Enjoy this yummy low carb no bake peanut butter cheesecake any time of year. The gluten free crust is sweetened blend of almond flour, cocoa, and butter.
It’s hard to believe that there are only a few peanut butter recipes on this blog. Peanut butter is one of my most favorite flavors, especially when mixed with chocolate.
I’m going to have to come up with a few more peanut butter recipes to add to my collection of low carb goodies. To start things off, I created this recipe for a low carb no bake peanut butter cheesecake.
This yummy treat is a perfect dessert to share at summer gatherings because it’s no bake. But, it’s also a recipe that can be made year round. Even family and friends who don’t do low carb will gobble down this tasty sugar free cheesecake.
With the heat of summer, no one wants to be turning on a hot oven to bake a traditional cheesecake. This no bake peanut butter cheesecake is made in a springform pan to give the look of a baked cheesecake. But, it sets in the refrigerator.
I considered making this in a pie pan like I usually do for no bake cheesecakes, but I thought it would give a much better presentation using a springform pan, and it certainly does.
The gluten free crust is just a mix of almond flour, cocoa, sweetener, and butter. To make for easier cleanup, everything is mixed inside the pan and then just pressed in.
When making the crust, I find it easiest to press the crust down with my hand. I do cover my fingers with a plastic baggie so the crust mix doesn’t stick to my hand.
You’ll want to make sure that both the cream cheese and peanut butter are at room temperature so that they are easier to blend with an electric mixer. If you don’t have time to wait, it usually only takes about 30 seconds to warm up in the microwave.
Sweetened stabilized whipped cream is perfect for making no bake desserts. It’s just heavy cream whipped with gelatin added to prevent it from deflating. But if you’d prefer not to use gelatin, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar can be used instead.
Fresh whipped cream also gives the dessert a light and airy texture. To keep the whipped cream from flattening out, it needs to be gently folded into the peanut butter cream cheese mixture.
If you want to cut back on carbs, you can always omit the crust. Just spoon the filling into individual dessert cups. It’s more of a peanut butter cheesecake mouse if you do that.
Without the crust, I’d serve it with drizzled chocolate or sprinkle each serving with chocolate chips. Chocolate really enhances the flavor and color of peanut butter desserts.
I wasn’t planning on adding chocolate to the top of this cheesecake. But, when I removed the springform pan side, it was really plain looking. The cheesecake was begging for some color on top.
I thought about just sprinkling on some chocolate chips to give a contrasting color, but I knew that might add too many carbs. So, I made a small amount of chocolate ganache to drizzle over the top which really made .
The chocolate ganache will harden in the refrigerator. You can omit the chocolate drizzle or coat the entire top of the cheesecake with chocolate if you wish. This rich and creamy cheesecake is sure to be enjoyed by all!
If you love this recipe, you need to try my low carb cream cheese peanut butter fudge.
Low Carb No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe
No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa
- 1/4 cup low carb sweetener or Swerve
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
Stabilized whipped cream:
- 1 teaspoon grass-fed gelatin
- 4 teaspoons cold water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup low carb powdered sweetener
Filling:
- 24 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup low carb sweetener or Swerve
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups peanut butter
Chocolate Ganache:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2 tablespoons low carb powdered sweetener
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust:
- Mix crust ingredients in 9-inch springform pan. Press down to form crust
Stabilized Whipped Cream:
- In a small pan, combine gelatin and cold water; let stand until thick.
- Place over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the gelatin dissolves.
- Remove from heat; cool (do not allow it to set).
- Whip the cream with the powdered sweetener, until slightly thick.
- While slowly beating, add the gelatin to whipping cream.
- Whip at high speed until stiff. Set aside.
Filling:
- Mix cream cheese, sweetener, vanilla, and peanut butter in a large bowl with electric mixer until well combined.
- Gently fold in stabilized whipped cream.
- Pour filling over crust and smooth top with rubber spatula.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until firm.
- Run knife along edge of cheesecake in pan, then remove springform side.
Chocolate Ganache:
- Melt butter and chocolate in a small saucepan or microwave.
- Stir in powdered sweetener and vanilla.
- Drizzle chocolate sauce over top of cheesecake.
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Notes
Nutrition
Note 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.
About Lisa
Lisa has been creating low carb recipes for herself and sharing them with others since 2010. She loves to experiment in the kitchen and find new ways to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites! Her recipes have been featured on popular magazine sites including Fitness, Shape, Country Living, Women's Health, and Men's Health. Lisa lives in Southeastern Connecticut. Connect with her and Low Carb Yum at:
Dahlia Andrews says
I made this last night and had a small piece with my lunch today and it was sooooo good 😋 I only used 16 oz of cream cheese and used a pie pan and just kinda winged it as far as sugar measurements and PB quantity Lol and used the cream of tartar for the whipped cream.
