Low Carb Chocolate Lasagna is a great sugar-free chocolate dessert made with a chocolate cookie base, cream cheese layer, chocolate pudding and whipped cream. This large dessert is great for gatherings.
I've been looking at pictures of chocolate lasagna and all it's variations on Pinterest for months now. Some of the pictures are absolutely drool worthy. And although I think it would be pretty hard, although not impossible, to make a dairy-free version, I knew that a low carb, gluten-free version could be easily made.
The original dessert is the epitome of easy; pre-made and instant ingredients create a creamy, chocolaty dessert that doesn't require the use of an oven or even cause one to break a sweat. It's so easy, that anyone can make it.
But what's really in it? 1 package of Oreo cookies, cream cheese, sugar, and Cool Whip. Just for the cookie layer it's 24 carbs per serving. (That's 36 cookies at 10.5 carbs each, divided by 16) But, I'm not going to break down the carbs in each layer of this tasty dessert. I just want to think about all of the weird stuff in the cookies, instant pudding and non-dairy whipped topping. Yuck! I shudder.
This homemade, low carb, scratch, version is very similar to the original version of Chocolate Lasagna except that the crust is made from wholesome ingredients, the pudding is made just like grandma used to make, and the whipped topping is real whipped cream.
Here's what's in this Low Carb Chocolate Lasagna
- homemade chocolate cookie crust (nuts, cocoa powder, coconut, natural sugar alternative, butter or coconut oil)
- 8 ounces cream cheese and natural sugar alternative
- homemade chocolate pudding using natural ingredients plus natural sugar alternative
- real whipped cream
- grated 90 % dark chocolate
It's almost the same as in the original recipe, and this low carb and gluten-free version delivers 4 net carbs per serving. And it's much healthier than the original.
Although this recipe has a few steps, none are very difficult to do. Breaking the steps into a couple days is the way to go and once you have the procedure down it's easy to make this dessert your own. Here are some ideas.
VARIATIONS:
- add peanut butter to the cream cheese layer or to the chocolate pudding layer
- add mint extract to the cookie crust and the pudding for chocolate mint
- replace the cocoa powder in the crust with vanilla whey protein powder
- make vanilla pastry cream instead of chocolate
- add banana or almond flavoring to the vanilla pastry cream
- sub lemon curd for the pastry cream
- swirl chia seed jam or blueberry sauce into the cream cheese layer
- mix and match any of the above combinations and make it your own!
This recipe makes a whole 13x9 inch pyrex dish of rich, layered sugar-free chocolate dessert goodness. If the recipe is too big, it can be split up between two pans and one frozen. It freezes very nicely.
Low Carb Chocolate Lasagna is 4 net carbs per serving
***NOTE: Baking the bottom layer produces a shortbread-cookie-like texture: not baking, produces a sandier and softer textured bottom layer***
[Disclosure: This recipe contains affiliate links.]
Low Carb Chocolate Lasagna Sugar-free Dessert (no-bake)
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE PUDDING
- 1 recipe Low Carb Chocolate Pastry Cream
CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST
- 2 cups almond flour (180 g)
- 1 cup Shredded Coconut (90 g)
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder (25 g) (sifted)
- ¼ cup low carb sugar (Sukrin :1, Swerve, Lakanto, Besti)
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
WHIPPED CREAM
- 2 cups heavy cream (16 oz)
- 2 tablespoons erythritol, powdered
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
LIGHTENED CREAM CHEESE
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 3 tablespoons sugar free powdered sugar (Sukrin, Swerve, Lakanto, Besti)
- ⅛ teaspoon stevia glycerite
- 1 ½ cup whipped cream to be folded in
GARNISH
- 4 squares Ghirardelli Midnight Reverie (grated)
Instructions
- Make the Chocolate Pudding: Prepare the Low Carb Chocolate Pastry Cream and let it cool before continuing. *This can be made several days before.
- Make the Chocolate Cookie Crust: Grind the unsweetened coconut, ½ cup at a time, in a coffee/spice grinder until fine in texture. Put the ground coconut into a medium bowl and add the sweetener, cocoa, and almond flour. Whisk together to combine. Melt the butter or coconut oil and pour over the ingredients. Combine to form a moist crumbly mixture.
- Dump the ingredients into a 13x9 inch glass pyrex baking dish and lay a sheet of waxed paper over the mixture. First with your hands, then with a flat bottomed glass, press the chocolate crust mixture firmly into the dish. Remove the waxed paper and continue with the recipe or *bake in a preheated (350) oven for about 10 minutes and then let cool completely. *This can be made the day before.
- ASSEMBLING THE LOW CARB CHOCOLATE LASAGNA:
- Make the Whipped Cream: Whip the cream with the vanilla and sweeteners until stiff.
- Cream Cheese Layer: Soften the cream cheese in the microwave and then using a hand mixer, whip it with the sweeteners and almond milk until nice and light. Adding ½ cup of whipped cream at a time, fold 1 ½ cups of whipped cream into the cream cheese. Spread evenly over the base and refrigerate.
- Chocolate Pudding Layer: With a hand mixer, whip the cold pudding. Spread over the cream cheese layer.
- Whipped Cream Topping: Carefully, spread the remaining whipped cream over the chocolate pudding layer and refrigerate several hours.
