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GET IT NOWMy Ricotta Cheese Dessert Recipe Is A Creamy, High Protein Treat In 10 Minutes
I first made this ricotta dessert recipe when I wanted something light after Italian dinners, but since then, I’ve found several more reasons to make it — some of them unexpected:
- Rich, creamy, and so pretty – The texture reminds me of a richer, creamier yogurt or mousse, and the presentation with colorful berries makes me enjoy it that much more.
- High protein treat with no added sugar – Over 20 grams of protein each! And unlike many ricotta cheese dessert recipes, this one is gluten-free with no refined sugar. I’ve even had it as a healthy breakfast.
- Red, white, and blue – With the festive colors, this has become one of my favorite 4th of July recipes! It’s great for Memorial Day and Labor Day, too.
- Fast and easy – You only need 10 minutes and a few simple ingredients to throw together this ricotta cheese dessert. Much easier than baking anything! It’s perfect for last-minute guests, sweet cravings, or when it’s too hot to turn on the oven.
If you’re looking for a red, white, and blue dessert, or just want a sweet fix fast today, grab some ricotta and make this ricotta dessert with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my ricotta cheese dessert recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ricotta Cheese – The main, creamy ingredient, and a great source of protein! I prefer whole milk ricotta cheese, but 2% works, too. You can also swap in cottage cheese or farmer’s cheese.
- Heavy Cream – This helps the ricotta blend into a silky, mousse-like texture. You can use half and half or milk instead, but they aren’t as thick, so I’d start with less.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – The only sweetener I recommend here! It’s natural, tastes great with no aftertaste, has zero calories, and most importantly, dissolves just like powdered sugar. Most sugar alternatives will leave a gritty texture or can crystallize, and liquid sweeteners will make the ricotta dessert too runny. The only other option that I’ve found works well is plain powdered allulose, but you’ll need more, about 2/3 cup.
- Flavor Boosters – Including lemon zest and vanilla extract. Feel free to double the zest, or even add a splash of lemon juice (but not too much or the texture gets runny).
- Berries – I layered in raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries to get that red, white, and blue look… perfect for summer holidays! Any fruit you like is great.
- Optional Toppings – I like a swirl of my sugar-free whipped cream and a sprinkle of sliced almonds. You can also opt for chocolate chips, other nuts, seeds, a shake of cinnamon, sprigs of mint leaves, or a drizzle of my sugar-free honey.
How To Make Ricotta Dessert
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Blend the ricotta whip. Combine the ricotta, cream, lemon zest, Besti, and vanilla in a blender, and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a splash of cream. If it’s too thin, you can add more ricotta. Taste and sweeten more if needed.
- Layer it up. Spoon the ricotta into bowls, layering with the berries. I used these clear mini trifle bowls, pictured here. I usually do two layers of each, then top with whipped cream and almonds if I’m feeling fancy.
My Recipe Tips
- Make sure your ricotta is cold straight from the fridge. Not only does it taste better, it has a firmer texture. I once let it sit out for a while by accident, and the result was more runny.
- A high-speed blender works best to make the ricotta smooth and airy. Weaker blenders can still work, but the result won’t be as smooth.
- The texture can vary depending on your ricotta. Sometimes I get a thicker, creamier ricotta cheese dessert, other times it’s a bit more like yogurt. So if you want it thicker…
- For a thicker texture, blend in a few tablespoons of cream cheese or mascarpone. Make sure it’s at room temperature, so it mixes in smoothly.
- Adjust the sweetness to your taste. This recipe is mildly sweet, not super sweet, so feel free to add more powdered Besti if you like it sweeter. If you go overboard and it turns out too sweet, you can cut the sweetness with a small splash of lemon juice or a pinch of salt.
- Want to lighten it up? Half and half or milk will work instead of heavy cream, but it will be less rich. I recommend starting with less if you use these, since they aren’t as thick.
- If you want to see the berry layers on the sides, it helps to place the berries tightly against the edge of your container. Otherwise the creamy ricotta mixture will run down the sides and cover them up. Your ricotta dessert will be delicious either way, I just think it’s prettier when the berries are peeking out!
- These are quite filling, so make them smaller for a lighter treat. You can choose smaller serving cups and make 8 from this recipe instead of 4.
- Chocolate flavor variation: Add several teaspoons of cocoa power to the ricotta cheese mixture, blending after each addition until it’s as chocolaty as you like. Or just use sugar free chocolate chips as topping!
