Pecan Crust Keto Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. I know it is hardly a Puerto Rican dessert, but my mom loved it. Especially New York Style Cheesecake. When I started to eat a Ketogenic diet, I quickly realized that cheesecake had all the potential to be my top dessert once again.

this Recipe!

Why this recipe works

• No mixer- I do not own a stand mixer! I own a hand mixer, but I purposely made this recipe without it. I have read that mixing the cheese with a spatula can create a better batter. So, always curious, I tried it. It was not as hard to beat by hand as I thought it would be, as long as the ingredients were at room temperature.
• Basic Cheesecake- Learn a basic recipe, and you can create any other fancier recipe. This is a great standard recipe, tried and proven for generations. This recipe should not fail you.
• Room Temperature is Key- Having the ingredients at room temperature helps with their manipulation of them. Plan and do not do shortcuts like microwaving the butter before mixing it with the crust ingredients. Ingredients have different molecular structures at different temperatures, which is the key to this recipe.

Ingredients

For the Crust

• Pecans - I wanted to use nothing but pecans for this crust, but I didn't have enough. I did have, however, almond flour. I used almond flour to compensate.
• Almond Flour - Almond flour works well because it is just crushed nuts. I will create just an almond flour crust in the months to come.
• Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener - The beauty of monk fruit is that it is not absorbed in the stomach but the intestines. So you get all the flavor of sugar without the spikes.
• Butter - Unsalted organic butter. It is best if used at room temperature.
• Cinnamon - Cinnamon is a post all of itself. Did you know there were different types of cinnamon? If you are looking for a sweet cinnamon flavor, look for Ceylon cinnamon.

For the cheesecake

• Cream Cheese - This is a ketogenic dessert, so we need full-fat cream cheese.
• White Monk Fruit Sweetener - Monk fruit Sweetener comes in various styles. Golden, as listed above, would work as a substitute for dark sugar. You will be able to find powdered sugar and syrups. Visit this LAKANTO for more information.
• Eggs - If you use farm-fresh eggs that have never been refrigerated, you have nothing to worry about. If you are using eggs from the supermarket, allow them to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to an hour before making this recipe.
• Vanilla - Vanilla enhances the flavor by providing that nostalgic taste we all long for.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Variations and Substitutions

• Crumble cookie - polvorones are as dear to us as guava and cheese. Crumble or spread the cookie dough on the bottom of the springform pan to make a crispy alternative to a nut-based crust.
• Neufchâtel - Neufchâtel is a variant of cream cheese that comes from France. The oldest type of cheese. If you buy the readily available version in your grocer's market, you will see that it tastes almost identical to cream cheese. But it is slightly less fatty.
• Mascarpone - I find that mascarpone has a more palatable flavor than cream cheese. I normally do not buy cream cheese unless I am making cheesecake. If you have ever wondered how to try these cheeses, making your cheesecake with any of the above will create a tasty introduction.

Instructions

• Guava - mix a quarter of the batter with melted guava jelly (keto-friendly version, of course) and swirl ribbons of the mixture into the cheesecake for a true Puerto Rican favorite combo of Queso y Guayaba.
• Chocolate - Mascarpone already comes in a chocolate variety great for dipping fresh strawberries. Take advantage that they already have the cocoa mixed perfectly to create a chocolate indulgence.
• Seasonal ingredients - Add Pumpkin for fall and berries for summer to make a seasonal version of this cheesecake.

The recipe tastes best the second day or hours after it has been cooled and chilled, so do plan ahead. Bring ingredients to room temperature. Grease a springform baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

The Crust

1. Ground the pecans into a meal consistency.

2. Add almond flour, butter, golden monk fruit sweetener, and cinnamon.

3. Mix until you create a sandy consistency

4. Press the mixture to the bottom of a springform pan. Bake until golden.

The Cheesecake

I used a rubber spatula to create this delicious cake, which was amazing. You must bring the cream cheese to room temperature, which makes the process quite fast.

1. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese. Whip with a rubber spatula until the cream cheese is smooth and creamy.