Linda says
I made this with Swerve and it is gritty. Maybe it should be heated to dissolve before putting in this recipe.
Lisa MarcAurele says
That can happen with erythritol sweeteners. I find it’s better to use half the amount and replace it with a non erythritol sweetener.
Danette says
Ph no. I used the 1-1/2 cups almond flour.. and hope it taste ok. I have not tried it.
Lisa MarcAurele says
It calls for 1-1/2 cups in the recipe for the crust.
Joe says
Thanks for the great recipe! Just a tip to help your followers… when you put ingredients, you put 1 1/2 cup of almond flour…. drop the one just put 1/2 cup almond flour, its confusing, I used 1 & 1/2 cup & had to start over.
Thanks keep up the great work!
Lisa MarcAurele says
The 1.5 cups of almond flour is correct, but if it works with only a half cup, that’s great.
Tasha Sumpter says
I made this using a blend of swerve swrtener and the monk fruit sweetner. It was amazing! Got rave reviews from everyone and didn’t have a funny fake sugar aftertaste. Delicious.
Ebony Tilley says
I was very disappointed this cheese cake looks awesome and decadent …my finished product was bitter and tasteless at best it was more of a chore eating it than an indulgence . I’m not sure if it was the off brand Stevia powered sugar or what I did not enjoy the bitter after taste.
Lisa MarcAurele says
The bitterness had to have been your sweetener. We’ve made this cheesecake over a dozen times and it’s always been well received by all.
Amy says
My husband and daughter thought this was the best cheesecake ever. Me too! There is an easier way to stabilize the whipping cream, instead of gelatin you can just add 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar when whipping. That is what I did because I don’t eat beef products. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Lisa says
Thanks for that tip on cream of tartar! I can add that into the recipe card. So glad the family enjoyed the cheesecake.
Terri says
so… can you skip the cold water / heating / etc if you use the cream of tartar? Just whip it into the cream while whipping?
Lisa MarcAurele says
Yes. You can just use the cream of tartar instead.
Robin Abernethy says
Does the recipe have a “cooling effect” from the Swerve? I find that I can’t tolerate that, and Stevia tastes bitter to me. I’ve been mostly skipping sweets because of this (I am diabetic). I do have some Allulose, but haven’t tried to bake with it, and as far as I know, there’s not a confectionary version of it.
Interestingly enough, my boyfriend who is not doing Keto (except as a by product of eating what I prepare), or diabetic, will gobble up all my sweet treat attempts and the artificial sweetners don’t bother him.
Lisa says
I’ve found that when mixed with cream cheese, erythritol doesn’t have that strong aftertaste so I don’t find it noticeable in cheesecake.
Shaena says
To save time making the whipped cream, could I substitute with sugar free cool whip?
Lisa says
You can, but I don’t recommend Cool Whip due to the ingredients in it.
Ana says
This was great! I was so close to giving in and having a cheat day filled with cookies and ice cream, but this hit the spot.
I used stevia instead of the product suggested, and used MUCH less (I can’t even say how much, as I bought small packets and tasted as I go). I feel like 1/4 cup for each step would be too much.
Making the whipping cream stiffer requires me to double the gelatin and also cool everything in the freezer to thicken (otherwise it wasn’t “stiff” enough; I was whipping everything with a fork, too)
Otherwise, everything was good and turned out, And thanks for introducing me to almond flour!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your feedback on the recipe!
Keri Miller says
Can you use vegan cream cheese?
Lisa says
I’ve used Kite Hill with no issues. It is a bit softer than regular cream cheese.
Grere Coutie says
Absolutely delicious cheesecake that I’ve made twice now – with one minor tweak ( I never follow recipes to the letter, lol): I DO bake the base, because it gives a better flavour. I also add a small amount of desiccated coconut to the base recipe. Just 10 – 15 minutes in a fan assisted oven on low – about 160-170 celsius. Watch it, because it will burn. Let it cool before adding the filling.
Also buy cream that is already thickened from the supermarket, so it doesn’t need whipping.
This is a great recipe, so easy to make and everybody loves it. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing those tips!
Molly says
Would this be OK frozen for a few days?
I want to make it for my boyfriend’s birthday but I have to drive 5hrs in the car to see him. I was thinking I’d make it, freeze it once done, and keep on ice until I got there — then let it thaw a good amount of time in the fridge before serving
Lisa says
This cheesecake is fine to freeze and should definitely make a 5 hour trip if kept in a cooler with ice packs.
