-I often use
my baking mix for a nut free crust option, but I do love an almond flour crust so I used that in this recipe.
CLICK HERE for a nut free crust recipe. (It's for a bigger cheesecake, so you may need to cut it in half. Add cocoa powder for a chocolate crust.)
-As always, feel free to use your favorite low-glycemic sweetener to taste in place of the
THM Super Sweet Blend I used! Various sweeteners vary in strength, so taste and adjust to find the right amount.
-I used 8 oz. full-fat cream cheese and 8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, but both will work. Full-fat cream cheese will give you a firmer result with fewer cracks, but I actually like the texture best when using a combination of both full and reduced fat. I used reduced-fat sour cream to cut down on unnecessary calories. If you're doing keto and you want to use all full-fat ingredients, go right ahead! I calculated the nutrition info with the ingredients I used.
-The cream of tartar is used to keep some air in the cheesecake so it's not as dense. I think it gives the cheesecake a great texture, but you can leave it out if you don't have it.
-Please do your own research regarding ingesting essential oils and use peppermint extract if you prefer. I'd start with ½ teaspoon of something like Watkins brand peppermint extract and increase until you get the right amount since it's so strong and can easily be overdone. I personally find that I can get a better peppermint flavor (less astringent and toothpasty) using peppermint essential oil. I used 8 drops, which is probably a bit strong for some of you, so start with 6 and add more if desired. UPDATE: My mom said she used 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract in place of the peppermint essential oil and loved the recipe!
-Of course you don't HAVE to use the food coloring if you'd rather not, but it makes the cheesecake so pretty! I know there are healthy options out there involving beet root powder if you're inclined to experiment, but I have no experience with them personally.
-Net carbs calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols from total carbs.