2. Add the regular white monk fruit sweetener and vanilla extract. Combine until well incorporated.

3. Add one egg at a time until well incorporated. The mixture will begin to soften and liquefy.

4. Pour mixture into springform pan with crust inside. I do a few taps on the side of the mold to allow air bubbles to come out. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Once at room temperature, place cheesecake in the refrigerator and allow it to chill for at least an hour before serving, but as stated before, it tastes best when it has chilled overnight.

My best advice

• Let all ingredients rest at room temperature before starting the process of making the cheesecake. Food can stay at room temperature for no more than four hours before it has to be thrown away. Allow an hour to bring ingredients to room temperature, and continue baking.
• If you enjoy cheesecakes, a springform pan is a great investment. The deep-set pan allows the cake to expand without overflowing; once cooled, the sides come off the pan.
• Do not make this recipe to be consumed the same day. Cheesecake is one of those recipes in which flavors bloom as it rests. Make this recipe the day before you wish to consume it or at least 8 to 10 hours before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some other similar recipes

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Recipe

Pecan Crust Keto Cheesecake

Zoe Morman

An easy dessert that will not stray you from your health goals

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Resting time 3 hrs

Total Time 4 hrs 30 mins

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Servings 8 slices

Calories 763 kcal

Equipment

• 1 springform 

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For Crust

• ▢ 2 cups Pecans or 1 cup pecans and 1 cup almond flour
• ▢ 3 tablespoon Monk Fruit Sweetener
• ▢ 4 Tbsp Butter at room temperature
• ▢ 1 tsp Cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt

For Cheesecake

• ▢ 1½ lbs Cream Cheese at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup Monk Fruit Sweetener
• ▢ 1 tsp Vanilla
• ▢ 3 lg Eggs at room temperature

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 300℉.

For Crust:

• Ground the pecans into a meal consistency.
  2 cups Pecans
• Add the almond four (if using), butter, monk fruit sweetener, and cinnamon.
  3 tablespoon Monk Fruit Sweetener, 1 tsp Cinnamon, 4 Tbsp Butter
• Mix until you create a sandy consistency 
• Press mixture to the bottom of a springform pan. You can bake the crust, but I prefer not to. I found that when I prebake the crust, it ends up with a harder crust than I would like.

For the Cheesecake:

• In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese. Whip with a rubber spatula until the cream cheese is smooth and creamy.
  1½ lbs Cream Cheese
• Add the monk fruit sweetener and vanilla extract. Combine until well incorporated.
  1 cup Monk Fruit Sweetener
• Add one egg at a time until well incorporated. The mixture will begin to soften and liquefy.
  3 lg Eggs
• Pour mixture into springform pan with crust inside. I do a few taps on the side of the mold to allow air bubbles to come out. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Once at room temperature, place cheesecake in the refrigerator and allow it to chill for at least an hour before serving, but as stated before, it tastes best when it has chilled overnight.

Notes

1. You can use only pecans or a mixture of pecans and almond flour. I compensated that I ran out of pecans with almond flour, but you can easily do only one nut.
2. I do not know what it is about cheesecake on the second day of being made. The flavors marry and mingle well as it cools. If your cheesecake survives being stored, it should be suitable for about a week since it was baked.
3. With 18.8 grams of carbs but 10.8 grams of dietary fiber, this cheesecake has a potential of 8 grams of carbs!
4. Make it Puerto Rican: Guava - mix a quarter of the batter with melted guava jelly (keto-friendly version, of course) and swirl ribbons of the mixture into the cheesecake for an authentic Puerto Rican favorite combo of Queso y Guayaba.
5. The springform pan is the best pan for cheesecakes. It is deep, allowing the product to expand and rise as it bakes. The springform action allows the pan's sides to come apart once the cake is cooled down, while the bottom of the pan acts like a cake board, especially if you are not giving or selling your cake.
6. I do not know what it is about cheesecake on the second day of being made. The flavors marry and mingle well as it cools. It should be suitable for storage for about a week since it was baked.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 763kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 11gFat: 78gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 33gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 388mgPotassium: 361mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1364IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 2mg

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