Maribel says
Is the Coca powder unsweetened? And just to make sure I understand, I dont even have to cook the crust?
Lisa says
You do not have to bake the crust. The butter should hold it together.
Pat says
I like a crunchy crust.do you think if i bake it it will still be ok?
Lisa says
Yes. Baking the crust should be fine and help make it crisper.
Linda G says
Hi …. this recipe looks very tasty!! I’m curious about one thing – I don’t use peanut butter but have switched to Almond Butter (100% almonds). If I use the almond butter does it make much of a difference in the taste of the cheesecake??
Thanks for posting this
Linda G
Lisa says
It will just taste like almond butter instead of peanut butter. I actually like the taste of sunflower seed butter better as a sub for peanut butter. But, any nut or seed butter can be used. The taste will just change.
Jen says
I made this last night and it was so good. It’s the first low-carb dessert that I’ve ever actually enjoyed. I’m thrilled that I found the recipe. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Lisa says
You’re very welcome!
Jimmy says
If I was to omit the crust, how many carbs would be in each serving?
Lisa says
It’s best to just plug the recipe URL into MyFitnessPal.com and adjust the recipe as needed in their recipe analyzer. Just be careful to select the appropriate ingredients (like net carbs for any erythritol sweetener).
Derish says
Yummy I want to try To make this I’m in love with peanut butter thanks for sharing
Katrina says
Hello! Instead of nativa, can you use erythritol or stevia?
Lisa says
Any low carb sweetener works in this recipe. Natvia is one-for-one to sugar so adjust accordingly.
Kim Lund says
I made last night but we try to avoid xylatol or similar so I used dates in the crust and a little stevia plus raw honey in the rest,
Still kept sugar low, not as low, but it’s a birthday cake so a once a year special occasion, seemed worth splurging.
I saw many use store bought gelatin, personally I only use grass fed Kosher gelatin, they may want to look up what’s in it if unfamiliar.
It’s like a giant Reses Peanut butter cup
Amazing
Araina says
What is a vegetarian keto friendly replacement for gelatin??
Lisa says
Agar agar.
Hayley says
I made this last night for guests and EVERYONE was AMAZED at how good it was! I heard “superb!” more than once! Thank you!
Amanda says
I am so grateful for this recipe! I absolutely LOVE IT! When your watching your carbs, you have to have something sweet to satisfy the dessert cravings! This is the perfect solution! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Natalie M Voytac says
I substituted a combination of coconut flour and tapioca flour for the almond flour (allergic) in the crust. I’ve used this mixture for other recipes before, and it came out fine. Unfortunately, my cross was super powdery. The rest of this dessert was so good, that no one cared who made it anyway. LOL I will definitely try again. Any advice on how to help with the powdery crust?
Lisa says
The butter should hold it together, especially when chilled.
Abedesky says
When instituting coconut or tapioca flour for almond flour you have to reduce the amount that you use because those flours absorb much more moisture, that’s why your crust was powdery.
Laura says
Hi there I can’t wait to make this!!! Can I Use swerve confectioners in all parts where sweetener is required? That’s all I have.
Lisa says
Yes. It’s a suitable replacement for the Natvia.
como fazer brigadeiros gourmet says
Uma receita de chessecake sem glúten, ainda bem que alguém pensou em nós é tão difícil encontrar receitas boas assim, adorei , estou ansiosa para preparar.
DianeDiane says
Honestly: cheesecake & PB…..Can it get any better than this???
Cassie says
What’s the nutrition facts for substituting peanutt butter for Sunbutter ?
Lisa says
There’s not much of a difference, but you can make that change in the calculator at MyFitnessPal.com and find out.
Tara says
This recipe turned out G-R-E-A-T! I have not made a no bake cheesecake before but this one is easy and my family LOVES peanut butter. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa says
I’m so glad the cheesecake was a hit with you and your family!
Liv says
Oh my goodness just made this and it is my Ultimate favorite No carb dessert so far!!!! So good! I didnt have the swerve sweetener just oganic powder Stevia and just sprinkled alittle in the each part (Crust, filling and ganache) and it turned out great🙌🏽
Thanks so much for sharing
Lisa says
I’m so happy you loved the recipe as much as I do!
Kelly says
How much Peanut Butter protein powder would i use to replace the peanut butter?
Lisa says
There’s usually a conversion on the peanut powder for how to replace peanut butter.
Kathy says
This is one of the yummiest desserts I have ever had!!! It is so good! My husband and I absolutely love it . Thank you so much!
Lisa says
You’re welcome Kathy! I’m glad you guys enjoyed the treat.
Rosalind says
My brother made it and it was great. I believe he substituted almond butter for the peanut butter.
