This French cheesecake has a melt-in-your-mouth, fluffy filling and buttery crust and is perfect for entertaining. As a bonus, this delicious dessert is gluten-free, low-carb and keto-friendly (with 5 grams of net carbs per slice). Top with your favourite fruit or berries, whipped cream or chocolate drizzle.
In This Post:
What Is French Cheesecake?
A French cheesecake is lighter and fluffier than a regular cheesecake. It has a slightly tangy flavour and a thin, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust base.
It’s a baked cheesecake, in which the cloud-like texture is achieved by using egg yolks and beating the egg whites separately, then folding them into the filling mixture without destroying all those air bubbles.
While it may seem heavy and rich with all the cream cheese and heavy cream in the recipe, my French-style cheesecake recipe is a fresh and delicious dessert with a lot less sugar and fewer carbs than a traditional version. It’s also gluten-free and grain-free.
It’s a fabulous cheeky dessert that will impress your friends and family!
What You’ll Need
Here is what you need to make this French cheesecake. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- For the crust: almond meal/flour, butter, vanilla and lemon zest + sugar sweetener (see below). For a nut-free version, you can use a mix of ground-up seeds and coconut flour or pick up a packet of gluten-free crackers and grind them into fine crumbs.
- For the filling: cream cheese, eggs, heavy/thickened cream, lemon juice and vanilla + sugar sweetener (see below). This recipe is NOT dairy-free!
- Sugar-free sweetener: I used a sugar-free sweetener for both the crust and the filling. In Australia, I used a Natvia stevia/erythritol blend sweetener (it doesn’t have a weird aftertaste). You can use a different brand or even try a Monk fruit sweetener blend. You will need amounts equivalent to 2 tablespoons of sugar for the crust and 1/2 cup of sugar for the filling, check your brand’s recommended conversions.
Nutrition Notes
This French-style cheesecake is low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free and keto-friendly. With about 300 calories per slice, it’s not as energy-dense as most desserts but can still take you over your daily calorie needs depending on what else you ate that day.
This is not an issue as we should all enjoy a treat once in a while but be mindful if calorie restriction is a priority right now (e.g. medical or sports performance/competition). You can always have a smaller slice or enjoy it on workout days.
Can you make it lighter? Yes, you can use lower-fat, light cream cheese and light cream. It might save you a few calories if that’s what you need.
This cheesecake comes with decent amounts of Vitamins C, A, B12 and calcium.
Nutrition Macros
- Per slice (if cut into 9 slices): 292 calories, 8.5 g total carbs, 3.5 g fibre (5 g net carbs), 8.7 g protein, 24.5 g fat.
- Per slice (if cut into 8 slices): 329 calories, 9.6 g total carbs, 3.8 g fibre (5.8 g net carbs), 9.7 g protein, 27.7 g fat.
How To Make French Cheesecake
You will need a springform cake pan. An 8-inch one is ideal for this cheesecake. You can use a 7-inch or larger but it will either be taller or flatter when baked.
- Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F.
Make The Cheesecake Crust
- Step 2. Leave the butter out of the fridge for about 15 minutes to soften slightly. Once soft, mix the butter with almond flour, sugar-free sweetener, lemon zest and vanilla sweetener using a mixer or a food processor.
- Step 3. Transfer the crust mixture into the baking cake tin lined with a piece of parchment paper (I usually line the bottom only) and press it down and to the edges with your fingers. Try to make it as even and smooth as possible. But, you can spread the mixture so the side edges are a bit higher and go up the walls a little.
- Step 4. Bake the Crust for 8-10 minutes until it is golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely while you make the cheesecake filling. Reduce the oven to 175 C / 350 F.
Make The Cheesecake Filling
- Step 5. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and put them in separate bowls. Set aside.
- Step 6. Using an electric mixer, whisk/whip the sugar-free sweetener and cream cheese until smooth.
- Step 7. Then, add one egg yolk at a time and beat the mixture until soft and creamy.
- Step 8. Add heavy cream, lemon juice and vanilla and mix the whole mixture until smooth and has no lumps. You can use a whisk or a spatula at this stage.
- Step 9. With a clean electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they are firm and hold their shape. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheesecake filling mixture. Be careful not to over mix the filling, as the more you mix it at this point.
Step 9. Transfer the cheesecake filling into the cake pan and flatten the top. Bake for 45 minutes at 175 C / 350 F. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. The cake is done once the top of the cake is golden brown, and the filling feels firm and bouncy.
