low sugar raspberry cheesecake slice with fresh raspberries and mint — sugar swap recipe by Mel

With The Swap Less Sugar*

Desserts · By Mel

Low Sugar Raspberry Cheesecake

Name: Low Sugar Raspberry Cheesecake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups almond flour; 3 tbsp butter melted; 1 tbsp monk fruit granulated; 680g full-fat cream cheese room temperature; ¾ cup monk fruit and allulose blend; 3 large eggs room temperature; 1 cup full-fat sour cream; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 2 cups fresh raspberries

Cheesecake always felt like the dessert most likely to survive a sugar swap intact. The creaminess comes from the cream cheese. The richness comes from the eggs and fat. The flavour comes from vanilla and lemon. The sugar, it turns out, is mostly just sweetness — and we have perfectly good replacements for that.

This version is genuinely elegant. The almond flour crust has more flavour than a graham cracker base and holds together beautifully. The filling is smooth, creamy, and indistinguishable from the full-sugar version. The raspberries on top are not an afterthought — their tartness against the rich, vanilla filling is what makes this feel like a restaurant dessert.

Make it the day before. Cheesecake is always better the next day.

Prep25 min

Cook60 min

Serves10

Sugar4g*

Jump to Recipe ↓

New York cheesecake (28g sugar per slice) → Monk fruit allulose cheesecake (4g sugar)*

*Per USDA FoodData Central

⇄ The Swap Snapshot

Typical Version	The Sugar Swap Version	Sugar per serving*
New York Cheesecake Graham cracker crust, refined sugar filling, sugar-loaded base — 28g per slice	Low Sugar Raspberry Cheesecake Almond flour crust, monk fruit and allulose filling, fresh raspberry topping	28g→4g

*Based on USDA FoodData Central values. The Sugar Swap is not medical or nutritional advice.

Ingredients

Serves 10 · Scale as needed

Crust:

2 cups (200g) ⇄ almond flour — the graham cracker swap
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp monk fruit granulated
Filling:
680g (24 oz) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup ⇄ monk fruit and allulose blend — the sweetener swap
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup full-fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Topping:
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 sprig fresh mint

Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Grease a 23cm (9-inch) springform pan.
2
Mix almond flour, melted butter, and monk fruit for the crust. Press firmly into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes until just golden. Cool slightly.
⇄ Swap Note
The almond flour crust has more fat than a graham cracker base, which actually makes it richer and more flavourful. It holds together beautifully once baked and chilled.
3
Beat cream cheese until completely smooth. Add monk fruit-allulose blend and beat until combined.
4
Add eggs one at a time, beating on low after each. Add sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix until just combined — do not overbeat.
5
Pour filling over the crust. Place springform in a larger roasting tin and fill with boiling water to come 2cm up the sides of the pan.
6
Bake for 55–60 minutes until the edges are set and the centre has a gentle wobble. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
7
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Top with fresh raspberries and mint before serving.

mixing low sugar cheesecake filling with monk fruit sweetener, vanilla, and cream cheese — The Sugar Swap process photo

The filling — cream cheese, monk fruit, vanilla, lemon. Smooth, creamy, and completely indistinguishable from the full-sugar version.

⇄ The Swap Reason

The Crust Swap: Almonds vs. Graham Crackers

Graham cracker crusts contain sugar in the crackers themselves plus additional butter and often extra sugar. An almond flour crust contains none — the fat from the almonds binds without sugar, and the natural nuttiness pairs better with the cream cheese filling than a sweet, crumbly base. The filling swap is monk fruit and allulose — used together because monk fruit provides clean sweetness and allulose provides the body and slight caramelisation that makes the filling taste cooked rather than artificially sweetened. See the Swap Guide for the complete breakdown of these two sweeteners.

Common Mistakes

⚠
Using cold cream cheese. Room temperature is essential. Cold cream cheese never fully smooths out and you get lumps in the filling. Take it out of the fridge an hour before you start.
⚠
Overbeating after adding eggs. Beat on low and stop as soon as each egg is incorporated. Overbeating adds air which causes cracks and a souffle-like texture.
⚠
Skipping the water bath. A dry oven makes a cracked cheesecake. The water bath takes 30 seconds to set up and makes an enormous difference to the final result.

Storage

Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Add the raspberry topping just before serving — raspberries release juice which will make the top wet if added too far in advance. Freezes very well without the topping for up to 2 months.

Nutrition per serving

310Calories

8gProtein

10gCarbs

26gFat

2gFiber

4gSugar*

*Per USDA FoodData Central · Typical version: 28g sugar · The Sugar Swap is not medical or nutritional advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different berry topping?

Absolutely — strawberries, blueberries, or a mixed berry combination all work beautifully. The tartness of the berries against the rich filling is the key, so avoid very sweet fruits like mango as a topping.

What is the monk fruit-allulose blend?

Several brands sell a combined monk fruit and allulose sweetener that gives you the best of both — clean sweetness from monk fruit and the body and texture from allulose. Alternatively use ½ cup allulose and 2 tbsp monk fruit granulated separately. See the Swap Guide for brand recommendations.

Can I make mini cheesecakes with this recipe?

Yes — use a muffin tin lined with parchment strips for easy removal. Reduce baking time to 20–25 minutes. No water bath needed for minis.