With a butter pecan cookie crust and a super creamy filling, these Butter Pecan Cheesecake Bars are my new favorite treat. They are topped with pecan pralines and are low carb, keto, gluten free, and sugar free.
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I do love cheesecake so. I'm not a big fan of chocolate cheesecakes but almost any fruit flavor, nut base, or spice like cinnamon I love. And pecans are my favorite nut by far so I knew this would be a winning combination.
The crust is based on my Butter Pecan Cookies and is delicious on its own. Topped with creamy cheesecake makes it even better!
Butter Pecan Cheesecake Bar Crust Ingredients:
Butter - I use salted butter in my recipes to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients.
Almond Flour - Almond flour is pretty standard in keto baked goods. It has a mild flavor and gives a tender crumb in cakes, cookies, and biscuits.
Coconut Flour - Coconut flour helps to balance the oiliness of almond flour since it is naturally drier and absorbs more liquid than other alternative flours.
Sugar-Free Sweetener - I like to use a blend of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia in my recipes. By using a combination of sugar alcohols and stevia you can use half the amount required of most other sweeteners and regular sugar. Since sugar free sweeteners can be more expensive this helps with your grocery budget.
Gelatin - this crust does not have eggs so the gelatin acts as a binder and helps to hold it together.
Vanilla - Just a little vanilla enhances the other flavors.
Pecans - Raw pecans are fine in this.
Filling Ingredients:
Cottage Cheese - Using cottage cheese in cheesecake is a great way to get a boost of protein. And I promise you can't taste it. Take a look at my Protein Cheesecake next.
Cream Cheese - I use full-fat cream cheese but a reduced fat cheesecake is fine too. I do not recommend using fat-free cream cheese.
Eggs - Eggs are necessary for this to firm up the bars. If you want an eggless cheesecake try my No-Bake Cookie Dough Cheesecake. You can sub pecans for the chocolate chips and top it with pecan praline instead of ganache.
Sweetener - I use my homemade blend in the filling as well but offer alternatives in the recipe card.
Almond Extract & Vanilla Extract - Using the combination accentuates the flavor of the pecans.
Topping Ingredients:
Pecans - You can use chopped toasted pecans, a batch of my pecan pralines, or candied pecans
Cinnamon - I enjoy this with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
How to make Butter Pecan Cheesecake Bars
These are really easy to make. The dough comes together in minutes in the food processor and then you can make the filling in the same bowl without even washing it.
Step One: Process the ingredients for the crust. Press the crust into the bottom in a parchment lined baking dish.
Step Two: Process the ingredients for the filling. pour the filling over the crust.
Step Three: Bake the cheesecake until it no longer jiggles and the edges are lightly golden.
Step Four: Top with pecans and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Expert Tip: The pecans may get soggy if they are on the cheesecake for a prolonged time. That is why I recommend adding them right before serving.
How to Store Cheesecake
Always store cheesecake in the refrigerator. It can last up to a week in the fridge and can be frozen for longer storage. We enjoy frozen cheesecake still partially frozen but you can fully thaw it if you'd like.
Want more sugar free cheesecake? I know I always do!
- Keto Lemon Cheesecake
- Vanilla Ricotta Cheesecake
- Salted Caramel Cashew Cheesecake
- Almond Crusted Breakfast Cheesecake
- Cannoli Cheesecake
- Keto Mini Cheesecake
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Crumb Bars
- Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Cinnamon Bun Cheesecake Bars
- Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
- White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
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Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
- 4 oz cold salted butter cut into pieces
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ⅓ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 2 teaspoon gelatin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅔ cup pecans
Filling Ingredients:
- 16 oz 2% fat cottage cheese
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 6 eggs
- ⅔ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping Ingredients:
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans or candied pecans
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine the butter, almond flour, coconut flour, ⅓ cup of the sweetener, gelatin, and vanilla in a food processor. Pulse until wet crumbs form. Add the pecans. Pulse until they are chopped. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the cottage cheese and the cream cheese in the food processor (you don’t need to wash the bowl). Pulse the cheeses until smooth. Add the sweetener and extracts. Mix until combined. Add the eggs. Blend until smooth. You will need to scrape down the sides. Pour the filling on top of the crust. Bake for 45 minutes until golden around the edges and only slightly jiggly in the center.
- Bake for 45 minutes until golden around the edges and only slightly jiggly in the center. Top with toasted or candied pecans and cinnamon before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published February 1, 2017. Revised and Republished June 30, 2021.
Eric says
Made these for a get together expecting to bring some home. Long story short, big hit with everyone and I'll be making more. Thanks for the recipe!
Gwen says
I can’t have cow dairy. Is there a substitute for the cottage cheese I could try?
Taryn says
I haven't tested this recipe with a sub for cottage cheese. Whatever you were planning to sub for the cream cheese should be ok for both.
Ruth says
For your sweetener combo, how much of each should I use?
Taryn says
There are clickable links within the post and my sweetener recipe is here: https://joyfilledeats.com/sweetener
Bob Dierks says
why are there two different nutritional facts labels?
Taryn says
Because this is an old post and I'm working through updating 500 of them. 😉 The one within the recipe card is more accurate.
Jill says
Made this for my husband's birthday "cake" and was very pleased! Not exactly like a regular cheesecake but certainly a nice replacement. I used 4% cottage cheese and extra vanilla instead of the almond extract. They turned out great and I will definitely make again. Wondering if anyone has tried freezing these since there is so much leftover.
Taryn says
I haven't frozen this but in general cheesecakes can be frozen.
Jenn says
Is that the net carbs?
Taryn says
3 total carbs - 1 gram of fiber = 2 net carbs.
Tammy Bell says
I have some xanthum gum can it be used in place of the gelatin in this recipe?
Taryn says
Maybe. The gelatin is the binder in the crust but the cheesecake may hold the crust together without it.
Rita says
May i ask why reduced fat cottage cheese? I know eating low carb you should use full fat. Will that work ok? I wasn't sure if it altered how it would come out. Thank you!
Taryn says
Full fat will be fine. I just happened to have 2% on hand when I made these.
Laura Gay says
Will 1% cottage cheese work? It always seems I've the wrong one on hand.. thank you
Taryn says
Yes, 1% should work.