Keto raspberry cheesecake with raspberry swirl

This low carb keto raspberry cheesecake with a pink raspberry swirl makes for a beautiful, easy Valentine's Day dessert.

You can also serve this as a gluten-free Shavuot cheesecake recipe.

Raspberries bring in a touch of love

My first memories around raspberries involve getting my fingers stabbed at a berry u-pick farm in the north of Israel. A hot August sun, prickly raspberry bushes and battalions of cranky children don't make for a perfect berry picking afternoon.

Yet for some reason, I loved it. I loved grabbing as many berries as I wanted in my small, plump hands. I loved sorting them according to quality: the firmest ones go into the bags, and the ripest ones, the ones most bursting with flavor and color, go into my mouth. I loved watching my fingers stain red and my dress show the signs of all that raspberry picking (and eating). And most of all, I loved the raspberry taste: sweet, tart and luscious all at the same time.

Then this summer, I went raspberry picking with my son and husband. At six months pregnant, navigating rows of berries on my knees proved no easy tasks. It was hard to find the best tasting ones, and I resorted to sampling from each bush before picking. My son ran like a madman along the aisles, gathering the ripest berries and packing them in our u-pick containers, thus completely destroying my carefully curated berry picking system.

Yet for some reason, I loved it. I loved the joy on his face as he found a particularly plump raspberry and put it in our basket. I loved the surprise in his eyes as he tasted the best raspberries, their rosy juices staining the corners of his mouth. I loved watching his fingers stain red and all of our clothes show the signs of the day.

And most importantly, I loved putting the raspberries to use later in this gluten free raspberry swirl cheesecake (and this low carb chocolate raspberry tart).

For my tips on berry picking, check out this article.

When to serve this Keto raspberry cheesecake?

The best time to make this timeless and easy keto raspberry cheesecake is when you are craving some dessert. 

Any time of the year will do, but seasonal holidays like Thanksgiving or Valentine’s Day offer a good excuse to mark the celebration. 

The rich and vibrant color of the raspberry sauce fits the romantic mood for a perfect Valentine’s day dessert. 

Low Carb Valentine’s Day Dessert that everyone can enjoy

With its white and pink color palette, this keto raspberry cheesecake makes for an excellent Valentine’s day dessert. It’s romantic, delicious, and above all else, super easy. And with its low carb content, everyone should be able to enjoy this cake!

This cheesecake is perfect for the holidays because it fits different diets, including low sugar and low carb diets, gluten-free and vegan. 

It's both easy to make from scratch so you know exactly what ingredients go into it, but also convenient for those who don't want to go through all of the trouble of staying in the kitchen for hours. The filling is actually a no-bake cheesecake filling that tastes luscious and cool!

Additionally, it requires no fancy ingredients or time consuming steps - just a few minutes of prep time for the crust.

For a tasty dessert everyone will enjoy eating during the holiday season, this recipe is sure to please!

Can you serve this cheesecake for Shavuot?

I also like to serve this raspberry swirl gluten free cheesecake for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

Shavuot translates to "Weeks" and is also referred to as the "Feast of Weeks". It is a celebration of two major religious observances and takes place seven weeks after the second Passover seder. 

The celebration of Shavuot is linked to the grain harvest of early summer and pilgrimage to ancient Israel, but it also marks the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. 

Easy Keto Shavuot Cheesecake

Because dairy foods are traditionally preferred on Shavuot, this cheesecake also makes an excellent option to mark the celebration. 

While there are different interpretations as to why Jews are encouraged to eat dairy during this holiday, it nevertheless serves as a great opportunity and has been particularly linked to cheesecake. You can learn more about the differences between Western and Israeli cheesecake and all the reasons why you should try the latter at least once, in this piece about my favorite Israeli cheesecake.

What makes this raspberry swirl cheesecake keto?

The raspberry swirl cheesecake is keto because it can easily be made sugar-free. You can replace sugar with erythritol, a carbohydrate that can be absorbed by the body but doesn't spike blood glucose levels as regular sugar would. 

It also has the added benefit of helping food retain moisture, which results in a creamy and light texture. 

This gluten free raspberry cheesecake also has a super easy almond flour cheesecake crust, which is both gluten free and low carb. 

Low Carb No-bake Keto Cheesecake filling

The filling of this no-bake low carb cheesecake is seriously light and fluffy. The texture is soft but solid and the level of sweetness can be adjusted according to what you consider appropriate. The lemon zest and juice adds just enough of a fresh kick. 

To make this keto raspberry filling, start with beating the cream cheese in your standing mixer until it's nice and soft. Then, add the sweetener, lemon zest and juice and continue to beat until well combined. 

In another bowl, whisk the whipping cream until you attain stiff peaks. Once that's done, fold the cream mixture into the cream and you are ready to spoon your filling into the pastry shell. 

How to make an Almond flour cheesecake crust?

Almond flour crusts are not only gluten-free, but they also make for a crispy and tasty alternative to traditional pie crust. 

