A simple and delicious coconut cream cheesecake recipe that's low carb and keto friendly. It's an easy to make coconut cream dessert.
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If you're like most low carb dieters, you enjoy indulging in high-fat, low carb cheesecake recipes. I certainly do and it's been a staple dessert for many years!
Cream cheese is by far one of my favorite low carb ingredients. It goes well in both sweet and savory recipes. And, it's the key to making a quick and easy sugar-free cheesecake mousse treat.
Another key ingredient for this cheesecake recipe is coconut cream. But, don't confuse it with cream of coconut which is typically sweetened with sugar.
Where To Buy Keto Unsweetened Coconut Cream
I've tried finding canned coconut cream in the local stores, but none of them seem to carry it. I believe you can buy it at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market, but those stores are a bit far from me.
I've been buying mine online at LC Foods which is an online market for low carb foods. However, I recently became a member of Thrive Market and found they have the cheapest price of all on canned coconut cream.
You can also get coconut cream from a can of regular high fat coconut milk. Just put the can in the refrigerator overnight and the solid part that ends up on top is coconut cream.
How To Make Low-Carb Coconut Crust
My standard low carb cheesecake crust is a blend of almond flour, cinnamon, low-carb sweetener, and melted butter.
I simply mix all the ingredients together and then press the mixture into the bottom of a springform pan. It's a great alternative to crusts made with high carb graham cracker crumbs.
While preparing the cheesecake filling, I like to put the pan with the prepared crust into the refrigerator to chill. This hardens up the butter to form a better crust layer before adding the filling.
How To Make Coconut Cream Cheesecake
There are just a few steps to making this low-carb cheesecake.
Add the Filling
Once the crust has been prepared, it's time to make the low carb coconut cream cheesecake filling. My recipe uses the following keto-friendly ingredients:
- Cream cheese
- Low-carb sweetener
- Coconut cream
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
For a stronger flavor, coconut extract can be added as well or in place of the vanilla extract.
It does help to beat the cream cheese first if it's still a little cold from the refrigerator. But it's good to plan things out ahead and let the cream cheese sit at room temperature before making the filling. That way the mixture will be smooth without any cheese lumps in it.
When all the ingredients for the filling have been blended together, the mixture is poured over the prepared crust in the springform pan.
If using a water bath, the pan should be wrapped in aluminum foil and place in a roasting pan with an inch or two of water in it. Although not required, the steaming water provides a humid environment in the oven which can help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
Bake the Cheesecake
The cheesecake is now ready to be baked. I start out at 350°F for the first 15 minutes and then I reduce the oven temperature to 250°F and bake for another 75-90 minutes.
A lower temperature fully cooks the cheesecake without causing it to brown up on the outside before the inside is fully cooked. If you don't mind the extra time, you can even try lowering the temperature more.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven when the center is still a little jiggly but the majority of the cake has set. This will ensure that you don't overbake it.
The cheesecake should cool completely prior to removing the springform side by gently running a knife between the side of the cake and the pan then releasing the springform clip.
Add The Coconut Cream Frosting
Although the coconut cheesecake is pretty good plain, adding a coconut cream frosting sprinkled with toasted coconut takes it to a whole new level. It adds a more appealing look to the keto dessert giving it a look similar to my popular keto coconut cream pie.
The frosting is just a blend of coconut cream, powdered low carb sweetener, and a little cream cheese.
I discovered that adding a touch of cream cheese can mask the cooling taste of erythritol which is the bulking agent used in many granular low carb sweeteners. That's why I added couple of ounces to the coconut cream frosting that tops the cheesecake.
Top With Toasted Coconut
A sprinkling of toasted coconut over the frosting adds color and dimension.
To toast the coconut, simply spread unsweetened dried coconut shreds on a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes at 375°F. Shredded coconut toasts quickly so you'll need to keep an eye on it while it's baking.
Frequently Asked Questions About Keto Coconut Cream Cheesecake
The entire recipe is at the bottom of this post. First, here are some answers to some frequently asked questions.
How big should I make the servings?
This low carb coconut cream cheesecake is very filling so you'll want to keep the servings fairly small. I had a slice for an early afternoon snack and wasn't hungry until dinnertime.
How do I prevent the outside of the cheesecake from overbaking?
Cooking at a low temperature makes cheesecake much creamier and doesn't overbake the outside. I didn't use a water bath and the top of the cheesecake didn't crack.
So fully cooking the cheesecake at low oven temperatures can also prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
How do you make this recipe dairy-free?
The coconut cream is the perfect ingredient for making a rich coconut cream cheesecake.
The cheesecake could be made without dairy by using dairy-free cream cheese-like Kite's Hill which is made from almond milk. Butter flavored coconut oil could be used in the crust.
The frosting is a nice addition to the cheesecake and allows the rest of the coconut cream in the can to be used. I was amazed at how great it tasted!