Ricotta Dessert
Whip up my easy ricotta dessert in just 10 minutes! This ricotta cheese recipe has layers of sweet, creamy whip and fresh berries.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a high-power blender, combine the ricotta cheese, heavy cream, lemon zest, powdered Besti, and vanilla. Blend for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy.
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If the mixture has trouble blending or is too thick, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to get the consistency you like. Adjust sweetener to your taste if needed.
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In 4 parfait cups, build alternating layers of ricotta whip and berries. (I do 2 layers of each.)
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If you like, garnish with whipped cream and sliced almonds.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 large ricotta dessert cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect texture, ways to adjust the flavor, and how to get those picture-perfect berry layers.
- Storage & meal prep: Cover the ricotta desserts with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Sometimes I meal prep them for breakfast!
- Freeze: You can freeze these, but the texture gets a little grainy. I still like them half-frozen, as they remind me of ice cream.
- Note on nutrition info: The optional almonds and whipped cream are not included. Some of you have asked where the sugar comes from — it’s from the ricotta and berries.
- Note on serving size: These are pretty big desserts. When I want smaller, lighter ones, I divide this ricotta cheese dessert recipe into 8 servings instead of 4, and use smaller cups.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Ricotta Dessert
89 Comments
Debbie
1The base was simply delicious! I have a thing for extra tart desserts, so I added the juice of a lime and 2 tbsp of lemon which was refreshing. Will try other additions for different variations. Thank you for a great recipe!
June Uhrick
0Delicious and filling! Will definately make again! But you definately do need a high speed blender or you get a grannies texture!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, June! Yes, I do recommend a high-power blender for the best texture here.
Marilyn Paul
0I made this for the first time. My heavy cream went bad so I had to use some coconut milk. It whipped together real nice. I only did 1/2 of recipe. I did put a small dish in freezer for awhile – I really like that.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you enjoyed it, Marilyn! Coconut milk is a perfect sub when you need it. Great idea to freeze for a bit too — yum!
Mary
0Hi Maya, I am making this for dessert tonight. I have a couple of girlfriends over to watch the fireworks. I have homemade cranberry sauce, your recipe, that I am going to swirl into the dessert. We all like cranberries and I had a couple of packages that I needed to use. I will let you know how it worked. I use Bel Gioioso Ricotta con latte that taste so much like homemade. It is delicious and I use this now instead of making my own. Thanks for the recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That sounds delicious, Mary! Hope you loved it and had a great holiday!
Holly
0I love this dessert! I have made several variations using different extracts and add ins. Delicious. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Holly! Yes, it’s so easy to customize!
Sam
0I have made this a couple of times. I add two scoops of a flavored smoothie mix to the recipe for both flavoring and additional protein. It’s delicious. However, I have been having difficulties getting my blender to blend everything smoothly. It seems that instead of pulling the ricotta cheese down it simply makes a funnel and then I have to scoop everything out of the blender and mix by hand. It’s laborious, but still worth it to me. Any suggestions on the blender issue? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked this recipe, Sam! It sounds like maybe your blender isn’t full enough or isn’t powerful enough? I use and recommend this blender and haven’t had this issue.
Ruth
0Sweetener need to be Allulose? Any other work as well?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ruth, Yes, I recommend an allulose-based sweetener here because others don’t dissolve well and will make a gritty texture.
Bill
0Is it 1.5 lbs of ricotta or 1 half pound container?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Bill, It’s 1.5 pounds (24 ounces) of ricotta. Hope this helps!
Joana Myers
1I was skeptical at first thinking how can ricotta taste well as a dessert? OMG it’s sooooo delicious!!! Even my kids liked it and you know how that goes! Followed recipe with a tad extra zest and bam! Yummiest!! Thank you!
Veronica
0Absolutely Delicious!!
Becky Nilan
0Delicious. Great summer dessert.
Maqhi
0Delicious, even without the berries. I just sprinkled cinnamon on it since I didn’t want any extra carbs. Hubby liked it, too!
Carol
0Had a grainy texture; would say that “purée til smooth” should have a reference to a time. I thought it looked smooth, but could have under blended?? Taste nice. Wish it were thicker. Think I will fold in whipped cream if I make again.
barb
0I liked it a lot. The lemon helped take the tart out of the raspberry.
LaWanda
0Hi Maya! I am the only one who will be eating this dessert. Will the puree (no berries) keep in the refrigerator for a few days? Also, is this recipe on Youtube? For some reason, the video button is not working for me and I would like to watch it, if it is available. Thanks.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi LaWanda, Yes, you can store it for a few days. This recipe is not on YouTube but the video seems to be working now.
