This New York-Style Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake tastes like a more decadent version of classic pumpkin pie, but each slice has just 5g net carbs.
“Start spreading the news. I’m leaving today. I want to be a part of it, New York, New York!” – Frank Sinatra
I made a Keto New York-style cheesecake yesterday, so naturally, I’ve had the late great Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” stuck in my head. I’ve been belting it out just like Ol’ Blue Eyes used to do. There is really no other way to sing it. You have to go all in.
Just like when you make Keto pumpkin cheesecake.
It takes 12 hours from start to finish, so you really need to commit to it. It takes such a long time to make because you have to cook the pumpkin cheesecake for several hours at a very low temperature to get that velvety New York Style cheesecake texture. Then you need to slowly cool it down for 2-3 hours until just barely warm. And finally, you chill it in the fridge until it’s completely cold and firm.
But let’s back up. What is a New York Style Cheesecake?
I think that Cook’s Illustrated put it best in their American Classics cookbook: “[It is] an orchestration of different textures and an exercise in flavor restraint, New York cheesecake should be a tall, bronze-skinned, and dense affair. At the core, it should be cool, thick, satiny, and creamy; radiating outward, it goes gradually from velvety to suede-like, then, finally, about the edges, it is cake-like and fine-pored.” New York-style cheesecakes have a lot to live up to, that’s for sure.
So when I was creating today’s Keto pumpkin cheesecake recipe, I went right to the source: Cook’s Illustrated.
Their crack team of test cooks tackled the most basic cheesecake problems and came up with a genius solution. Normally, you cook this kind of cheesecake by baking it in a very hot oven, then turning off the heat and letting it cool down for several hours. There is often a messy water bath involved. But the problem with this method is that ovens vary widely from model to model in terms of how quickly they come down to room temperature.
And because of this, you’ve got 4 ways that cheesecakes can go South.
- Burnt: The high heat can cause the cheesecake to burn.
- Spotted: Air bubbles rise to the surface of the cheesecake giving it a mottled look.
- Cracked: If the cheesecake is exposed to high heat for too long, it will over bake and large cracks will appear on the surface.
- Runny: The outside of the cheesecake may be firm, but the inside can be underdone and soupy in the center.
So how do you avoid these cheesecakey problems?
The folks at Cook's Illustrated turned the way this cheesecake was made on its head. Instead of starting out at high heat and slowly letting it cool, they cooked the cheesecakes in very low heat for 3 - 3 ½ hours and then upped the temp to 500 degrees F and cooked the cheesecake for 4 - 12 minutes until nicely browned. So they bypassed the problems of uneven cooking temp and reduced the chances of falling into one of the 4 deadly cheesecake sins.
So that brings me to the low carb and Keto pumpkin cheesecake I’m going to show you how to make today.
This epic sugar-free cheesecake has two lovely layers, one vanilla and one pumpkin. It’s crustless, which keeps the net carb count at just 5g per slice. And you only need 7 ingredients to make it. You’ll need cream cheese, sour cream, pumpkin puree, a sugar-free sweetener, eggs, pumpkin spice and vanilla extract.
What’s the best way to cut this pumpkin cheesecake?
There are two ways. The first is with a large hot knife that you clean after each cut. Have a tall glass of hot water next to you and dip the knife into it after every slice. Dry the knife with a kitchen towel and make the next cut. The second way is to use a long piece of unflavored dental floss . You wrap the floss around your fingers press down through the cheesecake as if it were between your teeth and then let go of one end and pull it back through. It’s kind of genius, actually.
Ok, time to wrap it up, but first there is one more thing I should mention.
And that is how close this Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake is to the regular sugary kind. You can bring this sugar-free cheesecake to a party, leave it on the dessert table and then wait for people to come over and ask you for the recipe. You could take that opportunity to reveal that it’s actually the dreaded “low carb diet food”. Try not to gloat too much.
But, like Mr. Frank Sinatra always used to say:
Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake is king of the hill, A #1, head of the heap!
📋 Recipe
Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake
This Keto New York Style Pumpkin Cheesecake tastes like a more decadent version of classic pumpkin pie, but each slice has just 5g net carbs.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 150
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 16 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Diabetic
Ingredients
Pumpkin Layer:
- 20 oz (2 ½ packages) full fat cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup Swerve Granular
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup full fat sour cream
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 20 drops yellow food coloring, optional**
- 6 drops red food coloring, optional
Vanilla Layer:
- 20 oz (2 ½ packages) full fat cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup Swerve Granular
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup full fat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Step 1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F and grease a 9 or 10-inch springform pan on all sides. Place the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper and run a pencil around the outer edge to draw a circle. Cut out the circle. Lock the walls of the pan to the bottom and stick the parchment circle to the pan bottom.*
Step 2. Pumpkin layer: Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat cream cheese, ½ cup sweetener, spice, and salt at medium-low speed until combined, 1 minute. Beat in remaining ¼ cup sweetener until combined, 1 minute. Scrape beater and bowl well; add sour cream, pumpkin, and vanilla and beat at low speed until combined, 1 minute. Add eggs and food coloring, if you are using it, and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, 1 minute more. Scrape bowl and beater. Taste for spice and sweetness and add more pumpkin pie spice or sweetener if desired.
Step 3. Add pumpkin mixture to the springform pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Clean the mixing bowl, beater, and spatula well so that you can use them for the vanilla layer.
