This Keto Cheesecake Bars have a thick and creamy cheesecake filling in a sweet almond flour crust. Take it up a notch with a swirl of sugar-free strawberry topping! This low carb dessert is our favorite when we're craving something sweet.
The swirl of sugar-free strawberry preserves really makes these bars stand out! You can leave it out if you want; but, I highly recommend it especially for special occasions.
The cheesecake filling is smooth, rich, and sweet. I bet nobody will be able to tell it's low carb! Plus, the pecan crust is just as delicious as the filling! It reminds me of my favorite cookies as a child -- pecan shortbread cookies!
I love a rich cheesecake filling and these bars are no exception. Use your favorite sugar-free sweetener -- granulated Monk Fruit Sweetener is what we love!
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Why You'll Love These Bars
Easy - This recipe is so easy to make! No complicated or fancy steps for this one!
Versatile - Bake in an 8x8-inch square pan for easy pop-in-your-mouth squares.
Sweet and Rich - Monk fruit is the winning ingredient for this cheesecake. It's naturally sweet and keto-friendly!
The Best Crust - I love this almond flour crust, and I can imagine it being a great pie crust for other dessert pie recipes as well. Use a super fine ground almond flour, like Bob's Red Mill, for best results.
Holiday Dessert Worthy - these bars are so delicious and pretty; they're perfect for any holiday dessert! And if you need another dessert idea, these Keto Pumpkin Bars are also special enough for any holiday dessert table.
Gluten-Free - No starchy flour means no gluten. We use almond flour, which is naturally gluten free.
Ingredients You'll Need
please scroll down to the printable recipe card for a complete list of ingredients
Pecan Crust:
Almond flour - super fine ground is a must for this crust (rhyme time!)
Butter - softened (room temperature)
Monk fruit sweetener - such as Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener. Learn more about the Lakanto brand.
Pecans, unsalted, finely chopped - I recommend a mini food chopper to get the pecans finely chopped
Cheesecake Filling:
Cream cheese - softened (room temperature), use the full fat cream cheese
Egg - all you need is one large egg, and it does not need to be room temp
Almond milk - use the unsweetened version
Optional Topping:
Strawberry jam, sugar free. Use a low carb strawberry jam, like this Strawberry Jam from Good Good if you want; however, if you use a different brand, you must review the nutritional label and re-calculate the totals.
Ingredients Substitutions
- You can skip the sugar free strawberry topping and just have a couple of fresh strawberries on top of your slice (or skip the strawberry altogether). These cheesecake bars are delicious plain!
- Experiment with keto blueberry jam or keto raspberry jam. Here's a nice variety pack from Good Good.
- Even though monk fruit sweetener is my preferred choice for this recipe, you should use your favorite low carb/keto sweetener!
- If you happen to be out of cream cheese, that are many different cream cheese substitutes available.
Kitchen Tools
Large Mixing Bowls
Electric Mixer (like mine - KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer)
Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons
Large Spoon
8x8-inch square pan
How to Make Keto Cheesecake Bars
Step 1 - Place softened butter and monk fruit sweetener in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
Step 2 - Add almond flour and chopped pecans and stir with a spoon until well blended.
Step 3 - Press into the bottom of a 9x9-inch pan square pan. Bake as directed and let cool.
Step 4 - While the crust is cooling, blend the softened cream cheese, monk fruit sweetener, egg, and almond milk.
Step 5 - Spread the cream cheese filling on top of the crust.
Step 6 - Heat the sugar-free strawberry jam in a small bowl in the microwave and then swirl the jam through the filling with a knife to create a marbled look. Bake as directed. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least a couple of hours before slicing and eating.
Recipe Tips
- Cheesecake bars are best served chilled. But I've been known to eat them warm when I've completely lost my patience for it to cool 🙂
- I slice these bars into 16 slices because it's a very rich dessert. Net carb count depends on the sugar-free sweetener and brands used. These counts are based on using Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener. See complete nutrition data (calories, carbohydrates, fiber, sodium, etc. ) in the recipe card.
- Lower the carb count even more by leaving out the sugar-free strawberry topping. Each tablespoon of the brand I used contains 5 net carbs. That's kinda high if you're trying to stay in ketosis; but fine if you're in the maintenance stage.
- Use a mini food chopper to finely chop the pecans. I have had my mini food chopper for at least 15 years!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cream cheese has more fat content than Neufchatel. That's about the only difference! But for this cheesecake, use the full fat, regular cream cheese.
