Protein Cheesecake Cups

Creamy cottage cheese is blended with cream cheese and other ingredients to give these protein cheesecake cups the classic cheesecake flavors you love but with protein that you want. Top with fresh berries and bite into these delicious cheesecake cups for a healthy dessert that you can feel good about!

As a bit of a sweet tooth myself, I can say that I have been left disappointed by a few too many protein desserts that claim to be “just like the real thing.” Let’s be honest…. no, they are not.

For that reason, I tend to just focus on protein with my meals and enjoy a “non-protein” dessert. The reality is that food, including desserts, should SATISFY you and if you are feeling unsatisfied by a lightened up recipe then you will likely find yourself reaching for another option soon after.

Every once in a while though, I find a healthy dessert recipe that checks both boxes: 1) It has a nutritional advantage such as a higher protein content or a lower sugar content and 2) it tastes delicious, satisfies my sweet tooth, and is a recipe that I truly enjoyed. Win win!

These protein cheesecake cups are one of those recipes that checks both boxes and are a protein dessert that you ABSOLUTELY should add to your rotation. They are light and fluffy, perfectly portioned, and a deliciously satisfying healthy sweet treat to enjoy.

I won’t lie to you and say that they taste exactly like having a bite of cheesecake. I will tell you, however, that these protein cheesecake cups feature all of the flavors of cheesecake that you love but with the protein content you want! Trust me, you’ll love having these mini dessert cups on hand.

Let’s get to the recipe!

Protein Cheesecake Cups

Why you’ll love this protein cheesecake recipe:

These mini protein cheesecake cups are a new favorite healthy dessert recipe in my household because they are:

• Perfectly portioned: While you could of course eat the whole batch if your heart desires (it is mainly cottage cheese, after all), the mini size of these cheesecake cups makes them perfectly portioned for an after dinner mini dessert that has protein and satisfies a sweet tooth.

• Full of cream cheese flavors: I have seen people make “healthy cheesecake” without cream cheese in it and that feels criminal to me. While the bulk of this recipe is made with cottage cheese, we do blend in some cream cheese to bring in the classic cheesecake flavors.

• Higher in protein: The protein cheesecake whip has 530 calories, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 27 grams of fat (this could be reduced by using light cream cheese), and 33 grams of protein. That means each mini cheesecake cup has about 200 calories and over 10 grams of protein!

• Versatile: While I serve the blended protein cheesecake as a mini cheesecake cup, you could also use it as a high protein fruit dip or simply eat it with a spoon! Get creative with it!

• Made with cottage cheese: Yes, yes, another cottage cheese recipe but trust me, you will love this one. In my opinion, it’s my favorite cottage cheese dessert recipe that I have had.

• A healthy dessert without the flavor sacrifice: This protein cheesecake recipe has higher protein, lower sugar, and a lower calorie than many other desserts and it ACTUALLY tastes good…. because food needs to bring satisfaction too.

You’re going to love these protein cheesecake cups! Now let’s get into the simple and nutritious ingredients you will need to make them:

Protein Cheesecake Cups Ingredients List:

These protein cheesecake cups call for ingredients like:

1. Cottage cheese: I used 2% Good Culture cottage cheese for this recipe because it has slightly lower fat and a higher protein content. You can use whatever brand you prefer and choose that fat level that works for your own taste and macro preferences.

2. Cream cheese: You can use regular or light cream cheese for this recipe but I do not recommend using whipped! The flavor will be there but the block cream cheese helps thicken up the texture of your protein cheesecake whip.

3. Maple syrup: You can also use honey or agave.

4. Fresh lemon juice: Every good cheesecake needs an acidic component.

5. Vanilla extract: For flavor depth.

6. Graham crackers: Crushed and added to the bottom of your dessert cup for the “crust.”

7. Fresh berries: For topping!

That’s it!

Step by Step Instructions:

1) Add your cottage cheese, cream cheese, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and lemon juice to a blender or blender cup.

2) Blend until smooth and creamy.

3) Place your graham crackers in a bag then crush with a heavy object. Add a thin layer of graham crackers to the bottom of your dessert glass cups.

4) Evenly distribute about 1/3 cup of your healthy cheesecake mixture into each dessert cup and allow them to chill for 30 minutes. Top with freshly washed berries and enjoy!

Swaps, substitutions, and serving suggestions:

This easy, high protein dessert recipe is the perfect sweet treat to reach for at the end of the day. While these protein cheesecake cups are delicious as they are, you can also make them your own by changing up the flavors. Here are some ideas:

• Protein biscoff cheesecake cups: Add a 2 tbsp of creamy biscoff to your protein cheesecake mix and top with crushed biscoff cookies.

• Protein oreo cheesecake cups: Add a 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder and a base and topping of crushed oreos for an Oreo spin on this recipe.

• Protein chocolate cheesecake cups: Cottage cheese chocolate mousse was a trending dessert for a long time and you could easily mimic that here by adding a scoop of cocoa powder and some chocolate chips to your protein cheesecake mix.

• High protein cheesecake: Want your dessert to be even higher in protein? Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder or unflavored collagen!

And more! Make this recipe your own and tag me on instagram with any fun ideas you come up with!

Also try: Mini Biscoff Cheesecake Cups

Recipe FAQ:

1. How should I serve these protein cheesecake cups?

   1. These protein cheesecake cups are best served chilled and topped with fresh berries!

2. What is the nutrition information for these protein cheesecake cups?

   1. Specifics will vary based on brands used but here is a breakdown per serving from MyFitnessPal:

      1. Calories: 180 calories

      2. Carbohydrates: 12 grams

      3. Fat: 9 grams

      4. Protein: 11 grams

      5. Added sugar: 8 grams

3. How can I lower the calorie content of this recipe?

   1. The easiest way to lower the calorie content of this recipe is to lower the fat content. You can achieve this by choosing light cream cheese, low fat cottage cheese (either nonfat or 1%) or reducing the serving size of cream cheese in the recipe.

      You can also skip the maple syrup or reduce the serving size to 1/2 tbsp to reduce added sugar and lower the calorie content.

Other healthy dessert recipes you will love:

Looking for other cottage cheese dessert recipe ideas? I have a few on my blog that I think you will love:

Cinnamon Sugar Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough

Get the recipe

Creamy Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese

Get the recipe

Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough

Get the recipe

High Protein Chocolate Mousse

Get the recipe

Peppermint Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse

Get the recipe

Yield: 3 mini cups

Author: Lauren Twigge

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Mini Protein Cheesecake Cups

Creamy cottage cheese is blended with cream cheese and other ingredients to give these protein cheesecake cups the classic cheesecake flavors you love but with protein that you want. Bite into these delicious cheesecake cups for a healthy dessert that you can feel good about.

Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

Ingredients

• 4 crushed graham crackers
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup cream cheese (regular or light)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: Fresh mixed berries for topping

Instructions

1. Place your graham crackers to a ziplock bag and use a heavy object to crush them into small pieces.
2. Add your cottage cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a blender or blender cup and blend until smooth.
3. In 3 small glass containers place an even base of graham crackers. Distribute your protein cheesecake mix evenly among the cups (about 1/3 cup of cheesecake per dessert cup) and allow them to chill for 30 minutes.
4. When you are ready to eat, top with fresh berries and enjoy!

Recommended Products

Glass Dessert Cups

Nutrition Facts

Calories

237

Fat

11 g

Carbs

23 g

Sugar

11 g

Protein

10 g

All nutrition information has been approximated and may vary depending on personal portion size, ingredient swaps, brand of product used, and other factors.

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Hey! I’m Lauren

I’m a Registered Dietitian and busy toddler mom committed to bringing you delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make recipes!