For those following a ketogenic diet, the words "dessert" and "easy" might seem mutually exclusive. However, with cream cheese as a key ingredient, a world of delectable and simple no-bake keto desserts opens up. These recipes offer a way to satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your low-carb lifestyle. This article explores a variety of keto no-bake cream cheese desserts, from parfaits and bites to mousses and bars, providing detailed instructions and helpful tips to ensure your creations are both delicious and diet-friendly.
Keto No-Bake Cheesecake Parfaits
Keto no-bake cheesecake parfaits are easy, delicious, and beautiful. What’s not to love about this no-bake cheesecake that’s also low carb and keto-friendly? The parfait format legitimizes eating cheesecake for breakfast. These parfaits can be layered with crumbs of coconut shortbread cookies for a perfect combination.
Keto No-Bake Cheesecake Bites
Creamy and delicious, these no-bake keto cheesecake bites are a fun alternative to baking a cheesecake. Making these treats is effortless, and they satisfy that craving for something small, sweet, and delicious. They're closer to a no-bake cheesecake than to a baked one, making them a perfect treat with coffee after a meal.
Ingredients and Preparation
For these cheesecake bites, you'll need softened cream cheese, your favorite powdered sweetener (like stevia glycerite), and vanilla extract (or coconut extract). Combine these ingredients in a medium bowl using a hand whisk until smooth. For toppings, shredded coconut and unsweetened cocoa powder are excellent choices. You can also add 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips to the cream cheese mixture.
After mixing, place the mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden. This step is crucial to ensure the mixture is firm enough to shape into balls. Scoop out a tablespoon of the mixture per bite, roll it in your hands to form a ball, and then roll the cheesecake balls in your chosen toppings. You can enjoy these treats immediately or refrigerate them for another 30 minutes to allow them to set further.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Storage
These bites can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Remove them from the fridge 15 minutes before serving. Freezing is not recommended.
The Best No-Bake Keto Cheesecake
This is the best no-bake keto cheesecake you will find! It is a super light, smooth, creamy, and fluffy keto dessert that is made with no sugar but tastes rich and delicious! This keto cheesecake is versatile and can be made full in a 9-inch springform pan, into ramekins for a single-serve portion, or cut into bars or bites.
Ingredients
- Almond flour: Select fine almond flour rather than almond meal for optimal texture.
- Heavy cream: Use heavy cream for optimal texture & flavor.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice provides a balance in sweet flavors.
- Monk fruit sweetener: The best no bake keto cheesecake made with monk fruit and with no sugar.
Instructions
Begin by toasting the almond flour crust mixture over medium heat in a skillet to develop the graham cracker-like flavor. Combine the cooled almond flour with melted butter, cinnamon, monk fruit sweetener, and salt. It should resemble wet sand. Next, whip the cold heavy cream until it has stiff peaks. Combine all of the filling ingredients except 1 cup of heavy cream in a stand mixer and mix until creamy for about 3 minutes. Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before whipping. Fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. Remove the crust from the freezer and spread the filling into the crust. Smooth tops with a spoon.
For bars or bites, use an 8X8 glass Pyrex baking dish and cut it into bite-sized pieces after the 12-hour cooling. You can also make keto cheesecake with no crust. Skip the first part of the recipe where we toast the almond flour to make the crust!
Topping suggestions
If you like to add fresh berries or fruit; cherries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or raspberries are all lower-sugar fruits that would be great to add and keep lower carb.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Important considerations
To be firm and able to cut individual slices cleanly, you must refrigerate the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. Also, use full-fat cream cheese rather than low-fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese.
Easy No Bake Keto Cheesecake
The easiest No Bake Keto Cheesecake with <3g net carbs per slice. This no bake keto cheesecake takes only 10 minutes or so to prepare. Using all keto friendly ingredients this is one of those recipes the whole family will love.
Key Ingredients
- Lemon Juice - don’t leave out the lemon (or lime) juice as it helps to set a no bake cheesecake.
- Almond meal - Use almond meal in the base.
- Heavy Cream - Use thickened (or heavy) cream. You need to use a thick cream otherwise the cheesecake will not set firm.
