A rich, creamy ketogenic cheesecake with a luscious raspberry swirl. This sugar-free version is ideal for low‑carb diets.
This post is partnered with Sukrin USA, a favorite source for low‑carb sweeteners, gluten‑free flours, and sugar‑free products.
Tis the season for indulgent desserts! The holidays bring music, gatherings, and tempting treats. If you’re watching carbs, the answer is simple: make your own low‑carb desserts. This raspberry swirl cheesecake is a crowd‑pleaser—perfect to share with friends, family, or coworkers.
Keto Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
Cheesecake is a favorite among low‑carb and keto followers. Since these diets rely more on fat than sugar for energy, a modest slice of sugar‑free cheesecake can fit well into the plan. Unlike sugar‑laden desserts that spike blood sugar, a low‑carb cheesecake is much friendlier for carb‑sensitive people and diabetics.
Cheesecakes vary in texture from light and airy to dense and ultra‑creamy. They can be baked or crustless and flavored in many ways. This recipe features a strawberry‑raspberry swirl made with Sukrin’s no‑sugar‑added strawberry‑raspberry jam for bright flavor and color.
How Traditional Cheesecake Works
A classic cheesecake has a crumb crust, cream cheese, eggs, and sweetener. Crusts are typically made from crushed cookies or crumbs mixed with melted butter, then pressed into a springform or removable‑base pan. A common guideline is one egg per 8 ounces of cream cheese. Cheesecakes are often baked in a water bath to encourage even cooking and are usually baked for one to one and a half hours, then cooled slowly.
Making Sugar‑Free and Low‑Carb Cheesecakes
Low‑carb cheesecakes are made similarly to regular ones but substitute a low‑carb sweetener—often an erythritol blend—for sugar. Crusts use nut or seed flours with butter or coconut oil, or you can make the cheesecake crustless. These swaps keep the texture and flavor while drastically cutting carbs.
Why Cheesecakes Crack and What to Do
Cheesecake cracks are common and usually cosmetic. Causes include temperature shifts, humidity, over‑whipping air into the batter, or too rapid cooling. A water bath and gradual cooling can help, but sometimes cracks still appear. Covering cracks with jam, whipped cream, or fruit makes them disappear visually—this raspberry swirl does that nicely.
Keto Swirl Cheesecake Tips
For this keto swirl cheesecake, the almond flour crust is prebaked until lightly browned to develop a toasted nut flavor. Use room‑temperature cream cheese and eggs—leave them out for at least three hours. Mix sweetener and cream cheese on low speed to avoid incorporating too much air, then add sour cream and gently add beaten eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions.
Creating the Raspberry Swirl
To create the swirl, spoon half the batter into the crust, then drop small dollops of jam in a spiral using half the jam. Swirl gently with a larger spoon. Repeat with the remaining batter and jam for the top. After baking and cooling, use any leftover jam to fill and disguise cracks. The result is both beautiful and flavorful.
This cheesecake is about 5 net carbs per serving.
Keto Cheesecake with Raspberry Swirl
Ingredients
Low Carb Cheesecake Crust (or your favorite crust)
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoon ground golden flax meal (or more almond flour)
- 3 tablespoon whey protein powder (or more almond flour)
- 2 tablespoon low carb sugar (or Swerve Granulated)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoon butter, melted
Keto Cheesecake Base
- 24 oz full fat cream cheese
- 3/4 cup low carb sugar (or Swerve Granulated)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon stevia glycerite
- 3 large eggs, slightly beaten (separately)
- 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
- 1/2 cup Sukrin Strawberry Raspberry Jam (or your favorite no‑added sugar jam)
Topping
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoon low carb sugar (or Swerve Granulated)
- 12 fresh raspberries
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and position the rack in the middle. Spray an 8‑inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment. Have a larger pan ready for a water bath and heat a kettle of water. Mix food coloring into the jam if using. Melt the butter.
Low Carb Cheesecake Crust:
- Combine dry crust ingredients in a bowl and mix. Stir in melted butter. The mixture should hold together when squeezed; add 1 more tablespoon melted butter if needed.
- Press the crust firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan. Use waxed paper and a flat glass to press evenly.
- Bake the crust 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool while making the batter. Before adding batter, wrap the outside of the pan with two large pieces of aluminum foil.
Keto Cheesecake Batter:
- Beat softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup sweetener, stevia glycerite, and vanilla on low speed until smooth. Scrape the bowl and mix again.
- Add sour cream and mix on low. Add the beaten eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Scrape the bowl between additions.
Procedure:
- Wrap the pan with foil, then spoon half the batter into the crust. Drop small dollops of half the jam in a spiral and swirl gently. Repeat with the remaining batter and jam.
- Place the cheesecake in the larger pan, set on the rack, and pour hot water into the outer pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
Bake:
- Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes. The center should remain slightly jiggly while the edges are set. Turn the oven off, prop it open, and let the cheesecake sit undisturbed for 20 minutes.
- Remove and cool completely, then cover and refrigerate—best chilled overnight.
Serve:
- Fill any cracks with jam. Whip the cream with the sweetener and serve slices topped with whipped cream and a fresh raspberry. Makes 12 servings.
Notes
* Ground golden flax and protein powder give the crust a graham‑cracker‑like flavor. Nutrition per serving: Calories 416; Fat 39g; Carbohydrates 6g; Fiber 1g; Protein 11g.
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