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This lemon keto cheesecake is smooth, creamy, and perfectly balanced – made with simple ingredients like cream cheese, eggs, and almond flour crust. It’s low-carb, sugar-free, and works both as a plain keto cheesecake or a fresh lemon version.
Light, rich, and reliable – this is the kind of dessert you can make for a regular weeknight or serve for holidays like Easter or Mother’s Day.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Works with erythritol or allulose
- Creamy, stable texture without a water bath
- Clean lemon flavor that’s not overpowering
- Low-carb and gluten-free with simple swaps
- Almond flour crust that actually tastes good (not dry or crumbly)
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour crust → Buttery, slightly crisp, and neutral
- Cream cheese → Use full-fat and fully softened (this is key for smooth texture)
- Sweetener → Powdered erythritol works, but allulose gives a smoother result (no cooling effect)
- Greek yogurt / sour cream → Adds lightness and prevents dense texture
- Lemon juice + zest → Optional, but gives freshness and cuts richness
Lemon Keto Cheesecake Recipe Instructions
- Make and pre-bake the almond flour crust
- Mix cream cheese, sweetener, and flavorings until smooth
- Add eggs gradually (don’t overmix)
- Bake low and slow until just set
- Cool slowly, then chill before slicing
Keto Cheesecake Variations
- Serve with fresh berries
- Add lemon curd (optional but elevated)
- Skip lemon → classic vanilla keto cheesecake
- Add sugar-free chocolate topping
What to Serve With
- Lemon curd (low-carb version)
- Fresh berries
- Sugar-free chocolate drizzle
Texture & Troubleshooting
- Best texture tip: stop baking when center slightly jiggles
- Cracked top? → Overbaked or cooled too fast
- Grainy texture? → Sweetener not powdered enough
- Too dense? → Overmixed after adding eggs
Storage
- Texture improves after 24 hours
- Fridge: up to 5 days
- Best served chilled
Freezing
- Thaw overnight in fridge
- Freeze slices up to 2 months
Keto Cheesecake FAQs
Yes, you can substitute with regular sugar in the same amount. The texture will remain similar, but it will no longer be low-carb.
Cracks usually happen from overbaking or cooling too quickly. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool gradually inside.
Yes. Skip the lemon juice and zest for a classic keto vanilla cheesecake.
Powdered erythritol works well, but allulose gives a smoother texture and prevents crystallization.
This can happen if the sweetener is not finely powdered or if the batter wasn’t mixed properly before baking.
No. This recipe is designed to work without one, as long as you bake at a low temperature and don’t overbake.
Other Keto Dessert Recipes:
Lemon Keto Cheesecake (Low-Carb, Sugar-Free)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 3 tbsp powdered erythritol, or sweetener of choice
- 5 tbsp melted butter
For the cheesecake filling:
- 32 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered erythritol, adjust to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tbsp lemon zest, optional
- 2 tsp lemon juice, optional
Optional lemon curd topping:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup powdered erythritol, allulose preferred for smoother texture
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 tbsp butter
Video
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment.
- Mix almond flour, sweetener, and melted butter.
- Press evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (150°C).
Make the filling
- Beat cream cheese and sweetener until smooth (2–3 minutes).
- Add vanilla, lemon juice, and zest (if using).
- Mix in yogurt or sour cream until combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed. (Do not overmix)
Bake
- Pour batter into crust.
- Bake for 70–80 minutes, until edges are set and center slightly jiggles.
- Turn off oven and let cheesecake cool inside for 30–40 minutes.
- Remove and cool completely, then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Optional lemon curd
- Whisk eggs, yolks, lemon juice, zest, and sweetener.
- Cook over double boiler, stirring constantly until thickened (8–10 minutes).
- Strain, then mix in butter.
- Cool and refrigerate before using.
Notes
No water bath needed — just bake low and slow
Use powdered sweetener for smooth texture
Allulose = best texture (no crystallization)
Do not overmix after adding eggs
Cheesecake is done when center slightly jiggles
Texture Tips
Overbaking → dry or cracked cheesecake
Fast cooling → cracks
Best texture after chilling overnight
Sweetener Notes
Erythritol → works, but may crystallize slightly
Allulose → smoother and more creamy
Storage
Refrigerate up to 5 days
Serve chilled
Freezing
Freeze slices up to 2 months
Thaw overnight in fridge
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made the recipe following the instructions, popped it in the oven for about 80 mins it puffed up and looked amazing, left it in the oven to cool for 40 mins it lowered a little bit then took it out to cool completely and deflated about 2 inches below the top of the pan. I’m trying to figure out what went wrong, do you have any idea? I checked all the ingredients again and I didn’t forget anything, the raw batter tasted great. It was incredibly humid here yesterday and I wonder if that had any effect on it?