Instructions
Place the base ingredients into a large bowl and mix until combined. Press into the bottom (and sides if preferred) of a 20cm springform pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in another bowl until smooth and creamy. Fold the whipped cream through the filling. Remove the sides from the pan carefully and top the cheesecake with your choice of toppings.
Troubleshooting
If the cheesecake has not set, refrigerate it until firm. If it does not set after, then maybe check if there is any steps you missed. Did you leave out the lemon juice? Did you whip the cream until stiff first? The mixture can always be scraped (or poured) off the base and you can add more whipped cream, or some gelatin dissolved in water to the filling before adding back on the base and chilling until set.
Conventional and Thermal Methods
Conventional Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F). Line a 20cm springform pan. Combine the almond meal and melted butter in a large bowl. Press into the prepared springform pan. Bake the base for 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before adding the filling. In a large bowl whip, the cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Place the remaining ingredients into a stand mixer or large bowl and using a hand mixer, mix all the remaining ingredients until smooth and creamy. Fold the whipped cream through the cream cheese mixture. Scoop onto the base and smooth over the top. Cover and chill until set. If adding the topping. Place all the ingredients into a large bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Garnish with fruit, sauce or freeze-dried fruit powder.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Thermal Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F). Line a 20cm springform pan. Combine the almond meal and melted butter in a large bowl. Press into the prepared springform pan. Bake the base for 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before adding the filling. Insert the whisk attachment. Add the cream to the mixer; set at speed 3. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Scrape from the bowl and set aside. Place the remaining ingredients into the mixer; mix 1 min/speed 4. Scrape and repeat if required. Fold into the whipped cream. Scoop onto the base and smooth over the top. Cover and chill until set. If adding the topping. Place all the ingredients into a large bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
3-Ingredient Keto No-Bake Cheesecake
This creamy no bake cheesecake is low carb and keto-friendly. It needs just 3 ingredients and is easy to make. No cooking or baking required. This easy crustless cheesecake takes only a few minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
- Cream cheese: The base of this cheesecake is cream cheese. The cream cheese is beaten until light and airy.
- Keto Yogurt Alternative: To help make the cheesecake lighter and smoother, use Ratio Trio, which is a keto yogurt alternative that is low carb and high protein.
- Powdered Sweetener: Use powdered Swerve to sweeten the cake.
Instructions
Beat the cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the yogurt and powdered sugar, then beat for another 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture should be thick and spreadable. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly into the cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, or until firm to the touch. Alternatively, you can freeze the cake for about 1 hour or until solid, then keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Keto No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
This Keto No Bake Cheesecake Recipe is perfect for your sweet tooth. This delicious no bake keto cheesecake recipe is the ideal summer dessert on a low carb diet.
Instructions
Add the almond flour, butter, and 1 tablespoon of the sweetener into a food processor. Bloom the gelatin. Add the cream cheese to the food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the bloomed gelatin, sour cream, vanilla, and sweetener. Drop spoonfuls of the cheesecake on top of the crust. Spread until smooth. To make the topping, combine the powdered sweetener and the sour cream.
Variations
- Lemon: Turn this into a lemon cheesecake by adding some lemon zest or lemon extract.
- Toppings: Fresh berries, cocoa powder, or a drizzle of peanut butter - all are great options for this cheesecake recipe.
- Nut-free Option: To make this nut-free swap, use sunflower seed flour in place of almond flour.
Sugar Free Keto Cheesecake Bars
These sugar free keto cheesecake bars use a classic low carb cheesecake recipe of mine and have a delicious swirl of fresh blueberry topping. If you prefer not to use almond flour or you or someone you love has a nut allergy, you can swap the almonds with sunflower seed flour. If you can’t find sunflower seed flour, use raw, unsalted sunflowers and grind them in a food processor until fine.
Dairy-Free Option
You can make these luscious gluten free blueberry cheesecake bars dairy free!! To replace the full fat cream cheese used in the filling, swap with full fat canned coconut milk. You can place your canned coconut milk, unopened, in the fridge over night. Drain or use in a smoothie!
Tips for Success
- TIP #1 Use a good quality thick full fat cream cheese.
