These scrumptious sugar free, low carb cheesecake brownies are quick to make and kid approved! They're gluten free, keto, nut free and just 3 net carbs per serving!
The Best Sugar Free Cheesecake Brownies
This easy sugar free cheesecake brownie recipe is quick and ready in 30 minutes! You can make these ahead and they hold well for any party! It's the best of both worlds, sugar free chocolate brownies topped with sugar free cheesecake! The best of both Low Carb Recipes in my opinion, the ultimate Cheesecake Brownies!
The brownies are actually flourless, nut free, gluten free, low carb and keto! The cheesecake topping is sugar free, low carb, gluten free and keto as well! It's the perfect allergy friendly treat for everyone!
Can I leave out the Instant Espresso?
If you don't have instant espresso you can leave it out, but it does help enhance the chocolate flavor in the brownies. Coffee is often added to many chocolate recipes to make the chocolate flavor even more pronounced.
I've used it in my Sugar Free Chocolate Sorbet, Chocolate Fudge Cake, and Chocolate Brownie Mousse Cake.
How to Make Sugar Free Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
For the brownies you need eggs, butter, sour cream, vanilla extract, low carb sweetener, instant espresso powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and sugar free chocolate chips.
For the cheesecake topping, you need cream cheese, egg, low carb sweetener, vanilla extract and an optional topping of sugar free chocolate or chips.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a stand mixer, add the first 5 ingredients and blend on high until combined well.
In another bowl whisk together the next 5 dry ingredients.
Pour this into the wet ingredients and blend on high until combined.
Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
Grease an 8 by 8 baking dish.
Pour half the brownie batter into the pan. Set aside remaining batter.
Prepare the cheesecake topping using a stand or hand held mixer to blend until smooth.
Pour half the cheesecake topping onto the brownie batter in the pan.
Pour the remaining brownie batter over the the cheesecake topping.
Finish with remaining cheesecake topping.
Use a butterknife to swirl the batter and cheesecake topping together.
Decorate with optional chocolate bar chunks or chips if desired before baking.
Bake 30-35 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Can these Cheesecake Brownies be made Dairy Free?
Yes you can make these cheesecake brownies dairy free. First swap out the butter in the brownie batter with coconut oil. Swap out the sour cream with coconut yogurt or canned coconut milk.
For the cheesecake topping, you could just skip the cheesecake topping as the brownies are equally as good on their own. But if you still want that cheesecake topping, swap out the cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese substitute.
Swapping Low Carb Sweeteners
You can sub the chocolate liquid stevia with vanilla liquid stevia or plain liquid stevia.
Swerve sweetener is less sweet than most erythritol sweeteners so if you were to substitute it, I would say just use ½ cup in the brownies and remove the chocolate stevia.
I like the brand Lily's Sweets for sugar-free chocolate chips and that's what I used in this recipe. You can use 85% dark chocolate instead as well.
If you don't use Swerve or stevia in the cheesecake filling you can replace it with a sweetener of choice that equals about ½ cup of sugar. Here is my Sweetener Guide and Conversion chart.
Sugar Free Cheesecake Brownies (Keto, Low Carb)
Sugar-Free Cheesecake Brownies {Gluten Free and Low Carb}
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon chocolate liquid stevia
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso
- ¾ cup Swerve granular sweetener
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar free chocolate chips
Cheesecake Topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup Swerve Confectioners sweetener
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia
- optional topping: 2 ounces sugar free or 85% dark chocolate candy bar or chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a stand mixer, add the first 5 ingredients and blend on high until combined well.
- In another bowl whisk together the next 5 dry ingredients.
- Pour this into the wet ingredients and blend on high until combined.
- Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
- Grease an 8 by 8 baking dish.
- Pour half the brownie batter into the pan. Set aside remaining batter.
- Prepare the cheesecake topping using a stand or hand held mixer to blend until smooth.
