Mini Ricotta Cheesecake Tarts with Apple Butter Topping (low carb)
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A slice of creamy, delicious cheesecake is definitely one of my favorite desserts. Whether served on its own or topped with fresh fruit or fruit syrup, you really can’t go wrong. I would eat cheesecake every day if I could. The beauty of these Mini Ricotta Cheesecake Tarts is that is can be made sugar and carb free, so I really can have cheesecake every day!
There’s just something about the scent of spiced apples that screams fall to me. Apple butter isn’t the lowest carb choice when it comes to cheesecake toppings, but the concentrated flavor of the apples, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in apple butter is a perfect complement to the light taste of this ricotta tart (and you only need a spoonful!) You can easily make your own sugar free apple butter (my recipe-just replace the sugar w/ sugar substitute) or look for a no sugar added version.
[irp posts=”25663″ name=”Sugar Free / Low Carb Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Recipe”]
To reduce the carbs in this cheesecake recipe, I used whole milk ricotta cheese, (which has half the amount of carbs as low fat ricotta) my favorite sugar substitute and a nut crust instead of a graham cracker crust. If the carb count doesn’t matter, then you can certainly use regular sugar and replace the pecans with crushed graham crackers.
Sweet treats are still my downfall and when I can, I try to use less sugar than what a recipe calls for (even when using a sugar substitute.) I start off with half the amount of sugar and add more according to taste. Many of my baking recipes use eggs, including this cheesecake recipe. To be safe, I use Davidson’s Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Eggs in any recipe might be consumed uncooked/undercooked. (The Safest Choice Eggs are pasteurized in the shell, so the threat of salmonella in the eggs is eliminated.) Want to try them? Print a coupon here.
Mini Ricotta Cheesecake Tarts
Recipe makes 6- 4.75 inch mini tarts
Crust:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pecan meal* (Not pecan flour- pecan meal is pecans that have been ground up in a food processor. I buy mine at a local farmer’s market) *Can substitute graham cracker crumbs
- 3 Tbs butter cut into pieces
- 3 tsp sugar/sugar substitute
- 1/2 tsp allspice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place pecan meal, butter, sugar and allspice into food processor. Pulse until combined and resembles dough.
- Divide nut mixture and press into the bottom of a mini tartlet pan. (I use these. It’s amazing how the tarts just pop out after cooking!)
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, being careful not to let the crust burn. Remove from oven and cool.
Cheesecake:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup Sugar/sugar substitute
- In a large bowl, beat together ricotta and cream cheese until smooth. Add in eggs, vanilla and sugar.
- Pour cheesecake mixture into the mini tart pan. Bake tarts for 15 to 20 minutes or until the middle is just set. (Middle should still wiggle just a bit.)
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Top with apple butter (or your favorite topping and enjoy!
Both of these can be made low carb:
This two are definitely not low carb!
I don’t have mini tart pans. But, I do have three springform pans (8″, 9″, and 10″). Any idea what size would work best, or what the bake times would be for the crust and the cheesecake if done in a springform? I realize the mini tart pans aren’t very expensive, but I really don’t want to buy more bakeware that I have to find a place to store. I feel like I’m always struggling to fight the clutter as it is. 🙂
I have not tried this recipe in a regular springform pan, so I cant give any cooking time suggestions, sorry.
You should move your social media buttons the the right. They are covering part of the recipe in my browsers and highly annoying. Thanks
I assume you are referring to the floating sm buttons on the left of the page? Can you tell me what type of device you are on? The program I use has a setting and the buttons are not supposed to show on narrow mobile devices.
Loving all these low-carb tart recipes!! Now I won't feel guilty eating these!
You are right, these Ricotta Cheesecake Tarts are beautiful. I have been making my own ricotta for a while. I always have some left over. This would be a perfect dessert pair with lasagna.
These look amazing! Super yum!
I love ricotta desserts! They are light and flavorful & super delicious! This is great!
I love the sound of this dessert. Us Italians use ricotta in desserts all the time so I know I would love it!
Cheesecake? Apple butter? I am in!
Yum! These look great and with them being low carb you don't have to feel guilty about it! 😉
I'm not a huge fan of ricotta cheese, but I like apple butter!
These tarts look ah-mazing!
It looks incredible! I bet the apple butter makes it absolutley delicious!