Low Sodium Cheesecake with Berry Topping Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis low sodium cheesecake recipe with berries is a fantastic dessert to enjoy any time of year – especially Valentine’s Day! Cream cheese is whipped with eggs and sugar, poured into a easy pie crust, and covered with a slow-simmered berry topping.
A perfect sweet, tangy, and slightly tart dessert – this easy cheesecake uses some great low sodium hacks for a fantastic dessert.
Want more great low sodium dessert ideas? Try our low sodium chocolate chip cookies, low sodium white chocolate pretzels, and our favorite low sodium kolacky cookies!
I was recently home for the holidays (finishing up my first book – Low Sodium Dinners!) and I made this recipe with my dad, it’s one of his classics! Let me tell you, what a treat it was. I prepped it with him in the kitchen and we made a low sodium version that the whole family could enjoy.
It’s also great because you can top it with any seasonal fruit you have on hand. We used blackberries and blueberries (a classic), but if you have fresh strawberries in the summer, or figs in the fall, this would be a great recipe to use them in!
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s a creamy, delicious, and a great crowd-pleaser dessert!
- The berry topping makes a tasty sweet & tangy addition to the cheesecake.
- This recipe is versatile – if you don’t have fresh berries, you can use another fruit topping or omit the topping altogether.
- It’s a family classic – one of my family’s signature desserts that I updated to be low in sodium!
- A great option for a holiday dessert or special occasion dinner.
What’s In This Homemade Cheesecake Recipe?
- Cream Cheese – I use a regular cream cheese, not whipped.
- Granulated Sugar – I used regular white sugar for this cheesecake, and for the berry topping.
- Eggs – Eggs naturally have 60-70 mg sodium per serving in each egg. The eggs are necessary in the cheesecake filling as a binder.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: it’s super important to use real pure vanilla extract, and not artificial baking vanilla flavor. This real all natural vanilla is a fantastic ingredient to give this recipe an extra boost.
- Lemon, zested
- Low Sodium Pie Crust – I have found many low sodium pie crust options at my local grocery stores, in the baking aisles and also the freezer section! Trader Joe’s and Whole foods both have excellent frozen low sodium pie crust options. Or follow my low sodium pie crust recipe for tender and flaky crust!
- Berries to top – I used blueberries and blackberries which I made into a compote with a little sugar.
See the recipe card below for a full list of instructions and ingredient amounts!
Additions and Substitutions
Instead of sugar, you can try another sweetener (or artificial sweetener) in it’s place.
For the topping you can use different berries, or another in-season fruit. Chopped strawberries, raspberries, and pomegranate seeds are excellent options – the sweetness and tartness work well with the creamy cheesecake.
For this recipe I used a store-bought pie crust that was very low in sodium, however you can use a homemade low sodium pie crust instead if desired.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Remove cream cheese from refrigerator so it comes to room temperature. Place the blueberries and blackberries in a bowl and cover them with 2 tablespoons sugar.
Step 2: Place the berry and sugar mixture in a sauce pan, and gently mash with a fork. Heat over medium-low heat and stir every few minutes (or mash with a fork), until the berries have softened and released their juices.
Step 3: Once the berry mixture becomes thick and jammy, remove from heat and set aside.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the softened cream cheese and place it in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Whip the cream cheese for 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: To the cream cheese, add the sour cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and the lemon zest. Mix or whisk until well combined, and there are no lumps in the filling.
Step 6: Add the filling to a 9-inch pie crust, making sure is spread in an even layer.
Step 7: Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake, and allow to cool in the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes.
Step 8: Take your berry topping and pour it over the cheesecake. Cover and place cheesecake in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes, serve cold or at room temperature.
Recipe FAQs
This low sodium cheesecake has just under 200 mg sodium per slice (or 1/8th of the total recipe), as this recipe uses low sodium ingredients. Commercial or restaurant/bakery cheesecakes may have more sodium depending on the ingredients they use.
If you have leftover cheesecake, cover the pie tin with a lid, or store slices in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Do not leave the cheesecake out on the counter, as it must be refrigerated.
Check your grocery store’s freezer aisle first – I have found great pie crusts for desserts and quiches in the frozen section. Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and my local big box grocery stores all have very low sodium options (70mg per serving or less!), check there or in the baking aisle.
More Low Sodium Desserts
- Low Sodium Sugar Cookies
- Low Sodium Chocolate Peppermint Bark
- The Best Low Sodium Carrot Cake
- Low Sodium Pumpkin Pie
- Low Sodium Chocolate Cupcakes
Let’s keep in touch – don’t forget to follow over on Instagram, Facebook, & my Youtube channel for more easy low sodium recipes.
If you made this recipe please leave a star rating & comment below. Your feedback helps other people who are making this recipe.
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Low Sodium Cheesecake with Berries
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
For the Berry Topping
- 6 ounces blueberries
- 6 ounces black berries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
For The Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1.5 cups sour cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 9- inch low sodium pie crust
Instructions
- Remove cream cheese from refrigerator so it comes to room temperature. Place the blueberries and blackberries in a bowl and cover them with 1/4 cup sugar.
- Place the berry and sugar mixture in a sauce pan, and gently mash with a fork. Heat over medium-low heat and stir every few minutes (or mash with a fork), until the berries have softened and released their juices.
- Once the berry mixture becomes thick and jammy, remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the softened cream cheese and place it in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Whip the cream cheese for 2-3 minutes.
- To the cream cheese, add the sour cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and the lemon zest. Mix or whisk until well combined, and there are no lumps in the filling.
- Add the filling to a 9-inch pie crust, making sure is spread in an even layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake, and allow to cool in the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes.
- Take your berry topping and pour it over the cheesecake. Cover and place cheesecake in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes, serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- This recipe makes 8 servings total. The nutritional information listed here is for one serving, or 1/8th of the total recipe.
Nutrition estimate (for 1 serving)
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used in our kitchen. It will vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify your nutrition content and sodium amounts.
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