Hi Lauren,
I’ve never had it happen, but I also don’t think you did anything wrong. I’m so sorry it did not turn out ok.
I’ve had regular cakes deflate like this and the one reason is that they are underbred on the inside, still moist.
It could be the humidity in the air, the type of pan and oven temperature. Do you think your oven might be off? Do you use an oven thermometer?
I live in Chicago and I know what humid is. Sometimes this reason gets overlooked and things like this happen.
I’d say increase the baking time with 15-30 more minutes, but keep checking on the cake. Also, you can refrigerate it while still warm, because the humidity might deflate it again, if you try this recipe.
Let me know if this helps!
I haven’t made this cake on an extremely humid day.I made it many times back in the winter and spring.
for the crust and the cheesecake filling, do you use granulated erythritol or powdered?
In this recipe, I did use powdered erythritol. I just like it better in custards and cheesecakes. I usually use granulated in cookies though.
I love lemon meringue pie and cheesecake and this looks like the perfect combo! Will be making this for Christmas dessert. Can’t wait!
Thanks Holly! Hope you like it!
powdered erythritol is that The same as erythritol
And it says 4.8 and not 48oz creme cheese?
(wanna try make The recepie but i live inside europé so just wanna translator The numbers right before)
Also, The vanilla extract is it possible to use it powder form instead of liquid?
Thank you so much for sharing! I have been on keto for a few months but having trouble getting my husband and daughter to make the switch. I think this may help. It would be nice to only have to make one meal instead of 3 lol.
I did make a few minor adjustments due to lack of enough ingredients. I cut the crust ingredients in half and replaced 2 tablespoons of almond flour with coconut flour. I didn’t add lemon zest to anything due to my grater couldn’t make it. I tried using a larger grater and food processor to break them down but failed at that too lol. I did make the same amount of custard just without zest. It is in the oven now and I reduced cooking by half but I am monitoring it. I will keep you posted.
Its 4. 8 and not 48oz right?
And can you used powdered vanilla extract over liquid
powdered erythritol is The same as just erythritol i assume aswell?
Just trying to figure out The numbers before i start to bake, always Hard between europé and US bake recepies ^^
It is 4 – 8 oz packages cream cheese. There is a clear space between 4 and 8. Also it says blocks, so 48 blocks of cream cheese is a lot. You can use whatever vanilla you like, it is fine. Powdered erythritol is erythritol that has been powdered, while it is the same ingredient, powdered works best in this recipe. Thanks!
Hi. The recipe calls for 3 large eggs for the filling but it looks like in the video you used 4?
Hi Beth, sorry about that, for some reason I wrote 3. I usually use 1 egg per 8 oz of cream cheese. So 4 eggs in the recipe will work fine. Even if you decide to use 4, it will still be ok. Let me know.
I only have Swerve sweetener which is sweeter than erythritol, do you know how much I would change the amount to use?
I use Swerve and usually substitute with the same amount. You may want to use 3/4 of the amount of erythritol.
Hello
Do you know the nutritional facts without the crust.
Yes: (no crust, no curd)
Calories: 216, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 103mg, Sodium: 201mg, Potassium: 106mg, Carbohydrates: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Protein: 5g, Vitamin A: 16.4%, Vitamin C: 1.5%, Calcium: 7.3%, Iron: 2.3%
Cheesecake came perfect and was delicious. I actually added crushed pecans on top of the crust and it added flavor and texture. Only negative was the curd. I’m unsure why but it had a funny metallic aftertaste and was unpleasant enough that we threw it out. I used glass bowl and metal whisk btw.
Hi Robin, Glad you liked the cheesecake. I’ve heard people have metallic taste with lemon curd (not using this recipe, but lemon curd in general), but I’ve never experienced that. Metallic aftertaste usually means that the egg yolks you used were old…Also if the lemon juice was made from lemons that are not ripe, it may taste metallic. As you said, the whisk could be an issue, but I doubt it.
I made the recipe as posted and it was a giant hit. So so good. My question is about sweeteners – my brother says any sweetener ending in “-itol “ spikes his blood sugar. Do you think the recipe would work with Splenda? I’d live to make it for him, but don’t want to waste the ingredients and time if it won’t be good. Thanks so much for the fabulous recipe!
Glad you liked it! The recipe might work with Splenda, but I have not tested it and would hate to give you misleading information.