Step 4. Vanilla layer: Beat cream cheese and ¼ cup sweetener at medium-low speed until combined, 1 minute. Beat in remaining ¼ cup sweetener until combined, 1 minute. Scrape beater and bowl well; add sour cream and vanilla and beat at low speed until combined, 1 minute. Add eggs and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, 1 minute more. Scrape bowl and beater.
Step 5. Carefully spoon the vanilla batter on top of the pumpkin layer and smooth it with a spatula. Set aside for 10 minutes until air bubbles rise to the top. Use a spatula to pop and smooth out the little bubbles that have risen to the surface of the cheesecake.
Step 6. Bake cheesecake on the lower rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and use a toothpick to pierce any more bubbles that have risen to the surface. Return to the oven and continue to bake until the top is firm and no longer jiggly, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 2 ¼ to 2 ¾ hours longer.
Step 7. OPTIONAL STEP: If you like a cheesecake with browned top, you can remove the cheesecake from the oven and increase the temperature to 500 degrees F. Then return the cheesecake to the upper shelf of the oven for 4-12 minutes until bronzed on top.***
Step 8. Let cheesecake cool for 5 minutes; run a paring knife between cheesecake and side of springform pan. Let cheesecake cool until barely warm, 2 ½ to 3 hours. It will fall by about ¾ of an inch as it cools.
Step 9. Cover the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold and firmly set, at least 6 hours.
Step 10. To unmold the cheesecake, run a paring knife between the cheesecake and the side of the springform pan again and then unlock and remove the side walls.* Place a large plate on top of the cheesecake. Invert the plate and cheesecake. Gently remove the bottom of the pan. Remove the parchment circle. Place a serving plate on top of the cheesecake and carefully invert. Remove top plate.
Step 11. Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. To slice, dip a large sharp knife in very hot water and wipe dry between cuts. Or use a long piece of unflavored dental floss and press down through the cake and then let go of one end and pull it back through.
Step 12. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
*The easiest thing to do is to remove the sides of the pan and leave the cheesecake on the bottom piece of the pan. If you plan to to this, then you can skip lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
**I usually add in some orange food coloring to make more of a contrast between the two layers, but this is optional.
***I do not recommend browning the cheesecake. I think it looks nicer with a smooth, light colored top. Plus, this last step could leave the cheesecake burnt, spotty or cracked. Too risky.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 302
- Fat: 28
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 6
Keywords: Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake, Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake, Sugar-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
IF YOU LIKED THIS THANKSGIVING RECIPE, THEN YOU MIGHT LIKE MY KETO GUIDE TO SURVIVING THANKSGIVING.
BARBARA BITZER says
I can't rate this recipe because I haven't made it yet. I have been on a keto diet for 9 months and doing well. This recipe I believe is just what I'm looking for. However, I have a question. I do not have a paddle for my stand mixer. What do you recommend I do instead? I've surfed far and wide and apparently there isn't a paddle attachment for my model. I am determined to make this cheesecake. Help!
EmilyKrill says
If you have an electric hand mixer, that’ll work too. The paddle attachment is best, but almost any mixer attachment will get the job done.
Theresa Disney says
Hi Emily, I’m so excited to try this recipe. It sounds absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much 😊
EmilyKrill says
Sure thing!
Robert says
I'm at my house in a remote part of Panama and don't have access to pumpkin. Is there any reason I can't make it entirely of vanilla? Thanks
EmilyKrill says
No reason at all. Just double the ingredients of the vanilla layer and ignore the ingredients and instructions for the pumpkin layer.
Liz says
Great recipe. You are right, no one believes that is sugar free. My husband LOVED it. Will definitely made this again.
★★★★★
EmilyKrill says
Thanks, so happy to hear that the recipe was a hit.
Colton Dunkley says
This design is incredible! You most certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost...HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Heather says
Have you tried freezing this one? Will it work if you freeze and defrost slowly? We have a long trip to make so I’m wondering that will help it travel?
EmilyKrill says
Yes, I’ve actually frozen it before and it was fine. And you don’t even need to thaw it that long. My husband ate a couple slices straight from the freezer.
Jane says
Turned out really well. I used an almond flour and pecan crust, reduced the Swerve by 1/3 and did not add food color. True success! Thanks
★★★★★
EmilyKrill says
That crust sounds delicious!
Harry says
Ole Blue Eyes! I love it. I am definitely going to try this cheesecake.
★★★★★
EmilyKrill says
You won't be sorry. It's a great cheesecake. Just leave yourself enough time to bake it slowly.
Diane Moran says
Made this cheesecake for Thanksgiving. No one could believe this beautiful cheesecake was sugar free. It came out perfect! Now I’m looking for a my style chocolate cheesecake or just vanilla that I can top with a sugar free ganache. Can you help?
★★★★★
EmilyKrill says
Yay! I am so glad that you liked the recipe. I love it when people can't believe it's sugar-free.
I've never made a chocolate cheesecake before, but I found a recipe that sounds like what you are looking for. It's a triple chocolate cheesecake from All Day I Dream About Food. It's not a tall NY style cheesecake, but it looks nice and firm, and not sunken in the middle at all. This woman is the absolute best when it comes to low carb baking, so I am sure that this recipe will be wonderful. Let me know how it turns out!
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-death-by-chocolate-cheesecake/