- Pour half the cheesecake topping onto the brownie batter in the pan.
- Pour the remaining brownie batter over the the cheesecake topping.
- Finish with remaining cheesecake topping.
- Use a butterknife to swirl the batter and cheesecake topping together.
- Decorate with optional chocolate bar chunks or chips if desired before baking.
- Bake 30-35 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Mike Henry
Hey,
Nice recipe. Thanks for your contributions for us.
I do keep mixture overnight in the fridge. It is the best way for me.
Penny
The batter so very watery....am I missing something?
Instant Pot
Thanks for sharing this article.
It looks yummy!
Clarence wilson
I will make this recipe and this will be absolutely delicious, thanks fro sharing this article.
NANCY
In a word - awful. The chocolate batter was like water. Baked texture is spongy. Have no idea how you "layer" the cream cheese with the chocolate water. Gross. Sorry.
Brenda
Wow so sorry you feel that way.
Petra
I made these and they were absolutely delicious, even my non-keto family were pleasantly surprised! I will definitely be making these again!! (Probably sooner rather than later ?). Thank you Brenda!
Brenda
Thank you Petra!
Sasha
Hi,
I did these brownies but wanted to know how could I do it to replace stevia with tagatose
my family does not like the stevia flavor.
Brenda
If tagatose measures cup for cup like sugar then use 1 cup. I don't use it so not sure how sweet it is compared to stevia.
Yvonne
HI
About to make these, just wondering can I sub the swerve for extra stevia and also would Greek yogurt or ricotta cheese work instead of cream? Thank you
Brenda
Yes to the stevia swap with swerve. Yogurt or ricotta to switch with sour cream? or do you mean cream cheese? If with the sour cream, yes yogurt would be a good sub.
Eric
Thanks for sharing! As a recently diagnosed diabetic, this will be my turn-to "sweet cravings" recipe. I have never really craved sweets, but I do love cheesecake type desserts. This is perfect! So delectable, yet no sluggish feeling after eating a bar (or two or three) from the sugars/carbs.
Cecilia
I have made three batches of these because they are so amazing. I use a 12 muffin tin filled nearly to the top with brownie mix and a heaping spoonful of cheesecake mixture on top. Baked for 15 min. Even my non-Keto friends are amazed. They taste just like chocolate surprise cupcakes.
Brenda
Thank you!
Joni
I've tried making both ways (with and without cream cheese layer) and both times these "brownies" ended up with a really spongy texture and took about 10-15 minutes longer to bake than stated. They do taste good though, as long as you can get past that odd texture! Definitely not for those counting calories though, as the nutrition info is based on 20 tiny squares, so it ends up being about 115 calories for a bite size piece and I'm not sure the carb count is really accurate.
Derek
What can I exchange with the instant expresso? I'm on disability and did stamps so getting extra ingredients that I'll use for one recipe isn't exactly economic for me. Also, I have liquid stevia but not the chocolate liquid stevia, can I use that and add some extra cocoa powder or is the chocolate really needed? Thanks in advanced!
Brenda
Just leave the instant espresso out. Using the regular stevia is fine.
Terry S
Derek, I'd just use regular instant coffee. I normally don't use instant coffee, and it comes in a big jar, so I just go to a Dollar Tree or 99 Cent and More type store and buy the small one they have. I only use instant coffee for recipes and they don't normally use that much.
Emma T
I absolutely agree. I couldn't find instant espresso. So, I used instant coffee and it does add a really nice flavor!
Liz R
Thank you so much for this; this past year my Father in law was diagnosed with Diabetes, and my Mother in law has Celiac and has a severe nut allergy. Both my in- laws loved this and my family said that it did not feel like they were eating anything "diet" or altered. I will be making this for many family functions now!
Rachel
I'm very confused by the nutrition facts. I calculated around 16g of net carbs per 1/20 serving when I go by the ingredients alone. Can you explain how you calculated the 4.3 net carbs?? I so want to try these, but I can't do it if it's that many carbs. Thanks!
