
Keto Chocolate Heaven
This recipe qualifies as an easy keto dessert because of how simple it is to make, especially if you like keto cheesecake. It uses basic keto staples that you most likely already have on hand.
Ingredients:
- Swerve Confectioners
- Nutiva Coconut Oil
- Cocoa powder
- Cream cheese
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
Instructions:
- Chocolate Base: Melt butter, then add softened cream cheese and vanilla extract. Mix with a hand mixer until well-combined and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa powder and Swerve Confectioners. Add the cream cheese mixture to the cocoa powder mixture and mix until well-combined. Spread the mixture evenly into a pan and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Chocolate Topping: Combine all topping ingredients and mix well to create a liquid topping.
- Final Dessert: Remove the chocolate base from the freezer and pour the chocolate topping on top, spreading evenly. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Secret: When you store Keto Chocolate Heaven in the freezer and you let your piece thaw for a few minutes before eating, it tastes like a Double Chocolate Klondike Bar.
Salted Keto Chocolate Cheesecake
This incredible dessert has three rich chocolate layers. Whether you make one big keto chocolate cheesecake or keto chocolate cheesecake bites, the ingredients list is the same.
Ingredients:
- Almond flour
- Keto friendly sweetener
- Cocoa powder
- Melted butter
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Melted bakers chocolate
- Heavy cream
- Lily's dark chocolate chips
- Coconut oil
- Sea salt
Instructions:
- Chocolate Crust: Combine the melted butter, almond flour, keto-friendly sweetener and cocoa powder. Pre-bake the crust for 7 minutes and allow the crust to cool COMPLTELY.
- Cheesecake Layer: Add the melted bakers chocolate and the heavy cream. Mix until completely smooth, mixture will be light and airy. Spoon onto the cooled crust. Bake 15-18 minutes until the cheescake has set.
- Topping: Melt the Lily's dark chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan. Stir until smooth. Dip the top of the cooled cheesecake into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.
For a complete list of ingredients, amounts, and step-by-step instructions, scroll to the printable recipe card below.
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Keto Chocolate Cheesecake Bites
This recipe makes 24 muffin sized dark chocolate cheesecakes. All three decadent layers come to just 2.8 net carbs each! These keto-friendly cheesecake bites can be frozen for up to three months.
Ingredients:
- Melted butter
- Almond flour
- Keto friendly sweetener
- Cocoa powder
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Sweetener
- Vanilla
- Melted bakers chocolate
- Heavy cream
- Lily's dark chocolate chips
- Coconut oil
- Sea salt
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Chocolate crust: Combine the melted butter, almond flour, keto friendly sweetener, and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl until it forms a crumbly dough. Press the dough into the bottom of a silicone muffin pan (or paper lined muffin pan). Pre-bake the crust for 7 minutes and allow the crust to cool COMPLETELY.
- Cheesecake layer: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, eggs, sweetener, cocoa powder, and vanilla until things are just barely incorporated. Add the melted bakers chocolate and the heavy cream. Mix until completely smooth. Mixture will be light and airy. Spoon the cheesecake mixture onto the cooled crust, filling each 3/4 full. Bake 15-18 minutes until the cheescake has set. Remove from oven and allow the cheesecakes to cool competely. Once cooled, pop the cheesecakes out of the muffin pan.
- Topping: Melt the Lily's dark chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan. Stir until smooth. Dip the top of the cooled cheesecake into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.
Other Keto Chocolate Dessert Ideas
- Brownies: Use almond flour, cocoa powder, and a keto-friendly sweetener to create rich, fudgy brownies.
- Cakes: Explore recipes for chocolate mug cakes, layer cakes with ganache frosting, or chocolate orange cake.
- Fat Bombs: Combine ingredients like coconut oil, cocoa powder, nut butter, and sweeteners to make satisfying fat bombs.
- Mousses: Whip together heavy cream, mascarpone, or avocado with chocolate for a creamy and decadent mousse.
- Truffles: These creamy keto truffles are made with avocado.
- Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream: This recipe is not only keto-friendly, but also no churn.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: It's an almond flour recipe with cocoa powder.
- Chocolate Donuts: Krispy Kreme move over - these chocolate donuts taste WAY better than any sugary versions you can buy in the store.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: It is incredibly creamy and scrumptious. You can store it in the fridge or in the freezer.
- Chocolate Sea Salt Peanut Butter Bites: These satisfy both sweet and salty cravings in one shareable dessert.
Tips for Baking with Cocoa Powder
The great thing about cocoa powder is that it acts as a substitute to flour. This means that it adds texture. The secret is to add enough moisture and not over-bake.
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