What is Different Between This Cheesecake and Others?
This Keto, Japanese cheesecake was one of my husband’s birthday gifts this past weekend. He loves cheesecakes and had seen one floating around YouTube called a Japanese Cotton Cheesecake that really caught his eye.
He had asked me for a while to create a low-carb, gluten-free, and sugar-free version for him, but I just hadn’t gotten around to it.
But since it was his birthday and he was the love of my life, I knew that this would be just the occasion to give this cheesecake a try.
This Low Carb Japanese Cotton Cheesecake is not your typical cheesecake. It is very light and fluffy. It is like a sponge cake married to a cheesecake, you guys. Seriously, the texture is so airy and the mouthfeel is moist and smooth.
With textures like that, it can only be expected that it isn’t a recipe that you can just toss everything into the blender and mix until smooth.
Nope, this delicate cheesecake has some extra steps that take a little more patience and time. However, it is worth every step. Just trust me you will love it!
If you would like some easy cheesecakes with only a couple of steps, then be sure to check out the recipes for my Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake Tart or my Strawberries & Cream Tart.
Making the Japanese Cotton Cheesecake
There are three key factors in this delicate cheesecake style that aid in its stability and texture. The first factor is making sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin.
This is a very important step, so make plans and have the ingredients out on the counter at least a few hours before.
The second key factor involves the eggs in the recipe. Instead of mixing in the eggs at once, then you separate the yolks from the whites and used them at different stages of the recipe.
The yolks go in with the cream cheese and beat the whites into stiff peaks.
The stiff peaks from the egg whites are important to make the “cotton” texture that gives this cheesecake its name. So take extra care when folding them into the batter.
Don’t let this step scare you away from this recipe. It isn’t hard, it is just one that takes a little extra time which pays off in the end.
The third and last key factor of this traditional Japanese-style cheesecake is that most recipes call for a small amount of flour added to the batter.
I found that strange since I had never seen flour used in any cheesecake recipes but after reading more about it, I learned that flour helps give the cheesecake stability.
Since we are a gluten-free family, I needed to find a low-carb alternative, so I chose one of my favorites, oat fiber. It worked out amazingly well and it only took about two tablespoons.
What is Oat Fiber And What Brand Is Best?
Oat fiber is made purely from the husk of the oat, which is the shell that surrounds the oat groat/kernel.
Much like psyllium husk powder, oat fiber is made from grinding the outer husk of the oats, not the whole oats themselves into a fine powder.
Since it is only made from the hull or outer shell of the oat grain and it is a kind of pure insoluble fiber, that our bodies can’t digest, it is a great way to get good texture with very minuscule carbs!
The oat fiber in this recipe gives the “angel food-like” texture to this cheesecake.
As I mentioned above traditional cheesecakes like this one use wheat flour, but the oat fiber here works just as well and gives us a gluten-free and low-carb cheesecake.
There are many brands of oat fiber out there but rest assured they are NOT all created equal. Some have a very dark color to them and have a strong earthy flavor that doesn’t taste good at all in baked goods.
I’ve tested out many over the last 8 years and I’ve found a couple that I believe are the mildest in flavor and color. But out of even those two, my top favorite is the Trim Healthy Mama Brand Oat Fiber.
Trust me it works great in this low-carb Japanese Cheesecake and many other recipes without adding any strong earthly flavors, which is what you want!
Why Should I Use A Water Bath For Cheesecakes?
A water bath is simply a pan of hot water that you place in the oven. This pan of water is also called a bain-marie.
I know a lot of people think it is overkill or too much trouble to use a water bath but trust me, it is important for cheesecakes like this one.
When you use a water bath, it really helps cheesecakes bake more evenly and it also is also one of the few things that can help you avoid those cracks that sometimes appear in cheesecakes during baking.
Here are a few tips for using a water bath when you bake this low-carb Japanese Cheesecake.
- It is important to always start with hot water in your water bath. Starting with cold water will change your oven temperature and bake time,” Catherine warns.
- Don’t overfill the pan. An inch or two up the side of the cheesecake pan will be plenty. You don’t want to get water into the cheesecake batter as this will cause textual issues.
- Protect your cheesecake by either setting your springform pan inside a slightly larger cake pan before placing it in the water bath or by wrapping it tightly in a few layers of foil to avoid getting water seeped into the bottom of the pan and the batter.
Happy Husband, Happy Wife!
My husband was such a happy guy when I served him this cheesecake, in fact, he was so thrilled with how it came out that he couldn’t stop raving about it through the mouthfuls of his second piece!