LaWanda
0Hi Maya! I so want to make this, since I have berries that need to be used. Is 1 1/2 lb whole milk ricotta the same as 24 ounces or three cups?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi LaWanda, Yes, that is correct.
Beryl ASH
0Can this be made in one large trifle bowl? Want to make it for a birthday party request for low carb dessert
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Beryl, Yes, you can do that. You’d probably need to double or triple the recipe, depending on the size of the large trifle bowl. Please let me know how it turns out. Hope you have a wonderful birthday celebration!
Susan
0This worked very nicely for breakfast, except for one thing: when I put the cheese and other ingredients in the blender it became very liquid. My solution was to add 2 cups of frozen mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries), which restored the proper thickness, and then serve some additional fruit on top. By adding protein powder I ended up making it too sweet for my taste, but my husband loved it. Next time I would choose to mix it by hand, and just chop up the lemon zest.
Debbie
0Very easy to make and tasted so good for keto ice cream, 4th time making this recipe!
Delilah
0This was so simple and delicious! I felt it need a little bit of something else so I added some maple extract to the mix and once blended, I added some chia seeds and refrigerated it overnight. I love the texture and flavour and will definitely be making this sweet treat again!
Susan
0It seems to me that this could be really good breakfast, minus the sweetener (I don’t like a lot of sweet flavor, and if I used protein powder to increase the protein level, it has some stevia in it, so it would be plenty sweet. I’m always looking for good breakfast ideas, so thank you for inspiring me.
Karen Moore
0The information given is confusing regarding the number of servings — and thereby the macros per serving. On the recipe card, it says it makes 8 servings. But in the text of the directions, it says get out 4 parfait dishes. So does this recipe make 4 or 8? And are the macro values for 4 or 8?
Thanks for clarifying this.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Karen, Sorry this is confusing. This recipe serves 8 and the nutrition shown is for the 8 servings.
Devon
0This was delicious. I loved it. Great flavor. A perfect dessert. For me personally, I struggle with the texture of lemon rind. I don’t use it often but have tried it in 2 recipes now. I will have to try chopping it smaller or grinding it more somehow. Or maybe lessen the heavy cream a bit and use lemon juice?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Devon, If you don’t have one yet, try using a microplane to gather your lemon zest. It is a very fine texture and shouldn’t be noticeable in the final dessert. I hope this helps!
Deanna
0I must have done something wrong, my ricotta mix turned liquid. I used the exact ingredients listed in the recipe and mixed it up in my vitamix long enough to just blend ingredients. It was runny, so I saw in the comments that someone mixed it 3 minutes so I tried that but it was still runny. Currently it is in the fridge to see if it will set up.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Deanna, What was the state of your ricotta before adding to the blender? Was it dry like mine in the video or was it more watery? If your ricotta is watery, it would be best to drain off the excess liquid before using or skip the heavy cream in the recipe.
Bernadette
0So easy and delicious – I dumped the whole container of ricotta into the vitamix, added the other ingredients (substituting 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp of Truvia spoonable), maybe increased the lemon zest to 3 Tbsp and turned it on high for a total of about 3 min until smooth. Used short whisky style glasses – layer of almost thawed frozen blueberries, then the cream, then fresh blackberries, then cream, then a single strawberry on top. Rave reviews from non-keto guests as well as my 13 year old.
Paula
0Why can’t I tap on the P to save directly to Pinterest any more? I have noticed for the past month or so, when I attempt to save a recipe, it opens a new window asking to sign into Pinterest from the web. It used to just open Pinterest and ask which board I want to save to.
Not a great experience.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Paula, I am sorry you are experiencing this issue. The button should link directly to your Pinterest account, but you must be logged in to Pinterest on whatever device you are using. Log in to your Pinterest account and then close the window (do not log out). You may need to refresh the page, but this should fix the problem.
Marty
0The ricotta mix felt a little grainy,
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marty, I’m sorry this didn’t suit your tastes. If you have a high powered blender, that will give you the creamiest result for this recipe.
Nancy B Knowles
0I might have done something wrong. I made the dessert the afternoon before I served this to my company and found that it got liquidy on the top, It almost seemed as though the whipped cream had separate from the rest of the ingredients. Not sure what I might have done wrong. The flavor was fine, though. Help???
Thank you, Nancy
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Nancy, It sounds like a small amount of whey separation occurred here. That is normal. The liquid just needs to be stirred back in.
AnnScott Snead
0I substituted fresh peaches for the berries..yum!!! Tasted like home churned peach ice cream!
