A fabulous low carb cheesecake with no crust. My Nana's cheese pie is an easy recipe made in a pie plate. Although it's a crustless cheesecake, it does make it's own crust in the pan. This diabetic friendly dessert is made sugar-free with stevia and erythritol.
(I hope you enjoy this updated post which has new pictures and new text. This low carb cheesecake recipe is a family favorite and deserves to shine a bit more.)
Every family has a few recipes that help define the Holidays and this is one of those recipes for me. My Nana made this crustless cheesecake every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Having this pie on the table made our gatherings even more special. Although my Nana was a great cook, it's this recipe I most associate with her. Deciding to make it sugar free to fit into my low carb lifestyle was a no-brainer and was easy to do.
The Christmas following my marriage, my mother gave me a family cookbook which included this easy cheese pie recipe. I continued tradition and served it mainly at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
A few years ago, our doctor suggested that we remove gluten and dairy from my daughter's diet. We did, and I didn't make it for a few years. I'll happily include my Nana's crustless cheesecake on the table this year – it's still one of my favorite low carb desserts.
The thing I like about this easy recipe is that it has a cheesecake consistency with no crust – it makes its own. It's perfect for those on a low carb or ketogenic diet that allows dairy. In fact, I shared this recipe with the Atkin's Community several years ago and even called it a “Crustless low carb Cheesecake”. The ingredients are simple; cream cheese, eggs, sweetener, flavoring and sour cream (or Greek yogurt).
I love the texture of this diabetic friendly dessert and how it can be varied. Gently beating the ingredients results in a more traditional cheesecake texture with less room for sour cream, but beating the batter more results in a lighter texture and more room for sour cream. If you look at the photos, you will see air bubbles. I beat my ingredients until they were light and fluffy – as was my cheese pie after baking. I like it both ways and vary depending on whim.
My Nana sometimes flavored this pie with vanilla extract and sometimes with lemon extract. I often add just a touch of lemon and orange extracts to the cheesecake base, along with the vanilla, to add interest to the overall flavor. If you've ever made a standard recipe for New York style cheesecake, then you may have added a little lemon zest to the base. But unlike a large or standard cheesecake recipe, this small low carb cheesecake recipe only serves 8 – just perfect for my family of four.
[NOTE:] For my extended family who love this recipe but don't have the original from my Nana (Mary), add 1 cup of sugar to the cheesecake base and 1/4 cup of sugar to the sour cream topping.
My Nana's Cheese Pie is 4 net carbs per serving.
[Disclosure: This recipe contains affiliate links.]
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup Sukrin :1 (or Swerve Granulated), powdered
- 1/2 teaspoon Stevia Glycerite
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
- 16 ounces sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons Sukrin :1 (or Swerve Granulated), powdered
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 325. Spray a glass pie plate with baking spray. Powder 1/2 cup Sukrin :1 (or Swerve Granulated) in a coffee or spice grinder.
- Mix: Put the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the Sukrin 1, stevia glycerite and one egg, beating until incorporated and smooth. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Add the extracts and beat again. With a traditional cheesecake one would be careful not to whip air into the cheese mixture. Because my Nana's Cheese Pie makes its own crust, it's okay to beat air into the cheese mixture. It will puff up in the oven and then collapse.
- Bake: Pour the mixture into the glass pie plate and bake for about 30 minutes. Look for the Cheese Pie to puff up and brown around the edges. If it cracks, it's okay. The sour cream will hide any cracks. When the Cheese Pie is done, remove from the oven and let cool about 30 minutes. It will sink and make a well on top for the cream cheese.
- Sour Cream Topping: Powder the 2 tablespoons of Sukrin 1. Mix the sour cream with the sweetener and vanilla until the sweetener dissolves. Spread on top of the cheesecake base. You may have sour cream left over. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top of the pie. Put the Cheese Pie back into a 325 oven and bake about 15-20 minutes more, until the sour cream sets. Refrigerate overnight and serve the next day as it get better as it sits.
Note: I powder the granulated erythritol to prevent it from re-crystallizing and making the pie "crunchy". You could use powdered Sukrin (Icing Sugar) or Swerve (Confectioners) but you will have to use about 1/4 cup more.
Stevia Glycerite is a form of liquid stevia that I do not find bitter. I like it better than other brands because of it. Because I think that erythritol tastes "sharp" I use as little as possible and augment with stevia glycerite to bump up the sweetness.
Where to buy Stevia Glycerite, Sukrin 1 or Swerve Granulated: I buy mine on Amazon.
Hi I saw in one of the comments that you said the original recipe calls for sour cream. If I added this in how would this change my cheese cake? Would it still taste good or even better?
