As an advocate of sugar-free baking and a true fan of ricotta cheese, I had to come up with a recipe for a sugar-free pie with ricotta as the star ingredient. This blueberry pie not only has a unique ricotta flavor, but also contains zero added sugar and is excellent for family meal prep.
Unlike heavy cheesecakes that leave you feeling stuffed, this blueberry sheet cake recipe ensures a wonderfully airy texture that lets the fresh berry flavor shine through. It's the kind of pie that works equally well for a casual sugar-free family dinner or when you want to impress guests with something less cliché.
What I love most about this recipe is its flexibility. I've made it with pure ricotta for that authentic Italian feel, swapped in cottage cheese (which we absolutely loved), and even done a half-and-half combination that gives you the best of both worlds. I also love that you can make this pie ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for several days for a quick treat after busy weeknight dinners.
Like the majority of desserts on our blog, this pie is sugar-free. However, you can easily substitute the sweetener with regular sugar 1:1 if you're OK with that.
For another sugar-free & incredibly delicious sheet cake that's among our all-time favorites, check out our sugar-free apple sheet cake.
Ingredients
Fresh Blueberries - Fresh is definitely best here, but if you're using frozen blueberries, don't thaw them first - add them straight from the freezer to prevent excess moisture. Wild blueberries are incredible if you can find them, with their intense flavor and smaller size.
Ricotta Cheese - This is what makes the filling so special. Good quality ricotta should be creamy and slightly sweet with fine curds. Whole milk ricotta gives the richest result, but part-skim works too. If your ricotta seems watery, drain it in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes before using. Cottage cheese is a perfect substitute or complement to ricotta. Choose small-curd cottage cheese for the smoothest result.
Eggs - These bind the filling and give it structure. Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily, so take them out of the fridge about an hour before baking. The eggs help create that perfect set-but-still-creamy texture.
Sweetener (Erythritol-based) - I love using erythritol-based sweeteners because they don't have that artificial aftertaste and work beautifully in baked goods. If using regular sugar, the same amount works perfectly. Powdered sweeteners blend more easily than granulated. Check out our article on sugar-free baking conversion for more tips on choosing the right sweetener for your recipes.
Vanilla Essence - A little goes a long way here. Pure vanilla extract is worth the investment - it adds depth and warmth that complements both the cheese and berries perfectly.
Potato Starch - The potato starch absorbs excess moisture from the berries and helps everything set properly without becoming watery. Potato starch is more effective than cornstarch here because it creates a silkier texture. If you can't find it, cornstarch works as a substitute.
Soft Butter - For the crust, butter should be soft enough to cream easily, but don't use melted butter. Butter creates that tender, cookie-like base that holds everything together.
Baking Powder - Just a touch to keep the crust light and prevent it from being too dense.
Wheat Flour - Start with less and add more as needed - you want a soft, manageable dough that's not sticky.
Use kitchen scales for precise measurements, and consult our measurement guide, if needed.
Detailed Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Oven: Set your oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Grease a springform cake pan thoroughly with butter (or a cooking spray) or line a sheet pan's bottom with parchment paper.
Step 2: Make the Crust: In a large mixing bowl, cream the soft butter with the sweetener until light and fluffy - this takes about 3-4 minutes with an electric stand mixer. Beat in the egg until well combined. In a separate small bowl, combine flour with baking powder and whisk them together. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels sticky, add more flour gradually until it's manageable but still soft. We like using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for this step.
Step 3: Press the Dough: Press about two-thirds of the dough into the bottom and slightly up the sides of your prepared pan. Don't worry about making it perfectly even - rustic charm is part of this pie's appeal. Reserve the remaining dough for later if you want to make a lattice top, or just use it all for the base.
Step 4: Prepare the Ricotta Filling: In a large bowl, beat the ricotta cheese with the sweetener using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. This takes about 2-3 minutes - you want to eliminate any lumps and create a light, airy texture. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla essence and potato starch. Mix until completely smooth.
Step 5: Assemble the Pie: Scatter half of the blueberries over the prepared crust. Pour the ricotta mixture over the berries, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top, gently pressing them down until they're level with the filling. This prevents them from burning while ensuring they're integrated into each slice.
Step 6: Bake to Perfection: Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is set and lightly golden brown on top. The center should be just barely jiggly when you gently shake the pan - it will continue to set as it cools. If the top starts browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Step 7: Cool and Finish: Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan - this is crucial for clean slicing. Dust powdered sweetener (or powdered sugar, if you wish) onto the cooled cake. For the best texture and flavor, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
That's it!
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Recipe Variations and Tips
Mixed Berry Version: Swap the blueberries for a combination of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Just make sure to slice larger berries and pat everything dry before using.
Lemon Ricotta Twist: Add some lemon zest to the ricotta mixture for a bright, citrusy variation.
Chocolate Chip Addition: Fold in a handful of mini sugar-free chocolate chips to the ricotta mixture for something completely different but surprisingly delicious.
Blueberry Pie with Whipped Ricotta (Sugar-Free)
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 cups blueberries
- 2 cups (500 g) ricotta cheese (can be replaced with cottage cheese)
- 2 eggs
- 7 oz (200 g) sweetener (I used erythritol-based sweetener)
- vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoon potato starch
Dough:
- ⅔ cups (150 g) soft butter
- 3.5 oz (100 g) sweetener
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 9-10 oz (250-300 g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a springform cake pan thoroughly with butter (or a cooking spray) or line a sheet pan's bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the soft butter with the sweetener until light and fluffy for about 3-4 minutes with an electric stand mixer. Beat in the egg until well combined. In a separate small bowl, combine flour with baking powder and whisk them together. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels sticky, add more flour gradually until it's manageable but still soft.
- Press about two-thirds of the dough into the bottom and slightly up the sides of your prepared pan. Don't worry about making it perfectly even.
- In a large bowl, beat the ricotta cheese with the sweetener using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. This takes about 2-3 minutes - you want to eliminate any lumps and create a light, airy texture. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla essence and potato starch. Mix until completely smooth.
- Scatter half of the blueberries over the prepared crust. Pour the ricotta mixture over the berries, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top, gently pressing them down until they're level with the filling.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is set and lightly golden brown on top. The center should be just barely jiggly when you gently shake the pan - it will continue to set as it cools. If the top starts browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan - this is crucial for clean slicing. Dust powdered sweetener onto the cooled cake. For the best texture and flavor, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
- Ensure you account for the extra time to cool the cake to ensure it's completely set.
- Reserve the remaining dough for later if you want to make a lattice top, or just use it all for the base.
- Cottage cheese is a perfect substitute or complement to ricotta. Choose small-curd cottage cheese for the smoothest result.
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