Decadent Keto Strawberry Cheesecake Bars: Irresistible Low-Carb Dessert You Must Try!

Perfect for spring, summer, or any time you crave a refreshing and guilt-free dessert, these easy keto strawberry cheesecake bars are bursting with strawberry flavor. This recipe combines a crunchy base, a creamy cheesecake filling, and a vibrant strawberry topping, all while staying true to keto principles.

A Journey of Flavors: The Layers of Perfection

These keto strawberry cheesecake bars are constructed with distinct layers, each contributing to the overall taste and texture:

The Crunchy Keto Graham Cracker Base

The bottom layer is a crunchy graham cracker base. To convert the original recipe into a sugar-free, keto and gluten-free recipe, I opted to use Catalina Crunch Cereal which I can find at my local grocery store. Alternatively, you can use a keto graham cracker crust recipe for the base, which typically includes ingredients like toasted almond flour, low carb sweetener, salt, melted butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Par-baking the crust is important to allow it to set and avoid becoming crumbly.

Keto Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients:

Toasted almond flour
Low carb sweetener
Salt
Melted butter
Vanilla and cinnamon

The Creamy Keto Cheesecake Filling

The next layer is a basic keto cheesecake. All you need for the keto cheesecake is some cream cheese, eggs and sweetener.Softened cream cheese is essential for a perfectly smooth cheesecake filling. For best results, leave your cream cheese out on the counter to soften for 3-4 hours. If you’re short on time, you can soften the cream cheese blocks in your microwave on half power. Room temperature eggs also contribute to a smoother batter.

Keto Cheesecake Filling Ingredients:

Softened cream cheese
Eggs
Low carb sweetener
Vanilla extract

The Strawberry Puree Topping

Lastly, a combination of strawberry puree and sour cream are combined for a strawberry-forward flavour. I use this to make the low carb strawberry puree mixture that gets poured over the vanilla cheesecake layer. Sour cream is a bit thinner than cream cheese and cooks nicely. You can substitute for mascarpone cheese too.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Strawberry Puree Topping Ingredients:

Fresh strawberries
Sour cream (or mascarpone cheese)
Low carb sweetener

Optional Garnish

Although this can not really be considered a "layer" as it is more of a "topping", a thinly sliced and sweetened strawberry is added to each bar. Fresh strawberries are best for the garnish.

Recipe Tips and Techniques

Crust Preparation: Line your 9×13 inch pan in foil or parchment so the bars and crust do not stick. Spray the foil/ paper with non-stick spray. When adding the crust mixture, press it down securely into the pan. I use a spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup to make sure it’s even and covering the bottom and edges completely.
Baking the Cheesecake: Lower your preheated oven temp after baking the crust (it’s at 350 F.) to 300 F. Lower temperatures help bake the cheesecake slower and can help prevent cracking and over-browning.
Strawberry Puree: I made this mixture by first blending up roughly 6 strawberries into a smoothie blender with the allulose sweetener. Then blend again with the sour cream. This works really in the smoothie blender since the sour cream isn’t as thick as traditional cream cheese.
Cooling and Setting: The cheesecake needs to cool first outside of the oven on the counter, then for at least four hours or more in the fridge (I like to let them sit at least a day or so). Place them in the fridge to cool uncovered or place the plastic wrap directly onto the top of the cheesecake carefully to prevent condensation droplets.
Freezing and Defrosting: You can easily freeze your bars and defrost individually as needed. To freeze them, place them on a small tray or baking sheet over parchment paper. Let them set for at least an hour in the freezer, then transfer them to a freezer safe bag so they do not stick. Defrost by leaving them in the fridge for 12-24 hours or by letting it rest on the counter for 15-20 minutes or so before eating.

Variations and Adaptations

Chocolate Crust: For a richer flavor, consider using a chocolate crust. This keto strawberry cheesecake is smooth and creamy, with a rich chocolate crust and a sugar-free chocolate ganache topping.
No-Bake Version: If you want to avoid turning on your oven, you can make a no-bake keto strawberry cheesecake.
Different Sweeteners: I prefer allulose or monk fruit sweetener as my go-to. Granulated low carb sweetener works perfectly fine here as well, but you could use a powdered form. You will need sweetener for both layers and a little for the crust as well.
Nut-Free Option: If you have nut allergies, you can replace the almond flour in the crust with sunflower seed flour or another suitable alternative.

Serving and Storage

Cut the cheesecake into 24 bars for serving. Then slice a handful of strawberries and place one into the center of each bar. They work best served cold, right out of the fridge.

These keto cheesecake bars will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store covered in an airtight container. I like to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. Or store individual slices in this 18-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids. These containers are great for meal prep, too!

Why Strawberries Fit the Keto Lifestyle

It’s a good thing strawberries are keto friendly, because they are so tempting and delicious, especially when they’re in season. Strawberries are safe to eat in moderation on the keto diet. Strawberries are relatively low in sugar and carbohydrates. One strawberry has 0.7 g net carbs. Strawberries do contain natural sugars, so they do need to be enjoyed in moderation.

A Note on Nutritional Information

I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them.

Step-by-Step Recipe

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 Batch of Keto Graham Cracker Crust

For the Cheesecake Filling:

3 packs of Cream Cheese softened
1 cup Sour Cream or Mascarpone Cheese
1 1/4 cup Low Carb Sweetener divided
3 Large Eggs room temperature
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
12 Strawberries divided

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 F to start (for the crust). Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil or parchment paper so there is excess on all sides (this will make cutting the bars so much easier, don’t skip this step). Spray the foil/paper with non-stick spray as well.
Make your crust according to the directions, pack it evenly into the bottom of your pan and bake it for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool while you make the filling.
Once removing your crust from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 300 F.
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of preferred low carb sweetener together into a bowl. Make sure you cream cheese is softened enough so that there are no chunks or lumps.
Add one egg into the mixture at a time and let it mix for at least a minute or so to fully incorporate. Repeat with each additional egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Finally, mix in the vanilla extract and set the bowl aside.
Grab your pan with the baked crust and carefully pour the base layer over it completely. Use a rubber spatula to smooth it out as needed. Bake this for about 30-35 minutes. The sides should look more solid and the center should still jiggle a bit.
While the first layer bakes, use a smoothie blender bottle or other similar tool and combine the remaining 1/2 cup of low carb sweetener and about 6 whole strawberries (stems removed).
Blend this mixture first into a puree. Then add in the sour cream mixture and blend again. The mixture will look like a pink smoothie.
After the base layer has set and is mostly cooked, carefully pour the strawberry layer over the top, evenly across the pan.
Return to the oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the sides are set and the center looks cooked but still jiggles.
Remove it from the oven and let it cool a few hours on a cooling rack before letting it finish fully setting and cooling in the fridge (at least 4 hours, but best the next day).
Cut your bars into 24 servings. Take your remaining strawberries and cut them into four slices each and place one slice onto each bar.
Serve directly from the fridge as needed and enjoy!

Freezing Instructions

Want to freeze these bars? Place each bar first on a small plate or baking sheet and place this in the freezer for about an hour to set. Once they are set, transfer the individual bars into a freezer safe bag and put them back into the freezer. This helps prevents them from sticking and makes it easier to defrost each bar as desired.

Nutritional Information

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #strawberry #cheesecake #bars #recipe