Hi Dwayne. The original recipe calls for SUGAR (1 cup in the base and 1/4 cup in the sour cream topping). The sour cream is on top and is in the recipe, but Greek yogurt can be used, too. This cheesecake recipe is also great with added raspberries and blackberries. Please let me know if I can answer any more questions. Have a great week. -Kim
Does the topping have 3 tbsp Sukrin or 2 tbsp? The list of ingredients says 3, but the narrative says 2. Thanks for the recipe! So excited to try it!
Hi Dianna. Use 2-3 Tbsp to taste. I will look at the recipe when I get home tonight. Thanks so much for letting me know there was a discrepancy. No one’s caught it. Have a great weekend and enjoy the pie. -Kim.
I want to make this, but I don’t have stevia glycerite (…and I’m too impatient to wait.) Can I use something else in its place? I have granulated swerve, Splenda packets, truvia, stevia (that measures “cup for cup” with normal sugar,) a variety of sugar-free torani syrups. Any advice on what to substitute and how much? TIA!
Hi Emma. You can use any of your other dry Sweeteners to taste but I would probably go for 2-4 packets of Splenda. You don’t want to use any more erythritol or it may crystallize in the fridge causing little crunchy bits in the cheesecake. Enjoy the cheesecake. -Kim
Thank you for posting; this sounds fantastic!
BTW, the net carbs is even LOWER if you use a sweetener such as erythritol with sugar alcohols:
Carbs-Fiber-Sugar Alcohols = Net Carbs
It’s a great recipe, Renee. I actually don’t figure the sweetener into the nutritional value because I use Sukrin which is erythritol and stevia and as you know, erythritol isn’t absorbed or digested by the body. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
It always seems to me that sweeteners make recipes too sweet. Do you think this would work without sweetener?
Hi Rita. Have you tried the recipe yet? Was it too sweet? Is that what the 4 star rating is reflecting? The original high-carb recipe called for 1 cup of sugar in the cheesecake portion and 1/4 cup of sugar in the sour cream portion. If you like things less sweet then leaving out the stevia glycerite will make the cheesecake 1/2 as sweet as the original. I hope this helps. -Kim
This recipe is incredible! Thank you!
So glad you like it, Elisha. -Kim
Just baked this. Was easy and looks good.
Can’t wait to try tomorrow.
Great, Ruth. I hope you enjoy it. -Kim
Has turned into family favourite, thanks for the recipe
Ruth, thank you for taking the time to let me know. Enjoy your weekend. -Kim
I feel so dumb for asking but when you say “powder 1/2 cup erythritol”, I don’t understand what I’m supposed to do with it?
Toni, thanks so much for letting me know that the instructions were unclear. What I mean is to measure 1/2 cup of erythritol into a coffee or spice grinder and powder it. I’ll add that to the instructions. I hope this helps. Have a wonderful weekend. -Kim
Just made this and oh my – it was delicious. Entire family devoured it!
I’m so glad you and the family enjoyed the recipe, Angel. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. -Kim
I have just come across this recipe & made it on the weekend & have to say it us absolutely delicious! I wasn’t sure how the sour cream topping would taste but it complemented the base so well. It will now be a favourite in our household.
Yay! So glad you liked it Anne. It’s one of our favorites. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. Have a wonderful week. -Kim
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! I eat it every day on my keto diet for breakfast (can’t face bacon and eggs in the morning)and and I’m not hungry until 2PM. Other cheesecake recipes paled in comparison. It has kept me sane!
I love this cheesecake for breakfast, too, Lynn and for the same reason. Sometimes you just can’t face another egg. Thank you for taking the time to let me know how you like the recipe. Enjoy your week. -Kim
Not sure what sukrin is. I have granulated stevia, can it be substituted?
Hi Cherrie. I don’t know what granulated stevia is. Is it mixed with erythritol? Is it a 1-1 sugar replacement? I would say to use your sweetener to taste and then bake. -Kim
I made this for thanksgiving & found it to be very good. The only problem I had was when I sliced it, the top layer would separate from the bottom layer. It still tastes good but wasn’t as pretty to serve. Did I do something wrong? I haven’t seen anyone else mention this problem.