- TIP #2 If you find your cheesecake a bit too soft, pop into the freezer for about 30 minutes or to your liking.
- TIP #4 Since this is a no bake recipe and there are no eggs in this cheesecake, you can taste your no bake filling and decide if it is sweet enough for you.
Low-Carb No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
These low-carb No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Bars are perfect for summer entertaining or a treat that doesn’t require you slaving away at the stove. And it can be frozen then defrosted.
Base
Place all the dry base ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and mix to form a flakey crumb. Line a 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Press the base mix into the bottom and smooth with the back of a spoon to get neat edges.
Filling
In a clean large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, low carb sweetener, lemon juice, zest and salt. Mix with an electric mixer to combine. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until thick (but don’t over whisk or it gets super stiff, you want it just under when it splits). Fold the cream through the cream cheese with a spatula to combine.
Swirl
In a small saucepan, add the frozen berries, low-carb sweetener and water. Simmer on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and you can squash some of the blueberries with the back of a spatula. Turn off heat, add the xanthan and allow to fully cool to thicken.
Assembly
Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the base and smooth the top with a silicone spatula. Add dollops of cooled blueberries and swirl with a toothpick or the tip of a sharp knife. Place in the fridge to fully set, about 8 hours, or overnight. About an hour before serving place into the freezer to firm up and to make slicing easier. Slice into 9 bars with a sharp knife.
Keto Cheesecake Mousse
Rich cream cheese, luscious heavy whipping cream, and the perfect dash of vanilla and lemon extracts sweetened just right with keto sweetener come together in this simple yet decadent keto cheesecake mousse. This dessert doesn't have a crust, meaning gone are the calories and fat of melted butter and the heaviness of an almond flour crust.
Instructions
To soften the cheese, put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then stir it up with a fork. Add sweetener and flavor extracts. Fold the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until well incorporated. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Pipe or spoon into individual serving dishes. Top with fresh fruit or sugar-free chocolate, if desired.
Variations
To add some chocolate flavor to this keto cream cheese dessert, you can mix in some unsweetened cocoa powder or sugar-free chocolate chips. You could also drizzle melted sugar-free chocolate on top. For an even easier option, you could blend in some sugar-free chocolate pudding mix (just use half the amount called for in the recipe) or swap out the vanilla extract for chocolate extract.
No Bake, Peanut Butter Keto Cheesecake
Here is a no bake, peanut butter Keto cheesecake. In this recipe I used my Keto peanut butter cookies for the base. I had them lying around and since I don’t care much for cookies this was the best use. Now while I highly recommend whipping up a batch of them you could also just use almond flour in the exact same amount. For the filling I used stevia as my sweetener of choice and I do sweeten to taste. In the recipe below though I’ve given an approximate amount of Erythritol.
Base
Melt the butter in a sauce pan and cook till the milk solids separate and start to turn brown in colour. Once they turn a nice dark brown remove from the heat and set aside. This is our brown butter. Take the peanut butter cookies and blitz them in the food processor. Add in the cocoa powder first and mix well, then the brown butter and blend together till it's all well incorporated. Remove on a 7" spring form tin and spread around evenly to form the base. Pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.
Filling
Whip the cream in a bowl to soft peaks. Then whip the cream cheese in a separate bowl. Make sure it's at room temperature. Add in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and sweetener to the cream cheese and mix it all well. Then add in the whipped cream and fold it in using a spatula. Taste for sweetness. Then pour the filling over the base once it's set and let it cool for at least 6 hours in the fridge or overnight. If you plan to keep it overnight then wrap the top in cling film.
Ganache
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. In a saucepan heat 100ml of cream to a simmer and pour over the chocolate. Mix it all well till you get a nice smooth ganache. Add stevia or sweetener of choice and sweeten to taste. Allow the ganache to cool before pouring over the set cheesecake. Let it cool for at least 1-2 hours in the fridge before serving.
Sweeteners
There are many sugar-free sweeteners on the market today, but it’s really about personal preference. Figuring out which is the best to use for one purpose or another is not the easiest thing and can quite confusing. Common choices include monk fruit sweetener, erythritol, Swerve, Allulose, or stevia baking blends. Powdered sweetener tends to give an even more smooth texture.