Yes, two pieces, after all, it was his birthday and a little extra sweetness won’t hurt him once in a while, right? Seeing his delight makes me a happy girl because he is such a great husband and father.
So anything I can do to honor him or bring joy to him is well worth it.
He is already adding cream cheese to the grocery list for my next trip and talking to me about new flavors like lemon or even coffee for the blog. Isn’t he a thoughtful guy?
Surely there are no selfish motives behind wanting me to start working on a new flavor profile immediately, right?
Japanese Cotton Cheesecake
A delicious vanilla cheesecake that is so light and airy you'll thing you're eating and Angel Food Cake. I
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp of Pyure Sweetener
- 1/2 cup of Half and Half, see notes
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons of Oat Fiber
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 320 degrees.
- Line the bottom of a 10” springform pan with some parchment paper, then spray very well with some nonstick spray.
- Wrap the outside of the pan with a couple of layers of aluminum foil and set it aside. This will prevent water from getting into the pan later during baking. Set aside
- Separate your eggs.
- In a medium bowl add in your egg yolk, cream cheese, sour cream, 1/2 cup of the sweetener, half and half, vanilla, and mix thoroughly. All your ingredients will come together quickly if at room temperature.
- Next, add egg whites and the remaining 2 Tbsp of sweetener to a mixing bowl and beat on medium to high with a whisk attachment until you have stiff peaks.
- Once your whites are at the stiff peak stage, add 1/3 of the egg whites to the cream cheese mixture and sift in 1 tablespoon of the oat fiber. Then gentle fold in.
- Next, add another 1/3 of the egg whites and sift in the last tablespoon of oat fiber and fold in thoroughly.
- Add in the last of your egg whites and continue you folding the mixture gently until all the whites are mixed in. Try to keep the whites as fluffy as you can.
After your mixture is ready add the batter to your baking pan. - Then put that pan in a larger pan and pour hot water around the sides of the pan until it reaches halfway up. Be careful not to get water in the mixture.
- Bake the cake for 1 hour and test for doneness with a toothpick. When it comes out clean it is ready. If not bake for ten additional minutes.
- If the cheesecake starts getting browner than you prefer on top while cooking simply cover it with foil and continue baking.
- Once baked turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for about 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cake from the water bath and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- The cheesecake will deflate about an inch or so as it cools. This is perfectly normal.
- After the cheesecake has cooled place it in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours. Chilling it completely improves the texture and flavor of this cheesecake.
Notes
Ingredient Note: In the recipe, the "Half and Half" listed is a dairy product sometimes referred to as "light cream" in other countries.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1 sliceAmount Per ServingCalories 220Total Fat 18gTrans Fat 0gCholesterol 138mgSodium 153mgCarbohydrates 5gNet Carbohydrates 3gFiber 2gSugar 3gSugar Alcohols 3gProtein 6g
I am not a nutritionist. If you have strict dietary needs I always recommend using an online nutrition calculator to calculate your totals using your exact brands you're using in this recipe as values may vary per brand.
I am a southern girl through and through that loves to laugh, cook, read and spend time with family. My passions outside of home schooling my son are ministering to those in need and creating art in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure in our little house and I wouldn’t trade it or the chance to share here with you for anything!
What is this half and half, I don’t get what it is wthout a name
Rosina, the half and half is the Name of the product that this recipe calls for. It is a dairy product found near the milk and heavy whipping cream.
Yeah that was my thought too! As this is posted on the world wide web, the recipe should maybe state exactly what half and half is, & what some alternatives are further rest of the world. 🙂
What exactly do you recommend I list it as in the recipe card that everyone on the world wide web would instantly recognize? Also, it is easy to research items on that same web when you have questions. I have to do it when I’m making recipes from other countries also. But if you have a term that is universal for this product please share.
WOw! Im excited to try this recipe. Can i use swerve instead of pyure for the sweetener? Do i have to adjust the measurement if its ok?
Hi Renie, I haven’t used Swerve much, but here is a link to a great blog post that shares about the conversion process. Just click to the site and scroll down where she has all the sweeteners listed and amounts. 🙂 https://www.wholesomeyum.com/natural-low-carb-sweeteners-guide-conversion-chart/
Excellent recipe! I’ve made this cheesecake three times now! I was not familiar with Pyure, but bought it to try, and it is now part of my arsenal of sugar substitutes. The only change I made to the recipe was to add 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar to the egg whites.
Regarding the bain-marie, my foolproof method is to place the pan inside a slightly larger silicone baking pan, and then place the whole thing into the bain-marie. No foil needed, no water leaking in, and perfect crack-free cheesecake every time.