Step 10. Make the berry coulis sauce while the cake is baking. This is optional, you can also just garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries.
Watch The Video
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Full Recipe
Find the full list of ingredients, instructions and extra cooking notes below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments and rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.
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French Cheesecake (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
For cheesecake crust
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup butter softened (salted is nice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons sugar-free sweetener e.g. Natvia, monk fruit or equivalent to 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest zest of ½ lemon
For the cheesecake filling:
- 450 g cream cheese about 1 lb. at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar-free sweetener or equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs separated (you’ll need both the yolks + the whites)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
To serve/garnish:
- 2 cups fresh strawberries or raspberries
- See notes for strawberry coulis
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F.
Make the crust
- Leave the butter out of the fridge for about 15 minutes to soften slightly. Once soft, mix the butter with almond flour, sugar-free sweetener, lemon zest and vanilla sweetener using a mixer or a food processor.
- Transfer the crust mixture into the baking cake tin and press it down and to the edges with your fingers. Try to make it as even and smooth as possible. But, you can spread the mixture so the side edges are a bit higher and go up the walls a little.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until it is golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely while you make the cheesecake filling. Reduce the oven to 175 C / 350 F.
Make the cheesecake filling
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks and put them in separate bowls. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk the sugar-free sweetener and cream cheese until smooth. Then, add one egg yolk at a time and beat the mixture until soft and creamy.
- Add heavy cream, lemon juice and vanilla and mix the whole mixture until smooth and has no lumps. You can use a whisk or a spatula at this stage.
- With a clean electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they are firm and hold their shape. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheesecake filling mixture. Be careful not to over mix the filling, as the more you mix it at this point.
- Transfer the cheesecake filling to the cake pan and flatten the top. Bake for 45 minutes at 175 C / 350 F. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. The cake is done once the top of the cake is golden brown, and the filling feels firm and bouncy.
- Make the berry coulis sauce while the cake is baking. This is optional, you can also just garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries.
Video
Notes
- You can also make a simple berry coulis sauce with frozen raspberries or strawberries. Simply cook them in a small pot together with a little sweetener and orange juice or a splash of water. Once soft, puree until smooth.
Nutrition
Credits: Recipe by Irena Macri | Photography by Lindsay Fordham of That LOFO Life.
This is how I am making my cheesecakes from now on! So super light and creamy. Great flavors!
I love this cheesecake. The crust is delicious, and the cream cheese filling is even more so.
Glad you enjoyed it, Anita
Just lovely! Made it for my French in-laws and we all loved it! Wouldn’t have known it’s refined sugar free. Will definitely make again soon!
Thanks, Leva
Cheesecake is my favourite dessert, and this looks amazing. I will definitely be giving a try.
Cheesecake is one of my favorite cakes. Your images, tips, and the whole recipe is one of the best I tried, thanks!
How well does this recipe freeze?
You should be able to freeze it like most cheesecakes but I would leave out the sauce and do that part once it has been defrosted in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Here is a handy guide to freezing cheesecakes: thekitchn.com/how-to-freeze-cheesecake-23439064
I made this recipe, and it was very delicious. Thank you.
For anybody that likes cooking with exact measurements, here are the weight conversions from the cup measurements:
1 cup of almond meal is 85gms (or 3 ounces for our friends in the USA)
1 cup of almond flour is 96gms (or 3.4 ounces)
1/2 cup of butter is 125gms (or 4.4 ounces)
1/2 cup of heavy thickened cream is 240gms (or 3.4 ounces)
All the best,
Lyn
Hi, when do you add the lemon juice?
At any stage into the cake mix.
Can I use another g f flour besides almond? He has a problem with nuts?
For a nut-free version, you can use a mix of ground-up seeds and coconut flour or pick up a packet of gluten-free crackers and grind them into fine crumbs.
Well, let’s just say that you’ve hit the spot here – this is my favorite dessert of all times!
You had me at low carb cheesecake. This sounds delicious.
I’ve never heard of French cheesecake but I’m excited to try it!
I’ve never heard of French Cheesecake before but I’m looking forward to trying it!
Oh my – this was pure comfort eating! Baked to perfection and loved the flavour. I appreciate the gluten free crust as well.
This French cheesecake was soooo creamy! Loved every bit of it.
You don’t say when to add the lemon juice🤪
Oops, let me check. I will make sure it’s mentioned.