Brenda
HI Rachel, I do not include the sugar alcohols from the Swerve sweetener (erythritol) so that might be why you have higher carbs. I was told that since it does not effect blood sugar I do not need to factor in into the recipe therefore these brownies are 5.5 grams of total carbs then fiber is 1.2, when subtracted the net carbs are 4.3 grams.
Wanda
Brenda: Who told you that you dont have to count the sugar alcohols from the sweetener? My Nutritionist and my dietician have both told me that I must count sugar alcohols and also where did you get the information that sugar alcohols do not increase blood sugar levels? You are sorely misinformed.
My dietician & my nutritionist have both told me that sugar alcohols are to be counted. Also, read what WebMD has to say:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-are-sugar-alcohols
mandi formoso
Wanda - in the very link that you posted, the last paragraph says:
"One exception: If erythritol is the only sugar alcohol listed, subtract all of the grams of sugar alcohol from Total Carbohydrate."
Generally speaking at least half, if not all sugar alcohols are subtracted when calculating Net Carbs.
Unfortunately regardless if you are a dietician or nutritionist, if you don't specialise in LC, this is the sort of misinformation you are given - a bit like the information that the diabetes association of nearly every country in the world and non LC specialised doctors give: You must eat carbs all day!!
Susan
Have had these in the oven now for 35 minutes and they aren't even close to done....the batter was pretty thin, anybody else have this problem?
Jessixa
Yes I had the same problem. Not a fan of this recipe, it tastes nothing close to a brownie.
Joesy Fuda
yes had mine in for 35 plus and extra 5 min still giggled in middle but edges were burning. Took it out and let it set. It set a little but when cutting it was still gooey in middle, that breing said, they are delicious though. I put them in the fridge to see if they Harden a little more as I like the gooeyness but would like to have a nice square. Well done though thumbs up
Kathryn
Same. I just came to the comment to see if anyone else had this issue. After 36 minutes they're still liquid in the middle but the edges are done. The pan needs to be bigger and I'll add a TBSP of coconut flour next time.
Yomi
How can you get 20 servings out of an 8x8 pan? The brownie squares in the pictures look to be huge. What is the dimension of a 1/20th piece?
Brenda
I cut 5 across and 4 rows. They are super dense so a little is all you need.
Mamaof3
I was wondering the same thing! They look huge in the picture. A bit deceiving. 😕
Bianca
5 1/8 c vanilla?
49 tsp cocoa powder?
73 tsp swerve?
Am I reading this right?
Brenda
there is a glitch with the recipe plug in, I'm sorry i'm working on fixing it
Penny
How much xylitol instead of swerve? Swerve not available here.
Carolyn B.
How do you store these? They were awesome!
Brenda
Air tight container, refrigerate. Thank you!
Asad Mammood
Any chance of having the recipe in Metric conversion too please for us in England UK
Linda
I don't have liquid stevia...just the powder. Can I use the powder instead? They look amazing!!
Brenda
If it's the pure extract just use 1/4 tsp.
Donna
I think I just found my contribution to Christmas lunch. I certainly wont feel like I am missing out on anything with a piece of this in front of me.
Robert S. Mauney
I am a great chocolate and brownie lover and I already know thats not good for our health, But your this recipe with low carb and gluten free will surely give some good taste as well as good health. Thank you so much for that.
Lora @savoringitaly
I think you did a great job making them fudgey and flourless! I think they wouldn't be the same without the luscious cream cheese topping!!
Rose | The Clean Dish
Goodness! These brownies are to die for! I love the chocolate pieces on top that read "chocolate" - neat! Now, hand me a slice or three 🙂
Gerry
No flour?
Brenda
NONE!!! Flourless!!!
joycebertin@hotmail.com
Do u know the carb count for this cake?
Brenda
All listed in nutrition info to right of recipe.