Lisa says
I’ve been using sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter so any nut or seed butter should work.
Carolyn Danford says
What is the calorie and carb count if not making the crust? Thanks.
Lisa says
Here’s what I’m getting per slice without crust:
calories 352
Total Fat 34 g 52 %
Saturated Fat 16 g 80 %
Monounsaturated Fat 6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 74 mg 25 %
Sodium 274 mg 11 %
Potassium 87 mg 2 %
Total Carbohydrate 7 g 2 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g 6 %
Sugars 4 g
Protein 8 g 15 %
Vitamin A 17 %
Vitamin C 0 %
Calcium 5 %
Iron 5 %
Lisa says
You can plug it into a program like the one at MyFitnessPal.com to get an estimate of calories and carbs without the crust. I’m getting like 332 calories and 8g total carbs with 2 g fiber.
Sharon says
For a 9 inch pan there’s just so much cream cheese peanut butter. No way does it fit all in. My pan tray was 9 inch but couldn’t fit it in. Where did I g wrong?!
Lisa says
Most springform pans have a pretty tall side. Are you using the standard 9-in springform pan?
Jackie says
Nn
Vicki Cali says
Not familiar w. gelatin at all. is it in the Jello aisle? just put it in dry?
Lisa says
It’s a type of collagen. The common brand is Knox and it is usually near the Jello. You do need to dissolve it in water first, then stream it in while blending.
Tarana says
Can you use natural peanut butter ( with no added sugar )?
Lisa says
You should only use the natural peanut butter that has no sugar added.
Sharon says
Do you use granular sweetener or a confectioners/powder sweetener? Can you make it in a regular pie plate or 8×8 square cake pan?
Lisa says
You can use either the granular or powdered. It should fit in a deep dish pie pan or a 9×9-inch pan. I might fit in an 8×8-inch, but I’m not sure about that.
Kat says
Can I use Stevia with this recipe??
Lisa says
You could try, but the amount will need to be adjusted if it’s the concentrated kind.
Dinah says
Can I use almond butter instead of peanut butter?
Lisa says
Absolutely! I actually prefer using sunflower seed butter. (I’m trying to stay away from peanuts as they are a legume and not recommended for strict keto).
TERESA says
Ok, so my husband and I are trying this as our first desert recipe on our new low carb journey. We have done a lot of trial and error recipies and have decided to avoid using any almond or coconut flour because we just do not like the taste. I think we may try using fiber one cereal and adding some sweetner and butter for the crust. Hope this works . Thanks for the recipe . Will let you know how it goes.
Lisa says
Just be careful of the added carbs in the cereal.
Heather says
Whipped cream has a really small amount of carbs to it originally. Is it necessary to make the stabilized whipped cream or can you use regular whipped cream?
Lisa says
It’s the gelatin that helps it hold together and not get too soft.
Shimona says
Wow, this is delicious! It also makes me feel very full with just a few bites; it takes me a while just to finish one slice, which is a good thing. This is the first time that I have enjoyed a dessert crust in a keto dessert recipe. I usually made my previous plain cheesecake without a crust because it always made it taste off, but this one is quite enjoyable, and kind of has a taste reminiscent of mild coffee. I even ran out of peanut butter at 85% of the way and just just powdered peanut butter, with water and zero-carb sweetener added, to finish the next 15%, and it still came out fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. This one cheesecake I made should last me a while.
Lisa says
Thanks for writing in Shimona. So glad it worked out despite running out of peanut butter.
Kathleen Krause says
What is a serving size??
Lisa says
I don’t have the weight, but it’s one slice when dividing into 16 slices.
Karen says
So if you don’t have Swerve Confectioners Sweetener you could use Splenda in it’s place? I have the regular swerve, and it is very expensive, and don’t want to buy the Confectioner one for just a small amount used in this recipe… I would love to try making this for our 4th of July picnic tomorrow…If someone could confirm this is okay ASAP I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you so much for what looks like an awesome Cheesecake recipe 🙂
Lisa says
Yes! Any sweetener will work. It’s just best to use a fine powder with erythritol based low carb sweeteners. Splenda should be fine.
Daphne says
I used xyla and melted it with the gelatin. Worked great.
Lisa says
Thanks for the info! I’ve never used xyla.
Marsha H. says
I read this as 24 oz. of cream cheese! That is 3 of the 8 oz packages. Wow, that’s a lot of cream cheese! Am I reading this recipe correctly?
Lisa says
It is three 8 ounce blocks.
