Buttery, chewy, and oh so simple, these keto cheesecake cookies will make every season bright! With just a few ingredients, this non-traditional Christmas cookie will be asked for again and again! As an added bonus, it is egg free too!
As a young girl, I loved all things baking. You could frequently find me in the kitchen with flour all over my parts ‘helping’ my mom.
When Christmas time cam around, my family knew that anything related to baking was sure to make me smile. One year, my dad selected a “Sunset Cookies” cookbook to gift me. I used that book until it was falling apart and tattered….and maybe had a giant circular electric stove coil burned into the back….just maybe.
When this season rolled around, I selected one of my favorite recipes of old titled “Cream Cheese Gems,” and decided to recreate to be gluten free, grain free, and low carb!
Dense and chewy, these Christmas cookies are a perfect texture that will transport you into cheesecake heaven….in a bite sized form!
Totally rich and satisfying, the simple ingredients make these super easy to whip up. As a drop cookie, they require minimal time and effort!
And we all like simple, am I right?! Especially this time of year with so many things filling up our calendars!
Not Keto or Low Carb? Gluten Free Cheesecake Cookies!
You can easily use some organic cane sugar in this recipe as an alternative!
More gluten free Christmas cookie and dessert recipes:
- My kids love these Chocolate Waffle Iron Cookies, which take minutes to prep AND bake since they cook in the waffle iron! They look like boot tracks in the snow!
- These are my personal favorite Christmas cookie: Gluten Free Thumbprints!
- My Paleo Chocolate Mint Cookies are also nut and egg free! Classic flavor combo!
- This low carb chocolate pie is what my kids will ask for!
- These gluten free gingerbread crinkle cookies are festive and fun!
Do you have a favorite Christmas cookie from your childhood? Or any good memories in the kitchen with family?
Low Carb Keto Cheesecake Cookies Recipe:
Keto Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temp
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar erythritol, stevia baking blend, organic cane sugar (not keto), as preferred, to taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon minced lemon zest or lemon extract, but not preferred
Dry:
- 1 3/4 cup almond flour may replace with 1 1/4 cup cassava flour for an nut free version
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
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In the bowl of a mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and sugar until well blended. Add in the vanilla.
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With the mixer still on on low, sprinkle in the sea salt, then the flours. If your ingredients are very warm, may freeze briefly to firm up.
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Using a cookie scoop for consistency (I used a 1.5 T cookie scoop), drop the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving space for spreading.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 12-13 minutes until the edges are just turning golden.
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Let cool on sheet for at least 5 minutes to firm up before moving to cookie sheet to cool all the way.
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Because these cookies are a tad fragile, I like to store them in the fridge or freezer...they stay good and firm and never freeze solid because of the fat content.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional facts are using erythritol
Highly recommend. If I did not know they were keto, I wouldn’t eat them because they taste incredible.
Thanks Denise! So glad you’re enjoying them!
Made these and they’re fabulous and that’s before I refrigerated them. Hard to believe they’re Keto but I made them myself so I know they are. Thank you for sharing.
I love these cookies! I hate lemon cheesecake, so I used almond extract instead. They taste even better out of the fridge. Thanks so much for sharing this!
I agree, even better chilled for that whole cheesecake effect! Almond extract is a fabulous idea!!!
Had a very strange flavor. Almost sour. Wanted to love them.
I just made these and even the batter was delish. I just started keto last week was already craving treats. I love cheesecake as well, so this WILL be something I make again.
Glad you
Liked them Shannon!!
Making these right now… but I almost forgot the lemon! It’s not listed in the steps. 😉
thanks for catching that!
Made these today, absolutely delicious! Putting in the freezer was a great tip.
My favorite way to enjoy them! Thanks!
No offense, but these were awful. They crumbled so much I couldn’t even pick them up. The taste wasn’t bad but the consistency was very granular and odd. So bummed – I couldn’t wait to make them. 🙁
I bummed for you! Not sure why they were granular….did you use erythritol? They are tender and fragile until they cool. Sorry you did not
Enjoy them.
Truly delicious! It’s the first recipe that I can’t tell the sweetener is erythritol. Thank you so much for the recipe!
So
Glad Betsy!
I just made these. Are they supposed to be really soft? I cooked them for 15 minutes. They’re good, but I just wanted to know if they’re supposed to be firmer?
Yes, they’re supposed to be tender and soft. I eat them right out of the freezer…they never get rock hard…so yummy that way!
Has anyone made these yet? Are they good?
I love those cookies and guess will try them either for Valentines of Easter.
Great low carb cookie option! I love that you provided a nut-free option as well.
These look amazeballs! And so few ingredients. Right up my alley!
Yum! These are so gorgeous and I need to make this for the holidays!
These look so tasty, and the photography is beautiful. Pinning to make!
I will be making these for Xmas for sure! Yum!
These cookies look delicious! I love that you remade the recipe using almond flour… can not wait to make these with my little cookie monsters!
The cookie taste was very good but the texture was extremely soft and crumbly, to the point you can’t bite it without it falling apart, even when cooled. I added an egg and a tablespoon of coconut flour. Also I coated the dough balls in shredded coconut (and coated some in macadamia nuts for variety and more texture). I also made them on the larger side and it worked better. I didn’t find them chewy at all but very rich and buttery.
These look so good! They’re similar to ricotta cookies my family makes for Easter.
These cookies look so gorgeous and festive looking. They are so perfect for the holiday season!
Those are some beautiful little cookies! I bet my family would love them any time of year!
You had me at cheesecake! I love everything with cream cheese – I’ll add this to my list of recipes I need to make from you. This look soooo yummy!!!!
2 net grams carb per cookie? Just verifying. Thinking these would work in the bottom of an individual jar with some banana flavored mousse on top – almost like a banana pudding
according to the nutrition calculator used by my recipe plugin, yes Dee! Your idea sounds delish!
You had me at buttery and chewy! These look so pretty and festive – not to mention yummy!
I love these old favourites made grain-free, low-carb, AND simple! Cream cheese, butter, and almond flour is an awesome combination!
I absolutely love that these are keto! I know my kids are very sensitive to sugar so I’m always looking for something filling and nourishing that won’t make them super hyper. And also, they’re insanely beautiful!
I can’t believe cheese cake cookies aren’t so hard to make. These are the prettiest holiday cookies ever!
I love these cookies!!! You can’t go wrong with cheesecake cookies, they’re so fun and festive, but that extra hint of lemon sends these over the top. So yummy!
I love hearing your back story as a kid-baker, and the story about your dad is so sweet. Now I know part of why you’re such a good baker! 🙂 Love these, pinning!
Cheesecake anything wins me over!
I’ve never heard of cheesecake cookies but I’m here for it!! Making these with the family this weekend!
Cheesecake in a cookie? What more could you want. And they’re super pretty!
Oh MY! I have never heard of cheesecake cookies but I am so glad these are a thing! I can’t wait to try them!