Pumpkin cheesecake usually brings two sources of carbohydrates to the table before toppings are even considered: sugar in the filling and graham crackers in the crust. This version changes both, using an erythritol sweetener in the pumpkin filling and an almond flour crust held together with butter and flaxseed meal.
The recipe from Green and Keto combines 16 ounces of cream cheese with ⅔ cup pumpkin puree, three eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and sweetener. The pumpkin contributes less than 1 net carb per serving when its carbohydrates are divided across the eight servings in the recipe.
Instead of skipping the crust to reduce carbohydrates, the recipe replaces graham crackers with ½ cup almond flour. A tablespoon of flaxseed meal helps bind the mixture so the base is less prone to crumbling when the cheesecake is sliced.
The baking method matters just as much as the ingredient swaps. The cheesecake goes into a 300°F oven and should come out while the center still has some movement rather than waiting until the entire filling becomes firm.
Almond Flour Replaces the Graham Crackers
The crust uses five ingredients: almond flour, flaxseed meal, melted butter, sweetener, and a pinch of salt.
Super-fine blanched almond flour works, but this is one place where coarser almond meal can also be used. Melted butter brings the dry ingredients together, while flaxseed meal provides extra binding without adding conventional flour.
If flaxseed meal isn’t available, the recipe suggests 2 teaspoons of finely ground chia seeds or ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum as substitutes. The binder can also be omitted, though the finished crust may break apart more when cut.
Pure Pumpkin Keeps Sugar Out of the Filling
The cheesecake uses ⅔ cup pumpkin puree, and the distinction between canned pure pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling is important here.
Pure pumpkin should contain pumpkin without the added sugar and spices found in prepared pie filling. Starting with the plain puree leaves the sweetness and seasoning under the cook’s control.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves supply the spice in this version, while ½ teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt round out the cream cheese mixture.
Room-Temperature Cream Cheese Helps Prevent Lumps
Cream cheese and eggs should come to room temperature before the filling is mixed. Softened cream cheese combines with the other ingredients with less resistance, reducing the chance of small cream cheese lumps remaining in the batter.
Eggs can be brought closer to room temperature by placing them in warm water for a few minutes. The goal is to avoid combining very cold ingredients with softened cream cheese before the cheesecake reaches the oven.
The recipe uses powdered erythritol in the filling. If only a granulated version is available, it can be ground into a finer powder before mixing.
A Slightly Wobbly Center Can Help Prevent Cracks
Waiting for a cheesecake to become firm from edge to center can lead to overbaking. This recipe uses a 300°F oven and calls for removing the cheesecake while its center still jiggles when the pan is moved.
The filling continues to set as it cools. Greasing the sides of the pan also matters because cheesecake contracts during cooling. If the edges remain stuck while the center shrinks, tension can create a crack across the surface.
Running a thin knife around the edge after baking can release any sections that have attached themselves to the pan.
You Don’t Need a Springform Pan to Make It
A springform pan makes cheesecake easier to remove intact, but the recipe provides alternatives when one isn’t available.
A 9-inch round cake pan can be sprayed and lined across the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Once the cheesecake has cooled, it can be removed by flipping it onto a plastic-wrap-lined plate and turning it right-side up again. Freezing it first can make that process easier.
A deep 9.5-inch pie plate is another option. It produces a thinner cheesecake, so the baking time may need to be reduced.
After baking and cooling, the cheesecake needs several hours to set before serving, bringing the recipe’s total time to about five hours.
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