Hi Pam. I have never heard of this occurring. I’m so sorry. I’ll look at the recipe one more time to see if there is something I missed, but no, it’s never happened in 20 years of making it. I never remember my mother or grandmother mentioning it either. The only thing I can think is that the sour cream didn’t set in the oven or the dessert didn’t sit over night in the refrigerator. If you liked it, I hope you will give it one more try. I used full fat ingredients and I always let it sit in the refrigerator over night because it tastes better the next day. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have a great week. -Kim
I had the same issue – my topping is not connected to the pie itself (still tastes absolutely delicious!) even though the sour cream is definitely set, all ingredients were full fat, and I refrigerated it overnight. There are a couple of things I think might be making a difference (all user error by myself I might add). The first is perhaps I cooked it too long initially – I gave it extra time because at 30 minutes my centre was still very liquid and my edges weren’t brown, and I thought perhaps this was wrong so gave it longer assuming just differences in ovens. Kim – how wobbly should the centre be after the first bake? Perhaps if I’d taken it out bang on time the sour cream topping would have adhered more to a slightly less set base? The second was dish size – I have one too small, and one too big, so I went for the larger one. Perhaps it works best on a perfect sized pie plate.
Hi PJW. I’m trying to think about what could have happened. I’m using a 9-inch glass pyrex pie plate. There is no “wobbly center” in this recipe like traditional cheesecakes. It should puff up and it will even crack. It’s okay. It shrinks down as it cools and leaves a well for the sour cream. Sometimes the well is more pronounced or deeper than other times. I don’t know how bug your pie plate is but a 10-inch would be better than an 8-inch maybe?
I have added the sour cream much later if I have gotten distracted by my kids or other cooking and as long as I cook until set, then it’s fine. I have had it…hmmm…how do I put it into words? Upon cutting a piece, I have had the cream cheese “crack” or a small piece at the tip of the slice crack and separate. This usually happens when it’s cold just from the fridge. If it sits out for 15-20 minutes before serving, it doesn’t happen. If I have it for breakfast, I don’t mind if the sour cream cracks, but you wouldn’t want that to happen for guests.
I’m glad you like the recipe and I hope my tips help the next pie come out more to your liking. Let me know if you have any more questions. Have a great week -Kim
I’ve made a lot of low carb cheesecakes over the years and this one is, hands down, the best. Let me count the ways…first, it is incredibly easy to make, and does not require a ton of cream cheese because it is the perfect pie size for small dinner party or just me to enjoy for the week. 16 slices of anything is way too many slices. This not only took very little time and effort, it came out looking exactly like the photos, lovely and the taste was perfect, it was so creamy and wonderful. I served as dinner dessert to non LC person and they loved it. This will be made again and again and be a favorite for entertaining as well. Send my thanks to Nana. 5 BIG STARS from me.
Thank you so much, Pat. I’m thrilled that you liked the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. Enjoy your holidays. -Kim
I’m not much of a dessert person, but I decided to make this cheesecake for my husband and guests for Thanksgiving. I included the optional lemon and orange extracts, hoping to give it more “zing.” It was extremely easy to make, especially since it was crustless. (In the past I’ve used George Stella’s cheesecake recipe which is very good, but is far more complicated to make.) At any rate, the first night I served it, everyone loved it except me. I detected a slight aftertaste from the orange extract, but my guests all urged me to try another slice the next day because they thought it was delicious. I decided to take their advice, mainly because my sister-in-law is a gourmet cook and has published recipes in high-end cooking magazines. I am SO glad I listened to them, because the next day the cheesecake was absolutely wonderful. In fact, each day the cake became more and more delicious. Even my picky brother-in-law had a slice for breakfast one day! This will definitely be my go-to dessert when entertaining guests who love sweets. Thanks, Kim, for another 5-star recipe.
Thank you, Carole, for taking the time to write another thoughtful comment. I’m glad you and your guests enjoyed the cheesecake. Enjoy your weekend. Sincerely, -Kim
Oh gosh yum!!!
This pie is on my “must make” list for holiday pies. Looks wonderful and love that it’s made in a pie plate, so easy.
This pie is on my “must make” list for holiday pies. Looks wonderful and love that it’s made in a pie plate, so easy.
Great! I hope you enjoy it, Pat!
Oh boy this is awesome
Great! So glad you liked it. -Kim
I love this idea of a crust less cheesecake!
Love your recipies! Can this be made the day before and refrigerated? Thank you so much! I am looking forward to this for Thanksgiving.
Yes, Annette. Make the day before and leave uncovered in the fridge over-night. If you cover with cling film right away, it will stick to the top and mess it up. Enjoy! -Kim
This looks really yummy! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Malaika! Have a nice day. -Kim
This looks amazing! Thank you!
Thanks Bea! -Kim
I love how clean cut and perfect the slices of this look! Beautiful photos.
Thanks, Taryn!
Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts! I love how this one makes its own crust so adding a crust is unnecessary! Simple and delicious perfection!