I'll always add a bit of cream cheese to my low carb frosting from now on to get rid of the cooling effect of the erythritol.
What is another topping for this cheesecake?
You could use a chocolate ganache as an alternative topping. It would be similar to my popular Boston Cream Cheesecake recipe.
Although there's a nice taste of coconut in this dessert, I'm thinking there's always room to take it up a notch. Next time, I may add some unsweetened coconut to the filling!
Other Recipes To Love
Want to try a few more easy low-carb keto pie recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Easy Chocolate Mousse Pie combines my keto chocolate mousse recipe with a peanut flour crust.
- Crustless Coconut Pie couldn’t be any easier! Just blend together the ingredients, pour in a pan, and bake.
- Keto Strawberry Mousse Pie is another one of my quick and easy no bake keto desserts that sets in the refrigerator.
- Gluten Free Banana Cream Pie has a thick custard filling with whipped cream topping.
- No Bake Keto Cheesecake preps quickly in a pie plate with no baking needed.
And, if you like coconut, try an easy coconut jelly recipe. It's dairy-free and is even suitable for the very strict autoimmune protocol (AIP) diet.
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Coconut Cheesecake with Coconut Cream
Video
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons low carb sugar substitute
- ½ cup butter melted
FILLING:
- 32 ounces cream cheese or four 8 ounce blocks
- ¾ cup low carb sugar substitute
- ½ can coconut cream 13.5 ounce size
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or coconut extract
FROSTING:
- ½ can coconut cream 13.5 ounce size
- ¼ cup Swerve Confectioners Powdered Sweetener or Sukrin Melis
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese softened
Instructions
- Mix together crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
- In a large bowl, beat together filling ingredients. Mix just until smooth.
- Pour filling onto the crust and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250°F and bake for another 75-90 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator. Run knife along edge of cake and remove springform side.
- For frosting, beat together coconut cream, powdered sugar, and cream cheese until creamy.
- Spread frosting over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
Morgan
This nutritional info is way, way off. I bought all of the ingredients to make this, then put it into cronometer—at 16 servings per cake even with one less brick of cream cheese it is almost 15g net carbs per slice! 🙁
Tricia Schramm
Hi! Can't wait to try the recipe! I notice you don''t call for buttering the pan. Is this correct? Thanks, Tricia
Lisa MarcAurele
I don't find there's a need to butter the pan when using a springform pan.
Judy
I’ve been enjoying your recipes and appreciate the option to jump to the recipe. That actually encourages me to peruse the rest of the page. ???? Thanks. I’ll keep coming back.
Lisa MarcAurele
Thanks for the note on that Judy! It should bring you right above the recipe card.
Jeff
I love all your recipes but I’m really struggling with this one. The cheesecake in on the oven and I started working on the frosting. As written I get nothing near the consistency of frosting. 1/2 13.5 oz can of coconut cream , 1/4 cup powdered swerve and 2 T cream cheese is nothing near a spreadable consistent. I quadruples the powdered swerve and it’s still far to thin. What am I missing??
Lisa MarcAurele
The powdered sweetener should hold it together for a ganache-like consistency. Not sure what happened with yours. Maybe you aren't using the thicker cream part of the canned coconut cream?
Jeff
Perhaps that’s it. I read the recipe as half of the can went in the filling and the other half went into the frosting. I stirred the can and used half in each. It was Thai Kitchen unsweetened coconut cream. Is the intent to pour off the watery liquid and only use the thick cream?
Lisa MarcAurele
I believe the Thai Kitchen brand has less fat than the heavy coconut cream that I use which is 30% fat. From my experience, the solid part in the can is half or less in the Thai Kitchen so that's likely why yours was so thin.
Jody
The carbs are based on one slice but how many slices should you get out of the cheesecake?
Lisa MarcAurele
I cut it into 16 slices to get the nutritional data.
Christina
She's right. This recipe is way wrong!
Lisa MarcAurele
The powdered sweetener should create a ganache-like consistency. Perhaps you aren't using the cream part of the canned coconut cream? If you chill the can, the top solid later of cream is what you want to use.
Jeff Campbell
I’ll bet that was it. The overall cheesecake is fantastic! Creamy and so tasty. I added a big handful of unsweetened coconut to the filling as well.
Deb
I made this for my family yesterday, exactly as written. It is fabulous!! It's rich, as expected with cheesecake, so a small slice goes a long way. I'm not always a big fan of low carb desserts, but this one is divine! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Christine
I noticed that too when going over this recipe about the coconut cream and the frosting part. Here in Canada, you can't find a true "heavy" coconut cream at local grocery stores, only the kind they sell like the Thai brand and it's much thinner than the ones they sell in the U.S. You can order through Naturamarket.ca but the price tag is $4.99 per can, so that's a no go for me. Unfortunately Canada is far behind others when it comes to food choices and availability. So for this recipe, it's best to put the coconut cream in the fridge overnight, then scoop out the thick solid part for the frosting, and use the thinner part for the cheesecake. This should divide the can by half and should work for this recipe. I'm gonna try it and will give feedback after confirming.