- To finish the dessert, grate chocolate or sift cocoa powder over the top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Low Carb Coconut Cream Layered Dessert Pie (Sugar-free)
Low Carb Peanut Butter Dessert Pie (No-Bake)
Ladona Morrow
Hello, how long will the keto lasagna be good for?
Kim Hardesty
Hi Ladona. It can be frozen for up to 3 months or refrigerated for 5-7 days. -Kim
Casi
Can I replace the almond flour with coconut flour?
Kim Hardesty
Hi Casi. If you are replacing the almond flour due to allergies, then I would rather you replace it with another nut flour or sunflower seed flour. You can make your own sunflower seed flour by buying raw sunflower seeds and giving them a whir in a food processor. It's cheaper than buying it already ground on Amazon. As far as subbing with coconut flour... you may be able to get away with using 1 cup of coconut flour. If the mixture doesn't hold together when squeezed in your hand, then add a little more melted butter. I hope that works for you -Kim
Elvira1969
I don't like the taste of almond milk. Can I use fairlife milk instead?
Kim Hardesty
Absolutely. -Kim
Becky
Can I use more almond flour instead of the coconut in the base?
Thanks
Becky
Kim Hardesty
Yes, but make sure that the mixture holds together when squeezed in the hand before packing into the baking dish. -Kim
Steffanie
Could I use walnut flour instead?
Kim Hardesty
Hi Steffanie. You could probably get away with using walnut flour for this recipe since it is only "cookie base". -Kim
Erica
Is the stevia glycerite necessary or is it just to add more sweetness? I don't have any stevia on hand.
Thanks
Kim Hardesty
Hi Erica. I often use stevia glycerite to add more sweetness instead of adding more of an erythritol based sweetener which tends to recrystalize in desserts and/or produce a cooling effect upon consumption. Sweeten the dessert the way you want to with what you have. Enjoy. -Kim
Teresa
I made this last weekend and it was amazing! I didn't have any trouble with the pastry filling - it set up perfect. It's potluck worthy and I will be making it again. Thank you for this recipe!
Teresa
I made this yesterday and it turned out amazing! I was testing it to see if would be worth the effort for family parties and it definitely is! Thanks!
Winona Williams
This was really a great dessert that easy to make and keep for later too. The taste is really really great. My kids totally loved this. I also have a question can I use any alternative for sugar?
Kim Hardesty
Hi Winona. You can use any erythritol based low carb sugar alternative in this recipe, as have I. Some possible brands are Sukrin, Swerve, Lakanto, Besti or Truvia. I caution against using all stevia for any chocolate recipes since the bitter compounds in the chocolate and the stevia heighten each other. -Ki
Heather
Could you replace the whey powder with a small amount t of gluten?
Kim Hardesty
Great question, Heather. No, the whey protein powder has a slight crystalline texture that changes the texture of the ingredients making it more cookie-like. I think the gluten will make it more dense. If you don't have the protein powder, leave it out, but understand that the texture of the base will be different - not bad, just different. -Kim
Elizabeth
I don’t even see Whey Protein Powder in this recipe. Did I miss it somewhere?
This is my husband’s favorite desert! We both thank you!! When I had to go out of town for a few weeks, I made 2 batches, cut them and froze them individually on a cookie sheet. Then I wrapped them individually & froze in a big storage container. He’d take one out in the late afternoon and by evening it was ready to eat. It kept him on Keto in my absence.
Kim Hardesty
Hi Elizabeth, did I mention protein powder? I'm sorry. This recipe uses my shortbread crust as the base which incorporates protein powder. For this recipe, I replaced the protein powder with cocoa powder. Sorry for the confusion. I am so glad this helped your husband. I am also planning to make this recipe for my family because we all have a killer sweet tooth on lock down! Be well. -Kim
Kristina
Almond Flour is listed under the crust, but it doesn’t say when to add it?
Kim Hardesty
Hi Kristina, add it with the other dry crust ingredients. I tweaked that section and hope it reads better now. -Kim
Sandra
In the 70's, we used to call this dessert Robert Redford dessert because it tasted as good as Robert Redford looked. I liked your sugar free alternate versions. I think I'll make your coconut version for our next family dinner. Thanks.
Jessica
Made this a year ago for my husband and he asks for it constantly! Great recipe
Jace
Will it work with sweetened coconut shaves?
Kim
Sure, Jace. -Kim
Jace
Thank you!
Ruth Jones
Thank you for the quick reply about the confectioners sugar. Also thank you so much for this delicious dessert. I really enjoyed watching people's faces after they put a forkful of it into their mouths. It was amazing! My daughter thinks it would be a good idea to somehow combine the peanut butter, the coconut, and this chocolate recipe. She was very excited about that.
Kim
Hi Ruth, I have a peanut butter recipe, a coconut cream recipe and soon.... a lemon version of this recipe. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for coming back and letting me know. Enjoy your weekend. -Kim
Ruth Jones
I am in the process of making this. The pudding part is delicious! The crust directions say "powder the Erythritol." Can I just use the powdered Erythritol I bought? Thanks.
