Keto Snickerdoodle Cheesecake: A Deliciously Guilt-Free Treat

For those navigating the world of low-carb, gluten-free, and sugar-free eating, the desire to indulge in familiar favorites can be strong. Snickerdoodles, with their soft, slightly crunchy texture and delightful cinnamon-sugar coating, often top the list of missed treats. This keto snickerdoodle cheesecake recipe offers a solution, providing a decadent and satisfying dessert that aligns with dietary goals. It allows you to enjoy a beloved flavor combination without compromising your health or lifestyle.

What Makes This Recipe Keto-Friendly?

This recipe cleverly substitutes high-carb ingredients with keto-friendly alternatives. Traditional snickerdoodles and cheesecakes are loaded with sugar and wheat flour, making them unsuitable for a ketogenic diet. This recipe replaces these with ingredients like:

• Almond Flour: A low-carb, gluten-free alternative to wheat flour, forming the base of the crust.
• Monkfruit Sweetener/Erythritol: A natural, zero-calorie sweetener that mimics the taste of sugar without the blood sugar spike. Lakanto Organic Monkfruit Sweetener is a popular choice because it measures cup for cup like sugar and has no aftertaste.
• Cream Cheese: The star of the cheesecake filling, providing richness and creaminess while being naturally low in carbs.
• Coconut Flour: Another low-carb flour option, used in some variations of the crust.

Keto Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Ingredients

Crust

• Almond flour
• Melted butter
• Sweetener (such as Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener)
• Cinnamon
• Baking soda (optional, for a bit of lift)

Cheesecake Filling

• Cream cheese (room temperature is crucial)
• Sweetener (such as powdered Monkfruit Erythritol Sweetener)
• Sour cream
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs

Cinnamon Streusel Topping (Optional)

• Melted coconut oil
• Coconut flakes
• Almond meal
• Cinnamon

Instructions

Preparing the Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, combine almond flour, sweetener, and cinnamon.
3. Pour in melted butter and mix until well combined.
4. Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking dish.
5. Bake for 10 minutes.

Making the Cheesecake Filling

1. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat room temperature cream cheese until smooth.
3. Add sweetener, sour cream, and vanilla extract; mix until just combined.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time until combined.
5. Pour the cheesecake filling over the baked crust.

Creating the Snickerdoodle Topping

1. In a small bowl, mix sweetener and cinnamon.
2. Scoop the remaining cookie dough into small balls. Any size is fine - they don't have to be uniform.
3. Gently press the dough 'balls' into about ¼" thickness.
4. Coat each side of the formed cookie pieces into the sweetener & cinnamon mixture and place them on top of the cheesecake batter in the prepared pan.
5. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cheesecake is set in the middle.

Baking the Cheesecake Bars

1. Bake for 30 minutes and remove the foil.
2. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cheesecake is set in the middle. The center may still be slightly wiggly.
3. Let cool completely before refrigerating.

Cinnamon Streusel Topping (Optional)

1. Melt coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Stir in coconut, almond meal, and cinnamon.
3. Sauté until lightly toasted (about 4 minutes).
4. Sprinkle a spoonful on each slice when serving.

Tips for Success

• Room Temperature Cream Cheese: This is essential for a smooth, creamy cheesecake batter. Cold cream cheese will result in a lumpy texture.
• Don't Overmix: Overmixing the cheesecake batter can incorporate too much air, leading to cracks during baking. Mix until just combined.
• Cooling: Allow the cheesecake bars to cool completely before refrigerating. This prevents condensation from forming and affecting the texture.

Variations

• No-Bake Version: For a creamier texture and even simpler preparation, try a no-bake version. This typically involves a similar crust but uses gelatin to set the cheesecake filling in the refrigerator.
• Coconut Whipped Cream: Garnish with coconut whipped cream for an extra touch of decadence. Be sure to use full-fat Thai Kitchen coconut milk, refrigerated overnight, for the best results. Scoop out the solid white cream and whip with vanilla stevia and vanilla extract.
• Different Sweeteners: Experiment with different keto-friendly sweeteners like erythritol, stevia, or a blend of both. Adjust the amount to your taste preference. Lakanto Golden can be also used as a brown sugar substitute. The texture is closer to regular sugar, but the flavor is spot on.

Storing and Freezing

• Refrigerating: Store the snickerdoodle cheesecake bars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They are best eaten within the first three days, as they tend to dry out over time.
• Freezing: You can freeze cheesecake bars for up to 1 month. Wrap them tightly in saran wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, then place them in a freezer-friendly storage bag. Slice the bars before freezing for easy individual portions.

Why This Recipe Works

This keto snickerdoodle cheesecake recipe successfully recreates the flavors and textures of traditional snickerdoodles and cheesecake while adhering to ketogenic principles. The almond flour crust provides a buttery, slightly nutty base, while the cream cheese filling delivers a rich and creamy texture. The cinnamon and sweetener topping adds the signature snickerdoodle flavor without the sugar.

Adapting to Different Dietary Needs

This recipe is naturally gluten-free and can be adapted to suit other dietary needs:

• Dairy-Free: While the traditional recipe relies on cream cheese, dairy-free alternatives can be explored, such as using a cashew-based cream cheese substitute.
• Nut-Free: If you have a nut allergy, you can try using sunflower seed flour or coconut flour in place of almond flour for the crust, though the texture may be slightly different.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #snickerdoodle #cheesecake #recipe