Many requests for our Keto Cheesecake/Cheese Pie recipe…It’s here today…

When I was young, my mother made this cheesecake, calling it cheese pie, using real sugar and a traditional graham cracker crust. It was one of those recipes that stayed with me over the years because it was simple, delicious, and always reminded me of my favorite foods from my childhood. I can still remember the taste of the creamy cheesecake filling combined with the slightly sweet, crunchy graham cracker crust. It was not an elaborate dessert, but everyone seemed to enjoy it.

When I went keto in 2011, I knew I wanted to continue making some of the recipes I had enjoyed for years. Giving up sugar and reducing carbohydrates did not mean I wanted to give up everything I loved. Instead, I began experimenting with ways to adapt our favorite recipes to fit my new way of eating.

This cheesecake was one of the recipes I changed. The original recipe called for real sugar and a graham cracker crust, neither of which worked very well with a low-carbohydrate lifestyle. I decided to replace the sugar with a non-nutritive liquid sweetener and make an almond flour crust instead. After a little experimenting, I came up with a version that I liked just as much as the original.

The almond flour crust is very easy to make. It contains almond flour, melted butter, liquid sweetener, and a little cinnamon. I spread it into a pie pan and bake it until it is lightly browned and feels done to the touch. The crust needs to cool before the cheesecake filling is added, so I usually prepare it first and then let it sit while I get the filling ready.

The filling is about as simple as a cheesecake recipe can be. It uses two packages of full-fat cream cheese, two eggs, liquid sweetener, and real vanilla. I prefer real vanilla because it gives the cheesecake a wonderful flavor without adding unnecessary ingredients. Everything is beaten together until smooth and then poured into the cooled crust.

One thing I learned when adapting this recipe is that sweeteners can behave differently from real sugar. I usually make the filling a little sweeter than I think it needs to be because the sweetness seems to change after the cheesecake is baked. That is something you may want to adjust based on the specific sweetener you use and your own taste.

After the filling has baked for about 25 minutes, I test the center with a butter knife. I am looking for it to be almost clean, but I do not want the cheesecake to be wet in the center. It will continue to firm up as it cools. I let it cool completely before putting the topping on.

The topping is simply sour cream, liquid sweetener, and vanilla. It adds another layer of creaminess and a slight tang that works beautifully with the sweet cheesecake. I spread it over the cooled cheesecake and then refrigerate it.

This has become one of those recipes that reminds me that going keto does not have to mean giving up the foods we love. Sometimes it simply means finding a different way to prepare them. I have been eating low carb for many years now, and I have adapted countless recipes along the way. Some experiments have worked better than others, but this one has remained a favorite.

There is also something special about taking a recipe my mother made when I was young and changing it so I can continue enjoying it today. The ingredients may be different, but the basic cheesecake is still the same. It still has that creamy filling, the buttery crust, and the familiar flavor I remember from years ago.

My version is not exactly my mother’s cheesecake, but it is close enough to bring back those memories while allowing me to stay with the way I choose to eat. For me, that is what adapting recipes is all about. I do not want to feel deprived. I want to continue enjoying good food while making choices that work for me.

It was a pleasure to share this cheesecake, or cheese pie, with our friends Di and Peter after dinner last night. They absolutely loved it, which put a huge smile on my face. Tom doesn’t care for it, which surprises me since he loves sweet desserts, but he has never been a big fan of cream cheese. After enjoying the pie, we continued sitting around the dining room table for several hours, sharing lively and animated stories about our lives and travels. Since it was too cold to sit outdoors, being together inside made the evening even more enjoyable than struggling to stay warm. It’s such a joy having them here.

Be well.

Jess’s Low Carb Cheesecake

Photo from ten years ago today, August 14, 2016: