My indulgent Salted Caramel Cashew Cheesecake has a cashew crust, creamy cheesecake, and is topped with salted caramel & roasted cashews. This amazing keto cashew cheesecake recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
This is not a vegan cashew cheesecake (sorry vegan friends). It is a real cheesecake with cream cheese and a cashew crust topped with salted caramel covered cashews. ......maybe I'm not sorry.
It's been a while since I made a new cheesecake so I knew it was time. I was out of almonds but had a can of cashews staring at me from my pantry. They were just begging to be included. Cashews are one of my favorite nuts to snack on. They are just so buttery and flavorful. They worked perfectly in this recipe.
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How to make Cashew Cheesecake
This is a bit more labor intensive than most of my recipes. But it's worth it. You can make the crust in a food processor and then the filling in the same food processor (no washing required). Bake the cheesecake. While that is cooling you will cook the caramel sauce. The final step is putting the caramel cashews on top of the cooled cheesecake.
What size pan can I use?
I baked this cashew cheesecake in a small 6-inch springform pan but you can bake it in a deep dish pie plate if you don't have one. I think it would work to double it and bake it in a standard 10-inch springform pan but I have not tried it. If anyone does please let me know!
My kids aren't big cheesecake fans so a 6-inch cheesecake is perfect for my husband and me to enjoy for dessert over a few days. I did bake it in a water bath because that is my normal cheesecake baking routine. But I'm not certain it's necessary. Since it only takes a few extra minutes to prepare I just decided to go all out.
Cottage Cheese in Cheesecake?
This uses mostly cottage cheese but you can't tell at all. You need to use full fat 4% cottage cheese to assure the creaminess it needs. You really cannot tell there is cottage cheese in this cashew cheesecake. I promise. But if you'd rather use ricotta cheese you may.
How to Make Salted Caramel
Every time I make something with caramel sauce I want extra salted caramel sauce. So feel free to double it if you want caramel sauce dripping down the sides. You can never have too much salted caramel in my opinion.
To make the salted caramel you cook sugar-free sweetener with butter and cream. You need to cook it until it is deep golden brown and thick. Making caramel is not hard if you are patient. If you turn the heat too high it can burn. Just let it simmer over medium-high, stirring frequently until it is brown and thickened.
Can I use Cashew Butter in the Crust?
It is best to use freshly chopped cashews in the crust. But if you have cashew butter to use up you can sub that for half of it. And make sure to check out How to Make Cashew Butter at home next!
More Low Carb Cheesecake Recipes:
Lemon Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping
No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Need a nut-free dessert? Try this nut free keto cheesecake!
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Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
- 1 cup cashews I used roasted lightly salted cashews
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
Filling Ingredients:
- 8 oz full fat 4% cottage cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
Topping Ingredients (caramel sauce can be doubled):
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- ¼ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- two pinches sea salt
- heaping ½ cup lightly salted roasted cashews
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a dough forms. Press it into the bottom of a springform pan (wrapped in 2-3 layers of foil if you are baking in a water bath) or pie plate. Bake for 10-20 minutes until the crust smells nutty and is golden brown (closer to 10 for a pie plate and closer to 20 for a 6 inch springform pan).
- Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients in the food processor (no need to wash it first). Process until smooth. Pour into the baked crust. If using a water bath put the pan in a larger pan and pour one to two inches of boiling water into the outside pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes until the center no longer jiggles.Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- While the cheesecake is cooling you can make the caramel. Combine first three ingredients and cook over medium low heat until bubbly, slightly thickened, and lightly browned. Remove from the heat and add the salt and extract. Stir in the cashews. Set aside. Dump the caramel cashews on top of the cooked cheesecake. If you doubled the caramel sauce save some to drizzle on right before serving (if it thickens you can reheat it for a few seconds in the saucepan or the microwave).
- Cool cheesecake completely before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published on June 3, 2016. Revised and Republished on May 18, 2019.
Becky Eminger says
I am allergic to cashews. could I substitute peanuts?
Taryn says
Sure!
Ashley says
I love the salted caramel and cheesecake combination!
Beth says
Great topping idea for a great dessert! I love the combination of sweetness and creaminess of this dessert!
Marie says
Can this recipe be made without the cottage cheese or is there any substitute for it?
Taryn says
You can use more cream cheese.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
This looks so, so good! I love cheesecake and salted caramel, so combining them is the totally natural next step. Can't wait to try it!
nancy T says
what is 4% full fat cottage cheese? and as I tried to have email updates was stopped with an error message this site no longer exists.
Taryn says
Hi Nancy,
Full fat cottage cheese is the cottage cheese that says made with whole milk, 4% dairy fat, etc.
And thanks for telling me about the problem with email updates. I'll look into that!
Janice says
Is this a thm s dessert? How many servings?
Thanks for sharing.
Taryn says
Yes, if you stick to one serving. There are eight servings. 1/8th of the recipe has about 9 grams carbs. If you leave off the cashews on top and just put on the caramel I think you could get away with 1/6.