Kim
Yes, Ruth. Use powdered, but use a little more to taste. I shared this recipe before there were powdered options. -Kim
Vickie
I have a chocolate stevia that doesn’t say “glycerite” but is vegetable glycerin based. Will that be a good substitute for the plain flavored glycerite? Thanks. Can’t wait to try this weekend
Kim
Hmmm. I have not seen that Vickie, I'll have to look for it. It sounds like it would be fine. -Kim
Vickie S
I got the glycerite at Sprouts here in AZ, used it and it was fine. Only recommendation I would make is related to the pudding. I would suggest to not require almond milk be added to the pastry cream. Only add if it needs to be thinned for spreading. I saw an earlier reviewer mention soupiness, so I made a point of cooking quite a bit longer than you recommend in the recipe until it was very thick. I then refrigerated it for 2 days & it was still nice & thick after hand mixing it when assembling the pie. My gut told me not to add the milk because it was thick enough to stay in place but soft enough to be spreadable. I should have listened to myself. Once I did, it never recovered the firmness needed for that layer. So...soupiness and all, the flavors were delicious & had I not known it was low carb I wouldn’t have guessed it. Thanks for a great recipe.
Kim
Hi Vickie. I just deleted the addition of the almond milk. It is what I did, but since there have been problems with it, I would rather people be happy with the recipe than keep something that is not working for some. Thanks for the feedback. Have a nice day. -Kim
Stephen bickle
its advertised as sugar free which isnt true
Kim
Hi Stephen. There is no added sugar in this recipe except for the 90% chocolate shavings which are used to garnish the top of the recipe. You could leave that off and dust the top with unsweetened cocoa powder. I worked hard on developing this low carb/keto recipe, which was the first of it's kind, and stand behind it. It is indeed very low in carbs and is sugar-free, as in I have not added any sugar, honey, or maple syrup to the recipe. -Kim
sophia hussain
Could I do a one to one substitution weight wise in grams, using coconut flour instead of shredded coconut?
Kim
No Sophia. Shredded coconut is dried coconut meat. Coconut flour is a byproduct of the coconut milk and coconut oil industries. It is pressed to remove all moisture. Then it is dried and ground. Without any moisture or oil it is super absorbent and does not behave the same as the dried coconut. You can use more almond flour by volume, but the texture of the base will be different - not bad, just different. It wont compact as well or resist absorbing the filling as well. -Kim
Lisa
Just made this for my “eating low carb is like eating cardboard” hubby, well he loved it!!!! What a great recipe my son loved it also, thank you so much
Kim
I'm so happy your family enjoyed the recipe, Lisa! -Kim
Jana Bruce
Made this dessert last night. WOW! This is delicious! My husband said it’s the best low carb recipe I’ve made so far and was good enough to serve to company. My husband doesn’t care for the texture of coconut and couldn’t tell there was coconut in the crust. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
Francine
Where does the Ghirardelli grayed chocolate go? It is listed under the cream cheese but directions for that don’t mention it? Is it just for garnish on top? Thank you!
Kim
Yes, Francine, use it as a garnish. I made the change. Take care with the chocolate pudding; if it's not cooked enough it won't set up. Many first timers either don't cook it enough (result is a runny pastry cream) or cook on too high a heat, resulting in scrambled eggs. I suggest making the pastry cream early in the morning the day of assembly or the night before. It's best if let to sit overnight, but you can serve it 4-6 hours after assembly. -Kim
Jeremy Aslesen
My wife has gestational diabetes and this has been a great low carb treat that wont spike her blood sugar. Not to mention she loves it!!
Kim
I'm so glad Jeremy! -Kim
Christy
With just my boyfriend and I in this household, I thought this would be way too big for two people. Cutting the recipe in half for one pie pan worked perfectly.
While I admit I was intimidated by all of the different steps and the time and mess that it requires, I'm happy I did so. You'll never get the chocolate pudding flavor from this recipe from any instant pudding anywhere. Thanks so much!
Kim
I am so glad you like the recipe, Christy. I hope you found that once making it that it wasn't really that hard. It is a lot of steps and that's why I like to break it up. Thanks for sharing and coming back to comment on the recipe. Enjoy your week. -Kim
Michelle B
Hello Kim~
I'm not a big coconut fan..at all!! Is there something else that I can substitue for the coconut in the crust?
Thanks!
Kim
Hi Michelle. You can use more almond flour, but understand that it will change the texture of the crust - which is very much like a traditional crust. Enjoy. -Kim
Rene
This is our families favorite dessert! I'm about to make it for the fifth time..for my birthday!
Im wondering, can it be frozen?
Kim
Happy Birthday! Yes, it can be frozen. -Kim
Amanda
Hi! I absolutely LOVE this recipe, soooooo good! I have even made sure to share a link to it with my readers on my website. Just wanted to say thank you for a great recipe :)
Cherie Echols
Hi there! Love, love, love your recipes. You have made my low carb life so much more pleasant :) Just made a lemon curd layered cheesecake based on your recipes. Don't know what that tastes like yet since it's for a gathering, but I know the lemon curd is awesome.
I am in the process of making this Chocolate Lasagna recipe and realized I don't have any Almond Milk. What do you think about substituting with Coconut Milk?
Kim
Hi Cherie, you can use coconut milk. Some people have had problems with the chocolate layer setting up when the almond milk is mixed with it the next day. It's usually because they didn't cook the pudding long enough. If your pudding isn't super thick and almost solid, then don't add the extra milk. Just mix it to loosen it up and then spread it on the cream cheese layer. I hope this helps. It's a delicious recipe. Thank you so much for your nice comments I appreciate it so much. -Kim
Monica
Made this for my church Christmas Potluck. Flavors were amazing but dish was a soupy mess, even after refrigerating for almost 24hrs. If I make again, i will not add almond milk to pudding and make 1.5-2x more of the whipped cream. I didn't have enough with the recipe amount and had to run to store for more heavy whipping cream. Otherwise, it's a wonderful recipe! Thanks so much for posting and hope the feedback helpful.
