I swapped stevia into the lemon glaze for my Healthy Lemon Cheesecake and a little-known pantry trick made the glaze set quickly while keeping it keto-friendly.
I never meant to create a showstopper but this Luscious Lemon Cheesecake landed on my table and people lost their minds. Bright lemon notes cut through the rich full fat cream cheese filling, while a crust made from blanched almond flour gives it that crisp, slightly nutty backbone.
I leaned on ideas from Easy Lemon Cheesecake Recipes and kept things friendly to Keto Cheesecake lovers by swapping sweeteners to stevia for the glaze. It looks fancy, but honestly it’s one of those desserts that fools guests into thinking you spent hours, even when you kinda didn’t.
Ingredients
- Almond flour adds nutty flavor, fiber and protein, lower carbs than regular flour
- Cream cheese gives creamy texture, rich fat and protein, makes it decadent
- Eggs bind the filling, add protein and structure, and a bit of richness
- Lemon zest and juice brighten with tart acidity, add vitamin C and freshness
- Erythritol and stevia sweeten with almost no calories, less blood sugar impact
- Butter brings richness and mouthfeel, mostly saturated fat, helps the crust bind
- Sour cream and heavy cream add tang, smoothness and extra creaminess to the filling
Ingredient Quantities
- Crust:
- 2 cups (200 g) blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup (50 g) powdered erythritol or Swerve
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch fine sea salt
- Filling:
- 32 oz (907 g) full fat cream cheese, room temp
- 3/4 cup (150 g) powdered erythritol or Swerve
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temp
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
- Zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Lemon glaze (stevia sub):
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia, or 3 to 5 drops liquid stevia (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons water (to loosen glaze)
- Optional garnish:
- Thin lemon slices or extra lemon zest for topping
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 325 F (163 C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment, then wrap the outside base with foil to keep water out. In a bowl mix almond flour, powdered erythritol, melted butter, vanilla and a pinch of sea salt until it looks like wet sand; press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides just a bit. Bake crust 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden, then let cool while you make the filling.
2. Put room temp cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer on medium low until super smooth and lump free, scraping the bowl often. Tip: sift the powdered erythritol or pulse it in a blender first to avoid grittiness.
3. Add the powdered erythritol to the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing low speed and scraping the bowl after each egg so you dont over aerate the batter.
4. Add sour cream, heavy cream, lemon zest from 2 lemons, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Mix just until silky and homogenous; stop when there are no streaks but dont whip it into a cloud or you risk cracks.
5. Pour the filling onto the cooled crust and smooth the top. Place the springform pan into a large roasting pan and pour hot tap water into the outer pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform to create a water bath.
6. Bake in the center of the oven for about 50 to 60 minutes. The edges should be set and the center should still jiggle slightly like gelatin when you gently shake the pan. If the top browns too fast tent loosely with foil.
7. Turn the oven off and crack the door open slightly, leave the cheesecake inside to cool slowly for 1 hour. Slow cooling reduces cracking, trust me it’s worth the wait.
8. Carefully lift the springform from the water bath, peel away the foil, run a thin knife around the edge to loosen while it’s still warm, then cool to room temperature on a rack. Chill the cheesecake at least 4 hours and preferably overnight to fully set.
9. Make the lemon glaze while it chills: whisk together 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia or 3 to 5 drops liquid stevia (adjust to taste), and 2 tablespoons water to loosen. If using powdered stevia you may need to whisk vigorously or warm the mix a touch then cool it. Taste and tweak sweetness, remember stevia is potent so add little by little.
10. When chilled, pour or spread the glaze over the top, garnish with thin lemon slices or extra zest if you want. For clean slices dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe dry between cuts. Store covered in the fridge 4 to 5 days.
Equipment Needed
1. 9 inch springform pan plus parchment and heavy foil to wrap the base
2. Large roasting pan for the water bath
3. Hand mixer or stand mixer
4. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
5. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for scraping and folding
7. Microplane zester and a small citrus juicer
8. Wire cooling rack and a sharp chef knife for clean slices
FAQ
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Almond flour: swap for blanched almond meal or finely ground whole almonds 1:1; if it isn’t super fine the crust will be a bit coarser, press it well and chill to firm up.
- Powdered erythritol: use powdered monk fruit or powdered allulose 1:1; if you only got granular sweetener pulse it in a blender so the filling wont be gritty.
- Unsalted butter: replace with melted coconut oil or melted vegan buttery spread 1:1 for a dairy free version, coconut may add a faint flavor and the crust firms more when cold.
- Cream cheese: swap with mascarpone 1:1 for a silkier richer filling, or use full fat Neufchatel for a slightly lighter result though you might bake just a tad less if using lower fat.
