Looking for a healthy, protein-packed dessert? This banana cheesecake can be made with little or no sugar. Use a grain-free crust and sweeten to taste!
Fruit-sweetened treats are my thing. Once you stop eating sugar, you actually lose the taste for it. So my family finds most treats cloyingly sweet.
Here are a few reasons why I like to use fruit to sweeten my treats.
- Fruit contains a ton of flavor.
- Whole fruit couples the natural sweetness with vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.
- Unlike low-cal sweeteners, fruit helps your body naturally regulate blood sugar levels.
However, if you’re new to using less sugar, it’s perfectly fine to add a bit into the cheesecake. This recipe works whether it’s entirely sweetened with bananas or lightly sweetened with sugar. It’s delicious either way!
Options for the crust
I’ve gone with a basic graham cracker cookie crust because it’s so easy and classic. However, there are other options!
- A chocolate cookie crumb crust is my personal favorite. Simply replace the graham cracker crumbs with chocolate cookie crumbs!
- To make a sugar-free, keto-friendly crust, grease the cake pan with butter, then coat it with ground almond meal or hazelnut meal. It doesn’t have the bite of a traditional crust, but it’s still tasty!
Flavors!
Banana cheesecake doesn’t have to be just banana. It’s the perfect base for all of your favorite cheesecake flavors. Change it up by adding a flavor-packed topping.
Toppings:
- Chocolate ganache
- Fresh berries, jam, or berry sauce
- Lemon curd
- Caramel date sauce
It’s also fine to stir some extra flavor into the cheesecake. Here are a few additions that can be stirred right into the batter. Lemon zest or spices are best added with the vanilla extract. I recommend swirling in the melted chocolate or raisins after pouring the batter into the cake pan.
Additions to the batter
- 8 oz of melted chocolate
- 1/2 cup rum-soaked raisins
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp of ground spices (cardamom, cinnamon, or a chai-spice mix)
Banana Cheesecake (GF, Low-Sugar)
Looking for a healthy, protein-packed dessert? This banana cheesecake can be made with little or no sugar. See the sections above for different crust options, topping options, and flavors that you can stir into the batter!
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 60 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8 to 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1/2 cup graham crumbs (I use a GF brand)
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
For the filling
- 1 lb. (two 8-oz packages) of cream cheese, softened
- 3 Tbsp of sugar (optional)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup of mashed banana (2 to 3 very ripe bananas)
- 3 large eggs
- Whipped cream and sliced bananas for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Mix the cookie crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan.
- The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature before mixing. This is even more important if you don’t plan on using sugar. (Since the sugar helps to whip the cream cheese). Beat the cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla together until smooth. Feel free to use less sugar, or skip it altogether for a refined sugar-free cheesecake. Add the mashed banana and continue to beat until everything is nice and smooth.Â
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. When everything is nicely mixed, pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.Â
- Set the cheesecake on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 300 F (150 C) until the cheesecake is set (about 20 to 30 minutes). The cheesecake is ready when the center barely jiggles when the pan is tapped.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Serve with slices of fresh banana and whipping cream, or try one of the other topping options in the section above.
Notes
- 3 Tbsp of sugar is the right amount of sweetness for most people. However, feel free to use up to 1/2 cup of sugar for a sweeter cake.
- I mix my cheesecake up in my Blendtec. (I don’t have a hand mixer or other kitchen mixer). When using my Blendtec, I pulse to break up the cheese a bit, then add all of the ingredients except for the eggs. I blend that as much as possible, then add the eggs, one at a time, as described, scraping down the sides of the blender between each egg. It’s so easy to whip together.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12)
- Calories: 196
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 161mg
- Fat: 15.8g
- Saturated Fat: 9.7g
- Carbohydrates: 11.3g
- Fiber: 0.7g
- Protein: 3.4g
Keywords: sugar-free, fruit-sweetened, healthy, gluten-free, vegetarian, strawberry, chocolate, blueberry, lemon, caramel
I made it with 1/4 cup of sugar and a chocolate crumb crust. No one even noticed it was low-sugar!
★★★★★
Great! I’m glad you enjoyed it.