Beth
This was a hit! I am adding it to my calendar for next year's birthday event. I used a 4" cheesecake pan from Lloyd Pans (made in USA) and scaled per PiR^2, for a party of two the cheesecake looked like a little jewel of a desert. The only thing I would try the next time would be to pre-bake the crust for a toasty contrast.
Lisa M Daly
I'm going to try it. Looks yummy! I found unsweetened coconut cream in the Asian/Thai section of my local grocery store
Chris
Hi Lisa! I'm diabetic but love both cheesecake and coconut cream pie and would love to try this recipe. Couple of questions: (1) Regarding the crust, can coconut flour be used instead of almond flour? (2) Is it acceptable to use Splenda when making the frosting?
Lisa MarcAurele
Coconut flour isn't a one-for-one sub for almond flour so you'll want to use a specific coconut flour pie crust instead. Although you can use Splenda, I don't recommend it because it has more carbs due to the added maltodextrin and dextrose. But if the extra carbs don't bother you, Splenda can be used.
Linda
I’m a diabetic and I use Monkfruit Sweetener.
Michael
Chris, I would seriously encourage you to research Splenda (which contains Sucralose and maltodextrin, which is a filler). There are plenty of alternative sweeteners out there now that don't cause the concerns that Splenda does, like increased inflammation, insulin problems and GI issues (eroding gut bacteria balance), to name just a few.
Sarah
Hello! Does this cheesecake have to set in the fridge like other cheesecakes ?
Lisa MarcAurele
Yes. All real cheesecake needs to be stored refrigerated or frozen.
Kevin
You can find unsweetened coconut cream in the Asian section of most stores I don’t know why but that’s where it's at.
debra fisher
what size spring pan
Lisa MarcAurele
I use a 9-inch so if you have a larger pan, the baking time may need to be shortened.
Anita
This is the best! Such a beautiful creamy texture and so delicious, I can't wait to make it again! I used Swerve and you would never know it's a keto dessert!
April
This is an awesome recipe!! I adapted it by using no crust, to make it lower carb. Added toasted coconut to the batter as well as on top. And I cut the other ingredients in half and baked in a 6 inch round cake pan in the instant pot for 30 minutes and 15 minute natural steam release. Extremely creamy and delicious!!!
Cheryl Lake
How do you do a water bath? Do you wrap the pan in foil and put it in a bigger pan while baking or while it's cooling. How much water and temperature of the water do you use?
Lisa MarcAurele
I use about an inch of water in a larger pan that the cheesecake pan goes into (wrapped with foil to prevent water leaking in). The water temp doesn't matter much as it will steam as it's heated fairly quickly.
Angela
What size spring form pan are you using?
Lisa MarcAurele
My pan is a 9-inch.
Judith
Sounds like a wonderful recipe, however, I'm still not sure what coconut cream is being used?
I bought 2:
1:coconut milk (coconut extract 75%, water, stabiliser, emulsifier, antioxidant)
2: creamed coconut (100% coconut)
Thanks!
Judith
https://www.type1kitchen.com/creamed-coconut-coconut-cream-coconut-milk-what-is-the-difference-and-how-to-make-one-from-the-other/
I found this article. This answers my question. It says how to make coconut cream of creamed coconut. I'm so excited to make it!
Lisa MarcAurele
The can should say "Coconut Cream" and you'll want to make sure it's unsweetened without any added sugar. This article helps explain the differences: https://www.eatyourbooks.com/blog/2016/5/6/what's-the-difference-between-coconut-cream,-creamed-coconut,-coconut-milk,-and-coconut-water
Kelly
16 slices? What size springform pan did you use. That can be a "slice". Can you even section them that small?
Lisa MarcAurele
It's a 9.5-inch but you can certainly cut it into 8 slices and double the nutritional data.
Alyssa
By far the best Keto cheesecake recipe I've made. Put raspberry chia jam on top. Was amazing! Thank you for the recipe, it's a keeper????
Carol Paez
My whole family loves this. Just one issue, when I make it, there tends to be cracks (sometimes huge) in the top. Any suggestions?
Lisa MarcAurele
Allowing the cheesecake to cool very slowly and using a water bath usually helps with that.
Carol Paez
Thanks Lisa. I am making one today for a family barbecue tomorrow. How do you do a water bath? BTW, I am not on Keto diet but hubby is, I enjoy all your recipes I have tried so saves me having to make to different meals! Thanks again!
Lisa MarcAurele
I'm glad you both have enjoyed the recipes! This cheesecake is delicious too.