Is Cream cheese keto?
Keto-friendly 1.2 g net carbs per two tablespoons (29 g) — 6% of a 20 g keto day.
Short answer: Yes. Two tablespoons (29 g) of cream cheese: 1.2 g net carbs — 6% of a strict 20 g keto day — with 9.9 g fat and 1.7 g protein.
Log cream cheese in KetoraFree. Weigh it once and Ketora remembers your portion.
Full-fat cream cheese is a staple for keto sauces, cheesecakes and fat bombs. Light versions replace fat with thickeners and sometimes sugar.
How cream cheese fits a keto carb budget
On a 20 g day you could eat about 16.6 servings before reaching the limit — in practice cream cheese will never be what pushes you over.
Worked example. 29 g of cream cheese = 1.2 g total carbs − 0 g fibre = 1.2 g net carbs, 9.9 g fat, 1.7 g protein and 99 kcal.
Buying a packaged or flavoured cream cheese product? Run its label through the net carb calculator — added sugars change the picture quickly.
Nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per two tablespoons (29 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 342 kcal | 99 kcal |
| Fat | 34.2 g | 9.9 g |
| Protein | 5.9 g | 1.7 g |
| Total carbohydrate | 4.1 g | 1.2 g |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g |
| Net carbs | 4.1 g | 1.2 g |
Where the energy comes from:
How to eat cream cheese on keto
- Choose full-fat; check flavoured versions for sugar.
Keto recipes with cream cheese
- Keto Creamed Spinach
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fat Bombs
- Fathead Keto Pizza
- Cream Cheese Pancakes
- Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
- Keto New York Cheesecake
- Keto Cheeseburger Casserole (Hamburger Casserole)
- No-Churn Keto Vanilla Ice Cream
- Keto Hamburger Buns (Fathead Dough)
Compared with other dairy foods
Cream cheese ranks #8 of 10 dairy foods in our database by net carbs per 100 g (lowest first). Full-fat, unsweetened dairy fits; milk sugar (lactose) is the thing to watch.
| Food | Net carbs / 100 g | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Eggs | 0.7 g | 0.7 g |
| Cheddar cheese | 1.3 g | 0.4 g |
| Mozzarella | 2.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Heavy cream | 2.8 g | 0.8 g |
| Parmesan cheese | 3.2 g | 0.3 g |
| Cottage cheese | 3.4 g | 3.8 g |
See all dairy foods ranked by net carbs →
Frequently asked questions
How many net carbs are in cream cheese?
Cream cheese has about 4.1 g of net carbs per 100 g (4.1 g total carbohydrate minus 0 g fibre), and about 1.2 g per two tablespoons (29 g).
Can you eat cream cheese on keto?
Yes. A typical serving uses 6% of a strict 20 g net-carb day.
Values are per 100 g of the raw or stated food, rounded, from USDA FoodData Central. Brands and varieties differ — check the label for packaged products.