Pro Tips
1. Get everything truly room temp. Cold cream cheese or eggs = lumpy batter and overmixing when you try to smooth it out. If one block is still cold, cut it into chunks and leave on the counter 30 minutes, or microwave super briefly 5 to 8 seconds until just soften, not melty. Beat low and scrape the bowl often so you dont whip in a ton of air.
2. Stop the gritty sweetener problem. Pulse your powdered erythritol or Swerve in a spice grinder or blender so its extra fine, or sift it first. For the glaze, warm the lemon juice a few seconds then whisk in the powdered stevia so it dissolves; add drops slowly cause stevia is super strong.
3. Water bath hacks that actually help. Use hot tap water not boiling when you pour into the roasting pan so the temp change isnt shocking. Double wrap the springform base in heavy foil or use a second pan under it so no water sneaks in. Also put a folded towel under the oven door to keep it cracked for the slow cool down step.
4. Prevent cracks and overbrowning. Don’t overbeat at the end, stop when everything is just smooth. If the top starts to brown early, loosely tent with foil and dont press it down tight. After baking, run a thin knife around the edge while it’s still warm so the cake can contract as it cools without tearing.
5. Best texture and clean slices. Chill at least overnight if you can, it firms up and tastes way better the next day. When serving, use a long sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts for perfect slices, and let each slice sit a minute at room temp if you want it to feel creamier in the mouth.
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
I swapped stevia into the lemon glaze for my Healthy Lemon Cheesecake and a little-known pantry trick made the glaze set quickly while keeping it keto-friendly.
12
servings
467
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9 inch springform pan plus parchment and heavy foil to wrap the base
2. Large roasting pan for the water bath
3. Hand mixer or stand mixer
4. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
5. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for scraping and folding
7. Microplane zester and a small citrus juicer
8. Wire cooling rack and a sharp chef knife for clean slices
Ingredients
-
Crust:
-
2 cups (200 g) blanched almond flour
-
1/4 cup (50 g) powdered erythritol or Swerve
-
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
-
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
Pinch fine sea salt
-
Filling:
-
32 oz (907 g) full fat cream cheese, room temp
-
3/4 cup (150 g) powdered erythritol or Swerve
-
3 large eggs, room temp
-
1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temp
-
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
-
Zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
-
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
-
Lemon glaze (stevia sub):
-
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
-
Zest of 1 lemon
-
1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia, or 3 to 5 drops liquid stevia (adjust to taste)
-
2 tablespoons water (to loosen glaze)
-
Optional garnish:
-
Thin lemon slices or extra lemon zest for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 F (163 C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment, then wrap the outside base with foil to keep water out. In a bowl mix almond flour, powdered erythritol, melted butter, vanilla and a pinch of sea salt until it looks like wet sand; press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides just a bit. Bake crust 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden, then let cool while you make the filling.
- Put room temp cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer on medium low until super smooth and lump free, scraping the bowl often. Tip: sift the powdered erythritol or pulse it in a blender first to avoid grittiness.
- Add the powdered erythritol to the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing low speed and scraping the bowl after each egg so you dont over aerate the batter.
- Add sour cream, heavy cream, lemon zest from 2 lemons, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Mix just until silky and homogenous; stop when there are no streaks but dont whip it into a cloud or you risk cracks.
- Pour the filling onto the cooled crust and smooth the top. Place the springform pan into a large roasting pan and pour hot tap water into the outer pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform to create a water bath.
- Bake in the center of the oven for about 50 to 60 minutes. The edges should be set and the center should still jiggle slightly like gelatin when you gently shake the pan. If the top browns too fast tent loosely with foil.
- Turn the oven off and crack the door open slightly, leave the cheesecake inside to cool slowly for 1 hour. Slow cooling reduces cracking, trust me it's worth the wait.
- Carefully lift the springform from the water bath, peel away the foil, run a thin knife around the edge to loosen while it's still warm, then cool to room temperature on a rack. Chill the cheesecake at least 4 hours and preferably overnight to fully set.
- Make the lemon glaze while it chills: whisk together 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia or 3 to 5 drops liquid stevia (adjust to taste), and 2 tablespoons water to loosen. If using powdered stevia you may need to whisk vigorously or warm the mix a touch then cool it. Taste and tweak sweetness, remember stevia is potent so add little by little.
- When chilled, pour or spread the glaze over the top, garnish with thin lemon slices or extra zest if you want. For clean slices dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe dry between cuts. Store covered in the fridge 4 to 5 days.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 154g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 467kcal
- Fat: 45.4g
- Saturated Fat: 22.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.125g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.42g
- Monounsaturated: 17.1g
- Cholesterol: 148mg
- Sodium: 269mg
- Potassium: 217mg
- Carbohydrates: 7.7g
- Fiber: 1.8g
- Sugar: 3.2g
- Protein: 10.1g
- Vitamin A: 458IU
- Vitamin C: 15mg
- Calcium: 131mg
- Iron: 0.92mg