Kim
Hi Monica. Thank you for the feedback. I will change the recipe to omit the almond milk, but I have found that most often the reason the pudding mixture fails to set is because it wasn't cooked enough. I'll see what I can do to make the recipe a little easier. Thanks again for the feedback, I read each comment and really appreciate it. Enjoy your week. -Kim
Vikki Ingham
I made the Chocolate Lasagna. I used Stevia instead. It was a huge success at our “potluck”! I will absolutely make it again. Definitely one of the most delicious desserts I’ve made and it’s low carb, low sugar, and gluten-free!!! Thank you!!
Kim
I'm so happy you like the recipe, Vikki and that it was a hit! -Kim
Kayla Rieck
Hi! I see that stevia has been used as a sub for erythritol. Is it the same ratios? And how was it used in the cream cheese when that asks for powdered? Thanks!!
Kim
Hi Kayla. I would not suggest using stevia as the sweetener for the chocolate pudding. Stevia and chocolate bring out bitterness in each other. No, the ratios would not be the same as stevia is very concentrated and erythritol is not. -Kim
Stacy
I made this today for my birthday and it is very good. I am very picky about low carb deserts and this recipe helps me stay on track after weight loss surgery. I recommend this to everyone. Thanks for the great desert and especially for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Stefanie Pierce
Hello!
All set with the pudding! on to the crust. I don't have a grinder for the shredded coconut. Any alternatives?
Kim
Hi Stephanie. First, if the chocolate pudding isn't SUPER thick tomorrow after it sets, then don't add the almond milk. Keep it as is. You can use a mini food processor, large food processor or even a blender (this will be a slower process) instead of a coffee grinder. BTW, I use my coffee grinder for spices, nuts, seeds, and coconut all of the time. It has been more than worth it's price and I've had it for at least 15 years. If you don't have any of these appliances, you can chop finely by hand. The texture will be a little more coarse, but should be fine. Let me know if you have any more questions. If you need my text number, let me know on my Facebook page. Have a great day. -Kim
stefanie pierce
Thank you for the quick response!
My pudding was super thick (and delicious) so i added the almond milk.
I ended up not doing anything to shredded coconut as it was already really small and i just made the crust like that. Turned out great!
Thank you for this recipe. It's so delicious! I hit with my family!
Jonas
Wow! Tried it and i am blown away! It is amazing! Thank you for this!
Kim
I'm so glad Jonas! Enjoy your weekend. -Kim
Janae
I would love to make this but do not have stevia glycerite, is there a sub from that particular item? Thank you!
Kim
Absolutely, Janae. You can use more of your favorite sweetener. I do want to mention that erythritol based sweeteners tend to crystallize in wetter recipes (puddings, lemon curd) and adding more may result in crystals forming and a little crunch here and there. That only happens after a few days, though. This is a delicious recipe and I hope you enjoy it. -Kim
Vanessa Pedersen
Hey! I am dying to try this recipe because it looks absolutely amazing. But I have an issue, my husband is awfully allergic to coconut. Is there a sub for the coconut in the cookie crust?
Thanks!
Kim
Vanessa, you can just sub more almond flour - the texture will be a little different, but it will still taste good. If the mixture is a little wet, add a little more almond flour, the shredded coconut is a little absorbent. -Kim
Douglas
2nd time making this. Both time had a hard time making the pastry filling so that it is firm yet not make the milk boiling. I found a product called thick it. It will gel anything even water. Everything else in this recipe is great and the taste Is perfect.
Kim
I'm sorry the pastry cream has proven pesky, Douglass. Sometimes it takes "taking it too far" and scrambling the eggs to see how much cooking the mixture can take to thicken. Unfortunately, that's not very fun. Thank you for sharing the name of the thickener you used. I will check it out and try the recipe with your thickener. If I like it I will tweak the recipe. I'm glad you like the recipe despite the challenge with the pastry cream. Thank you so much for your helpful comment. Enjoy your day. -Kim
Kim
Unfortunately, "Thickit" is food starch and maltodextrin. Not actually low carb at 7 carbs in 2 T. I got excited for a minute lol!
Douglas
7 carbs additional carbs devided by 16 servings? 0.43 additional carbs per serving. Definitely still low carb. I am on a low carb not a no carb diet. This delicious low carb recipe has helped me (in part) lose 45 pounds and still get my dessert fix at the end of a low carb meal. I do not think I could do a low carb diet if I had to give up sweets! It freezes well when saved in individual servings or keeps in the fridge for days. Well done!
Anna
Thanks so much Kim! I can't wait to try it!
Kim
You are so welcome, Anna. Enjoy! -Kim
Anna V
Would it be ok to use a chocolate pudding mix? How many boxes would be needed? Also, can I use erythritol instead of the stevia glycerite? Stevia has an after taste with chocolate.
Kim
Hi Anna. You can use sugar free pudding if you want. I would look for a regular recipe to see how much to use. The Stevia glycerite is much less bitter than other Stevia a. That’s why I use it but please use what you are comfortable with. Have a nice evening. -Kim
Dena berg
You should try using a low carb candy bar or cookie like Atkins crushed up for the crust. That way they have done the hard work.
