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Hi Bold Bakers!
Ok, get ready for one of the best Baked Cheesecakes you’ve ever tasted. It’s beyond rich, creamy, both tangy and sweet… oh, and it’s SUGAR-FREE! Whether you’ve been trying to cut the sugar or not, my Sugar-Free Baked Cheesecake recipe is a must try.
If you’ve never baked with sugar alternatives before this is THE recipe to start with because it is no-fail, no one will believe you when you serve them a slice that it’s actually on the lighter side.
How to Make a Sugar-Free Cheesecake
This is one of the simplest alternative recipes I’ve created. The ingredients really do the work for you and are very similar to what is used to make a traditional New York style cheesecake. What makes this sugar free is swapping out the sugar that usually sweetens the cream cheese custard with a monkfruit-based sugar.
That said, you can use any sugar substitute you like in this recipe — as long as it is in powder, not liquid, form.
What if I Don’t Eat Eggs?
Eggs are a super important part of this recipe as they are what helps the cheesecake to set when baked. I would not suggest switching them out for an egg substitute, but if you can’t eat the eggs, or want to omit them, this can be served like a no-baked cheesecake parfait similar to Gemma’s Single Serving Cheesecake, YUM!
Why do I Need to Bake Cheesecake in a Water Bath?
I know taking the time to set a cheesecake in a larger tray filled with hot water might seem like a stretch, but THIS is what really makes the cheesecake texture so divine. The difference between a creamy light and luxurious texture is steam. When cheesecake is baked “dry,” it can become dense and crack on top because it is exposed to the direct heat of the oven. By baking the Sugar-Free Cheesecake in a water bath, you ensure the temperature will be regulated by the warm water, protecting it from the direct heat, resulting in an extremely moist and rich cheesecake.
When is My Sugar-Free Cheesecake Done?
My cheesecake bakes up just like regular baked cheesecake, slightly puffed and slightly golden on top. Do not worry if your cheesecake feels a bit jiggly in the center because this is what you want. It will firm up once the cheesecake is set.
If it’s firm across the whole top, this is actually a bad sign, meaning the cheesecake is overcooked.
What Can I Add to My Sugar-Free Cheesecake?
To keep this cheesecake completely sugar-free, I resisted adding a berry swirl and instead topped it which a fresh raspberry sauce made by simply pureeing, then straining, fresh berries. If you want to, you can swirl any kind of jam, caramel, chocolate sauce or nut butter through your cheesecake, though, adding extra flavor and a lovely presentation.
How Do I Store Sugar-Free Cheesecake?
My Baked Sugar-Free Cheesecake is really even better the next day, as this is when it’s fully set. This makes it a great one to make ahead for entertaining. Cover and store the cheesecake in the fridge for up to 4 days. I KNOW it would not last that long in my house and I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Tips and Tricks to Making Sugar-Free Cheesecake:
- It is best to start with room temperature cream cheese
- I also suggest starting with room temperature eggs
- If you cannot find Lakanto or another brand of monkfruit sweetener, you can use any powder sugar substitute in a 1:1 ratio
- You can add an extract for a different flavor variation
- You can fold in fresh fruit, nut butter, or chocolate sauce for a swirl throughout the cheesecake
- You can bake the cheesecake in multiple smaller tins to make individual cheesecakes
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Sugar-Free Cheesecake Recipe (Baked)
Ingredients
- 3 cups (24oz/675g) cream cheese, full fat, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (4oz/115g) sour cream, full fat at room temperature
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) Lakanto sugar, Swerve, or coconut sugar
- 3 eggs*, at room temperature, beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9-inch springform pan with a piece of parchment paper cut into a circle the size of the pan. Then, boil a pot of water, set aside
- In a large bowl, using a whisk or electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sour cream together until light and fluffy.
- Pour in the Lakanto sugar and mix until the sugar has dissolved about 3-5 minutes.
- Next, add in the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine
- Wrap the bottom of the prepared Springform pan with 2-3 layers of foil, making sure it's sealed nice and tight to prevent the hot water from seeping into the cheesecake.
- Place the foil-wrapped springform pan into a large baking pan, then transfer the cheesecake mixture into the springform. Smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Transfer the large pan holding the cheesecake into the oven and quickly pour the recently boiled water into the large pan, allowing the hot water to come about 2 inches up the sided of the springform.
- Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 20-30 minutes. When the cheesecake is done it will have risen slightly and will be firm around the outside with a very slight jiggle in the center.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool fully. Once cooled, cover and store in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set.
- When the cheesecake has set, remove from the pan. Slice and enjoy with fresh berries and raspberry sauce if desired.
- Cover and store the cheesecake in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen wrapped up tight for 4 weeks.
This Cheesecake turned out great! Very chunky and creamy like NY cheesecake. I made a simple Graham Cracker crust . I used Swerve in the filling and crust. Tasted good
Oh my heavens, is all I got to say!!!! This recipe was an absolute hit! Thank you for making my mans birthday special. He is a diabetic, and absolutely loved it. I did use a sugar free crust I found from Amazon, I was very leery about baking it, but it worked fine. Only thing I did different was I baked it for 1 hour and 10 minutes, then cut the oven off, and cracked the door open for 20 minutes, perfect!
Can you use fat free cream cheese
Sounds delicious Would you be able to tell me the # of carb, sugar etc. per serving?
Hi,
I’m wondering if I can make it in a mini size, like a bite size cheesecake? How long would i bake it for? Thank you
I tried this recipe and OH MY GOODNESS!!! I’m type 2 diabetic and I had NO SUGAR SPIKES after eating this cake…This is the 1 for me ❤️and my family didn’t even know the difference 😊😊
I made this for my dad’s 70th birthday and it was amazing! I have never been a fan of any sweeteners other than sugar, maple, and honey, but the Lakanto you suggested was amazing! (Whole Foods for those that are looking) Also, I didn’t have a springform pan so used a deep dish pie dish and still used the water bath method. It worked great! Everyone loved the cheesecake and no one suspected it was sugar free. Thank you!
I tweaked this just a little so it came out light and fluffy. But oh my gosh was it ever delicious.
1. Do you let the cake cool in the water?
2. I did. When I took it out of the oven, it had risen quite a bit. After it cooled, it had shrunk quite a bit and pulled away from the sides. Is this normal or should I try again without allowing it to cool in the water?
Can i use splenda in this recipe?