To make your almond flour cheesecake crust all you need to do is combine the four key ingredients, almond flour, coconut oil, sweetener and vanilla extract and press into the bottom of your pan. Baking at 350F takes less than 15 minutes until it is nice and golden. 

Ingredients

To make this refreshing Keto raspberry cheesecake you will need: 

Almond crust 

• Almond flour 
• Coconut oil 
• Monk fruit sweetener/erythritol (or other granular sweetener)
• Vanilla extract 

Filling

• Cream cheese 
• Monk fruit sweetener/erythritol (or other granular sweetener)
• whipping/heavy cream 
• Lemon zest 
• Lemon juice 

Raspberry swirl sauce 

• Raspberries 
• Monk fruit sweetener/erythritol (or other granular sweetener) *optional 

For serving 

• Fresh raspberries 
• Fresh mint *optional 

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment

• Mixing bowl 
• Oven 
• Springform pan 
• Mixer 
• Blender 
• Parchment paper 
• Spatula

Directions

How to make the almond flour cheesecake crust

Start by preheating the oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and grease the sides.

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, coconut oil, sweetener and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Press the almond flour cheesecake crust into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.Transfer the pan to a 350F oven to bake for 12-15 minutes, until the almond flour cheesecake crust is golden. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.

How to make the raspberry swirl cheesecake filling

In a large bowl using a standing mixer or a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft. Add the sweetener, lemon zest and juice. Beat to combine.

In another bowl, whip the whipping cream until you attain stiff peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture. 

Spoon the filling into the pastry shell. Optional: if you’d like to add a layer of raspberry sauce halfway in the middle of the cheesecake for an extra hint of berry flavor, make sure you only pour half the filling in before adding some sauce. Top with the remaining filling.

How to make the raspberry swirl sauce

To make the raspberry swirl sauce, combine raspberries and an optional tablespoon of sweetener in a blender. Whirl until blended into an easily pourable sauce (you may want to add a tablespoon or two of water, to achieve a more pourable consistency).

Drizzle the raspberry sauce in a random, circular and snaking pattern all over the top of the cheesecake. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl the sauce.

How to serve almond flour and raspberry swirl keto cheesecake

Place the raspberry swirl keto cheesecake in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Before serving, decorate with additional raspberries, fresh mint and more raspberry sauce.

Storage and Making in Advance

The almond flour cheesecake crust can be made in advance, shaped in a mold and refrigerated or frozen until use. 

Make sure you make your raspberry swirl in the cheesecake prior to cooling. Any attempt to swirl the cheesecake after cooling will ruin the beautiful design up top.

This keto raspberry cheesecake will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Substitutions 

This low carb raspberry swirl cheese cake is keto and gluten free. It can be easily adapted to suit other dietary restrictions:

Vegan

Use the cashew-based vegan cheesecake filling from this vegan mango cheesecake. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as specified.

Paleo and Whole 30

Substitute maple syrup for the erytrytol or monk fruit sweetener in the filling.

Variations

Keto lemon cheesecake

Omit the raspberry sauce to make this into a keto lemon cheesecake. 

Keto berry cheesecake

Substitute raspberries for another berry of your choice.

Keto mango cheesecake

Substitute raspberries for mangos.

Top Tips

• Give it time - nobody likes to wait to grab a slice of their favorite dessert, but make sure you make this dessert in advance to let it shine. Allow it to chill for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. 
• Don’t skip the decorations - Swirls can be made in any shape or pattern you feel is most fitting. For a Valentine's Day-themed dinner, start with thin circular lines that move outwards from the middle, then go in with a wooden skewer or toothpick in the middle to create a little heart shape. Swirls and decorations should be made before cooling your raspberry cheesecake. 
• Extra raspberry flavor - If you’d like to add a layer of raspberry sauce halfway in the middle of the cheesecake for an extra hint of berry flavor, make sure you only pour half the filling in before adding some of the raspberry sauce. Top with the remaining filling, and then complete the drizzle on top. Swirl in a pattern of your choice.
• Room temperature oil - The almond flour cheesecake crust comes together flawlessly with only a couple of key ingredients, meaning you don’t have to worry about eggs or butter. One thing to keep in mind is to keep your coconut oil at room temperature to make it easier to work with the dough. 
• Personal and family size cheesecakes - This recipe makes one 9 or 10-inch cheesecake, or you can divide it into small or medium sized cake pans and tart pans. This recipe can make one 6-inch cake and four individual tart pans, or 10 individual tart pans.

Accompanying Dishes

A Valentines Day Menu

If serving for Valentine’s Day dessert, pair this raspberry swirl keto cheesecake with the following dishes:

Appetizers

• Sweet potato and beet salad
• Roasted eggplant soup

Mains

• Duck breast with berry apple sauce

Sides

• Bulgur feta salad

A Shavuot Feast

If serving this as a Shavuot cheesecake recipe, pair with the following dishes:

Appetizers

• Roasted carrot salad

Mains

• Vegan Pasta Primavera
• Vegan roasted pepper and tomatoes quiche

Similar cheesecake recipes:

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Recipe