Kim
I like your suggestion, Dena. I don’t think that adding a few ingredients to a bowl and adding melted butter is that much of a big deal. It just looks like a lot of ingredients. -Kim
Eric
Finding this site, and this recipe in particular, was a life saver for my wife and my keto diet. This recipe is basically the perfect fat bomb for us. For those worrying about the possibility of it knocking you out of ketosis (I assume due to the corn starch/arrow root), I've made this recipe, along with the great peanut butter variant, a number of times over the past month and a half, without any keto issues. Thank god for erithrytol!
Back home [Maine] we call this dessert, 4-Layer Delight, and it was one of my favorite desserts I thought lost to keto (or really bad cheat days). So, finding this recipe made me extremely happy, since it gives me a bit of a taste of home, all the way out here in Japan. In fact, it might actually taste better than the original.
The only adjustment I made to the recipe, was the addition of about a tablespoon of lemon juice to the cream cheese mixture; for just a little bit of tanginess to off-set all the sweetness. This is also how we make 4-Layer Delight back home, so I thought it would work here. I've tried it both ways, and the little hint of sourness from the lemon really seems to make it perfect; to me and the wife at least.
Keep up the great work on this site!
Kim
Thank you for such a nice comment, Eric, and I am so glad you were able to have something to remind you of home while you are currently in Japan. You are right, it is the ultimate fat bomb and we often cut it into even smaller pieces. Thank you for telling me about the lemon juice in the cream cheese layer, I will have to try it. Have a wonderful week and enjoy Japan. -Kim
Nicole
Is the Stevia a necessary component to making the dish work or is it just an extra sweetener to coincide with the Erythritol? We've tried several versions of Stevia, and I just can't seem to find my way past the after-taste, even in small amounts. I've been reading that it's used to counter something about the Erythritol, but I wasn't sure if that was the case here (and honestly have been too shy to ask anyone else lol).
Also, I just found your site through pinterest, and I'm in love. I will definitely be keeping up with your blog, and can already picture myself making plenty of your recipes! Thank you so much for your hard work and low-carb goodies!!
Kim
Hi, Nicole, nice to meet you. Thank you so much for feeling comfortable enough to ask. Yes, I use the Stevia glycerite to bump up the sweetness. There are very few Stevias I like. I like this one and a concentrated Stevia called KAL Pure Stevia. They taste the very best. However, there is always an adjustment period with Stevia. I have a good article about the best low carb sweeteners and how to use them (located under "Articles" on the site menu).
Erythritol has a cooking effect and also like to reform crystals after melting - especially in wetter concoctions. Using less helps offset both, but reduces sweetness. You may sweeten to taste with your favorite sweetener. I hope you find some recipes that you enjoy on the site. If you have any questions, please ask. Have a wonderful weekend. -Kim
Priscilla
Help me figure out the carb count without the chocolate pastry cream. This seems to difficult for me. I'm just going to use jello sugar free chocolate pudding and use heavy cream instead of milk for the chocolate lasagna recipe.
Kim
Hi Priscilla, it's actually difficult for me to remove the ingredients in my cookbook program to recalculate everything and then add it back. It's not a very user friendly program. I suggest you use a food journal program like fatsecret.com and add all of the ingredients (minus those for the pastry cream) and see what you get. I'm sorry. It's been a very busy day and I just don't have the time to do it. Thank you for your question. Have a great week. -Kim
Christy Scott
Thank you so much for this recipe! A lot of steps - all necessary - but so worth it. This is the best low carb dessert I've had! My parents, sister, and I all loved it. I made one change. I stabilized the whipped cream with gelatin, since it will take us a few days to eat it all, and I was afraid it might get watery. I don't know if that was necessary or not. And you did say that it freezes well. Again, thanks for all your effort perfecting this wonderful dessert!
Kim
Christy, I love this dessert and am so happy you liked it, too. I have found that the xanthan gum stabilizes the whipped cream enough to be good for about 5 days. It does make it stiff and it's a little tricky smoothing it over the pudding layer. I just go slowly and gently. Just so you know, my recipe card has a recipe scale function. Hover over the serving size and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. It is very handy. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and let me know how much you liked the recipe. -Kim
Peggy
Greetings i used ingredients exactly. My execution wss different on making the chocolate pudding, after seeing ingredients it looked like chocalte cutard so i made it li ke custard. Skipping on a few of the steps. Oh my goodness, it was absolutely delicious. Everyone wsnts the recipe. Definitely a keeper. Getting the ingredients was the hardest part of this recipe.
Kim
I'm so glad you liked the recipe, Peggy, and that people asked you for the recipe. How fun. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Have a nice evening. -Kim
Carol
I am seriously allergic to coconut. Is there some kind of substitution that can be made?
Kim
Yes, Carol. I would use the walnut pie crust recipe instead. Walnuts go nicely with chocolate. I hope you enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Jeni
I made this for a potluck and it was all liquid! The chocolate was liquid, the cream set up nice but then turned to liquid! It was a mess. It tasted amazing when I was making the different layers but disaster. I'm disappointed.
Kim
Jeni, I am SO SORRY! I had one other comment in the last month about the same thing. Two things that may have affected the dessert. 1. I got so much flack about the original pudding recipe having 1 Tbsp of cornstarch (or arrowroot) in it that I reduced the amount a few months ago. I have recently changed it back to the original quantity. 2. If the pudding isn't cooked enough, it won't set properly. So, unfortunately, you were a victim of one or both.