So glad you like this cheesecake as much as we do! That is a great idea about using the silicone baking pan, I will give it a try next week when I have plans to make this again. Thank you so much for sharing that tip with us. 🙂
Do you suppose I could substitute the half-and-half for cashew milk, perhaps in a lesser amount? Or the sour cream for Greek yogurt? Or am I better off just going to the grocery store before attempting this recipe? 😉 Thank you!
Hmm, I think the Greek yogurt could work in place of the sour cream, but I am not sure on the cashew milk. The reason I hesitate is that the cashew milk is mostly water and it could affect the way the cheesecake sets while baking and the texture. That would be my only worry with subbing. If you give it a try, I would love to know how it turns out for you.
Do you really preheat your oven to 320 degrees? That seems like an odd number. Do you mean 300 or 325 maybe? Thank you for the recipe. It looks amazing. I just placed a THM order but have not tried their oat fiber yet. Too bad I didn’t order some.
Yes, I mean preheat to 320 degrees. That is the temperature I always cook my cheesecakes on. You can use 300 if you prefer, just know that it may take longer to cook. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it. If you get a chance to try it I highly recommend their brand. I have tried several brands oat fiber and out of all them, the THM brand is the best. It has a very neutral flavor and is light in color, whereas the others have a very strong fiber smell and flavor in baked goods. There is also a great price (I know the shipping can be expensive though).
I have made this cheese cake going on my second time. It’s great tasting, but I have trouble getting it done. The first one I cooked for an hour and a half. This one is going on 2 hours. Is this normal?
HI Bethany, I am not sure why it would take 2 hours to make. I have never had one take that long before. There isn’t a chance that some of the water from the hot water bath gets into the batter is there? Sometimes that will cause longer baking times.
Have you ever tried freezing leftover cheesecake? There are just the two of us and I hate to waste.
Thank you….this recipe looks great.
Hey Kathy, yes I freeze cheesecakes all the time and they are awesome when they come out of the freezer! Just pull it out and let it thaw on the counter for a little bit or slowly in the fridge.
Hello, really looking forward to trying this. I’m wondering why to add the oat fiber to the egg whites instead of the cream cheese mixture though. Is there a reason for doing it this way? Thank you.
Deanna, the oat fiber is just folded in the egg whites for stability. However, I can’t say for certain it would cause problems if you just add it to the cream cheese mixture. I have just not made it that way.
Ooo, I can’t wait to try this, I LOVE cheesecake!!! Thank you for the low carb spin on a tasty classic!
I am very excited to make this – what about substituting for the oat fiber- almond flour? Coconut flour? Gluten free flour? Let me know your thoughts
Hi Joan, I think the almond flour would give you a gritty texture and the coconut flour might be too absorbant so it might make the cheesecake too dry. Now I am not sure about the gluten free flour but I think it would work best out of the three if it were me. Let me know which one you try and how you like it!
I did this with a dash of cardamom, since liquid stevia in addition to erythritol (I am not familiar with sweetener you suggest) 2 t almond flour, and reversed the quantities of the sour cream and cream cheeses. I think the whole water bath thing is a mistake… There is really no way to keep water out of a spring form pan, foil wrap was full of it…. So will not do that again. Came out great. So so light. Not really cheesecake like at all.
Nice to hear you made it your own Joan. I have never had an issue with the water bath and water getting in my foil or pan so that is new to me. Glad you made something you can enjoy. Thanks so much for letting me know how yours turned out. 🙂
It’s funny that you change the entire recipe and then complain that it isn’t cheesecake-like at all and the water bath is a mistake. Lol.
This is a low carb version of Japanese cheesecake. Nothing like our American version.
A bain marie (water bath) is a classic way of cooking foods that need gentle heat with moisture. Done correctly, it helps a cheesecake cook perfectly from the edges to the middle. The key is to use heavy duty foil that is large enough to make a single piece that will wrap around the pan with no openings. One piece of foil. It really does work beautifully.
Water baths keep cheesecakes from cracking by adding moisture to the cooking process. I have made cheesecakes for years and would never skip this step. Now I have always wrapped the pan in 4 or 5 layers of heavy duty foil, but I recently found a tip to use an oven bag instead of foil. It works perfectly!!! And is much easier.
I have never thought about using oven bag Bonnie, that is a great tip! Thank you for sharing it with me. I have a new cheesecake recipe (an adaptation of this one) this weekend, so I will try that too! Do you still use the water, or just the bag on a baking sheet?
