Coffee, chocolate and caramel are the flavors of a really good coffeehouse drink, and they make an even better cheesecake. This sugar-free mocha cheesecake swirls chocolate-coffee ribbons through a creamy filling, then finishes with whipped cream rosettes and a golden caramel drizzle.
The filling is Neufchâtel and Greek yogurt with one egg, sweetened with allulose. A quarter of it gets cocoa and instant coffee, and each of the 10 wedges has about 153 calories and 3g net carbs.
It bakes low and slow in a deep 5-inch springform with a pan of hot water in the oven, so it comes out tall, dense and creamy.
Why You’ll Love This Sugar-Free Mocha Cheesecake
- Real mocha flavor. Instant coffee and cocoa in distinct dark ribbons.
- Caramel on top. Allulose cooks into a real amber caramel.
- 3g net carbs per wedge. Each of the 10 wedges has about 153 calories and 6g protein.
- Tall and creamy. A deep 5-inch pan and a water bath give a thick, smooth slice.
Ingredient Notes
Thin almond crust. A quarter cup of Bob’s Red Mill almond flour and 1½ teaspoons of melted butter are pressed into a thin crust and baked for 8 minutes.
Cheesecake filling. Twelve ounces of Philadelphia Neufchâtel, ⅞ cup of FAGE Total 0% Greek yogurt and one large egg make the creamy base of this sugar-free mocha cheesecake.
Chocolate and coffee. A teaspoon of instant coffee granules dissolved in a tablespoon of hot water is mixed with 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa, then stirred into one-quarter of the batter.
Caramel and cream. Three tablespoons of allulose and a tablespoon of water cook into the caramel, finished with a tablespoon of warm cream. Three more tablespoons of cold cream are whipped for the rosettes.
Allulose. Allulose is a rare sugar that the FDA allows to be excluded from the total sugars and added sugars declarations on the Nutrition Facts label.
If you want to check the nutrition of staples like cocoa, coffee and Greek yogurt yourself, you can look them up on USDA FoodData Central.
How to Make Sugar-Free Mocha Cheesecake
You need a 5-inch round springform pan that is 3 inches deep, parchment, a mixer, a saucepan, a roasting pan and a piping bag. Prep takes about 30 minutes, the crust and cheesecake bake for 55 to 65 minutes in total, and cooling and chilling take about 6 hours.
Crust and filling
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line the springform bottom.
Step 2. Mix the almond flour and butter, press into a thin crust and bake for 8 minutes. Cool, and reduce the oven to 300°F (149°C).
Step 3. Beat the Neufchâtel and 80g of allulose until smooth. Mix in the yogurt, then the egg, gently.
Step 4. Dissolve the coffee in the hot water and mix it with the cocoa.
Step 5. Stir the cocoa-coffee paste into one-quarter of the cheesecake batter.
Step 6. Alternate the plain and chocolate batter over the crust and swirl gently without blending.
Bake with a water bath
Step 7. Place a roasting pan of hot water on the lower oven rack.
Step 8. Bake the cheesecake on the middle rack for 47 to 57 minutes, until the edges are set and the center wobbles.
Step 9. Rest in the switched-off oven with the door cracked for 30 minutes. Cool another 30 minutes, then chill for at least 5 hours.
Caramel, cream and finish
Step 10. Heat 40g of allulose and the water until amber. Remove from the heat, carefully stir in 15g of warm cream and cool.
Step 11. Whip 45g of cold cream to smooth, firm peaks.
Step 12. Unmold, pipe small cream rosettes along the top edge and drizzle with the cooled caramel.
Step 13. Slice the sugar-free mocha cheesecake into 10 wedges.
Success Tips for Sugar-Free Mocha Cheesecake
Use the deep 5-inch pan. It gives the tall, thick cheesecake in the photos.
Swirl only a little. A few passes with a knife keep the chocolate-coffee ribbons distinct instead of turning the whole batter brown.
Cool the caramel first. Warm caramel melts the cream rosettes, so let it cool before decorating.
Chill completely. At least 5 hours in the fridge gives clean, neat wedges.
More Coffee and Chocolate Desserts
For a coffee pie, try my sugar-free mocha cream pie. If you prefer a plain cheesecake, the sugar-free New York cheesecake is tall and creamy with fresh berries.
And keep a jar of sugar-free caramel sauce for extra drizzling.
Storage
The recipe does not give a storage time. Keep the cheesecake in the refrigerator and decorate it close to serving.
Sugar-Free Mocha Cheesecake FAQ
How strong is the coffee flavor?
One teaspoon of instant coffee goes into a quarter of the batter, so the coffee is clear in the dark swirls without overpowering the cheesecake.
Why bake with a water bath?
A pan of hot water on the lower rack keeps the heat gentle so the cheesecake bakes evenly and stays creamy.
How do I keep the swirls distinct?
Alternate spoonfuls of plain and chocolate batter, then swirl gently without blending.
How many wedges does this sugar-free mocha cheesecake make?
The 5-inch cheesecake is cut into 10 wedges.
Is allulose a sugar alcohol?
No, allulose is a rare sugar, not a sugar alcohol.
Creamy, coffee-dark and crowned with caramel, this sugar-free mocha cheesecake is the coffeehouse dessert you can make at home.
Sugar-Free Caramel Chocolate Coffee Cheesecake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line springform bottom.
- Mix almond flour and butter. Press into a thin crust. Bake 8 minutes; cool. Reduce oven to 300°F.
- Beat Neufchâtel and 80g allulose until smooth. Mix in yogurt, then egg gently.
- Dissolve coffee in hot water; mix with cocoa.
- Stir cocoa-coffee paste into one-quarter of the cheesecake batter.
- Alternate plain and chocolate batter over crust. Swirl gently without blending.
- Place hot-water roasting pan on lower oven rack.
- Bake cheesecake on middle rack 47–57 minutes until edges set and center wobbles.
- Rest in switched-off oven with door cracked 30 minutes. Cool another 30 minutes; chill at least 5 hours.
- Heat 40g allulose and water until amber. Remove from heat; carefully stir in 15g warm cream. Cool.
- Whip 45g cold cream to smooth, firm peaks.
- Unmold, pipe small cream rosettes along top edge and drizzle cooled caramel.
- Slice into 10 wedges.
Notes
- Use the deep 5-inch pan for a tall cheesecake.
- Keep chocolate-coffee ribbons distinct.
- Cool caramel before decorating.
- Chill completely before slicing.