Hearing that the recipe didn't turn out makes me very upset (and embarrassed) because I worked so hard on it originally, and the comments from before I made the change were fantastic. This recipe is on my list to re-test soon. Thank you so much for the feedback - I appreciate it. Again, I am sorry. Have a nice day. -Kim
Andrea A
I just made this over the past 2 days, and I'm curious if the pudding will stiffen up again after being mixed with the almond milk? It had such a great pudding consistency and then when I added the almond milk it became very runny, so then it was difficult to put the whipped cream layer on top. All of the layers have been super delicious! I hope that the crust will still be good even though I didn't bake it. I wasn't thinking and wish I had. Thanks so much!
Kim
It should firm up over night. Honestly, Andrea, I received so many complaints about the cornstarch (arrowroot) powder not being low carb that I reduced the amount by 1 teaspoon. Yes, the whipped cream should be spread very carefully over the pudding. Refrigerating over night should set it. Please, please, let me know if it doesn't. I hope the change in the pudding recipe doesn't ruin your dessert and Christmas. Let me know. Have a nice holiday. -Kim
Kim
Andrea, did the dessert turn out? -Kim
Amy
This looks delicious! and I will be making it this weekend for a family function. My only question is what can I replace the shredded coconut in the cookie crust with? My husband despises the texture of coconut :( Do you think I could replace with another crushed nut or coconut flour?
Kim
Hi, Amy. Yes, you can replace it - it is ground really fine and added to other ingredients. The coconut helps reduce the carbs a bit, but you can use more almond meal if you want. The texture will be a little different, but it should still taste good. Do yourself a favor and make the pastry cream a day or two before you assemble, so it's nice and cold. Let the assembled dessert chill overnight. Use full fat ingredients. Another reader used a lactose free cream cheese and her dessert didn't set, but she may not have cooked the pastry cream enough, too. It should be nice and thick after cooking and almost stiff when thoroughly chilled. Enjoy. -Kim
Stephanie
I made this over the weekend and YUM! The only thing is that it didn't set very well and I got more of a pudding consistency than anything. As soon as I cut into it it became a pudding/soup. It was still very good. I did use lactose free cream cheese and arrowroot powder...could that have been my downfall? Or did I not let things chill long enough. It didn't specifiy how long to let the cream cheese filling chill so I only did about 30 min. And I chilled the whole thing overnight. Still very tasty!
Kim
Hi Stephanie. I'm sorry the dessert did not set well. It could be one of three reasons. First, as you mentioned, it could have been the lactose free cream cheese. Having the dessert refrigerate overnight should have been perfect. The other reason may be because I updated the pudding recipe to have less cornstarch/ arrowroot because people kept complaining that they did not want to use it even though it resulted in a superior recipe. I would suggest adding 1/2 more teaspoons of arrowroot powder. And third, it may have been that the pudding was not cooked enough. It should be really thick after cooking and refrigerating before adding it to the layered dessert. I hope this helps. -Kim
Crista
Oh my goodness, this looks AMAZING! I'm totally going to make this...SOON. Thank you so much for posting this!
Kim
Thanks, Crista. Lot's of people made it for the Holidays last year and gave it good reviews. Remember to break it up into steps to make it easy on yourself. I think it's best to make the chocolate pastry cream a few days before. Enjoy! -Kim
Melissa
In the Chocolate Lasagna and the pastry cream do you know the conversion if I wanted to use Gentle Sweet. Super Sweet Blend, or Stevia Extract (powder) instead of the Glycerate and Erythritol? Thanks
Kim
Great questions Melissa. I think the gentle sweet is an erythritol and stevia blend and is granulated, correct? I would try using just a little less of the super sweet blend and taste after all of the ingredients have been added. If you need to, add as many doonks of powdered sweetener as you need. If you have the regular GS, use the same amount as specified in the recipe and then add 2-3 doonks, tasting as you go.
NOTE: I'm a little nervous about the super sweet blend. I'm imagining that extra stevia has been added to bump up the sweetness. When stevia is added to chocolate, it can increase the bitter flavor compounds in both the chocolate and the stevia. Go slowly and taste as you go. Many THMs have made this recipe and I haven't heard a complaint yet. Please let me know if you used the GSSS and how it worked. Have a great day. -Kim
Karen Sawyer
New. Would love to try these. Never had weight problem now menopause hits, it's a different story.
Kim
Oh, Karen. I feel your pain! It hit me early at 40 (seven years ago). I had kept the weight off with low carb until I started the blog. Now I'm struggling. I'm around food all day and grazing all day - and let's face it, not exercising like I should. This is a wonderful recipe. It freezes well if you opt to make the two smaller sizes. It is pretty heavy on calories and fat, and very filling so I have smaller pieces myself. It's a crowd pleaser! Enjoy. -Kim
Jason
How much did this make to cost because we wanted to create chocolate lasagna for our school but it has to be healthy so I checked this recipe out. Plus how many calories per serving is it because it has to be less than or equal to 200 calories.