Keri, I still use water. I just use the oven bag in place of the foil. I usually buy the small oven bags and sit the pan right in the bag and roll the edges down so they are equal with the top of the cheesecake pan. It couldn’t be easier and you don’t have to worry about water getting through the foil!
That is brilliant! I have added bags to me shopping list lol.
Keri, you really have me thinking now. I wonder if you could use an oven bag, with damp parchment inside. Then you could close up the bag and not have to use a water bath, but still have the necessary moisture. Not sure if it would work, but maybe I will have to try it, as crazy as it sounds! LOL!…The spirit of the late Julia Child is going to haunt me forever for suggesting such a thing!
Lol, oh Bonnie! I hear that same voice sometimes, love her!
That is brilliant!
Can you replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt?
Hi Bistra, generally speaking, you can substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream, in equal amounts. However, there are a few things that the yogurt can change in this recipe, the first being the carb count since yogurt is higher in carbs than sour cream. Next, if you are using a fat-free yogurt the taste may vary from the original recipe a bit since yogurt usually has a stronger flavor. The texture may also be affected some, but I can’t say for sure since I haven’t tried it (not a huge fan of yogurt myself). I hope this helps and if you give it a try please let me know how it works for you. I would love to know.
What is the purpose of the oat fiber in the recipe?
Hi Lynn, I talk about the oat fiber in my post above and how it is for the texture. This cheesecake has a very airy texture but also the slight feel of a sponge cake so the oat fiber aids in that. It can be left out if you choose to. The taste will not be affected but the texture will be different than mine.
This looks fantastic, can’t wait to try it. I am wondering, is there any sub for oat fiber? I hate to buy a bag of it if I am only going to use a couple of tablespoons.
Hello Cynthia, I have only used oat fiber at this time so I am not sure what you could sub for it, however I believe the cheesecake would be be good without it, however the texture might vary a little. You might try any very finely ground flour you prefer. Although I am not sure almond flour would work as it might leave the texture feeling too grainy. Hope that helps.
What do you mean by half and half
Hi Betty, half and half is a mixture of milk and cream. For example, in the UK I think it may be called single cream but not sure. If you don’t have that you can use double cream or any creamy milk substitute.I hope that helps.
Came over from Arkansas Women Bloggers link-up and SO glad to have spent a little time checking out blogs because I eat keto/low-carb and your recipes look great! Hope to make this one over the weekend. I don’t have oat fiber, though. Gonna have to try and track some down.
What is the carb count?
Hi Carol, the total carb count per slice is 4 grams and net carbs are 3 grams. This is for 10 slices cut from the cake. You can find the full nutritional information from my calculations in the note section below the recipe. They are per my calculation using my brands, so if you need to be exact you might refigure with our brands. Hope this helps.
That looks amazing! It would be great for us to bring to our church potluck each Sunday. I am gonna try to make it for thus Sunday & I’ll let ya know.
Yes, let me know how you like it. We are having my husband’s late birthday celebration this weekend with this side of the family so he ask me to make it again. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
The best part about this instruction/recipe… “Seeing his delight makes me a happy girl because he is such a great husband and father. So anything I can do to honor him or bring joy to him is well worth it.”
I’m still trying to figure out the different sweetners…xylitol, erythritol, stevia…liquid/powder. Would the THM Gentle Sweet be a good substitute without any adverse affects?
Yes Margery, you can totally sub the Gentle Sweet. Be sure to check the THM Website for their conversion chart to get how much Gentle Sweet would replace the 1/2 cup of Pyure. 🙂
Hi, I don’t see any oat fiber in the recipe or method. Where do you use it…?
Anne, so sorry it is fixed now. Crazy mom brain here…lol.
In your writing before the recipe, you mentioned oat fiber. It says you added about 2 Tablespoons, but it isn’t in the recipe. Can you clarify? And do you have any tips about buying oat fiber? Thank you! This is beyond my usual skill level but it sounds so interesting I may try it.
Hi Roz! Sorry about the omission of the oat fiber I have fixed that now. Yes, for the oat fiber the best I have found is the THM brand. I say that because it has a much less “fiber” taste and is totally gluten free. I have tried others that worked okay, like the NuNaturals brand, but it had a very strong smell and taste in my baked goods. The THM brand does not have those. Very mild. 🙂
Just wondering — above the recipe you say you added some oat fiber but it isn’t listed in your actual recipe. Does it make a big difference without it?
Thanks
Yes, so very sorry Randy, I have fixed the recipe now.