Thank you, Maya. I agree, cheesecake is a great low card dessert. Have a wonderful weekend! -Kim
This looks glorious! I can’t wait to try your Nana’s pie, and I like that I can use a pie pan and not a spring form pan, as those can and have gone wonky on me.
Thank you so much, Stacey! Cheesecakes baked in spring form pans are my bane. Half of the time, the water bath seeps into the foil protector and soaks my crust. Grrr. Yes, this is much easier and smaller, too. Perfect for a smaller family. Have a great week. -Kim
This pie looks so delicious – will definitely have to give it a shot! Thank you for sharing Nana’s recipe!
You’re welcome, Melilssa. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has over the years. Enjoy your week. -Kim
Looks great! Thanks for sharing your family’s tradition!
You’re so welcome, Wendy. Enjoy. -Kim
Oooh yum! I don’t think I’ll ever miss the crust when the filling is so good!
Georgina, it’s the best part of any cheesecake, right, the filling? Thanks so much. -Kim
Cant wait for recipes
Great, Kate! -Kim
Do you think this would freeze well?
Lynn, it freezes beautifully. I sometimes make a double batch in a 9 x 13 inch pan and freeze half. It’s also great with fresh raspberries mixed in. -Kim
Thanks a lot , wonderful…… Rina
Rina, you are so welcome. Thanks for letting me know! This is my favorite easy-go-to-dessert. It reminds me of my Nana every time I make it. Enjoy the rest of your week! -Kim
This recipie is amazing. It’s my first try at a low carb cheesecake, and I don’t think I’ll ever need another recipe! Thank you!
Hey Lindsay. I’m so glad you liked this recipe – my Nana had it going-on in the dessert department. While there are fancier cheesecake recipes around, this is a great basic to have in your baking arsenal for those times you want a quick and tasty treat! Have a nice week. -Kim
Can you use swerve and if so are the amounts the same?
Carrie, great question. Yes, and yes, but adjust to taste. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar in the pie and 1/4 cup in the sour cream. It’s a great recipe. Enjoy! -Kim
Love your recipes! Please add me to your mailing list.
Hi Paige. I am so glad you like the recipes! I just checked the mail program and you are signed up but need to “confirm” by clicking the link in the email that was sent back to you. Check your spam filter if you don’t see it. Have a great weekend! -Kim
Is it possible that the vanilla was supposed to be 1 tsp not 1 tbl? I made it as is and the vanilla was rather strong.
Hi Tia. Thank you for your question. No, the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon. That is what my Nana used and what I use, but please feel free to adjust to your own liking. I won’t be mad! Have a really nice weekend. -Kim
The cheesecake sounds wonderful but I’m not familiar with erythrital powder. Ho do you powder it? Or stevia glycerite. Where do I get these ingredients?
Hi Brenda, what a great question. Erythritol is a sugar-free sweetener that has zero impact on blood sugar. When purchased it usually comes in crystals. To powder it, put it in a coffee grinder and give it a whir. Other sugar-free sweeteners are Xylitol (don’t have it in the house if you have dogs), Splenda (Splenda for baking has 1 carb per teaspoon), liquid Splenda (EzSweets- found at Netrition.com) and stevia. Stevia can be purchased as a concentrated flavored liquid or powdered – some brands are bitter) and my favorite form of stevia is stevia glycerite which is a concentrated viscous liquid. I buy my sweeteners from Amazon because I get free shipping as a Prime member. I’m writing this with kids “mommy”-in me to death so please ask more questions if I am being unclear. Have a great week! – Kim
I have a,question.. on your reply you mention spelnda…. so could it be used to replace the sweeteners in the recipe?
Hi Kim. Yes, you can use Splenda – Liquid, packets or Baking blend. The baking blend is 1 carb per teaspoon. The Packets are 1 carb per packet, but you will use less than the Splenda for Baking. The liquid has no carbs. I hope this helps. Have a nice day. -Kim
I made this last night and we just had a slice for lunch! OMG! So happy you posted this! My husband LOVES it! We put a few strawberry slices on top and it was awesome!!!
Paula, I’m so happy that you enjoyed it. I’ll confess to making it for breakfast sometimes, but with out the sour cream. It’s so good! Have a great week! -Kim
I am back on the Low-Carb Diet. I am so excited to find a recipe I can try and still stick with my eating plan! It looks great. Thank you! I will let you know how it goes!!!!
Hi Katie. I’m so glad you found a great dessert that fits in with your eating plan. Yes, please let me know how you like it. Have a nie week! -Kim
This was really good! Our dinner guests couldn’t believe it was low carb!
Ann, I’m so glad you and your guests enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Have a great weekend! -Kim