Meli says
Hi! thanks for this recipe! I made it yesterday and it tastes great 😀 there’s just a slight aftertaste, i’m not sure if it’s the erythritol or too much vanilla extract in the chocolate ganache (a few extra drops and that thing can taste awful!). I wonder what it would taste like without any sweetener at all…
mine came out as 4.7g net carbs for 1/16 (without the sweetener), that’s perfect for a dessert! do you usually count sweeteners in net carbs?
Lisa says
I used to count the erythritol in the carb count, but stopped doing that as it has little impact.
Kate says
I have some powdered peanut butter. Can i use it in this?
Lisa says
You can, but you may need to add water first to make it into peanut butter.
Kelli says
Can regular whipped cream be used instead of making the stabilied whipped cream?
Lisa says
It can, but it just doesn’t hold up as well.
Vicki Cali says
I am not familiar w. gelatin at all. Is it in the Jello aisle? Just put in dry?? Many thanks….
Lisa says
You need to soften then dissolve it first in water. It’s best to stream it in slowly while mixing. The common brand is Knox and it is usually with the Jello.
kashish says
can i use whey protein powder instead of Natvia or Swerve?
Lisa says
If the whey protein is sweetened it might be suitable, but you’ll need something to add a little sweetener unless you are looking for an unsweetened cheesecake.
Charlene says
Hi, any idea how many carbs roughly a slice is?
Thanks
Lisa says
That info is in the notes section of the recipe and the slice is a good size.
cara says
Lisa.
I don’t ever make cheesecakes so I do not have a spring form pan.
I do however have all the ingredients for this!
Can I use anything else and not call it a cheesecake? Like an 8×8 and cut in squares or something like that?
DianeDiane says
I did not find a notes section with carb count either.
Lisa says
The carb count is shown on the label located at the bottom of the recipe.
Katelyn says
How long does this last in the fridge? I just live with my partner and I don’t want it to go bad before we eat it all!
Thanks!
Lisa says
It’s good for a week in the fridge and can be kept in the freezer for 3-6 months.
Erinn says
Made these for a party – – omg! They were SO good and a big hit! No one could tell they were sugar free at all. I cut them up into little squares – kind of bite sized. They were like little fudge/cheesecake bites. Very tasty – great texture – hard and soft at the same time. I didn’t have gelatin so I used xantham gum (you use 1/2 the amount when you use it in place of gelatin) ~ it worked fine! I also added a little less creamcheese and a little more PB because I felt the ratio was a little strong on the cream cheese and I wanted it to taste really Peanut Buttery – it came out perfect I think. 🙂 Thanks for such a great recipe/treat!
Diane says
Erin: Can you give the change amts of cr cheese & pb? I like your idea!
Jo Hilson says
Hey! Thanks for the input on using Xantham gum instead of gelatin I have that ( I’ll use 1/2 the amount ) 😋
Sheryl says
Very good. Next time I won’t bother with gelatin. Turned out great!
Lisa says
You can probably leave it out. It may just not hold its shape as well.
Lindsey says
I just made this tonight,….and it was so bad!!! Not your fault at all but the stupid no sugar sweetner,is there anything that will help get rid of that awful taste? Did you get that when you made yours?
Please HELP
Lisa says
I had no bad taste with mine. What did you use as a sweetener? Perhaps you used too much.
Cynthia says
Would you recommend natural peanut butter or not? Maybe a misture of both??
Lisa says
You can use either, but it should have no sugar added.
Amy says
Can I use Splenda for baking in place of the Swerve or Natvia? If so, can I use the same amounts as listed in the recipe? Thanks for your help.
Lisa says
Any one for one sugar replacement like Splenda can be used in place of the Natvia in the same amount.
Monica Dobbs says
I made just the filling and topped it with some spray cool whip in some dessert cups and it was a huge success!! Going to be making this again real soon!
Lisa says
Yea! So happy it was well received. 🙂
Katelyn says
One of the recipes that makes me wish I had a personal chef! LOL
Lisa says
Don’t we all wish we had one of those!
Selena says
I just made this and from what the mixture taste like it’s going to be amazing
Lisa says
Thanks for giving it a try and letting us know how it tastes!
Selena says
I just made this. It is setting in the fridge as we speak. From tasting the mixture it’s going to be amazing
T says
What is the icing sugar in step 5???
Lisa says
It’s a powdered sweetener like confectioner sugar.
Caitlin says
Can you use any different sweetener?
Lisa says
Any sweetener will work fine in this recipe!
Chicory App says
This looks delish! I love peanut butter anything really but cheesecake is my fave!
Amanda says
Oh, this is a must make!
Luana says
I want one now!
Lisa says
Me too!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
This cheesecake looks so decadent! Love that it’s no-bake too!
Lisa says
Thanks Anna!