Kim
Hi Jason. It depends on what your definition of healthy is. If it needs to be under 200 calories per serving then you will need to cut this dessert into smaller pieces. It is very rich and very filling so if you are serving it to kids, you could easily cut it into 24 pieces. My definition of "Healthy" is sugar-free and made from scratch with wholesome ingredients and little added chemicals. If your definition of healthy is low calorie and low fat, then this dessert is not for you. There are many recipes for Chocolate Lasagna or Chocolate Layered Dessert on-line which would meet your needs. You could make it very cheaply buy buying low fat cookies, cream cheese, low fat pudding and low fat coolwhip. As far as costing the dessert... I calculated the nutritional data in a recipe program but I did not cost it out. You will have to do that yourself depending on how you want to make the recipe. If you have any more questions, let me know. Have a great day! -Kim
Sharon
Oh my gosh, this looks heavenly! Craving chocolate so bad! Unfortunately I do not care for coconut....is there something you could suggest for substitution?
Kim
Hi Sharon. Thanks! The coconut helps keep the carbs down, but you could try it with all almond flour. I can't promise the texture will be the same but it should taste good. Have a great weekend. -Kim
Jana Bruce
My husband likes the flavor of coconut but not the texture. I ground the shredded unsweetened coconut for the crust. He had no idea it was there. Couldn’t taste it and being ground, it lost the texture he dislikes.
Cecelia
How can I print this recipe?
Kim
Cecelia, there should be a print button somewhere near the top of the recipe? Is it not there? -Kim
lin shephard
What is erythritol, I'm from the uk, and never heard of this ingredient
Kim
Hi Lil. I sent you an email last night but in case you didn't get it I'll answer here, too. Eryhtritol is a sugar alcohol (having both properties of sugar and alcohol in its chemical structure) which tastes very much like sugar but is about 60 -70% the sweetness of sugar. It is not absorbed by the body therefore it has zero calories and does not affect blood sugar. It undergoes an endothermic reaction when it melts, creating a cool sensation which is especially nice in frozen desserts. It has become a staple ingredient for low carb bloggers and bakers. Google erythritol. It can be purchased as crystals like sugar or blended with other ingredients like stevia, monk fruit or chicory root - Truvia is a brand that comes to mind. Can you find the Sukrin line of sugar-free products or Swerve? Either will work nicely. Please let me know if I can provide anymore information. Thanks for your question. Have a nice week! -Kim
Mukhtar
This was "out of this world" amazing! Even my family members that don't like low carb alternatives (and hate sugar substitutes) really liked this dessert. I added 5 tablespoons of natural peanut butter to the cream cheese layer and it turned out great (I may experiment with different amounts of peanut butter to get the best ratio to taste just right)
I believe the best low carb desserts are the ones you make yourself.
P.S. next time I'll get a mixer because doing the beating by hand for the different ingredients can be one heck of a ride lol. Was good cardio though!
Kim
I'm so happy you liked it! I love that you added peanut butter to the cream cheese. I just posted a peanut butter version of this dessert a few weeks ago. If you don't have the peanut flour for the crust, use this on or the crust from the coconut version. I made a peanut butter pastry cream/pudding for that one. So Good! I'm impressed you did all of the mixing "old school"! My arm would have fallen off! Kudos! Have a nice weekend and thanks for taking the time to comment. -Kim
Stephanie
I stumbled across this recipe on both Facebook and Pinterest and decide to make it for a get-together with non low carbers... Everyone LOVED it! If someone else had made this and told me it was low carb I would NOT have believed them! The only things I did differently in mine was I subbed in Splenda as I did not have stevia glycerine, and split the dessert into 2-8 inch pie pans.
Thank you so very much for this incredible recipe. I look forward to experimenting with the other suggested flavors as well!
Kim
Stephanie, you've made my day! I am so glad you tried it and liked it. Thanks for letting us know that the Splenda worked. Let me know what combinations you try. Have a great day! -Kim
Cindy
Hi Kim, Your recipe looks delicious but I have a nut allergy. What can I use in place of the almond flour? Cindy
Kim Hardesty
Hi Cindy. Are you familiar with sunflower seed flour? Many people with nut allergies use it instead. The only thing is that a chlorophyl reaction to baking reagents sometimes turns baked goods green. It does not affect flavor. There is also a nut free seed flour mix by Gerbs that I found on Amazon several years. Unfortunately, I never used it for testing recipes. I have heard good things about it, but I have no idea how it tastes. -Kim
Mary Lynne
I finally got the time and mind set to make this dessert, I have been wanting to do it for so long now but felt a bit intimidated by it. I will say right now that I shouldn't have been, it went very smoothly and I did all the layers in 1 hr. and 10 min. time :) I did bake the crust and let it cool on the counter for about 15 min. then stuck it in my freezer while the pudding was in the fridge cooling. All the layers are put together and it is sitting in my fridge just waiting for me to dig in. Can I just skip supper tonight and eat this instead!?!?! I know it will taste delicious because all the layers on their own are delicious. Thank you for all your recipes!!
Kim
Mary Lynne, I am so happy you tried it and found it do-able! I like it best with a baked crust - more cookie like. It's really not any harder to prepare than the original version we grew up on. I think some people see multiple steps or see a long ingredient list and think it's going to be hard. In any case, hooray! Thank you for your wonderful comments, it is my extreme pleasure to share the recipes. Have a great day. -Kim
Nancy
What can I use instead of shredded coconut? Don't like coconut at all and this is my favorite "high carb" Christmas dessert. Could it be left out without any substitution?
Kim
Hi Nancy. Use another cup of almond flour. It will probably only add 1 carb per serving. If the mixture seems a little dry, add a little more butter. Let me know how the almond flour works. Have a nice week. -Kim
S
Hey, I'm wondering if you can use coconut flour for the crust instead of blended coconut. Thoughts?