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!
How to Transport Cheesecake Bars
So now that you've made these delicious cheesecake bars, what is the best way to transport them? I recently discovered a plastic carrier that's perfect for transporting pies, cheesecakes, muffins, and cupcakes. It's the Southern Homewares 3-in-1 Plastic Holder Container. It offers easy-grip handles, a snap-tight lid, and it's made out of durable plastic. Available now on Amazon!
More Keto Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment! I'd love to hear from you.
Recipe
Keto Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- 9x9-inch square baking pan
- large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- measuring cup(s)
- measuring spoons
- mini food chopper (for pecans)
Ingredients
Pecan Crust Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond flour, super fine ground
- ½ cup Butter, softened
- ¼ cup Monk fruit sweetener other options: Swerve, Stevia, granulated Splenda
- ½ cup Pecans, unsalted, finely chopped
Cheesecake Ingredients
- 8 oz Cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup Monk fruit sweetener other options: other options: Swerve, Stevia, granulated Splenda
- 1 Egg
- 1 tablespoon Almond milk
Optional Sugar Free Strawberry Preserves Topping
- ⅓ cup Keto friendly strawberry jam or preserves, sugar free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x9" square pan with non-stick spray. Place softened butter and monk fruit in mixing bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth.½ cup Butter, softened, ¼ cup Monk fruit sweetener
- Add almond flour and chopped pecans and stir with a spoon until well blended.1 cup Almond flour, super fine ground, ½ cup Pecans, unsalted, finely chopped
- Press into the bottom of the pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- While the crust is cooling, add the softened cream cheese, monk fruit, egg, and almond milk to a bowl. Beat with a mixer for 3 minutes until creamy and smooth.8 oz Cream cheese, softened, ¼ cup Monk fruit sweetener, 1 Egg, 1 tablespoon Almond milk
- Spread on top of the crust.
- Heat the strawberry preserves in the microwave for about 20 seconds or until smooth enough to spread. Stir with a spoon, then drizzle the jam in 8 horizontal strips across the filling. Swirl the jam through the filling with a knife to create a marbled look⅓ cup Keto friendly strawberry jam or preserves, sugar free
- Bake about 20 minutes or until the filling is set. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before slicing and eating.
Notes
- These keto strawberry cheesecake bars will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store covered in an airtight container.
- Use your favorite low carb/keto sweetener.
- Experiment with different flavors of sugar-free preserves! Blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, etc. Be sure to check the nutritional information.
- You can skip the preserves altogether and eat the cheesecake plain; or top with a fresh strawberry or couple of blueberries.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2018 and was updated in 2023.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Ryan Biddulph
Wow this looks amazing guys! My fave dessert; cheesecake with strawberries. Perfect combo of sweet and tart, if you ask me, because it never feels heavy but still fills you up. I love it. Thanks for sharing guys.
Ryan
Eva Murphy
I went to the store yesterday to buy ingredients for this recipe and now I don’t see the recipe anymore! Come back, recipe!
mykitchenserenity
Hi Eva! My deepest apology to you. We are in the process of changing themes and sites. I'm so sorry you experienced this huge inconvenience. The recipe card should be showing up now. Thank you so very much for alerting us of this problem!!
Terri Donahoe
Both in the written instructions and again in the recipe, you fail to mention the almond flour. I'm guessing you add it in with the chopped pecans?
MyKitchenSerenity
Terri, thanks so much for pointing that out!! You are correct - you add the almond flour in with the chopped pecans. I have updated the instructions and recipe to reflect the almond flour.
Thanks again for bringing that to my attention! I hope you try it out. Let me know what you think!
Anne
Marianne
Looks delicious, but at 11+ carbs for a tiny sliver it doesn't seem very low carb to me.
Anne Clark
Hi Marianne, thanks for your comment. This cheesecake is very delicious without the strawberry preserves topping! Leaving the strawberry topping off cuts the carbs in half (5 net carbs per slice). I hope you give it a try one day. If you do, please let me know what you think.
Tina
Do you refrigerate it while hot or let it cool first ♀️
My Kitchen Serenity
Hi Tina. I let it cool slightly before I put it in the fridge. If it’s still pretty hot when you put it in the fridge, put it on something, like a trivet or hot pad, so it won’t damage the plastic refrigerator shelf.