SANDRA JEFFREY
0I have NO experience with the KETO LIFESTYLE except through friends who’ve had amazing success with losing weight and staying super healthy at that same time. I’m kind of at the opposite end of the spectrum as I don’t tend to put on weight easily. It’s a genetic thing!!! My Grandma and Mom were both the same. But I have an amazing daughter-in-law who is thrilled with the results of living KETO. We celebrated her Birthday with a full Keto Brunch with Family that included this Dessert! Everyone RAVED about how delicious it was. I am crazy about PRESENTATION when it comes to cooking and honestly I chose this dessert based on how BEAUTIFUL it looks. LOL Thanks for the PERFECT combination of HEALTHY, YUMMY and BEAUTIFUL all at the same time!!! 10/10 from this entire family.
Barbara
0Excellent! We added a splash of amaretto (shh). Would definitely make for a company dessert. We ate it in stemless wine glasses, and it was very pretty 🙂
Sheryl
0how long will this keep in the refrigerator?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sheryl, This dessert will keep in the fridge for several days. If you would rather store it long term, it will freeze nicely as well.
Sandy
0OMG! SO good! Just had a small portion for breakfast. Much better than paying the extra cost for sugar-free yogurt & so much tastier.
Julie Ekholm
0Can regular cottage cheese be substituted for the ricotta cheese?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Julie, Cottage cheese has a bit of a distinctive flavor and higher carb. As long as you are fine with that, then the recipe will still work.
Rachael
0I made a mini pie base using the almond pie crust, topped it with this ricotta filling then drizzle with roasted strawberries and rhubarb. It was delicious.
Rayna
0my husbands fav dessert! Even the non keto peoples loved it! Definitely my go to dessert at dinner parties!
Gail Lesnick
0Could you use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream? Looking at making this tonight 🙂
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Gail, Yes you can use half and half in place of heavy whipping cream, however, it will change the macros of the final dish. Enjoy!
Carmen Banks
0I had some Ricotta cheese that I needed to use so I decided to make this recipe. Although I wasn’t exactly sure how to calculate 1 1/2 lb to cups, I guesstimated using the Ricotta that I had which was about 24 oz. It turned out delicious!!! I also used an emulsifier instead of a blender. I didn’t want to have to scrape off the sides because I didn’t want to waste any of this deliciousness. I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. OH MY–DELISH!!!! Thanks so much for putting this recipe out there for us.
Jonel
0You are awesome!!!! Luv every recipe. New to keto, trying to get my husband on board. With these recipes I think it will be easy. Can’t wait to try them. Super excited for this lifestyle change. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I’m excited.
Jay Bursky
0Maya, this recipe looks great. I do have a question. The nutrition indicates that there are 4 grams of sugar. Since the sugar added to the recipe is from artificial sweeteners, then I am assuming that the 4 grams of sugar are from the fruit itself. Assuming that is true, what can be done to reduce the amount of sugar? Reduce the amount of fruit? Is there anything else I am missing that can reduce the sugar?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Jay, a small amount of sugar comes from the ricotta, but you’re correct. Reducing the berries is the best way to reduce the sugar.
Valerie Lane
0Tastes like a cannoli! Yum!
Justin
0I doubled the lemon zest and skipped the berries and whipped cream and it made a decent lemon pudding.
Suzy
0This looks absolutely wonderful! Will be trying this soon and I’m sure it will be a family favorite all summer long!
Suzy
0Wow! This dessert was everything and more that I hoped for! Will be making it again!
Toni
0This is such a gorgeous dessert for Fourth of July!! Yummy!!
Nicolas Hortense
0Wow nice!! It is amazing how simple this is!! Loving that beautiful creamy ricotta mixture, so tasty!!
Veena Azmanov
0I love the presentation to this amazing dessert. I love it.
Alina
0I usually use Mascarpone for similar desserts, but your combination of ricotta and vanilla makes we want to try! I love that you just blended it, so easy! I need to try it with mint. Oh, so good for a lazy summer weekend!
Shiho
0Looks delicious! and so intrigued to make this. I was wondering if I could replace ricotta with mascarpone ?
Wholesome Yum
0I haven’t tried that, Shiho, but it should work!
Louanne Campbell
0I just made this. I bought the extra creamy ricotta. I don’t have one of those blenders, so I whisked it. It’s fine for me, but still a bit grainy for my hubby. Is this just a ricotta texture thing, or would the blender have eliminated it? The flavors are wonderful, though!
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Louanne, did you use powdered erythritol in the recipe? A granulated version would have made a texture like you described. Otherwise, blending is the next best way to avoid graininess.
Monica Davis
0I love that this is gluten free! Great for summer!