Kim
Hi S. I haven't used the coconut flour in this particular recipe. I'm sure you could, but I don't know how much. I specifically chose the coconut because it keeps the carb count to a minimum while bulking up the recipe. Thanks for your question. :) -Kim
Tania Aveling
This is going to become a Christmas Day staple at our house. We celebrate our Southern Hemisphere Christmases with beach visits and sprinkler play, and turning on the oven for more than ten minutes seems very wrong when it's 37 degrees C. I managed to whip this up on Christmas morning (we had a quiet one this year). It tasted amazing and looked beautifully festive. Thanks to the detailed instructions, I managed the pudding bit with very few lumps and felt very proud. The finished product is huge - I agree that it would be great for a special occasion; there's really too much for one family unless you have a lot of people around. I made it circular like a pie and stuck the leftovers in the freezer - it froze beautifully, and tasted like ice-cream cake when frozen. The one thing I would do differently next time is to make the first two layers the day before as the method suggests. It wasn't really cold and set enough to layer the cream on easily and I had to be super careful not to mess up the chocolate pudding layer.
Kim
Tania, I am thrilled to her that you and your family enjoyed it and that you found it easy enough to prepare. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Happy New Year! -Kim
Wendi
What could I use instead of stevia glycerite. I am fructose intolerance plus celiac. .
Kim
Hi, Wendi. I did not know that stevia glycerite would be a problem for those with fructose intolerance or with celiac. I thought it was gluten free. Just use more of your favorite sweetener to taste. I only use the stevia glycerite to cut back on other expensive sweeteners because it is so concentrated. Happy Holidays! -Kim
Cecelia
What is the nutrition information on this recipe?
Kim
Hi, Cecelia. The nutrition counts should be near the picture at the top of the recipe. Serves 16: Calories 387, Fat 39, Carbohydrates 7, Fiber 3 and Protein 7. Net carbs per serving are 4. I hope this helps. -Kim
tammy
wondering if guar gum or xanthan gum would work instead of cornstarch or arrowroot powder in the pudding?? this looks like just what I'm looking for in a recipe :)
Kim
Thank you for your question Tammy. The amount of guar gum or xanthan gum needed to thicken the pudding would result in a really gummy pudding. But let me share some information with you. Mixing thickeners will allow you to use less as they have a synergistic affect. Try mixing 1 T of cornstarch or arrowroot powder with 1/4 teaspoon guar gum and 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (or glucomannan powder). You may be able to get away with 1/2 tablespoon of this mixture as the chocolate will help thicken the mixture, too. Let me know what you end up doing and how it works. It may help someone else. Have a nice day! -Kim
Cecelia
First time on your sight and first of all I am so glad you do not have stars. If you have never tried it how can you rate it.
I also have a granddaughter who is 6 and has both Celiac and is a Diactic so I really need low carb count and this seems to fill the bill.
Kim
Hi, Cecelia. Sometimes people forget to leave stars. I can tell you that I have had lots of nice comments on this dessert on Facebook from people who have made it. :) I hope this is something that your granddaughter enjoys! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Enjoy your week. -Kim
Kristie Sullivan
Love this! You are amazing!
Kim
Hi, Kristie. Thank you very much! Love your Youtube channel! Have a nice week. -Kim
Kim
Here is what Cynthia said about this dessert on Facebook:
" I just made it for the first time and it is incredible!!!"
I asked her if it was hard to make and she said...
"It is definitely worth the time it took to make and I don't think it took much longer than when I used to make a high sugar dessert similar to this as I always made my chocolate cream layer from scratch. If someone wanted to cut the time then they could do like you suggested and make some of it the day before. What I love about this recipe is it is so similar to what has been one of my family's favorite desserts. It felt like welcoming an old friend...but so much better because of the carb count. The high sugar version of this dessert was the first dessert I ever made for my hubby...so it was great to welcome it back into our lives!!! (I love your addition of the chocolate to the shortbread crust!)
If you try this dessert and like it, please leave me a comment. I will be thrilled! -Kim
Cynthia
Absolutely incredible!!! I made it today and could not have been more pleased. (I used Swerve Sweetener)
Kim
Awesome! Cynthia, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Have a nice weekend.
Jess
Hi Cynthia, I would also like to use Swerve when I make this..did you leave out the stevia glycerite then, since Swerve is already cut with stevia?
Anna Olsen
Kim, my first time to your site. Gotta make this looks lovely. However erythritol leaves my tummy not happy, can I use coconut crystals and stevia? Also what is stevia glycerite? I have nu-stevia which I use in my baking, is that the same thing?
Kim
Hello, Anna. Thanks for the compliment and great questions. You may use any sweeteners that you prefer -BUT- the taste will be different. If you are okay with it having more of a brown sugar taste and brownish color then go for it! The coconut crystals will be especially good in the crust I think. Stevia glycerite is a viscous super-concentrated liquid form of stevia that I feel is much less bitter than other brands. I am guessing that the nu-stevia is very similar to KAL Pure Stevia powder which I love but don't use in my blog recipes as I try to stay more in-line with other bloggers so readers don't have to buy 12 different products! You may need to experiment a little with your sweeteners just a tad to get the taste you want, so taste as you go. I would LOVE to hear how your sweeteners worked in the recipe as it may help someone else who may have the same issues with erythritol. Have a great week!
Arlease
Thank you. I cannot wait to make this, it looks so appealing.
Arlease
Kim
You're welcome, Arlease!